PERSIMMON AND BASIL GALETTE

This past month I've found myself in aggressive moods propelled by moments of angst over the impending changes at work and in my life (more on that another day). I can't help but think the current state of our world is also a player in this game of nearly getting the best of me on a regular basis. The barrage of headlines about war and terror and red verse blue cast a shadow on my otherwise sunny disposition. How does one deal with it all? It makes me feel like I am treading water in uneasy seas.

What is most compelling to me about my negative emotions, thoughts, feelings, and comments is that if I combat them with a buddhist view, I can generally shake them off quickly. Buddah says that life is neutral, and what we are thinking, speaking, believing, and our attitude about life is all we ever actually experience. You are the source of your life - good and bad. I read something the other day that really hit it home for me and since then I have felt more at peace.

Give attention to the possibility that all human communication, every word uttered in the human experience, is either a call for love -- "Appreciate me, acknowledge me, validate me, approve of me, take care of me, hold me!" or an expression of love--- "Thank you, I am great, you are extrodinary, I want your life to be successful." All our acts and words are attempts to presence (be and present) love. Consider that love, or the desire for love, is the distillation of all spoken words and the motivation for all action.

-Teres Engelhart- founder of Cafe Gratitude, a passage from Sacred Commerce.

When I read this I was able to discover the souce of where so much of my aggression was coming from and make sense of where it might be coming from within others.

But I digress, baking has a way of calming my nerves and creating more space to breathe allowing me to just be.

Following a recipe, or in this case creating one requires you to be focused on the ingredients and measurements making sure that you notate the amounts, adjust and taste test until it's perfect. The immediacy of baking takes me out of my head and I become present to what is going on right in front of me drowning out all the rest of the noise.

Ingredients

FOR THE CRUST:

3 Cups

unbleached all-purpose flour

3 Teaspoons

coconut sugar or sugar of choice

2/3 Cups

coconut oil, cold and solid

2/3 Cups

ice cold water

pinch of salt

FOR THE CREME

4 Tablespoons

Coconut Cream - the solid not the liquid

3 Tablespoons

vegan cream cheese- or more coconut cream

1 Tablespoon

finely chopped fresh basil

1 Tablespoon

coconut sugar

Zest of 1 large orange

1 Tablespoon

vanilla extract

FOR THE GALETTE FILLING

4-5

Fuyu Persimmons- cut in half, thinly sliced on mandoline

Zest from 1/2 orange

Zest from 1/2 lemon

1 Tablespoon

orange juice or Grand Marnier liqueur, cause why not

3 Tablespoons

coconut sugar

pinch of salt

FOR GARNISH

Fresh Basil

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. Combine flour, coconut sugar, salt, coconut oil, and ice water in a food processor, pulsing for about 10-15 seconds, until just barely combined.

Pour onto plastic wrap and cover to form into a disc. Massage it together until it is combined into a dough and then refrigerate while you prep the filling (15-20 mins)

1. In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, orange and lemon zests. Rub the sugar and zest together with your hands to release the citrus oil into the sugar. Add a pinch of salt and the Grand Marnier (or OJ) and mix well. Set aside.

2. Cut the stems off the fuyu persimmons. Slice them in half, and cut into thin slices, about 3/8-inch thick. I used a Mandoline. Remove any seeds, if needed. Place the persimmon slices in the sugar mixture and toss to coat well.

3. Prepare the galette creme filling by placing the coconut cream, cream cheese, basil, sugar, and orange zest in the bowl of the food processor and process until well combined.

4. Remove dough from fridge, roll it out into a circular shape, about 10-12" wide

Spread a thin layer of the creme mixture in the middle of the dough, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border all the way around. Arrange the persimmon slices on top of the creme.

1. Fold up the edges around the fruit, pressing on the pleats together. Place the galette on the lined baking sheet.

Brush the edges of the dough with a pasty wash made from 1 tbsp maple syrup + 2 tbsp almond milk.

1. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove, let cool completely, garnish with basil and serve.