Cranberry Blueberry Pie

Still undecided on what pies to serve for Thanksgiving?  Or maybe you are looking for something slightly different that the traditional choices.  Look no further, this pie has got you covered.  The moment I saw this in November’s Bon Appétit, I began searching for an opportunity to make it.  Blueberry pie is already my very favorite type of pie so adding cranberries to the mix sounded like a deliciously genius idea.  My Thanksgiving menu was already planned and there was no room (or time) for another pie to be added to the list.  Thankfully we had friends over for dinner this weekend so I jumped at the chance to give it a try.

The steeping of the filling with cinnamon sticks and sprinkling of grated nutmeg over the assembled pie, in addition to the cranberries, put a perfect seasonal spin on this classic summer pie.  And in case you’re worried about the fact that blueberries aren’t exactly in season right now, don’t worry because this recipe calls for frozen berries.  The filling was just as awesome as I had hoped – very juicy, but it still stayed intact when the pie was sliced.  Not too sweet or too tart but just right as Goldilocks would say.  And bonus – all the cranberries and blueberries means this pie is full of antioxidants.  Certainly still not health food but hey, extra antioxidants are never a bad thing.  Keep in mind that both the filling and the crust can be made in advance and then assembled when you are ready to bake, so that provides some flexibility in this recipe.

Stay tuned tomorrow for a step-by-step lattice crust tutorial.  If you have been afraid to attempt it before, fear no more!  It’s easy as *pie* (sorry, couldn’t resist!)

Cranberry Blueberry Pie
Printer-Friendly Version

Ingredients:
For the filling:
16 oz. frozen wild blueberries (do not thaw)
12 oz. fresh or frozen cranberries (do not thaw)
1¼ cups sugar
3 tbsp. cornstarch
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ tsp. finely grated lemon zest

To assemble:
2 disks pie dough for a double crust pie
Heavy cream, for brushing
Grated nutmeg, for sprinkling

Directions:
To make the filling, combine the frozen blueberries, cranberries, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon sticks, lemon juice and lemon zest in a medium-large saucepan.  Cook over medium-high heat, stirring to blend, until the mixture thickens and begins to boil, about 12-14 minutes.  Once the mixture reaches a boil, continue boiling for 2 minutes more, stirring constantly.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl or other container and let cool completely before proceeding.

When you are ready to bake the pie, preheat the oven to 400˚ F.  Roll out one disk of pie crust on a well-floured surface into a 12-inch round.  Line a 9-inch pie plate with the crust.  Remove the cinnamon sticks from the filling mixture, then spread the filling into the bottom pie crust.  Roll out the remaining disk of pie dough and cut into thin strips.  Use the strips to form a lattice over the top of the filling.  Cut off the excess crust and pinch the edges together, using your fingers to create a fluted pattern.  Lightly brush the top crust of the pie with heavy cream.  Sprinkle grated nutmeg over the crust.

Place the assembled pie on the upper rack of the oven (top-middle position).  Place a rimmed baking sheet on the lower oven rack beneath the pie.  Bake, rotating halfway through baking, until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling, about 60-70 minutes.  If the crust seems to be browning too quickly, loosely tent with foil to prevent over-browning.  Let cool on a wire rack to room temperature.

Source: Bon Appétit, November 2010

Berry Crostatas

As I mentioned last week, I’m really trying to enjoy summer to the fullest rather than spend it waiting for fall.  For me, one thing this has meant is eating copious amounts of fresh berries.  I mean, they are gorgeous, healthy, delicious and portable – how can anyone resist them?  I certainly can’t, especially in the form of these mixed berry crostatas (well, there goes the healthy part.)  This is a very low maintenance dessert and great for entertaining in a pinch.  Have the dough ready in the freezer or the fridge, and use whatever fruit you have on hand to make a spectacular ending to any meal.  The jewel tones of the mixed berries are so rich, this dessert is both beautiful to look at and to eat.  When made as instructed (four crostatas), the final product is really too big to be a personalized dessert.  I ended up serving them to be split between couples so it worked out in the end, but next time I’ll divide the dough into six or seven portions to get something more manageable for an individual guest.

Mixed Berry Crostatas
Printer-Friendly Version

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter, cut into small pieces
4 tbsp. ice water
1-1½ cups berries (I used blueberries, blackberries and raspberries)

1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten with 1 tbsp. milk

Directions:
To make the crust, combine ½ cup of the sugar with the flour and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Mix briefly to blend.  Add in the butter pieces and mix on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs and the largest butter pieces are the size of peas.  (This can also be done with a food processor or by hand with a pastry cutter.)  Add the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing on low speed until the dough comes together.  Form into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 450˚ F.  Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces.  Form each into a ball.  On a lightly floured work surface, roll out each dough piece into ¼-inch thick rounds.  Transfer the rounds to a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat.  Add about ¼ cup of berries into the center of each dough round, leaving a 1½-inch border around the edge.  Fold the edges up around the fruit, pinching as needed to keep the dough in place.  Generously sprinkle the remaining sugar over the top of the fruit.  Brush the edges of the crusts evenly with the egg wash.

Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the crust is light golden brown.  Cool for no more than 10 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to serving plates.  Serve warm with vanilla ice cream as desired.

Source: adapted from The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather

Sweet Cherry Pie

Here’s my big problem with cherries – I love them so, so much in their pure form that I almost never bake or do anything with them because before I do, I end up eating them all.  I wait all year long for cherry season and when it is finally here, I eat them like nobody’s business.  Literally every day.  When I saw the recipe for this sweet cherry pie though, I needed to try it right away.  My sweet Ben went out and bought a double allotment of cherries the very next day so I had some to bake with and still plenty to eat.

This recipe does have a few odd techniques, like adding a plum to the mix and using ground up tapioca as a thickener.  I sometimes wonder if Cook’s Illustrated makes things more complicated than they need to be, but then the recipes always turn out perfectly so I guess they are right.  Same situation here – this was without a doubt the best cherry pie I have ever made (or tasted).  They do suggest grinding the tapioca in a coffee grinder or food processor, but I don’t have a coffee grinder and my food processor was temporarily out of commission at the time.  Instead, I put it in a plastic bag and tried to crush it with a rolling pin, but I don’t think it made any difference.  It didn’t even matter in the end because I couldn’t tell at all.  Next time I’m not sure I’ll bother with that step, but I do think the addition of the plum was important in adding a tart counterbalance to the sweet cherries.  Served with some homemade vanilla ice cream, this is a perfect summer dessert.

Sweet Cherry Pie
Printer-Friendly Version

Ingredients:
Double crust pie dough (or your preferred pie crust)
2 red plums, halved and pitted
6 cups pitted, halved sweet cherries (or 6 cups pitted frozen cherries), divided
½ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp. instant tapioca, ground
Pinch of ground cinnamon
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch pieces

1 large egg lightly beaten with 1 tsp. water

Directions:
To make the filling, process the plums and 1 cup of the cherries in a food processor or blender until smooth, about 1 minute.  Strain the the puree through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard the solids.  Add the remaining cherries, sugar, salt, lemon juice, tapioca and cinnamon to the bowl.  Mix well to combine; let stand for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400˚ F and place a baking sheet on an oven rack.  Line a 9-inch pie plate with a round of pie dough.  Transfer the cherry mixture to the dough-lined pie plate.  Scatter the butter pieces evenly over the fruit.  Top with the second round of pie dough.  Pinch the edges of the dough together in a fluted pattern.  Brush the top evenly with the egg wash.  Using a sharp paring knife, cut 8 evenly spaced slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.  Place the pie in the freezer for 20 minutes.

Place the pie on the preheated baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.  Lower the oven temperature to 350˚ F and continue baking about 30-40 minutes more, until the crust is golden brown and the juices are bubbling.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature so the filling has time to set up and thicken, 2-3 hours.  Slice and serve.

Source: adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, July & August 2010

Basic Pie Dough – Tips and Tricks

Pie dough is one of those things that a lot of people, even some really good bakers, find intimidating.  I’m not exactly sure why, but I’m amazed at the number of people who resort to purchasing the frozen kind.  It’s so easy to make your own, and requires only pantry staples so you can make it at a moment’s notice.  Now I know everyone seems to have their own thoughts on the “right” way to make pie dough.  Some people insist shortening is necessary for a truly flaky crust.  Some chill the ingredients at multiple stages throughout the process.  I have tried probably close to 10 different recipes and at least in my book, they all end up with a pretty similar result.  For me, that means shortening is not necessary (I hate it anyway) and all that meticulous chilling, well, I just don’t think it makes a significant difference.

You can use whatever recipe floats your boat – they are all variations on a basic theme, and there are just a few key techniques that help you achieve that buttery flaky crust we all love.  I have included my favorite recipe at the bottom of this post.  Another great thing is that you can make the dough so many different ways depending on what kind of equipment you have around.  You can simply use a mixing bowl with a pastry cutter or two knives, or you can use a food processor or stand mixer (my preferred method).  The principles are the same no matter what equipment you use so if you don’t have fancy kitchen equipment, do not be deterred!  Let’s make pie dough!

First, mix up all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Usually a combination of mostly flour, a little sugar, and some salt.

(Time out – who’s that super cute little helper in the mixing bowl?)

Now you’ll take your butter and cut it up into small pieces.  The butter does need to be very cold when you start working and if at any time during the process it starts to get soft or melt, chill it until it is firm again.

Toss the butter into the bowl with the dry ingredients…

…and mix until the mixture is coarse and sandy, and the largest butter pieces aren’t much bigger than peas.  (If you are doing this by hand, just cut in the butter with a pastry blender until you achieve a similar result.  If you are using a food processor, pulse the mixture together.)

Then you add a little bit of very cold water to the mixture and mix just until the dough clumps together.  (Some recipes call for part vodka – again, I don’t think it’s necessary.)

Form the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until firm, at least 30 minutes.  It’s tough to see in the picture but hopefully you get a bit of marbling effect in the dough from the butter – that’s good.  Those areas of still concentrated butter will help with the flakiness.

Once chilled, lightly flour a work surface.

Roll out the dough with a rolling pin.  I lift up my dough sheet and rotate it every few rolls or so to prevent it from sticking to the work surface.

Check to be sure your dough is large enough to fit your pie plate.

To transfer the dough easily to your pie plate, wrap it loosely around your rolling pin…

…and then unroll it over the pie plate.

Voila!

I take any excess edge pieces and use them to patch any tears or other edges that seem a little short.

Fill with your desired filling (cherries – mmmmmmmmm).

Repeat the process once more if you are using a top crust.  Lay the top crust over the filling, pinch the edges together in a fluted pattern, and cut slits to allow steam to escape.  Brush with egg wash – this is important!  You want a lovely golden pie crust, trust me.  Sometime soon I’ll do a post on a lattice top crust.  Very easy and pretty, my favorite type of top crust.

Basic Pie Dough
Printer-Friendly Version

Yield: 1 9-inch pie crust*
Ingredients:
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 tbsp. very cold water

Directions:
Combine the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix briefly to blend.  Add in the butter pieces and mix on medium-low speed to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse sand and the largest butter pieces are not much bigger than peas.  Mix in the cold water on low speed just until the dough comes together.

Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.  (This dough can be frozen for up to 2 months.)  Remove from the refrigerator.  Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface.  Use as directed in your desired pie recipe.

*Double the recipe for a double crust pie.

Source: adapted from Williams Sonoma

Mississippi Mud Pie

How many wonderful things can be combined in one 9-inch pie plate, you ask?  Cookie crumb crust – check.  Homemade coffee ice cream – check.  Creamy chocolate ganache – check.  Toffee bits – check.  Yep, it sounds and tastes pretty wonderful to me.  Ice cream pies are fabulous desserts because they require little work.  Basically just spreading ice cream into a pie crust, adding some other sweet things to jazz it up, and voila!  Great dessert, minimal effort.  For me the hardest part about this was having the coffee ice cream in my freezer and not eating it.  I have serious will power issues when it comes to this ice cream.  But good news – there was some left over, and it was promptly devoured by yours truly (and Ben, who made me share – sheesh!)  Of course you can use store-bought ice cream and make it even easier, but I haven’t bought a single container since acquiring my ice cream maker.  I just love homemade ice cream!

This is a recipe from the very early days of the blog and I just couldn’t bear for it to be lost in the archives, or ignored because of the hideous picture (which I remember thinking was awesome at the time ::shudder::).   This has got me brainstorming tons of fun ice cream pies for the summer.  I just can’t decide which to try first!

Mississippi Mud Pie
Printer-Friendly Version

Ingredients:
For the crust:
1¼ cups chocolate cookie crumbs, such as Oreo
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
3 tbsp. sugar

For the ganache:
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup plus 1 tbsp. heavy cream
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the filling and garnish:
½ cup toffee bits, divided
3-4 cups coffee ice cream, softened

Directions:
To make the crust, preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  In a small bowl, combine the chocolate cookie crumbs, melted butter and sugar.  Toss with a fork until well combined and all the crumbs are moistened.  Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan.  Bake for 5 minutes.  Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool while you make the ganache.

To make the ganache, transfer the chopped chocolate to a small heatproof bowl.  In a small saucepan set over medium heat, bring the cream to a simmer.  Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let stand 1 minute.  Whisk the mixture in small circular motions until the ganache forms.  Whisk in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time until completely incorporated.

Spread a thin layer of ganache over the bottom of the pie crust, just enough to cover it completely (about 1/3 cup).  Sprinkle half of the toffee bits over the ganache.  Transfer the pie plate to the freezer and chill for about 30-60 minutes, until the ganache is set.  Leave the remaining ganache at room temperature, whisking occasionally.

Stir the ice cream with a spoon or spatula to be sure it is evenly softened and spreadable.  Mound the ice cream into the pie shell and use an offset spatula to smooth the top.  Return to the freezer and chill until the ice cream is set, at least two hours.

If the ganache has firmed up while the pie was chilling, soften it again by heating in a double boiler or microwaving in 20-second intervals, just until it is spreadable but not hot.  Using a spatula, spread a thin layer of ganache over the ice cream.  Sprinkle the remaining toffee bits on top.  (Work efficiently, as the ganache will harden quickly after making contact with the ice cream.)  Return to the freezer and chill at least 1-2 hours.  Reserve any remaining ganache and let cool until thickened.  Transfer to a pastry bag and pipe on decorative swirls, if desired.  Chill until set.

Let the pie stand at room temperature for several minutes before slicing.  Use a warm, dry knife to slice and serve.

Source: adapted from Williams Sonoma

Double Chocolate Pecan Pie

It’s only been a year since I discovered that I actually do like pecan pie, and since then I have embraced this fact with open arms.  Since I’m new to this sort of dessert, I didn’t know there was a way to improve upon it, but there is – add chocolate!  The first time I ever heard of chocolate pecan pie, I was practically drooling.  It came as no shock that we were crazy about this dessert.

While I truly enjoyed the classic pecan pie I made before, I think this version is even better.  The method of cooking the filling before adding it to the partially baked pie crust helps give it a smoother texture.  Baking at a lower temperature ensures that the whole pie bakes evenly rather than ending up with over-baked edges with an under-baked center.  Using chopped pecans rather than pecan halves is definitely the way to go – they may not look as beautiful, but they are much more manageable to eat when chopped.  Chopping the nuts in your food processor may seem like a good shortcut, but that can often chop them too finely.  I prefer to do this by hand so I can control the size of the pieces, plus I have fun with my chef’s knife 🙂  Toasting the nuts before adding them to the filling also helps enhance the flavor of the pecans, so don’t skip that step!

I would not advise just tossing some chocolate chunks on top of your usual pecan pie recipe.  Pecan pie is incredibly sweet and rich as it is, and that can take it too far.  The wonderful people at Cook’s Illustrated have accounted for the addition of the chocolate here by reducing the quantity and sweetness of the filling.  The original recipe calls for equal parts white, semi-sweet and milk chocolate, but the white and milk chocolates just didn’t seem right to me in this context, so I replaced them with semi- and bittersweet.  I loved it this way, but you can certainly add the white if it appeals to you.  This is sure to be a hit at your Thanksgiving meal.  Enjoy!

Double Chocolate Pecan Pie
Printer-Friendly Version

Ingredients:
For the crust:
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. cold, unsalted butter, cut into medium cubes (about 16 pieces)
3 tbsp. ice cold water

For the filling:
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
½ tsp. salt
2 large eggs
½ cup corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped into small pieces
3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions:
To make the crust, combine the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix briefly to combine.  Add the cubes of butter to the bowl and mix on low speed until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal and the largest chunks of butter are not much larger than peas.  Add the water to the bowl and mix on low speed just until the dough comes together.

Form the dough into a disc, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until chilled.

On a lightly-floured work surface, roll the pie dough out into a 12-inch round.  Transfer the round to a 9-inch pie plate by rolling the dough around the rolling pin and unrolling it over the pie pan.  Trim the edges as necessary and create a fluted pattern using a finger to make the indentations.  Freeze the dough-lined pie plate until firm and very cold, about 30 minutes.

Adjust an oven rack to lower middle position and heat the oven to 375° F.  Remove the dough-lined plate from the freezer, press a sheet of foil inside the pie shell and fill with ceramic baking beads.  Bake about 30 minutes, until the dough looks dry and light in color.  Carefully remove the foil and weights.  Continue baking the crust 5-6 minutes more, until light golden brown.

While the pie crust is baking, make the filling.  Melt the butter in a medium heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water.  Remove the bowl from the double boiler but maintain the simmering water.  Stir in the sugar and salt with a wooden spoon until the butter is absorbed.  Beat in the eggs, corn syrup and vanilla.  Return the bowl to the double boiler and heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is shiny and hot to the touch, about 130° F on an instant-read thermometer.  Remove from the heat and stir in the pecans.

As soon as the pie shell comes out of the oven, lower the oven temperature to 275° F.  Pour the filling into the pie shell.  Scatter the chopped chocolate pieces over the filling and press into the filling with the back of a spoon.

Bake on the middle rack of the oven about 50-60 minutes, until the pie looks set but slightly soft, like gelatin, when gently pressed with the back of a spoon.  Transfer to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool for at least 4 hours.

Source: pie crust adapted from Williams Sonoma, filling from Baking Illustrated

Caramel Apple Cheescake Pie

That’s quite the title, isn’t it?  I know it’s kind of long but I thought it was imperative that you all understand just how much awesomeness is contained in this one dessert.  It starts out with a graham cracker crust, then a layer of caramel and pecans, lots of caramelized apples, topped with a layer of cheesecake, and finished off with whipped cream swirled with more caramel and pecans.  I had a bag full of apples from the orchard and a half bottle of homemade caramel leftover from the banana caramel cupcakes, so I really had no choice but to make this dessert!

I probably don’t even need to tell you how fantastic it was, since I am sure you can figure that out just from the pictures and description alone.  This was one of those desserts that I ate every night until it was gone, despite several other sweet options in the house.  Not only that, I had mentioned it to a coworker who then requested it for his birthday the following week.  I brought it in and suddenly became quite popular with all the employees in that department.  It’s just that good!

I used homemade caramel both times I made this, but you could certainly use the jarred kind if you prefer.  But I encourage you to try homemade – it’s easier than you might think, and it tastes heavenly!

Want fun ways to get your “apple a day”?  Try these recipes:
Apple Cranberry Crisp
Apple Pie Cupcakes
French Apple Tart
Apple Crumble Bars

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie
Printer-Friendly Version

Ingredients:
For the crust:
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. cinnamon
5 1/3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
½-¾ cup caramel
1 cup chopped pecans

For the apple filling:
5 tbsp. unsalted butter
½ cup light brown sugar, tightly packed
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
5-6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

For the cheesecake:
8 oz. cream cheese
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the topping:
¾ cup heavy cream
3-4 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
¼-½ cup caramel
Chopped pecans

Directions:
To make the crust, preheat the oven to 375° F.  Line the bottom of a 9-inch round springform pan with parchment paper.  In a medium mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon and melted butter.  Toss with a fork until all the crumbs are moistened and the ingredients are evenly mixed.  Transfer the mixture to the prepared springform pan and press the crumbs in an even layer over the pan bottom and about half to two-thirds of the way up the sides of the pan.  Bake for 6-8 minutes, until golden in color.  Let cool for about 10 minutes.  Pour a layer of caramel into the bottom of the crust and sprinkle evenly with the chopped pecans.  Refrigerate the crust while you prepare the filling.

To make the apple filling, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Mix in the brown sugar, salt and cinnamon and cook for 1 minute, until bubbling.  Mix in the apple slices and toss well to coat.  Cook over medium to medium-high heat until tender and most of the liquid has been reduced, about 15-20 minutes.  Let cool for a few minutes and pour into the prepared pie shell.  Set aside.

Reduce the heat of the oven to 350° F.  To make the cheesecake layer, combine the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.   Mix in the vanilla, egg and lemon juice until fully incorporated and smooth, 1-2 minutes.  Spread the cheesecake filling into an even layer over the top of the cooked apples in the crust.  Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.  Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature.  Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

To serve, carefully remove the sides of the springform pan.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form (being careful not to overbeat.)  Spread gently over the top of the chilled cheesecake layer.  Top with dollops of caramel sauce and swirl with a knife to create a marbled effect.  Sprinkle with a handful of chopped pecans if desired.  Slice with a long, thin knife to serve.

Source: adapted from Ezra Pound Cake, originally from Mimi Hodges, the winner of Good Morning, America’s “Pie of Emeril’s Eye” Contest, 2000

Apple Cranberry Galette

Well, I’m just going all fall on you this week, aren’t I?  First the pumpkin blondies, now this.  Let me just say that with my very serious apple orchard addiction, you have a lot more apple recipes coming your way.  This was my first time ever trying a galette.  To be honest, the first time I ever heard of one (basically a free-form pie), I was kind of turned off.  Why would you want such a non-uniform, rustic appearance when you could have a pretty, symmetrical traditional pie?  I never saw the appeal and never intended to try one until I ran across this recipe and for some reason, I needed to make it.  I’m guessing the apple-cranberry combo had something to do with it.

One great reason to make a galette is if you need to make a dessert with little equipment available to you.  In this case, I’m referring to my dad’s kitchen.  You don’t even need a pie pan – just a baking sheet.  I did use a stand mixer to make the crust, but it is easily done by hand as well.  We had a big group of friends over for a cookout and I decided to try this since it seemed simple and sounded delicious.  It was quite well received with all of our guests, and I now understand the appeal of this dessert.   I think its rustic quality actually makes it attractive – plus, I think the crust looks pretty cool folded up in pleats.  This crust recipe is unlike any I have tried before in that it contains cornmeal and sour cream (you could also use yogurt).  I was concerned about how the texture would be affected but ultimately this came out great and I thought the crust tasted fantastic.  The original recipe as printed below yields two galettes, but I think one would be enough in most circumstances.  I made two since we had a crowd.

Apple Cranberry Galette
Printer-Friendly Version

Ingredients:
For the pastry:
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
6 tbsp. white cornmeal (I used yellow)
2 tsp. sugar
¾ tsp. salt
12 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into chunks
6 tbsp. sour cream
½ cup ice water

For the filling:
4 lb. Granny Smith apples (about 8 large)
½ cup sugar
½ cup water
3 tbsp. honey
3 tbsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1½ cups fresh cranberries
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into thin slices
Sugar, for dusting (optional)

Directions:
To make the pastry, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar and salt in a bowl.  Scatter the chunks of butter over the top and cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the butter pieces are the size of small peas.  (This can be done by hand, in a stand mixer, or in a food processor.)  In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and ice water.  Drizzle the mixture over the dough and mix just until the dough is smooth and clings together in a cohesive mass.  Pat the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the fruit filling.  Peel, core and slice the apples.  In a large pan over medium heat combine the sugar, water, honey, lemon juice and cinnamon.  Heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves.  Stir in the apple slices and simmer until opaque, 5-7 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the apple slices to a bowl and let cool slightly.

Add the cranberries to the juices and simmer until they start to pop, about 2 minutes.  Transfer the cranberries to the bowl with the apples.  Increase the heat to medium-hight, boil the juices until reduced slightly and spoon over the fruit.

Position two racks in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400° F.  Divide the ball of chilled pastry dough in half.  On a lightly floured work surface, roll out each half into a round about 12 inches in diameter.  Transfer each round to separate baking sheets.  Divide the fruit filling between the pastry rounds in even layers, leaving a 1½-inch border clear.  Fold the border over the fruit, pleating the edges to form a broad rim.  Lay thin slices of butter over the exposed fruit.

Bake, rotating the pans 180 degrees and from top to bottom halfway through, until the pastry is golden brown and the apples are tender, about 35-40 minutes.  Transfer the pans to wire cooling racks and let the galettes cool completely on the pans.  Store at room temperature until ready to serve.  Sprinkle with sugar just before serving, if desired.

Source: adapted from Williams Sonoma

Banana Cream Pie

Banana cream pie is something that I have never had before now, but I have always thought it sounded amazing.  Don’t you?  How could you not be immediately hooked by such a title?  To be perfectly honest though, I never even knew what it consisted of.  I assumed it was some sort of banana pudding-y base with mounds of cream on top.  I am sure that some people or restaurants pass off such a creation as banana cream pie, but now I stand corrected.  

You start with a classic pie crust, and layer pastry cream with sliced bananas.  This particular version from Dorie Greenspan uses a brown sugar pastry cream flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg – way to go, Dorie!  The topping does consist of a gigantic mound of whipped cream – yummmmmm.  The original recipe calls for mixing a couple tablespoons of sour cream into the topping.  I tasted it before and after, and I wasn’t crazy about the addition of the sour cream.  I don’t think it added much but did just cut the sweetness of the topping.  Personally I think the pastry cream and banana slices would pair nicely with the sweeter whipped cream, so next time I will omit the sour cream altogether.  

You definitely need to be a fan of bananas to enjoy this, because banana most definitely plays a starring role.  As it should be of course, given the name of the dessert.  I expected this to be a mess once cut into but it actually sliced beautifully.  Unfortunately the light was gone by the time this was sliced, but it was also devoured so rapidly I’m not sure I could have taken a picture if I had tried.  I’m submitting this recipe to Flavor of the Month hosted by Bake at 350, since the “flavor” for July is pie.  Enjoy! 

Banana Cream Pie
Printer-Friendly Version

Ingredients:
For the crust:
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. cold, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
3 tbsp. very cold water 

For the pastry cream and filling:
2 cups whole milk
6 large egg yolks
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup cornstarch, sifted
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg
Pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into bits

3 ripe but firm bananas, plus extra for garnish (if desired)

For the topping:
1 cup cold heavy cream
2 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions: 
To make the crust, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar and salt.  Add in the butter and toss with a fork to combine.  Mix on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Mix in the water on low speed just until the dough comes together.  Form the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425° F.  Transfer the chilled dough to a lightly floured work surface.  Roll out the dough into a thin round large enough to fit a 9-inch round pie plate.  Carefully transfer the dough to the pie plate, trim the edges and use your thumb and fingers to crimp the edge.  Cover with a piece of foil or parchment paper, and fill the pie plate with baking beads (dried beans or rice works too.)  Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the crust is nearly set.  Remove the foil and baking beads and bake the crust uncovered for 5 more minutes, or until it is completely baked and light golden brown.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

In the meantime, make the pastry cream.  Bring the milk to a boil.  Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt until well blended and thick.  Whisking without stopping, drizzle in about ¼ cup of the hot milk to temper the eggs so that they don’t curdle.  Then, still whisking, add the remainder of the milk in a steady stream.  Put the pan over medium heat and, still whisking constantly, bring the mixture to a boil.  Allow to boil, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes before removing from the heat.  Whisk in the vanilla extract.  Let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk in the bits of butter, stirring until they are fully incorporated and the custard is smooth and silky.  Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the custard and refrigerate until cold.  

When you are ready to assemble the pie, peel the bananas and cut them diagonally into ¼-inch thick slices.  Whisk the chilled custard to loosen it, then spread about a quarter of it over the cooled pie crust (this will be a thin layer).  Top with a layer of banana slices.  Repeat, adding a thin layer of pastry cream and the remaining bananas, then smooth the rest of the pastry cream over the last layer of bananas.  

To make the topping, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream just until it starts to thicken.  Beat in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract and continue to beat until the cream holds firm peaks.  Spoon the topping over the pie filling and spread to cover the edges of the custard.  Garnish with extra banana slices, if desired.  Slice and serve (this pie is best eaten the day it is made.)

Source: adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan (pie crust from Williams Sonoma)

Summer Berry Pie

If you are still looking for the perfect dessert to serve at your Memorial Day get-together, look no further.  This pie is simple to make and really embodies summer with all the fabulous fresh berries, hence the name!  The newest addition to my cookbook collection is Baking Illustrated, and let me tell you, I am in love.  I’ve baked four things from it in the past week (including my beloved cheesecake) and have no intention of slowing down anytime soon!  This pie was one of the first things that caught my eye when I browsed through the book and I decided to wait until berries were on sale so that it wouldn’t cost me a fortune to make.  Well, a few days later I walked in to the grocery store and saw that literally every variety of berry was on sale.  That was all the encouragement I needed!  I stocked up on the berries, came home and got busy in the kitchen.  

This pie is actually incredibly low-maintenance as pies go.  With a simple graham cracker crust, there is no fussing with cutting butter into flour, chilling, rolling, making a lattice top, etc.  Additionally, only the crust needs to be baked.  The actual filling consists of a mixed berry puree that is cooked briefly with cornstarch to thicken for the bottom layer, and the remainder of the mixed berries are tossed with a bit of jam for the top layer.  The whole thing is refrigerated to set up, and that is all there is to it!  I was nervous about the pie being messy when sliced, since it is somewhat of a free-form filling, but the people at Cook’s Illustrated know what they’re doing.  The berry puree layer firms up nicely and keeps the loose berries on top in place so the slices are gorgeous.  I served this at a family get-together and when served alongside some homemade vanilla ice cream, it was just perfect!

Summer Berry Pie
Ingredients:
For the crust:
5 oz. graham crackers (approx. 9 crackers), broken into rough pieces
2 tbsp. sugar
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and warm

For the filling:
2 cups raspberries (about 9 oz.)
2 cups blackberries (about 11 oz.)
2 cups blueberries (about 10 oz.)
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp. red currant jelly (I used strawberry jam) 

Directions: 
To make the crust, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees.  In a food processor, process the graham crackers into fine, even crumbs (you should have about 1 cup of crumbs).  Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter in a small mixing bowl and toss with a fork until all the crumbs are moistened.   Transfer the crumbs to a 9-inch glass pie plate.  Use the bottom of a ramekin or measuring cup to press the crumbs evenly into the bottom and up the sides, forming a crust.  Bake in the preheated oven until it is fragrant and beginning to brown, 15-18 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely while making the filling.

For the filling, combine the berries in a large colander and gently rinse (taking care not to bruise them).  Spread the berries on a paper towel-lined rimmed baking sheet and gently pat dry with additional paper towels.

In a food processor, puree 2 1/2 cups of the mixed berries until smooth and fully pureed, about 1 minute.  Strain the puree through a fine mesh sieve into a small nonreactive saucepan, scraping and pressing on the seeds to extract as much puree as possible (you should have 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups).  Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a small bowl to combine, then whisk the mixture into the puree.  Bring the puree to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon; when the mixture reaches a boil and is thickened to the consistency of pudding, remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice, and set aside to cool slightly.

While the puree is cooling, place the remaining berries in a medium bowl.  Warm the jelly (or jam) briefly in the microwave to melt it slightly.  Add the warmed jelly to the bowl of mixed berries and toss very gently so that all the berries are coated.  Pour the berry puree into the cooled crust and smooth with a rubber spatula. Evenly distribute the glazed berries over the puree and gently press into the surface.  Loosely cover the pie with plastic wrap; refrigerate until chilled and the puree has set, about 3 hours (or up to 1 day).  Slice with a hot, dry knife and serve.

Source: adapted from Baking Illustrated