Sunday 22 December 2013

Gingerbread Ice Trees

The best smells of Christmas?  Gingerbread, pine trees and mulled wine round out my top three.
This morning we woke up to a world covered in ice - trees, fences, buildings, roads, cars - while it looks pretty, it was definitely a stay-at-home kind of day.  We were lucky to have power - so what better way to spend part of the day than baking gingerbread cookies?

The view inspired me - ice covered trees!


What intrigued me about this recipe was the addition of black pepper. It makes a not-too-sweet, not-too-spicy cookie - a crowd-pleaser.  If you like the gingerbread flavour to really slap you in the face, this recipe isn't for you - try Smitten Kitchen's Spicy Gingerbread.

Gingerbread Cookies
slightly adapted from Baking Bites

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
pinch ground black pepper
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses*
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine flour, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, cinnamon and black pepper in a medium sized bowl.  In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in molasses, egg and vanilla, then gradually add in flour mixture until a soft dough can be formed into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until firm.

Using extra flour, roll out dough to desired thickness and cut into shapes.  Bake at 350 degrees for 9-10 minutes.  Let cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely. 

 *Note: I only added 1/4 cup of molasses, as that was all I could coax out of the container. The original recipe calls for a 1/2 cup.  







Sunday 15 December 2013

Chip Butterballs

Chip butterballs are one of our Christmas family traditions - at least as far back as the 2nd grade.  In fact, it's a bit of a shameful but funny memory - my mom packed up a bunch of chip butterballs in foil and sent them with me to school on the last day before Christmas holidays for our class Christmas party. All the kids brought home made treats to share with the class.  But that year, I was a naughty child.  I loved those butterballs so much, that I didn't share them with the class - I ate them ALL by MYSELF.  Yep - I was a greedy little cookie monster.


These are really just balls of shortbread with chocolate chips - but Chip Butterballs sounds so much better.  This recipe comes originally from a Robin Hood flour recipe booklet from 1985.  The original calls for the addition of 1 cup of finely chopped pecans - so throw those in if you like, we never did.

Chip Butterballs
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup icing sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cold water

Combine flour, salt, and chocolate chips.  In a separate bowl, cream butter.  Gradually add sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla and water.  Blend well.
Gradually stir in flour mixture.  Mix well, as you don't want pockets of butter - or the cookies will lose their shape during baking.
Shape into 3/4 inch balls - the dough won't seem like it will hold together - don't worry.  The butter will do its job.
Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 325 for 18-20 minutes, until edges just begin to brown.
Makes about 40 cookies.




Wednesday 11 December 2013

Cranberry Pistachio and Chocolate Candy Cane Biscotti

I am finding it hard to make time to bake this year - I don't know, the Christmas season seems to be flying by - so last night I set out to start my holiday baking, just in time for holiday gift giving.

I know I lectured about the proper name for this type of cookie a week or so ago, but just to keep things simple, let's call these biscotti.  


Using the recipe below but dividing the dough in roughly half, I added a half cup of chopped pistachios and a half cup of chopped dried cranberries to one half of the dough.  Enough "half"s in that sentence for you? 

The other half I rolled out into the prescribed log plain jane style.  Bake (twice) as per the directions and allow cookies to cool. Melt 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips in a heat safe bowl over simmering water on the stove, or in the microwave.  Dip the cookie in the chocolate, then sprinkle chopped candy cane on top of the melted chocolate.  Place on waxed paper to set.


Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pistachios
1 cup chopped dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Combine flour with baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
Cream butter with sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy.  Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then add vanilla.
Stir in flour mixture until combined. Stir in pistachios and cranberries.
Gather dough together in a large ball and divide in half. Shape each half into a 2-in.-wide and 3/4-in.-high log. Place logs 3 in. apart as they will spread.
Bake in centre of oven until tops are almost firm but still golden, 30 to 35 min. Remove from oven and let stand until loaves are cool enough to touch, about 10 min. Cut each diagonally into 1/2-in. slices. Place a rack on baking sheet. Arrange sliced biscotti on rack, cut-side down. Continue baking until very firm and golden brown, about 20 more min.
Store in an airtight container up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 month.

Recipe slightly adapted from Chatelaine.




Monday 2 December 2013

Cantuccini

Cantuccini - twice baked almond biscotti - originates in Tuscany.  The word biscotti comes from the Latin word biscoctus, which translates as "twice cooked/baked".  Baking the biscuits twice creates an extra dry biscuit that stores well for long periods of time, which was useful for long journeys or for Roman soldiers on campaign.

In North America, biscotti are sold at coffee shops and cafes and often consumed after dunking them into a coffee or espresso beverage to soften.  While I was visiting Italy a couple of years ago, I learned that the traditional Tuscan way to eat cantuccini is by dipping into a sweet dessert wine.

I have this idea of making a couple different varieties of biscotti and giving as gifts to friends, colleagues and neighbours - so I thought I better try out the traditional version first, and see how it turned out, which was very well!  The only change I would make is to add less salt, by at least a 1/4 tsp., to 3/4 tsp total.  Overall, it was a success, so stay tuned for what holiday themed flavours I decide on!





Cantuccini

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt**
1/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
100g chopped whole almonds

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Combine flour with baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
Cream butter with sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy.  Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla.
Stir in flour mixture until combined. Stir in almonds.
Gather dough together in a large ball and divide in half. Shape each half into a 2-in.-wide and 3/4-in.-high log. Place logs 3 in. apart as they will spread.
Bake in centre of oven until tops are almost firm but still golden, 30 to 35 min. Remove from oven and let stand until loaves are cool enough to touch, about 10 min. Cut each diagonally into 1/2-in. slices. Place a rack on baking sheet. Arrange sliced biscotti on rack, cut-side down. Continue baking until very firm and golden brown, 20 to 30 more min. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 month.

Recipe slightly adapted from Chatelaine.



Tuesday 12 November 2013

Apple Pie Crostadas

This recipe looks....challenging.  I won't lie to you.  It is.  Well, at least it was for me.   The actual preparation of ingredients part is easy.  The putting together of the pies had me stamping my foot in frustration.  Take my advice - try to make one crostada, learn from your mistakes, and then try again.
Now, of course if you don't mind a messy looking hand pie, then just have fun with it!  My first batch of 4 looked a little pathetic - but my next batch showed definite signs of improvement.  



I made some adjustments to the original recipe - there was waaaay too much apple filling.  I ended up making a quick and dirty apple crisp with the leftovers.  I would also suggest making 6 crostadas from the dough, as opposed to the 8 according to the original recipe.  It was just too frustrating to try and make the edges of the dough pinch together around the filling, so a little bit of extra dough will help.

These are admittedly, delicious.  Although, if they were not, it begs the question why would I post these on my blog? But I digress...

Apple Pie Crostadas 
adapted from Joy the Baker

Filling
2 apples (I used Mutsu)
1/8 cup brown sugar
1/2 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Crust
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
2 tbsp granulated sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup cold water* (plus 1-2 tbsp as needed)

Topping
1/8 cup all purpose flour
1/8 cup white or brown sugar
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of ginger
1/8 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Start with the crust.  Combine the flour, sugar, salt, cold cubed butter, and 1/4 cup really cold water by hand or with a pastry blender until it forms small pea sized pieces.  Add more cold water a teensy bit at a time until a reasonable shaggy dough is formed.  Form into a disc, cover with plastic wrap, and place in fridge for 45 minutes to an hour. 

Now the topping.  Combine all dry ingredients and by blend in the butter by hand or with a fork. 
Place in fridge until ready to finish off the pies. 

Next - Filling.  Peel apples and cut into small pieces.  Put in a bowl and add sugar, flour and cinnamon. Add a bit of lemon juice if you have it on hand.  Stir together and let the sugar bring out the apple juices. 

When you are ready to roll - flour a surface and unwrap the dough.  Cut the dough into 6 evenly sized pieces.  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Roll out one section of dough at a time, into a 1/4 inch thick blob, as round as you can make it.  Brush with egg wash.  Plop a spoonful or two of the apple filling into the centre.  Top with a spoonful or two of the topping - you have to eyeball it, based on the size of your crostada dough - this is what I mean when I say, try one out first.  Now fold the dough edges up around the filling, pinching together to form a little bowl around it.  Brush a little more egg wash on top and sprinkle with sugar.  Repeat 5 more times. 

Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes - up to 20 minutes depending on the size of your pies. 

Nota bene:  If the filling oozes out and burns bakes onto the baking sheet, don't worry.  Still good. And if they all turn out poorly - well, more for you : )


Saturday 2 November 2013

Wookiee Cookies

I won't get into the whole story of why I made Wookiee Cookies, let's just say it was Hallowe'en, and our theme at work this year was Star Wars...you know, just a regular day at the office.

This is the official Wookiee Cookies recipe from the actual Star Wars Cookbook by Robin Davis.

Source
A couple of comments about these cookies:

1)  a TON of sugar goes into these.  I had my doubts, but I followed the recipe exactly.  1 cup of brown sugar + 1/2 cup of white sugar + 2 cups of chocolate chips = wowzers.

2) If you bake them for 9-10 minutes, the middle stays soft, and the cookie is extra CHEWIE....groan.

Wookie Cookies
Source




Wookiee Cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup unsalted butter (room temp)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Put the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a mixing bowl. Stir with the wooden spoon until well mixed. Set aside.

Put the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a bowl and mix until creamy with the wooden spoon. Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract.

Add the flour mixture and stir until blended. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Scoop up a rounded tablespoon full of dough and drop onto a baking sheet. Repeat until you have used up all the dough. Be sure to leave about 1 inch between the cookies because they spread as they bake.

 Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Lift the cookies from the baking sheets with a spatula, and place on cooling racks. Let cool completely.                    
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.





Thursday 24 October 2013

Mindy's Gluten-Free Strawberry Cupcakes

My lovely and talented sister-in-law makes the most delicious gluten-free baked goods! I have sampled these cupcakes several times - and can easily say these are the best gluten-free cupcakes I have ever had.

Enjoy!


Mindy's Gluten-Free Strawberry Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Cheese frosting

Prep time: 25 min | Cook time: 20 min | icing 15 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 30 cupcakes
INGREDIENTS:
Cupcake
4 eggs
2 cup milk
9 tablespoons sugar
8 tablespoons grape seed oil
4 cup white rice flour (i use bob's red mill)
8 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoon salt
2 cups finely chopped fresh strawberries (i used my food processor and pulsed about five to six times until i don't see any big pieces)
Frosting
300g goat cheese or cream cheese
1 stick butter room temp
1 cup powder sugar
1 tea spoon vanilla
or half vanilla bean scraped
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Line your cupcake tray with paper cups.
In another small bowl, combine white rice flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix the egg, milk and grape seed oil with a hand blender.
Fold in the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
Little lumps are fine to leave.
Fold in finely chopped strawberries.
Using ice cream scoop or icing bag to put the batter into the prepared cupcake liner,
filling each well about 2/3 full. Bake for 13-20 minutes until the edges are slightly browned.
In the mean time, while the cakes are baking, whip up your frosting.
First, whip your butter with paddle attachment.
When it has stiff peak and holds shape, add cream cheese little at a time. Whip until well whipped.
Add sugar at the end just to mix.
Set aside in the fridge until cupcakes cool down.
Take out the cupcakes from the oven.
Let them cool completely to frost them.
Bag your frosting and frost, decorate and munch, munch and crunch! 

Monday 7 October 2013

Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies


Sugar and spice and everything nice - these cookies are definitely ginger-spicy.  Thanks to the addition of pumpkin puree, unlike traditional gingersnap cookies, these cookies have a really soft centre with a perfect sugar-crust outside.


The ginger, molasses, and cloves overpower any sense of  pumpkin flavour - so if you are looking for a real pumpkin cookie, look elsewhere (I suggest Joy the Baker's pumpkin chocolate chip) These made an appearance at the office and helped use up some of the leftover pumpkin from my bread last week - trouble is, I still have more pumpkin left!  Oh dear, first world problems....

I think these cookies deserve an encore at holiday baking time - they would be perfect for cookie exchanges or holiday parties.   This recipe makes at least 3 dozen.

Pumpkin Gingersnap Cookies
slightly adapted from Two Peas and their Pod

1/2 cup of butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling the cookies
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup pumpkin
1/4 cup molasses
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, Cream butter and sugars together. Add the pumpkin, molasses, egg, and vanilla extract, mix until well combined.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until combined. Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 1 hour. The dough can be chilled for 2-3 days.

When you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 350° F.  Place sugar in a small bowl. Roll tablespoon-sized balls of dough in sugar until well coated and place on prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until cookies look cracked and set at the edges. The cookies will still be soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a 2-3 minutes after removing them from the oven, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Friday 4 October 2013

Pumpkin Ale Bread

Fall - apples, cool nights and warm days, bright coloured leaves, and pumpkins!

First pumpkin recipe of the season comes courtesy of Chatelaine magazine:  Pumpkin-ale sweet bread!



Question: Why are shelled pumpkin seeds called pepitas?  Anyone?  Shelled sunflower seeds are still sunflower seeds.  What makes pumpkin seeds special?



You need pumpkin ale for this one...in case this isn't apparent. 

but there are usually several to choose from this time of year. 


Pumpkin Ale Bread

Ingredients
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pumpkin-pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup pure pumpkin purée
                                       1/3 cup pumpkin ale
                                             1/4 cup canola oil
                                               1 tsp vanilla

                                                GLAZE
                                               2/3 cup icing sugar
                                              2 tbsp pumpkin ale
                                               1/4 cup pepitas

Instructions
PREHEAT oven to 350F. Lightly spray a 9 × 5-in. loaf pan with oil.
STIR flour with baking soda, pumpkin-pie spice and salt in a medium bowl.
WHISK eggs with brown sugar in a large bowl. Whisk in pumpkin purée, 1/3 cup ale, oil and vanilla. Whisk flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until combined. Scrape into prepared pan (batter will be thick). Smooth top.
BAKE in centre of oven until loaf is dark golden and a skewer inserted in centre of loaf comes out clean, 60 to 65 min. Transfer to a rack. Let stand 15 min. Run a knife along edges of loaf pan and transfer loaf to rack.
WHISK icing sugar and pumpkin ale in a small bowl. Spoon over top of loaf and sprinkle with pepitas.


Monday 30 September 2013

Deep Dish Apple Crumble Pie


I haven't had much luck lately....my last two baking adventures have included a donut disaster x 2 (first batch I forgot the sugar (what?), and the second batch I must have doubled the baking powder or something because I created a new baked good - Muffin-nuts, because it was like muffin tops over donut bottoms) and a tasty but not pretty attempt at dutch apple pancakes.


So, I am happy to present this apple crumble pie, representing attempt number two at butter pastry.  It browned a little too much on the edges, but still delicious.  This pie really shines when served cold.

Deep Dish Apple Crumble Pie

Butter Pastry Crust
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/4 cup plus 1 to 2 tbsp cold buttermilk

Filling
5 or 6 granny smith apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Crumble Topping
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup white sugar
large pinch of salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks

Crust
In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add cold, cubed butter and, using your
fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture. Create a well in the mixture and pour in the cold buttermilk. Mix together with a fork.  Add more buttermilk bit by bit as needed - the mixture should be moist but not wet.  Form a ball and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Roll out the pie crust on a well floured surface and place into a 9 inch pie pan.  Trim edges and make it all pretty.  Refrigerate for another 30-60 minutes. This is a good time to make the filling and topping.

Filling
Combine apple slices, sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl and mix until the fruit is covered in the sugar. Once pie crust is cold, pour apples into crust and pat down gently.

Crumble Topping:
Combine flour, oats, sugar, and salt. Add the cold butter chunks and incorporate by hand, breaking down the chunks into smaller bits and pieces.  Crumble over top of the apple mixture until nicely covered - don't overdo it or it won't bake properly.  

Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees, then reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 35 minutes or until topping is golden brown and pie juices are bubbling around the edges.
Make sure to place a baking sheet underneath the pie to catch the drips!

Let cool for at least 2 hours before serving.  Store covered in the fridge.





Monday 16 September 2013

Rocky Mountain Cookies

We spent last week hiking in the Canadian Rocky Mountains in Banff National Park. It was stunningly beautiful at every turn - we simply stopped taking photographs and focused on just experiencing it.

I baked up a batch of these cookies to pack along for our hikes....these were so so good after hiking 1.5 hours up a mountain hill to one of the best views of the entire trip.  They were also the perfect tonic to soothe our aching knees at the bottom of that same hill.  These did make appearances elsewhere in the Rockies, but too quick for the camera : )

Rocky Mountain Trail Mix Cookies at the top of the Little Beehive, Lake Louise

I based these on my Juan de Fuca Trail Mix Cookies, but added peanut butter and swapped the ingredients around - end result - I have a feeling these will make an appearance for our next hike, although there won't be a mountain in sight.

Rocky Mountain Trail Mix Cookies
Shores of Lake Louise

1 1/4 cups oats
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup salted roasted cashew pieces
1/2 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Combine oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. 
In a separate bowl, cream together sugars and butter until light and fluffy.  
Add eggs, peanut butter, and vanilla, mixing well.
Add in flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.  . 
Add in chocolate chips, cashews, cranberries, and pepitas.  Mix thoroughly. 

Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, place balls of dough on an ungreased cookie sheet. 
Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.  Let cool on cookie sheet for about 3-5 minutes until firm enough to remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 2 dozen large cookies.

Best eaten at high altitudes.  Keeps well up to 5 days in a sealed container (if they last that long).













Thursday 29 August 2013

Blueberry Crumble Squares

I'm really glad I stumbled onto this blog.  I like her style, she isn't all about the $$ as she refuses to accept products and books to review for her blog (which is really refreshing), AND she created these delicious blueberry squares....(well, she calls them bars - but let's not call the whole thing off).  

My husband and I scarfed the whole pan down in 2 days.  And I would have immediately tossed together another batch, had I another pint of berries.  Tossed together is appropriate, given how incredibly easy this is to make.  Like, 5 minutes prep.  And I didn't even grease the pan!



Blueberry Crumble Squares
slightly adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1/4 cup oats
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch

In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar, flour, oats, baking powder, and salt.  Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the butter and egg. Dough will be crumbly. Divide in half and using the back of a spoon, press half of the dough into the pan.

In another bowl, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Gently mix in the blueberries. Pour the blueberry mixture over the dough into a 9x9 inch pan.  With your fingers, crumble the remaining dough over top of the blueberries.

Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. 





Tuesday 20 August 2013

Peach and Blueberry Pie

Yes, more blueberries and peaches! Can't get enough.  The thing with buying a big basket of peaches is you have to wait for days until they ripen, and then you can't eat them fast enough before they spoil.
Oh well - guess I have to make another pie!

This was probably my best pie crust ever....I'm not sure what I did differently this time....(or what I didn't do) or maybe practice makes perfect.


Peach and Blueberry Pie 

filling
1 pint fresh blueberries
5 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
pinch of salt
juice from 1/2 lemon or 1 tbsp lemon juice

pastry
2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
3/4 cup vegetable shortening, cold
4-6 tbsp ice cold water

Rinse the blueberries and set aside.  To make the
pastry, sift 2 cups all purpose flour into a medium bowl, then add cubes of shortening.  Using a pastry cutter, combine flour and shortening together. Add 4 tbsp ice cold water, and continue to blend.  Add more water as necessary (1 -2 tbsp) to create the right consistency of dough.   It should be slightly sticky and crumbly at the same time.  Using your hands, gather dough into a ball, touching as little as possible (dough needs to stay cold). Separate dough into two halves, wrap in plastic wrap and put in the fridge for 30 minutes, and up to 2 days.



When dough has chilled, take one half and roll out onto a lightly floured surface.   Flip into a pie plate and put into the fridge to chill.   Add the sugar, flour, and lemon juice to the blueberries and peach slices and mix gently until covered in the sugar/flour mixture.  Remove pie crust from fridge and pour fruit mixture into crust.  Remove the second half of pastry and roll out onto a lightly floured surface. Flip on top of pie and pinch together.  Brush lightly with an egg wash, and bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 degrees for another 30 minutes or until nicely browned and fruit is bubbling out the sides. 












Sunday 11 August 2013

Blueberry Pie with Lattice Pie Crust

Blueberry Pie, Blueberry Pie, if I can't get some, I think I'm going to die....sorry Dennis,  I am sure that alligator is mighty tasty, but I will take blueberry every time.  Blueberry pie is my all-time favourite.  So how is it that I have never once tried to make it myself?  High time.


Blueberry Pie

filling
5 cups or 2 1/2 pints fresh blueberries
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
pinch of salt
juice from 1/2 lemon or 1 tbsp lemon juice

pastry
2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
3/4 vegetable shortening
4-6 tbsp ice cold water

Rinse the blueberries and set aside.  To make the pastry, sift 2 cups all purpose flour into a medium bowl, then add cubes of shortening.  Using a pastry cutter, combine flour and shortening together. Add 4 tbsp ice cold water, and continue to blend.  Add more water as necessary (1 -2 tbsp) to create the right consistency of dough.   It should be slightly sticky and crumbly at the same time.  Using your hands, gather dough into a ball, touching as little as possible (dough needs to stay cold). Separate dough into 2/3 and 1/3 discs, wrap in plastic wrap and put in the fridge for 30 minutes, and up to 2 days.

When dough has chilled, take the 2/3 disc and roll out onto a lightly floured surface.   Flip into a pie plate and put into the freezer to chill.   Add the sugar, flour, and lemon juice to the blueberries and mix gently until blueberries are covered in the sugar/flour mixture.  Remove pie crust from freezer and pour blueberries into crust.

Roll out the 1/3 disc of pastry on a lightly floured surface.  To make a lattice top, cut the dough into strips using a pizza cutter.  Lay 5 strips of dough over the pie - longest in the middle, and shortest on the far sides. Roll back the 2nd and 4th strips, and place a shorter strip perpendicular.  Roll the 2nd and 4th strips back over the pie, and roll back the 1st, 3rd, and 5th strips.  Place the next horizontal strip on the pie and roll the 1st, 3rd, and 5th strips back, and so on, until the whole pie is covered.  This website is a great resource:  http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_make_a_lattice_top_for_a_pie_crust/

Brush the pastry with egg wash before baking for a golden brown crust. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.  Turn oven temperature down to 375 and bake for a further 30  minutes or until pie crust is evenly brown and blueberries are bubbling over the edges.  Don't forget to put a cookie sheet underneath to catch the drips!

Cool pie before serving if you want your pie to be less runny, otherwise, slightly cool and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!




Wednesday 7 August 2013

Peach Blueberry Crisp


All kinds of fruit crisps are delicious, but Peach and Blueberry crisp is my all time favourite combination.  Especially in August - when both are in season in southern Ontario.  This also has to be one of the quickest and easiest summer desserts around...be sure to have vanilla ice cream on hand!



Peach Blueberry Crisp

2/3 cup oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp flour*
1/3 cup cold cubed butter
5 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
1 3/4 cup blueberries, fresh

*Gluten free baking mix can be used instead, or omit the flour all together.

To peel the peaches
Boil 1 litre of water and pour into a heat-safe bowl. Cut a small x in the bottom of each peach  and immerse peaches in the boiling water for up to 5 minutes.  When you are ready to peel, dunk each peach in a bowl of cold water so it is cool enough to handle, and stops the peach flesh from cooking. The peel should literally fall away from the flesh with a gentle push. Tip - only use ripe peaches....it is NOT fun to try to peel the skin off unripe peaches. Boiling water does little to help.

Combine oats, flour, brown sugar in a medium bowl.   Add cold cubed butter and mix with your hands, breaking up the butter bits as you go.  The butter bits should end up the size of peas.

Slice peaches into a 8 or 9 inch pan.  Add blueberries evenly over top.  Take about 1/4 cup of the crisp topping and mix into the fruit.  Spread the rest evenly over top, and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until top is crispy and fruit is bubbling out at the sides.

Crisp vs. Crumble....When is it a crisp? When is it a crumble?  I have no idea what the experts say, but in my humble opinion, if you have a hard, buttery crust on top - it is a crisp.  If you have a softer, lumpier, oatmeal and brown sugar streusel like topping - it is a crumble.

What do you think?

Monday 29 July 2013

Browned Butter Blueberry Muffins

It's here, it's finally here - blueberry season, what else?  So many blueberries, so little time.  First up, a recipe from the impossible to disappoint Joy the Baker.  I meant to try this one out last summer and never managed it.  And these need to be made with fresh berries.  These are easy, and so so good.  I don't know if it was the browned butter or the streusel topping but these are irresistible, and best fresh out of the oven.

I actually only had 1 cup berries left - so I tweaked the below recipe and made 8 muffins - and they are already all gone.  I left out the extra egg yolk (shhh!) and I also substituted the milk with half and half with a tidbit of water.  It's all good.  It's Saturday morning and we forgot to buy milk.





Browned Butter Blueberry Muffins
adapted from Joy the Baker

7 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup milk
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh blueberries

Streusel Topping
3 Tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 1/2 tablespoons sugar



Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until little brown specks appear in the pan. Watch it closely - seriously.  The butter will be crackling and sizzling, but this will subside and the butter will begin to brown. Pour into a small bowl and set aside to cool slightly.

Combine milk, eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl. Once butter has cooled a bit, add it and stir.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Add the milk and butter mixture all at once and continue to stir.  Gently fold in the blueberries.  Divide the batter among muffin cups. Batter will be quite thick.

For the streusel topping combine butter, flour, and sugar and crumble with your fingers. Sprinkle evenly over the batter in the cups.  Be generous. It's tasty.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 18-20 minutes (or 25 if you bake it at 350 because you didn't read the recipe properly).  

Enjoy warm, with hot coffee, the paper, and a little dog snuggling on your lap.