Honeycomb Toffee, Sea Salted and Dark Chocolate Dipped aka Sponge Candy

"After eating chocolate you feel godlike, as though you can conquer enemies, lead armies, entice lovers."(Pastry chef Emily Luchetti) It would seem quite incomprehensible that one could simultaneously be intoxicated and in control of one's emotions and actions. Yet the allegedly well-researched, documented magical powers of chocolate have been known to do just that. Sometimes things are just worth believing. After weeks of eating fresh strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and cherries, my sweet tooth wanted something more than fruit. The number of options to feed the chocolate craving border on endless, but after thumbing through Nancy Silverton's Pastries from the La Brea Bakery cookbook I came across a recipe that took me on a trip down memory lane. If given the chance, who does not want the chance to relive a happy, memorable moment, especially if it has the added benefit of involving some form of chocolate?

Whether you call it Honeycomb Toffee, Sponge Toffee, Fairy Food Candy, Sea Foam Candy or Cinder Toffee, there is nothing quite like the caramelized sugar, slightly molasses-like, crispy, melt-away taste and texture of this confection. Cover it in a rich dark, semi-sweet, or milk chocolate and it is transformed into nothing short of a heavenly melt-in-your-mouth bite-sized confection. Sprinkle some sea salt on top and you might be inclined to keep it out of reach of anyone under the age of 21.

If you have ever shuffled over to Buffalo, you are well aware Sponge Candy is claimed as one of its' signature foods. And you thought their only food claim to fame are those fiery hot, spicy wings! Considered by some to be a regional candy, it was on a trip to Buffalo where I learned firsthand why so much fuss had been made around the golden, light, airy, crunchy bites, otherwise known as Honeycomb Toffee. In three whirlwind days we managed to attend the wedding of one of my staff members, do a 17 mile marathon training run, take side trips to Niagara Falls and Niagara on the Lake (loved the Canadian side of the falls) and have our first ever tastes of Beef on Weck, Anderson's Frozen Custard, and Chocolate Covered Honeycomb Toffee. Had taking photos of food been in vogue all of those years ago, it would be hard to say whether I would have taken more food or more Niagara falls photos. 

Normally one would not make Honeycomb Toffee on a hot, humid summer day, but the humidity had dropped, providing one of those must-take opportunities to make some. Humidity and honeycomb toffee are not friends.The honeycomb-like texture of the candy is achieved when baking soda is added to a mixture made of granulated sugar, corn syrup and water and cooked until reaching 300 degrees (F), the hard crack stage, on a candy thermometer. Note: When the baking soda is whisked in to the coked sugar mixture, it becomes foamy and dramatically increases in volume.

Working quickly after the baking soda is incorporated into the sugar mixture, pour onto a Silpat or baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (Note: The silicone non-stick liner not only aids in the honeycomb setting up, but makes removal very easy.) If the honeycomb remains slightly puffed up and has a shiny surface after its' poured and set for twenty minutes, you more than likely have achieved success.

It twenty (20) minutes, the Honeycomb is ready to be broken up into pieces or cut with a serrated knife. 

Once the Honeycomb has cooled and broken into pieces it needs to be immediately placed in a tightly sealed container or dipped in chocolate to prevent the candy from absorbing any moisture in the air and turning into a softened, sticky mess. In other words, once you start making the Honeycomb you need to finish it. But before dipping the pieces of Honeycomb into the melted chocolate, taste it. If for some reason the honeycomb is too dark, dense or hard it is best to make another batch. 

Taking this chocolatey, airy-crunchy, melt in your mouth confection to another level of additive, deliciousness was lightly sprinkling with a flaky, French sea salt. 

Deciding whether to dip the Honeycomb Toffee in dark, semi-sweet, or milk chocolate has everything to do with personal preference. At the moment I am on a dark chocolate kick. 

The odd-sized shapes to the Honeycomb Toffee may be a bit deceiving, especially for those who believe any chocolates and/or candies worth the calories must be perfectly shaped. Although randomly shaped pieces of Honeycomb Toffee seem to have their own kind of artisanal quality to them.

The Honeycomb Toffee, Sea Salted and Dark Chocolate Dipped could last for weeks stored in an airtight container, but probably won't, particularly if you make the location of the container known to anyone having a sweet tooth in your household. Admit it, you have hiding places and not just for those bags from your favorite stores. 

Recipe
Honeycomb Toffee, Sea Salted and Dark Chocolate Dipped aka Sponge Candy (inspired by a Nancy Silverton recipe in her cookbook Pastries from the La Brea Bakery)

Ingredients
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 Tablespoon baking soda, sifted
1 pound dark, semi-sweet or milk chocolate, melted
Flaky French sea salt

Directions
1. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Measure and sift baking soda. Set aside.
3. In a heavy-duty, medium sized saucepan, stir together the water, sugar and corn syrup until combined. 
4. Over high heat bring the mixture to a bowl without stirring. Continue to cook until it reaches 300 degrees (F) on a candy thermometer. Immediately remove from heat. Note: The mixture will have a very pale straw-like color.
5. Working quickly, add the baking soda and whisk for a few seconds until the baking soda is incorporated. The mixture will bubble up and become foamy.
6. Immediately pour over prepared baking pan allowing it spread out on its' own. Do not spread with any utensil.
7. Allow to hard and cool completely (approximately 20 minutes).
8. Remove honeycomb from silpat and transfer to a cutting board. Using the tip of a sharp knife break the honeycomb into uneven chunks.
9. Dip pieces of the honeycomb into the melted chocolate and set on a parchment paper lined cutting board. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt while chocolate is still 'wet'. Allow chocolate to completely harden before transferring honeycomb to an airtight container in a cool place or in the refrigerator.
Note: If not dipping the honeycomb pieces in chocolate, transfer to an airtight container. Undipped toffee will soften in the refrigerator.

The sun setting in Ludington, Michigan.

The 'Badger' ferry leaving Ludington (MI) and returning to Manitowoc (WI).

Cherry Hand Pies

Driving back from spending a few days at the lake with my sister and her family last week I was on a mission. That being to stop at one of the orchards along the highway to pick up some fresh blueberries and cherries before they closed. Along with taking photographs and getting a little summer color, the trip up to Michigan would have not been complete without bringing home some height of the season fruit. My only regret on this trip was not bringing home some of the most amazing smoked Norwegian salmon I had ever had from one of the iconic fisheries in Pentwater. 

For weeks now I have been wanting to make some hand pies but couldn't decide which to make first, blueberry or cherry. Decisions, decisions. But after reading the reviews for Bon Appetit's Cherry Hand Pies it was a no-brainer decision.

The hand pie has to rank up there as one of the greatest pastry inventions. So why has it taken me so long to make them? I honestly don't have a good answer to that question. However, now that I have seen the 'hand pie light' I am completely smitten by these pillowy bites of deliciousness and should probably go on a hand pie making binge to make up for all of the years they were not in my life. 

The hand pies can be made with either fresh or frozen cherries which means you can make these hand pies year round.

Pitting fresh cherries might be a little messy, but easy to do with a cherry pitter. But if you don't have one TheKitchn share three ways to pit cherries without a pitter.

In addition to 12 ounces of fresh, pitted cherries, the filling includes dried cherries, sugar, vanilla, sea salt and cornstarch. To further highlight the flavor of the cherries I added some kirsch but it's optional. Pastry chef David Lebovitz refers to kirsch as the secret weapon for every kind of berry dessert imaginable.

While I was intrigued by the ingredients in the cherry filling in the recipe (fresh cherries and dried cherries), I was beyond elated when I saw the hand pies were made of puff pastry rather than a homemade pastry. Not only because it simplified the making of these pies, but there may be no better flavor than than of a buttery, flaky pastry. Thawed puff pastry is rolled out on a lightly floured surface. A light dusting of flour on top of the puff pastry makes the rolling process seem effortless. 

The hand pies can be made in any shape or size. The dough can be cut into circles, triangles, rectangles or squares using a knife, pastry cutter, or cookie cutters like these. I used a 3 inch cookie cutter to create these cute, pillowy, cherry bites of deliciousness. The bottom piece of dough is brushed lightly with the egg wash before the cooled filling is spooned on. 

For this size, two teaspoons of the cherry filling seemed to be right amount and yielded the perfect filling to dough ratio. Depending on the size of hand pie you make, the amount of filling you use will vary. Avoid putting too much filling on the dough or you will end up with more filling on the pan than in the hand pies (and that would be a travesty). After placing a piece puff pastry on top of the cherry filling, use your fingers or a fork to seal the edges of the hand pie. You can make the vents on the top lid either before or after the hand pie is assembled. However, if you want circles instead of slits, use a straw to make the holes in the dough before you begin the assembly process.

The tops of the hand pies are brushed with the egg wash and generously sprinkled with sparkling sugar. Once you have filled a baking sheet with finished hand pies (leaving at least one inch of space between them), return to the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.

The hand pies are baked in a preheated 375 degree (F) oven for approximately 20-25 minutes or until the tops and bottoms are a golden brown. Baking time will vary based on the size of your hand pies. Baked hand pies are transferred to a wire rack and allowed to cool to room temperature before serving, that is, if you can wait that long for these beauties. They are the perfect way to celebrate summer.

Recipe

Cherry Hand Pies (an ever so slight adaptation to Bon Appetit's July 2011 Cherry Hand Pie recipe)

Makes 24-30 3" hand pies

Ingredients
1 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 Tablespoons ice cold water
12 ounces fresh cherries, pitted or 12 ounces frozen pitted cherries unthawed
2/3 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon Kirsch (optional)
2 - 14 ounce packages of all-butter puff pastry (preferably Dufour), thawed in the refrigerator
Flour (for rolling and dusting)
1 large egg white
1-2 Tablespoons sparkling sugar

Directions
1. In a small bowl, stir together the corn starch and cold water. Set aside.
2. In a medium sized saucepan, combine the fresh (and/or frozen) cherries, dried cherries, sugar, vanilla, sea salt and Kirsch. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the cherry juices are released (approximately 5 minutes).
3. Add cornstarch, bring to boil, stirring often until mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Stir occasionally.
4. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
5. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to an 18" to 15" rectangle. Cut into 3 inch squares.
6. Whisk together egg white with 1 Tablespoon water in small bowl for egg wash. 
7. Working with 1 pastry square/circle at a time, place on cool work surface and brush edges with egg wash.
8. Scoop approximately 2 teaspoons of of cherry mixture on one side. Top with another square, crimp around edges with a fork. Cut several slits on top of the hand pie with a knife or use a straw to make several circle cuts. Place hand pie on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and mixture.
9. Brush tops of each hand pie with egg wash, then sprinkle with sparking sugar. Chill for 30 minutes.
10. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). 
11. Bake hand pies until golden brown 20-25 minutes.
12. Transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely.
Important Note: Use only package of puff pastry (yield 14-16 three inch hand pies) and use the remaining cherry mixture for topping over ice cream.

Trolls painted on the bridge over the channel connecting Bass Lake (Pentwater, MI) to Lake Michigan.

Dulce de Leche S'Mores with Homemade Graham Crackers

Whether it's your first time or hundredth time eating a s'more, the reaction is always the same. You fall hopelessly in love with them and are immediately sent into a state of s'mores bliss. Quite possibly there is no other food out there having more euphoric qualities or one capable of bringing out such youthful exuberance. The utter joy of simultaneously experiencing the flavors of a crisp, sweet honey graham cracker; a toasted, slightly burnt marshmallow; and warm, melted semi-sweet chocolate puts you right smack in the middle of the road of supreme happiness. Traveling on this same road again and again never ever gets old.

Until recently I did not think the experience of eating a s'more could get any better. But homemade graham crackers, homemade marshmallows, a chocolate ganache and dulce de leche created a s'more so heavenly, so divine it should be put on the list of things being considered for eighth wonder of the world designation. Each of the components of the s'more was in of itself over the top delicious. When all combined and experienced in a single bite, it was intoxicating. They are definitely not for the faint of heart. These are messy, gooey, crunchy, the perfect sweetness, and oh so satisfying. 

I was under strict orders from my sister to not bring anything up to the lake. Asking me to not bring anything would be like asking a runner to stop running for a month, telling a five year old there is no such thing as Santa Claus or asking a meat lover to immediately become a vegan. In other words, I heard what she said, but the request was simply neither possible nor realistic. What harm would there possibly be in bringing some homemade graham crackers and homemade marshmallows? In my world, the answer to that question would be 'none'. And as the person who shall remain nameless sometimes says with a hit of snarkiness "It's Lynn's world and we are all just living in it.". 

When I came across Nancy Silverton's recipe for graham crackers I knew it was the 'one'. I had recently bought a jar of honey from Portland Oregon's Bee Local with the intention of using it for something 'special' (as opposed to just eating it out of the jar, yes it is that good, or serving with a cheese course, a most worthy use). With the graham cracker recipe calling for honey and dark brown sugar as two of its' ingredients, I thought there was no possible way they could be anything less that amazing. Spoiler alert: They were beyond amazing.

The recipe for the graham crackers gives you the choice of using only all-purpose flour or a combination of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour. I choose to use the two flours. The dough for these crackers comes together very easily using a food processor. My initial plan was to refrigerate the dough for only two hours (as opposed to overnight), however, it happened to be 90 degrees the day I assembled the dough. The short refrigeration time made rolling the dough a little difficult. So I went to plan B and waited to roll out the dough until the next morning. In cooler temperatures, a shorter chill time would probably work, but on a hot, humid day (even with the air conditioner on), a longer chill time significantly improved the rolling and cutting experience.

After the dough is rolled out and cut it is chilled again, this time only 30-45 minutes.

Because I was making s'mores I decided to cut the dough into 2 inch squares instead of the traditional 4 x 4 1/2 inch rectangles. When I make these again (and I will) I might cut them into shapes using cookie cutters. Depending on the size of graham cracker, I may need to adjust the baking time.

The graham crackers can be made plain (no sugar coating) or sprinkled with either granulated sugar or a cinnamon sugar (granulated sugar mixed with cinnamon). I used granulated sugar this time.

Baking time for the graham crackers is 15-20 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven. My graham crackers were a little on the thicker side, so my baking time was closer to 20 minutes. To test for doneness the graham crackers should be browned and lightly firm to the touch. They will crisp up even more when removed from the oven and cooled on a wire rack. To keep them crisp, store in a covered container or ziplock bag after they have cooled completely.

For the Homemade marshmallows, I used the recipe already posted to the blog. I absolutely love these marshmallows and this recipe.

Rather than using chocolate squares for the s'mores I thought I would make a chocolate ganache using semi-sweet chocolate, heavy cream, a pinch of espresso powder and a pinch of sea salt (I took liberties and inspiration from one of Ina Garten's ganache recipes).

I made the s'mores indoors and used my kitchen torch to toast the marshmallow. Not only does it work perfectly, but it makes s'more making a year round treat. I put a generous spoonful of some dulce de leche on the toasted marshmallow and finished by topping it all with another homemade graham cracker. It was mouthwatering just to look at. The graham crackers alone will get you invited back to any of your friend's lake houses or cottages. The Dulce de Leche S'mores with Homemade Graham crackers (and homemade marshmallows) might possibly get you your own key. 

Recipe
Dulce de Leche S'Mores with Homemade Graham Crackers (graham cracher recipe from Nancy Silverton's Pastries from the LaBrea Bakery)

Ingredients
Graham Crackers
2 1/2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons (375 grams) all-purpose flour (Note: Can swap out 1/2 cup whole wheat flour for 1/2 cup of the all-purpose flour or 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour for 1 cup of the all-purpose flour)
1 cup (176 grams) dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
7 Tablespoons (100 grams) unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch cubes and frozen
1/3 cup (114 grams) mild-flavored honey (recommend Bee Local Willamette Valley Honey)
5 Tablespoons whole milk
2 Tablespoons vanilla
Optional toppings before baking: 3 Tablespoons of granulated sugar OR 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon mixed together

Homemade marshmallows or Store bought marshmallows
Dulce de Leche (recommend Fat Toad Caramel or recommend LaSalamandra Dulce de Leche)
Chocolate Ganache or squares of your favorite semi-sweet chocolate

Directions
Graham Crackers
1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, baking soda and dark brown sugar. Pulse several times until blended.
2. Add frozen butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
3. In a small bowl, mix together honey, vanilla and milk. 
4. Add honey mixture to food processor, pulse until mixture comes together. Note: It will be soft and sticky.
5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly flowered piece of plastic wrap. Pat until a 1 inch thick rectangle is formed. Wrap dough tightly and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
7. Divide dough and half. Return one half to the refrigerator.
8. On a lightly floured surface roll out dough into a long rectangle about an 1/8 inch thick. Note: Dough may be sticky, lightly flour as necessary.
9. Using a pastry wheel, pizza cutter, knife or cookie cutters, trim dough to a 4 inch wide rectangle. Reserve scraps to re-roll. 
10. Cut the strips every 4 1/2 inches (for traditional graham crackers) or cut into your size of choice.
11. Place crackers on prepared baking sheets. Chill until firm (approximately 30-45 minutes). 
12. Repeat with other half of dough.
13. Mark a vertical line down the center of the 4 1/2 inch cracker, being careful not to cut all the way through. Using a toothpick or skewer, prick the dough to form two dotted rows about 1/2 inch from each side of the dividing line. Note: If making Sugared Grahams or Cinnamon Sugar Grahams, sprinkle with sugar and/or cinnamon sugar mixture before placing in the oven.
14. Bake for 15-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet half-way through the baking process until browned and lightly firm to the touch. 
15. Transfer graham crackers to cooling rack. Let cool completely before storing in a well-sealed container. Crackers will keep for approximately 1 week.
Note: Makes 10 4x4 1/2 inch squares or approximately 48 two inch squares.
16. To make ganache, melt 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, 1/4 teaspoon instant espresso and 1/2 cup heavy cream on the top of a double boiler until chocolate has melted and mixture is shiny. Let cool for at least 3 minutes before transferring chocolate to a pastry bag or plastic squeeze bottle. Squeeze a layer of chocolate on the bottom side of a graham cracker.
17. Top chocolate with a marshmallow. Using a kitchen or propane torch, toast marshmallows.
18. Slightly warm caramel sauce or dulce de leche. Drizzle over top of the toasted marshmallow. 
19. Top with a graham cracker and enjoy!

Summer flowers.

Blueberry Pecan Galette

".....You ought to have seen how it looked in the rain, the fruit mixed with water in layers of leaves, like two kinds of jewels, a vision for thieves."(Blueberries by Robert Frost) As Independence Day approaches, the proliferation of patriotic themed desserts are appearing in every form of media, making for quite a spectacular food firework show, one undoubtedly causing an unending chorus of 'oohs and aahs'. I generally think of 4th of July desserts as falling into two pyrotechnic categories, 'flaming blazing wonders', ones where you set your chairs or blankets out hours in advance in order to get the best view of the brilliance of colors and designs lighting up the sky, ones so bad ass and beautiful they almost take your breath away. And then there are the 'sparkler lame', the single-dimensional ones over even before they begin, the kind unable to melt either the frosting on a birthday cake or your heart. 

The moment I saw the Blueberry Pecan Galette on the cover of Bon Appetit's July (2015) issue I instantly knew which fireworks category this dessert would fall in. Just looking at the photo had me repeatedly saying OMG, standing suspiciously too long in the magazine aisle, and being convinced baking this galette was my patriotic duty. In my world, there is no such thing as too many blueberry desserts as evidenced by the relatively large number of blueberry recipes posted on this blog (Blueberry Buckle with Whipped Coconut Cream, Blueberry Crisp, Blueberry Pie, Blueberry and Rye Slab Pie, Blueberry Lemon Bundt Cake, Blueberry Muffin Cake with Streusel Crumb Top and Goat Cheese Cheesecake with Berry Compote). Yet, not a blueberry galette anywhere to be found amongst them.

There are galettes and then there are galettes. While everyone else is changing up the type of flour in the dough, this one makes baked, coarsely chopped pecans one of the key dough ingredients. This is nothing short of sheer brilliance or rather I should say genius. 

With the exception of blueberries and quite possibly the sparkling sugar, you probably already have all of the ingredients in your refrigerator or cabinets if you are someone who likes to bake either regularly or occasionally.

Of course I had to tinker ever so slightly with the filling for the galette. Although there is some cinnamon in the crust, I wanted a hint of that flavor to be in the blueberries as well. With only 1 1/2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, adding the zest from a half of a lemon to the blueberries would ever so slightly enhance the citrus flavor of the filling. 

A half cup of pecans baked in a preheated 350 degree (F) oven for 10-15 minutes, then coarsely chopped in the food processor truly is the game changer in this crust. 

Depending on the humidity, the crust comes together with either 3 or 4 Tablespoons of ice cold water. There are at least three ways of making a crust: by hand, in a food processor, or using a combination food processor/by hand method. Using the food processor only method resulted in a beautifully flaky pastry. The key to using a food processor is to pulse not process the ingredients. Epicurious has a great  pie crust primer video.

Once the crust is rolled out to a 12" circle, the filling mixture is mounded in the center, leaving a 2" edge. 

There should be some overlapping when the edges are folded over the blueberry mixture. Brushing on milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream helps to give the crust that finishing golden color look. The addition of sparkling sugar adds the right amount of sweetness and shimmer. 

The galette is baked in a preheated 375 degree (F) oven for 45-50 minutes or until the crust is golden and the filling begins to bubble and ooze. 

If for some reason you aren't going to be anywhere near fireworks this year, this Blueberry Pecan Galette served warm or at room temperature with or without some vanilla ice cream will more than make up for it. In fact, you might not even miss them. Okay, you might, especially if you ever have been spoiled by the 'flaming blazing wonder' pyrotechnic experience. If that happens to be the case, there may be no better way to salvage the day than to make and serve this galette. 

Recipe

Blueberry Pecan Galette (an ever so slight adaptation to Bon Appetit's Blueberry Pecan Galette recipe)

Ingredients

Dough

1/2 cup pecans

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup (8 Tablespoons) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces (recommend Kerrygold)

3-4 Tablespoons ice cold water

Filling 

14-16 ounces fresh blueberries (2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups)

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from half a lemon)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 

zest from half of a lemon

2 Tablespoons milk, half-and-half or heavy cream

2 Tablespoons sparkling sugar (recommend India Tree bright white sparkling sugar)

Optional: vanilla ice cream for serving

Directions

Dough

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Toast pecans on a baking sheet until fragrant and slightly darkened (approximately 10-15 minutes). Allow to cool.

2. Pulse pecans in food processor until the consistency of coarse meal.

3. Add flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon pulsing to just combine.

4. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal (a few pea sized pieces of butter will remain).

5. Add 3 Tablespoons of ice water and pulse until mixture begins to come together. If necessary add an additional Tablespoon of ice water.

6. Turn dough out and shape into a 6" diameter disk. Wrap in plastic and chill at least least one hour. Note: Dough can be made up to 2 days ahead.

Filling and Assembly

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a medium sized bowl, toss together the blueberries, cornstarch, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 12" round. Transfer dough to prepared baking sheet.

4. Mound blueberry mixture in center of the dough, leaving a 2" border.

5. Fold edges over, overlapping slightly.

6. Brush dough with milk/half-and-half/heavy cream and sprinkle generously with sparkling sugar.

7. Bake galette until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling. Approximately 45-50 minutes.

8. Remove from oven. Allow to cool slightly before serving. (Note: Can be served room temperature).

Additional notes: (1) Serve with vanilla ice cream and (2) Galette is best on the day it is made.

The July 1st moon.