Showing posts with label pie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pie. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
blueberry peach and lavender perfect pie
blueberry peach and lavender perfect pie
Guys.
I did it.
I made a pretty, all-butter, lattice FREAKIN' pie.
One that didn't have shrunken crusts or sides that slipped down the pan. One that didn't have tears in the lattice, misweaved braids, or bumpy crusts. Instead, this pie checks all the qualities in my definition of a perfect pie:
- A flaky, flavorful all-butter crust that doesn't get soggy at the base. Check.
- A pretty lattice crust that isn't shrunken, uneven, or torn in any way, complete with a beautiful, golden-brown finish. Check.
- A fruit filling that takes advantage of the seasons, isn't too sweet, and sets properly. The pie should be easily divided into several slices without spilling out into the pan when initially cut. Check, check, check, and check.
Well, sirs and madams, I'm pretty sure that this blueberry, peach, and lavender pie matches all above criteria.
SQUEE.
If you've been a long time reader of my blog, you'll know that this pie has been years in the making. Pie, in general, has been my least favorite thing to make because for a long time, pie and I were at war with each other. No matter what recipe I tried — whether it be Deb's savory cream cheese crust, or that famous Cook's Illustrated pie crust with the vodka, or even Four & Twenty Blackbirds' apple cider vinegar one — I just never quite got it. There was always, always something wrong.
I was all "oh yeah, I can make a good pie, don't even worry about it" for a while, but the truth is, I was a big, fat, phony FAKE. I whipped up a variety of tasty but not-pastry-based fruit pies. This passionfruit cream pie? Used a shortbread cookie crust instead of traditional dough. This banana cream pie? You guessed it — chocolate cookies. And key lime pie, one of my favorite desserts? One of the reasons I love it so much is because it uses graham crackers to make its crust. All three are very, very, very delicious, but when examined together, pretty indicative of my former fear of making and using all-butter pie dough.
What motivated me in the end? I don't even really know. Maybe it was the countless berries and stonefruits I kept seeing week after week at the farmer's markets. Maybe it was all the beautiful pies on Yossy's and Erin's instagram feeds. But it was time to learn how to do it right, how to do it well. Since mid-July, I've been making a pie almost every other week, trying to get it down to a tee. I used the same Four & Twenty Blackbirds all-butter pie crust recipe over and over again, to the point where I could recite its ingredients and instructions in my sleep. Gradually, progress emerged. There was this almost-there bourbon and brown sugar peach pie that was worth sharing. And finally, there's this pie. Which, to me, is perfect.
I hope you think so too.
Some baker's notes:
- To give my pie a lavender flavor, I used this lavender extract from Hatchery. You can also find lavender extract online at Amazon, or in specialty baking stores. Alternatively, make your own! Combine about 1 tablespoon dried lavender flowers and 3 tablespoons high quality vodka in a small glass jar, and shake, shake, shake. Keep in a cool, dark place overnight to allow the vodka to soak in the lavender flavor and fragrance. Strain out the lavender flowers before using, and voila! Homemade lavender extract.
- I still stand by this guide that I wrote a few months ago filled with all my best pie baking tips. Remember the basics — use a metal pan, keep your ingredients and your equipment as cold as possible, don't be scared to use tons of flour when rolling out, and don't panic.
- When crimping the edges of the pie with a fork, I find it's best to slide the fork out from the dough as opposed to pulling it upwards. This will help mold the pie dough onto your pan and in general, helps keep the crimp of the edge better.
Available link for download
Friday, May 19, 2017
Bourbon and Brown Sugar Peach Pie
Bourbon and Brown Sugar Peach Pie
As far as I can remember, I’ve always been Team Cake. Moist, fluffy cake topped with creamy, delicious frosting. Is there anything better? The first thing I ever obsessively baked was cake — for me, there is something especially cathartic about bringing a cake together, especially when it came to frosting it. Whether opting for smooth edges or rustic swirls, I found decorating cake to be much more forgiving and easier than anything to do with pie.
Because pie. Ugh, don’t get me started.
I’ve never been the world’s best pie baker. At worst, my pie crusts came out soggy. At best, despite finally mastering the tasty flavor and texture, they came out ugly. Shrunken or over-stretched crusts, broken and shrunken lattices… name any kind of pie blemish that you can imagine, and I guarantee you that all my pies have had it. Even after afternoons spent with superior pie bakers and several repeated trials of the same recipe, my pies were inconsistent. Sure, they gradually became better in flavor and flakier in texture… but in terms of looks, they still didn’t hold a candle the gorgeous latticework on Apt 2B Baking Co and Food52. I silently, jealously admired their crusts from a far and decided to avoid making pie as much as possible. Leave it to the experts, ya know?
But all the beautiful berries and stonefruit in season have convinced me that it’s time to face my fear. I was going to master the lattice pie this summer, whether or not it killed me.
My first attempt was a few weeks ago, with a cherry pie so unphotogenic that it didn’t even make it to this blog. After seeing Elizabeth’s beautiful wide lattice pie, I’d tried to recreate it on my own without paying too close attention to the instructions. And there we have it — Lesson #1: Pay Attention to the Recipe. A lattice pie isn’t something you can really wing.
My second attempt is this bourbon and brown sugar peach pie. I literally watched and re-watched this Food52 video on how to weave a lattice crust like 500 times. And it paid off! Pre-baked, it looked awesome(!!!)... and then I pulled it out of the oven. My heart sank. The crust had shrunk a little and pulled away from the pie rim, as well as puffing up weirdly at certain places. I’d used the wrong kind of egg wash, and it hadn’t turned into the beautiful golden brown that I wanted.
Disappointed, I almost didn’t share this pie with you guys — but then I grabbed a fork and took a bite. Despite its pale appearance, the crust was perfect! Flaky and tender, with a slight tang from dash of apple cider vinegar recommended by the Four & Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book. But I’ve written about this pie crust before, so it wasn’t anything new or worthwhile to add to the blog.
Instead, the peach, bourbon, and brown sugar filling is really what made the cut.
I’d trusted my intuition and used only a couple tablespoons of brown sugar in the filling. Most peach pie recipes have way too much sugar — but too much doesn’t allow the fruit’s natural sweetness and flavor shine! And with a dash of bourbon and a pinch of cinnamon? Perfect.
So watch this space. I’m gonna try making a pie a few more times before summer’s over, just so I can say I’ve nailed the lattice. Next time will be attempt #3. Keep your fingers crossed; they say the third time’s the charm.
Some baker's notes:
Instead of listing my typical baker's notes, I'll talk about what went wrong and how I think I'll fix it:
- Oven temperature was too hot. I winged this recipe and just googled a bunch of peach pie recipes. Almost all instructed me to bake the pie at a temperature between 425 - 450 (F) for a quarter of the time needed to bake, before lowering to a cooler temperature (usually 350 (F)) to bake for the rest of the time. I'm pretty sure that this higher temperature is what caused my pie crust to shrink; apparently gluten tends to tighten in higher heat, which causes the shrinkage. Next time, I'll try baking the pie at 350 (F) for the entire time.
- Cream washes aren't as good as egg washes. Since I was running low on eggs, I'd hastily decided to brush the pie dough with cream instead of the traditional, recommended egg wash. Mistake. The crust came out too pale, almost looking undercooked. You really gotta stick with egg washes for that golden color.
I've made the modifications to this recipe below — good luck! For more pie baking tips, be sure to check out my pie baking guide (which I still read every time I start making a pie).
Available link for download
Saturday, April 22, 2017
blackberry and passionfruit curd pie
blackberry and passionfruit curd pie
This is going to be a funny thing for me to complain about, but so far, one of the most difficult things about moving here is that there's too much to do. It's a far departure from my beloved city of Portland (and even San Francisco, to some extent), which I knew like the back of my hand. I knew exactly where to go for every one of my whims and desires. If I was craving boba? Boom, I could pick from the three places worth getting boba from (Tea Bar, Fat Straw, Bubble Bubble) in the entire city. If I was craving a fatty, greasy sandwich? Easy — pick between Bunk and Lardo. Can't find the specific produce or ingredient I'm looking for? No biggie, I'll just wait until the Portland Farmers' Market rolls around on Saturday.
But here, I don't even know where to start! I talked about this in a previous post (thank you all you wonderful folks who provided me tips and recommendations), but there is just so much to do everywhereanywhereallthetime. Some of it I didn't even KNOW I wanted to do until I realized they were real things. Stuff like ordering and eating a bowl of cookie dough complete with TOPPINGS. Or things like "chocolate covered cloud puffs", which are basically little drops of mousse dipped in chocolate. And literally swimming in a pool filled with NOTHING BUT SPRINKLES.*
*Also, as a result of all these food-related endeavors, I've been spending the mornings trying to find my soul at SoulCycle. I haven't found it yet.
So forgive me if the baking around here has been a little bit scant, and my Instagram's been filled with more cityscapes and desserts not from my own kitchen. I'm still drowning in this crazy thriving metropolis that is New York City. However, I did manage to yank myself away from all distractions long enough to whip up this blackbeary (HA GET IT) and passionfruit curd pie for #humhipieamonth (because when I commit to something, I apparently REALLY commit).
Why blackberry and passionfruit, you ask? I wish I could give you a more inspired answer, but the truth is, I saw it in a cookbook once and it sounded bomb city. I'd never heard of anybody using whole fruit and a curd together in a pie, so I figured it why not give it a try? And it was worth it. It's delicious. Delicious enough to temporarily distract me from all the lobster rolls, Scandinavian hot dogs, and honey drizzled pizzas this city has to offer.
Just temporarily though.
featured:
rectangular pie plate || saucepan || teapot || mugs
Some baker's notes:
- Let's talk equipment: I used the following oddly sized (but oh-so-cute) rectangular deep dish pie tin from Falcon Enamelware. It's definitely not a standard size, but I've found that a standard recipe for a double-lidded 9-inch pie crust works for the tin. The pie plate is surprisingly deep, so it ends up using a lot of dough! To cut out the bear shapes, I used the following cookie cutter from Daiso, this awesome Japanese dollar store that sells everything and anything. You can get it from Amazon too.
- Because you'll be using curd in the pie filling, don't be surprised if the filling is more liquidy than your usual pie. Don't worry! That liquidyness is tangy and delicious. However, it does mean that the crust will get soggy faster — be sure not to miss the step of brushing "pie dust" at the bottom of the pie before filling! This will help prevent any soggyness. I also didn't use as much sugar in the pie as I usually would; the curd already adds extra sweetness, and sugar would have drawn more liquid out from the blackberries.
- This was my first time ever using shortening in my pie crust. I have mixed feels. On one hand, I appreciated how easy it was to roll out the dough and stamp shapes; the pie also did a wonderful job of keeping its shape in the oven, with almost no shrinkage! However, I'm a food snob and shortening grosses me out. I mean, it tasted fine, but definitely not as flavorful as butter or lard. Also, I think it gave the pie a weird gray tinge??? Or is that just in my head? You tell me.
Available link for download
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
Blueberry Pie Pancakes
Blueberry Pie Pancakes
I am always on the look out for new pancake recipes. I kind of have a thing for pancakes....my girls do to. When I came across a "pin" on Pinterest for these lovely blueberry pancakes I couldnt resist trying my hand at the recipe. Goodness am I glad I did! Such. Good. Pancakes this recipe created!!! And yes, these pancakes do taste like blueberry pie. I believe it is the combination of oats and blueberries along with a touch of sugar, a sprinkling of cinnamon and vanilla extract that makes such a taste possible in these pancakes. Honestly, I can not wait to make these pancakes again. They are my new favorite pancakes.
The original recipe was only enough for one serving so I tripled the recipe. And unlike many pancake recipes are NO eggs in this recipe. If you are a pancake lover like me and like blueberries these pancakes are a must for you. :-)
The original recipe was only enough for one serving so I tripled the recipe. And unlike many pancake recipes are NO eggs in this recipe. If you are a pancake lover like me and like blueberries these pancakes are a must for you. :-)
Blueberry Pie Pancakes
(recipe slightly adjusted from Chocolate Covered Katie)
Ingredients:
1 cup blueberries - fresh or frozen
1 cup flour (of your choice - I used all purpose)
6 Tbsp rolled oats
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2-3 Tbsp sugar
1 cup milk (I used 2 %)
1 Tbsp oil (if you wish)
Directions:
Ingredients:
1 cup blueberries - fresh or frozen
1 cup flour (of your choice - I used all purpose)
6 Tbsp rolled oats
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2-3 Tbsp sugar
1 cup milk (I used 2 %)
1 Tbsp oil (if you wish)
Directions:
1. In a large bowl combine dry ingredients and then wet ingredients. Stir together just to combine - do not over mix.
2. Pour batter by 1/4 cupful onto a hot and greased frying pan or griddle. Flip pancakes once. Serve with topping of your choice....such as warmed REAL maple syrup and sweet cream butter....dlish!
Happy Blueberry Pie Pancake Making!
This post has been linked up to A Slice of Southern :-)
Available link for download
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Blueberry Apple and Caramel Pi Day Slab Pie
Blueberry Apple and Caramel Pi Day Slab Pie
Guys.
Do you know what the date is, today?
March 14, 2015.
Or, 3.14.15
Which matches up with Pi and the first four numbers that follow its decimal point:
3.1415
MIND BLOWN.
This is a once in a lifetime coincidence; the next calendar occurrence will be in 100 years in 2115! In order to mark the occasion, I spent last weekend battling intense jetlag (I had just gotten back from Asia) to test and bake a number of recipes to find one worthy of the celebration. I believe this baby is it:
Yes, yes, I know it's technically not a "pie" but instead a galette. Yes, yes, yes, a truer homage would have been to keep the pie in a circular shape (because Pi, after all, is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter), as opposed to the oval above. But come on, cut me some slack! At this point, I was 3 test pies deep, running on about 5 hours of sleep, and just wanted to find a crust that was a) unfussy, b) allowed me to stamp out such HUGE numbers for Pi, and c) tasted good. Because I'm insistent on using all butter crusts (no shortening allowed in my household, them's the rules), the first two recipes that I tried had illegible numbers since the pie crusts kept shrinking. Oh well.
In the end, I used a heavily adapted version of Martha Stewart's pâte brisée recipe. Pâte brisée is basically French pie crust, but instead of blending the butter in by hand, the French instruct you to use a mixer or food processor to do so. The theory is that a food processor will better distribute the butter throughout the dough, which leads to a flakier, sturdier crust (most French patisserie tends to require a heartier crust to hold all the cream in the pastry). However, with a food processor, it's easy to overmix the dough, often leading to a crust that's dense and flat. I ended up finishing the mixing process by hand in order to avoid this problem. My resulting pie crust had a texture that was in between pâte brisée and traditional pie crust: a stronger, heartier crust that allowed me to stamp out and maintain my shapes, but also stayed true to the texture and flavor of good ol' American pie. Ace.
As for the filling, I was inspired by this blueberry caramel sauce recipe from Bon Appetit that I've had bookmarked for many years now. I worried that it might be too intense on its own, so at the last second I added in some Opalescent apple chunks to add some tart bursts of flavor here and there. My worries were in vain — the caramel flavor chilled out in the baking process and blended in wonderfully with the blueberries and apples. It's definitely a flavor combination I'll be exploring again soon!
Happy 3.1415 Day!!!
Some baker's notes:
- Not a pie baker? Me either. But I've done it enough times to be able to fake it — check out this salty honey pie recipe for some of my ultimate pie baking tips! Tips for this particular recipe include using the coldest ingredients and equipment possible (I froze my butter overnight before using, as well as stuck my food processor bowl and blade in the fridge overnight because I'm anal like that), flouring your work surface and equipment liberally, and yep, letting the dough rest overnight for a tender crust. Plan ahead for this one!
- Don't overdo the liquid in the pie crust recipe. When I was testing recipes, I found it difficult to make pie with a food processor because I would overshoot the liquid and end up with a crust was sticky, soggy, gooey and gross. It's hard to see how much you're adding to the crust when you use a food processor — this is why I have you stopping the food processor early and finishing the rest by hand. Use your judgement and add the liquid provided a tablespoon at a time, just until the dough starts to come together. Add only as much as that, and no more — you want to get to the point where it's still a little bit dry and you're having a little bit of difficulty keeping the dough together; it's okay to have a few pea-sized bits of dough fall off here and there as you're patting it together. Less liquid means a flakier, crispier and ultimately more tender crust.
- A note on the filling — it will seem like there's not enough filling for the pie, especially when you're spreading out the ingredients on the base before covering and baking. That's on purpose; I deliberately skimped on the filling because I wanted a larger crust to filling ratio, ensuring that each bite would have an almost equal amount of crust to filling. I like to think of this pie as a giant pop tart, basically. But if you're a traditionalist and want more filling than pie filling than crust, up the filling quantity by adding half of the amount provided to the filling's ingredients list.
- To stamp out the numbers, I used these Wilton alphabet and number cookie cutters. For clean, well-defined numbers, dip the sharp edge of each cookie cutter in flour before stamping out the shape.
Available link for download
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Blocks for me in the Ringo Pie bee
Blocks for me in the Ringo Pie bee
This is one of the songs I will be listening while
piecing together blocks everyone has made
for my month in the Ringo Pie Bee. (Remember the theme
In this bee, we are allowed to use our own stashes and
come up with whatever blocks that fit monthly themes.
It is quite challenging because we design original block patterns
monthly (not required, but most of us like to do), and we all
feel a quit bit of pressure since everyone in this bee is super
talented. But I consider myself a super lucky girl to be in this
bee. I love how accomplished I feel every time I finish my
block, how inspired I am by everyones awesome blocks, and how
kind, encouraging, and friendly everyone is in this bee.
And now that I have seen these blocks folks have made
for me, which are all super amazing,
I am loving this bee even more!!
Ok, let me share with you those completed blocks
by everyone so far. The Beatles "Please, Mister Postman"
(above) would be a great song to listen to
A stack of packages by Corey of Little Miss Shabby.
Liberty letterbox by Lynne of Lilys Quilt.
Colored pencils by Kerry of verykerryberry.
Vintage envelop etc by Lucinda of Septemberbird.
Airmail by Amber of One Shabby Chick.
Carrier Pigeon by Marit of Quilt it.
Airmail and plane by Amy of Badskirt.
And three more to come!(Cant wait to see them!!)
I know I know I know I know!!!!
Thank you for letting me share my excitement
Available link for download
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)