caramel apple pie.

I've found my perfect apple pie recipe (just in time for Turkey Day).  

This is not an apple pie for the faint of heart (3 1/2 pounds of apples are involved!).  It's a multi-day (though fairly hands-off ) affair.  But my god is this good.  It is the everything you think of when you think of apple pie and more.  Layer after layer of thinly sliced apples are enveloped in a apple-y caramel sauce.   (I can't explain the magic that creates this caramel sauce but it is magic.)   The crust is crisp, the apples are fork tender, and the cranberries add a burst of tartness that works well with the sweet caramel sauce.   

If you make this for Thanksgiving you will be hailed a hero.   

Caramel Apple Pie 
Recipe from Tara O'Brady

I'm pasting the recipe here so you can see it as written but I make a couple of changes.  I added in about a cup of fresh cranberries since I had some on hand and thought the tartness would pair nicely with the caramel apples.  This was an excellent idea.  I decided to add a crumble topping to my pie rather then a traditional double layer.  This is personal preference!   

For the Pie 

Juice from ½ lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
3½ pounds (1.5 kg) apples
½ cup (90 g) packed light brown sugar
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1½ tablespoons cornstarch
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
60 gratings fresh nutmeg, or ¼ teaspoon ground
Flour, for dusting
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Coarse sugar, such as Demerara, coarse Turbinado, or sanding sugar, for sprinkling
Pie Doug (recipe below) 

Lightly butter a 9-inch (23 cm) pie pan and set aside. Squeeze the lemon juice into a large, nonreactive bowl. Peel, core, and cut the apples into ¼-inch (6 mm) slices, adding them to the bowl as soon as they are cut. Turn the apples in the lemon juice now and again while you work. Toss the apples with the sugars and salt. Cover and leave at room temperature for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours, or refrigerate overnight. Stir whenever you remember to do so. If you haven’t already, this is a good time to make the pastry. (Instructions below.)

Set a colander over a large heavy pot. Turn the apples into the colander and let them drain completely. Flip the apples back into their bowl and pour the juice into a liquid measuring cup, taking note of the amount. Melt the butter in the pot over medium heat. Let it brown, swirling occasionally. Add the drained apple liquid and bring to a boil without stirring. Reduce the liquid to ½ cup (120 ml).
Toss the apples with the cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg, until the cornstarch dissolves. Pour the reduced juices over the top and fold to combine. Set aside.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll half the dough out to a 12-inch (30.5 cm) round. Drape the dough over the prepared pan and gently ease into place, snug against the bottom and overhanging at the rim. Fill tightly with the apples and the juice, mounding the fruit toward the center. Place in the fridge. Roll out the remaining dough to a 12-inch (30.5 cm) round and either cut into strips for lattice or leave as is. Retrieve the pastry shell from the fridge. Brush the edge of the lower crust with beaten egg, reserving any remaining egg. Place the top crust over the filling, or weave the lattice directly on top of the filling. Press the top and bottom crusts together to seal, then crimp or decorate. Pop the whole pie in the freezer for 15 minutes.

While the pie chills, preheat an oven to 375°F (190°C) with a rack in the lower third of the oven. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Brush the chilled pastry with the remaining egg wash. Sprinkle with sugar. For solid-top crusts, cut steam vents with either a knife or a small cookie cutter. Set the pie on the prepared baking sheet and bake until the juices are bubbling and the apples succumb to the tip of a knife, 50 minutes or so. If the crust browns too quickly, protect it with a layer of foil.

Remove the pie from the oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 1½ hours. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Pie Dough

Makes enough for 2 pie shells or 1 double-crust pie, each 9 inches (23 cm) in diameter

2¼ cups (320 g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons granulated sugar (for sweet crusts only)
1 teaspoon medium-grain kosher salt
1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into large cubes
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Ice water

In a large, wide bowl, whisk the flour with the sugar and salt. Scatter the butter over the flour. With the pads of your fingers, squish each cube of butter into thin cakes, in a motion similar to dealing cards off the top of a deck. Toss the butter into the dry ingredients as it is flattened, so that it is kept coated on all sides. Once all the butter has been squashed, chill the mixture for 30 minutes.

Stir the egg yolk with the vinegar in a 1-cup (240 ml) liquid measure, then add enough ice water to make ¼ cup (60 ml) total. Drizzle the liquids over the flour and butter mixture, then, with a butter knife, start stirring the wet into the dry. After a few stirs, abandon the knife and use your hands or a spatula to pick up stray flour and press it into the damp pockets of dough. Continue collecting the dough together in this way, pushing and smearing the mass against the bowl. This will not only incorporate the flour but also create long sheets of fat within the dough in a lazy-person’s version of fraisage, a classic pastry technique. If the dough seems dry, stingily drip in more ice water as needed. Once the lion’s share of the our is incorporated, fold the dough onto itself a few times, trapping any remaining our in the folds. Cautiously pat out the dough in between each fold, and shift the bowl a quarter turn so that the dough isn’t always folded the same way. The dough should be together, albeit raggedly, with visible pieces of butter.

Tip the dough onto a work surface and shape into a round. Wrap with plastic wrap. Once sealed, press firmly, so that the film is good and tight and the dough looks like it could burst from its wrapping. I feel this binding helps the dough in the end, encouraging the dry ingredients to fully absorb the wet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Lightly flour a work surface, a rolling pin, and both sides of the unwrapped dough. Roll the dough into a long rectangle. Dust off the excess flour and fold into thirds, like a business letter. Turn the package 90 degrees and roll out again, flouring the board, rolling pin, and dough as needed. Brush away loose flour, then fold as before. If ever the dough gets too warm, cover and chill before proceeding. Turn the package a final time and roll the dough into a rectangle double the length of its width and cut in two. Shape the pieces into rounds, wrap snugly with plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour, and up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 1 month. For frozen dough, defrost in the fridge before using.

Whole Wheat Variation: Up to about ¾ cup (85 g) whole wheat flour can be swapped in for the same amount of white, though the crust will not be as flaky. Use whole wheat pastry flour if you can.

blueberry-buttermilk pie bars.

Now that we are in the throes of summer (and the proud owners of a balcony) we’ve been eating a lot of meals outdoors.  We bring Jackson’s dog bed outside so he can join us.  Jackson sits quietly and watches his surroundings.  As the meal nears the end he gets up to rest his head on my lap; waiting for the opportunity to lick the plate clean or get a some scraps of whatever it is that we are eating.   Being able to eat outdoors makes weekday dinners feel like a mini-vacation.  

Our new surroundings has also encouraged me to prepare meals that feel like picnics.   I’ve always had a fondness for meals composed of assorted things but in the summer it feels all the more appropriate.  Some kind of quick and easy salad with whatever produce is new that week (snap peas with radish and tahini dressing has been our recent favorite), a couple of cheeses from our local cheese shop, a piece of a baguette, and perhaps some sausage, leftover chicken, or prosciutto.   Depending on our mood and the day of week, we round out the meal with a beer or a glass of wine.   Meals like this are how I love to eat.   

We finish these meals with dessert (this is me after all).  The farmer’s market fruit has been out of control good this year and I’ve been eating so much of it – a lot of it by the handful but an equally large amount has been baked in crisps, crumbles, and pie bars (my favorite).   These blueberry-buttermilk pie bars have been a favorite around here.   More tangy they sweet and perfectly portable – they are the dream dessert for lazy July days and nights.     

Blueberry-Buttermilk Pie Bars
Recipe from Dorie's Cookies 

I don't doubt these would be really good with halved cherries instead of blueberries.   

For the Crust

3/4 cup (102 grams) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (67 grams) sugar
1/4 cup (33 grams) cornmeal (not coarse)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons; 4 ounces; 113 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

For the Topping

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) buttermilk
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar
Pinch of fine sea salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons (1 ounce; 30 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup (150 grams) fresh blueberries (though I nudged this up to 1 1/2 cups)

To make the crust: Have an 8-inch square baking pan at hand.

Put the flour, sugar, cornmeal, cornstarch and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times to blend. Drop in the chunks of butter and work in long pulses — about dozen or so — until you have a moist dough that forms curds. Turn the dough out into the baking pan and use your fingertips to press it evenly into the pan. Put the pan in the refrigerator while you preheat the oven (it needs a short chill before baking).

Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees F.

Bake the crust for 23 to 25 minutes, until it’s golden brown. Even though the crust will be baked again with the topping, it needs to be thoroughly baked now, so err on the side of more golden rather than less. Transfer the pan to a rack and allow the crust to cool completely.

If you’ve turned off the oven, return it to 350 degrees F.

To make the topping: Spoon the cornstarch into a small bowl and pour over 1/4 cup of the buttermilk. Stir until the cornstarch dissolves; this is a slurry, which will thicken the custard.

Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl until foamy. Add the sugar and immediately start whisking vigorously (you must beat sugar and eggs together quickly, or the sugar will “burn” the yolks and cause a film to form). Whisk in the salt and vanilla, then whisk in the slurry. When the slurry is fully incorporated, stir in the remainder of the buttermilk, followed by the melted butter. Scatter the blueberries over the crust and then pour on the topping. The blueberries will shift — they’ve got nothing to hold on to — so try to even them out by poking them with your fingers or a spoon; but give up if it’s not happening.

Bake the bars for 42 to 45 minutes, until the topping is puffed all the way to the center, brown around the edges and firm everywhere. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 20 minutes. Carefully run a table knife around the edges of the pan, place a piece of parchment paper over the pan and unmold the bar onto a rack. Remove the pan and invert the bar onto another rack to cool to room temperature; chill if you’d like. Just before serving, slide the bar onto a cutting board and, using a long, thin knife, cut 2-inch squares.

Storing: Covered and kept away from foods with strong odors, the bars will keep for a day or two in the refrigerator. However, like “real” pies, these are best the day they are made.

black-bottom oatmeal pie.

It's December (when did that happen?).   We should be talking about cookies and trust me I have a lot of cookies I want to talk about but it felt cruel to not discuss this pie because it's one of the absolute best things I've made (maybe ever?).   

This my friends is the so-called Poor' Man's Version of Pecan Pie.  In my opinion, it's better then pecan pie. Maybe because I have a fondness for oats?  Maybe because I subbed the corn syrup in the original recipe with golden syrup?  Have you ever had golden syrup?  You should go to your nearest Whole Foods (that's where I found mine) and seek it out.  It's the way better version of corn syrup with a subtle caramel flavor and I am quite frankly obsessed.   Maybe I love it because there is a thin layer of bittersweet chocolate ganache at the base of the pie which provides the perfect counterpart to the goo layer.  

Because of all those reasons I love this pie and I imagine you will too.   

Black Bottom Oatmeal Pie
Recipe from Four and Twenty Blackbirds Cookbook

I dialed the brown sugar back a tiny bit to 1/2 cup (100 grams).  Your choice!

Crust

1 1/4 cups (155 grams) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons (6 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) fine sea or table salt
1 stick (4 ounces or 115 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1/4 cup (60 ml) very cold water, plus an additional tablespoon if needed

Filling

1 1/2 cups (120 grams) rolled oats
1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream
4 ounces (115 grams) bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup (145 grams) packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
5 tablespoons (70 grams) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup golden syrup 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
4 large eggs

Make the pie dough: By hand, with my one-bowl method: In the bottom of a large bowl, combine the flour, salt and sugar. Work the butter into the flour with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles a coarse meal and the largest bits of butter are the size of tiny peas. (Some people like to do this by freezing the stick of butter and coarsely grating it into the flour, but I haven’t found the results as flaky.) Add 1/4 cup cold water and stir with a spoon or flexible silicone spatula until large clumps form. Use your hands to knead the dough together, right in the bottom of the bowl. If necessary to bring the dough together, you can add the last tablespoon of water.

With a food processor: In the work bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt and sugar. Add butter and pulse machine until mixture resembles a coarse meal and the largest bits of butter are the size of tiny peas. Turn mixture out into mixing bowl. Add 1/4 cup cold water and stir with a spoon or flexible silicone spatula until large clumps form. Use your hands to knead the dough together, right in the bottom of the bowl. If necessary to bring the dough together, you can add the last tablespoon of water.

Both methods: Wrap dough in a sheet of plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour, or up to 48 hours, or you can quick-firm this in the freezer for 15 minutes. Longer than 2 days, it’s best to freeze it until needed.

Form the crust: On a floured counter, roll the dough out into a 12 to 13-inch circle-ish shape. Fold dough gently in quarters without creasing and transfer to a 9-inch standard (not deep-dish) pie plate. Unfold dough and trim overhang to about 1/2-inch. Fold overhang under edge of pie crust and crimp decoratively. If not parbaking, place in fridge until ready to fill. If parbaking, place in freezer for 20 minutes, until solid.

Par-bake the crust: [Optional, but will lead to a crispier base.] Heat oven 400°F (205°C). Line frozen crust with lightly buttered or oiled foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or pennies. Bake on a rimmed baking sheet for 20 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights and let cool completely before filling.

Heat oven: (Or reduce oven heat, if you just par-baked your crust) to 350°F (175°C).

Prepare filling: Spread oats on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (165°C).

To make the black bottom, bring the cream just to a boil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Pour in chocolate pieces and whisk until melted and smooth. Scrape the chocolate into the bottom of the cooled pie shell and spread evenly. Place in freezer while making the filling.

To make the oatmeal layer, in a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, ginger, salt, and melted butter. Add the corn syrup, vanilla, and cider vinegar and whisk to combine. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Stir in the cooled oats. Place chocolate-coated pie shell on a rimmed baking sheet and pour filling over.

Bake: For 55 to 70 minutes, rotating 180 degrees for even color if needed halfway through. The pie is done with the edges are set and puffed slightly and the center is slightly firm to the touch but still has a little give — like gelatin. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack, 2 to 3 hours. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Do ahead: The pie will keep refrigerated for 3 days or at room temperature for 2 days.

coconut cream pie with macaroon crust.

This coconut cream pie has been taunting me for about 9 months now.  I had book marked it last May when I first came across it in Bon Appetit but the problem with discovering recipes like this during peak fruit season is that fruit filled desserts will always take precedence over out of season, shipped in a can from the other side of the world coconut milk and lime based pies.

But now, now we are in the throws of winter.  And when you are in the depths of winter it helps to eat things made with coconut and lime.  Coconut and lime transports you to a warmer place - dessert islands and sandy beaches.   Places you dream about in the middle of January.  

This is the coconut cream pie of my dreams.  Tangy, creamy, and crunchy.  It's like a jacked up Almond Joy but better - so much better.  The custard isn't cloyingly sweet like some cream pies can be.  Instead it's rich (coconut milk and regular milk) with the perfect hit of lime juice.   Paired with a brilliant (and easy) macaroon press-in crust (why has no else done this before?!) and chocolate covered almonds and you basically have one the best desserts I've ever made (and eaten). 

Also (and this comes as no surprise to me) the recipe comes from Tandem Bakery in Portland, Maine which just earned them 10 billion more stars in my book.   

Coconut Cream Pie with Macaroon Crust
Recipe adapted slightly from Bon Appetit

For the Crust

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 large egg white
1¾ cups unsweetened shredded coconut
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted, slightly cooled

Custard And Assembly

2 wide strips lime zest
1¾ cups whole milk
¾ cup unsweetened coconut milk
¼ cup raw skin-on almonds, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted, slightly cooled
3 large egg yolks
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
11/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon lime zest

Make the Crust: Preheat oven to 325°. Lightly coat a 9" pie pan with nonstick spray. Mix egg white, coconut, sugar, butter, and salt with a rubber spatula in a large bowl until evenly combined and the consistency of a stiff paste. Using your hands, press mixture evenly onto bottom and up sides of pie pan. Bake until edges are golden brown and bottom is set and just barely golden, 15–20 minutes.

Transfer pie pan to a wire rack (leave oven on to toast almonds and coconut) and let crust cool. Brush crust with melted chocolate.

Make the Custard: Bring lime zest, milk, and coconut milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Cover and let sit off heat 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast almonds on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until slightly darkened and fragrant, 8–10 minutes. Let cool. Toast coconut on same baking sheet, tossing once, until edges are golden, about 4 minutes.

Stir almonds into melted chocolate in a small bowl. Spread in an even layer on a sheet of parchment paper. Sprinkle toasted coconut over chocolate almonds and chill until firm, 8–10 minutes. Coarsely chop, then cover and chill.

Pluck out lime zest from milk mixture; discard. Return milk mixture to a simmer. Whisk egg yolks, cornstarch, salt, and ½ cup + 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl to combine. Whisking constantly, gradually add ½ cup milk mixture to egg mixture. Whisking constantly, add egg mixture to milk mixture in saucepan and cook over medium heat until mixture is thickened and bubbling (it will look like thick pudding). Remove from heat and whisk in butter and lime juice.

Scrape custard into crust and press a piece of plastic wrap against surface. Chill until set, about 2 hours.

Assemble: Just before serving, whip cream, lime zest, and remaining 1 Tbsp. sugar in a small bowl to medium-stiff peaks. Spoon over custard, leaving about a 1" border, and swirl decoratively. Scatter chocolate-almond mixture around perimeter.

Do Ahead: Pie (without whipped cream) can be made 3 days ahead; keep chilled.

peach crumble slab pie.

I feel really bad that I don't have a picture of the final product but it's been one of those weeks.  The best I can offer you is this picture which you will hopefully find just as enticing as a photo of the end result.   (UPDATE - I was able to get a picture of the last slice!  See below.)

I've developed somewhat of a love affair with slab pie.  I like that it's portable and capable of feeding a crowd.  It just begs to be consumed on a blanket in the middle of the park.  And a peach pie slab pie? Well that just says August.  

This one is absurdly good.  6 POUNDS OF PEACHES get nestled in a buttery crust and topped with a spiced crumble.  It's an epic pie perfectly capable of feeding the masses and an incredible way to close out the summer.  

Peach Crumble Slab Pie
Recipe from the NYTimes

So!  I halved the recipe (it halves brilliantly).  In the original recipe it stated it serves 12-16 (for a 9x13 pan).  I think I would serve closer to 18 - 24.  I guess I like dainty pie slices?    

For the Crust

2 ½ cups/300 grams all-purpose flour, more as needed

¾ teaspoon/4 grams fine sea salt

2 ½ sticks/10 ounces/285 grams cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

4 to 6 tablespoons ice water, as needed

For the Filling

6 pounds ripe peaches, nectarines or a mix, pitted and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

1 ¼ cups/135 grams packed light brown sugar, more to taste

⅓ cup/50 grams instant tapioca

Zest of 3 lemons

3 tablespoons/45 milliliters fresh lemon juice

1 ½ teaspoons/5 grams finely grated nutmeg

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped, or 1 teaspoon/5 milliliters vanilla extract

1 teaspoon/6 grams fine sea salt

For the Crumble Topping

1 ½ cups/180 grams all-purpose flour

1 cup/200 grams packed dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons/10 grams ground cinnamon

1 ½ teaspoons/3 grams ground ginger

½ teaspoon/3 grams fine sea salt

1 ½ sticks/6 ounces/170 grams unsalted butter, cubed

In a food processor, briefly pulse together flour and salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture forms chickpea-size pieces (6 to 8 1-second pulses). Add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time and pulse until mixture is just moist enough to hold together. Form dough into a large ball. Wrap with plastic and flatten into a disk. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Using a lightly floured rolling pin, gently roll out dough to an 11-x-15-inch rectangle, dusting with flour if dough is sticking. Fold dough in half and transfer to a 9-x-13-inch baking dish. Carefully press crust into the bottom of the pan and completely up the edges so it’s flush with the top of the pan (you don’t need to crimp the dough). Return crust to refrigerator while you prepare the filling and crumble topping.

For the Filling: In a large bowl, toss together peaches, sugar, tapioca, lemon zest and juice, nutmeg, vanilla and salt. Let stand 20 to 30 minutes. Taste and add a little more sugar if needed.

Meanwhile, heat oven to 425 degrees. Place a large rimmed baking sheet on the oven floor to preheat. Arrange one oven rack on the lowest position and a second rack in the center position.

For the Crumble Topping: Whisk together flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Mix in butter with your fingertips until mixture is uniformly moist and comes together in large clumps.

Spoon filling into crust and top with crumble. Move baking sheet to the lowest rack and place pie on baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Move baking sheet with pie to the center rack. Continue baking until pie is golden brown and filling is bubbling, about 1 hour. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. Note: Measurements for dry ingredients are given by metric weight for greater accuracy. The equivalent measurements by volume are approximate.

maple buttermilk custard pie.

Yesterday fall showed up.

I made spiced apple pancakes.  I wore my favorite pair of thick socks (probably one of 3 pairs of socks I willingly wear).  I consumed grilled cheese in sweatpants.  I took my leather jacket and sweaters out of hibernation and then I baked a pie to celebrate this momentous occasion. 

Tyler will be the first to tell you that I have an unnatural obsession with maple syrup.  There is something undeniably delicious about it.  I love it drizzled (OK, poured) over pancakes and waffles and pumpkin flavored oatmeal.  I love it mixed into plain yogurt and used as a substitute for sugar in any and all baked goods which is how this pie caught my attention. 

I tend to gravitate towards fruit pies, but this one with the combination of cornmeal, buttermilk, and maple syrup seemed too irresistible to ignore.  And irresistible it is! The custard is divine - tangy, flavorful, and oh so creamy.  The cornmeal crust provides the perfect amount of textural contrast to the custard. 

(Not a bad way to usher in fall.) 

Maple Buttermilk Custard Pie

Recipe from The Four and Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book 

Cornmeal Crust for a 9-inch single-crust pie, partially pre-baked (recipe below)
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon stone-ground white cornmeal
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla paste (or vanilla extract)
1 cup sour cream
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
¾ cup maple syrup (preferably Grade B)
1 cup buttermilk

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Place the prebaked pie shell on a rimmed baking sheet.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, cornmeal, brown sugar, salt, and melted butter. Add the vanilla paste (or vanilla extract) and the sour cream and stir until smooth. Add the eggs and egg yolk one at a time, blending well after each addition. Add the maple syrup and buttermilk and mix until smooth.

Strain the filling through a fine-mesh sieve directly into the pie shell, or strain it into a separate bowl and then pour it into the shell. (FYI: I was left with about 1/3 cup of filling that would not make it through the strainer.) 

Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 45 to 55 minutes, rotating 180 degrees when the edges start to set, 30 to 35 minutes through baking.

The pie is finished when the edges are set and puffed slightly and the center is no longer liquid but still quite wobbly.

Be careful not to overbake or the custard can separate; the filling will continue to cook and set after the pie is removed from the oven.

Allow to cool completely on a wire rack, 2 to 3 hours. Serve slightly warm, at room temperature, or cool. The pie will keep refrigerated for 2 days or at room temperature for 1 day.

Cornmeal Crust (for a single-crust pie)

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ cup stone-ground cornmeal
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1½ teaspoons granulated sugar
¼ pound (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
½ cup cold water
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
½ cup ice

Stir the flour, cornmeal, salt, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add the butter pieces and coat with the flour mixture using a spatula. With a pastry blender (or using your fingers like we did), cut the butter into the flour mixture, working quickly until mostly pea-size pieces of butter remain (a few larger pieces are okay; be careful not to over blend).

Combine the water, cider vinegar, and ice in a large measuring cup or small bowl. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the ice water mixture over the flour mixture, and mix and cut it in with a bench scraper or spatula until it is fully incorporated. Add more of the ice water mixture, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, and mix until the dough comes together in a ball, with some dry bits remaining. Squeeze and pinch with your fingertips to bring all the dough together, sprinkling dry bits with more small drops of the ice water mixture, if necessary, to combine.

Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight, to give the crust time to mellow. Wrapped tightly, the dough can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for 1 month.

How to partially pre-bake it: Once dough has been chilled in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, roll it out and shape it into a 9-inch pie plate. Use a fork to prick all over the bottom and sides, 15 to 20 times. Place the shaped crust in the freezer. Position the oven racks in the bottom and center positions, place a rimmed baking sheet on the lowest rack, and preheat the oven to 425°F.

When the crust is frozen solid (about 10 minutes), line it tightly with a piece or two of aluminum foil. Make sure the edges are completely covered and there are no gaps between the foil and the crust.

Pour pie weights or dried beans into the pan and spread them so they are concentrated more around the edge of the shell than in the center. Place the pan on the preheated baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, until crimped edges are set but not browned.

Remove the pan and the baking sheet from the oven, lift out the foil and pie weights, and let the crust cool for a minute. Use a pastry brush to coat the bottom and sides with a thin layer of egg white glaze (1 egg white whisked with 1 teaspoon of water) to moisture-proof the crust. Return the pan, on the baking sheet, to the oven’s middle rack and continue baking for 3 more minutes. Remove and cool completely before filling.

brown butter apple pie bars.

I don't need to tell you that only an insane person decides to make brown butter apple pie bars when they are less then 2 months out from their wedding.   (Because fitting into your wedding dress is overrated, am I right?)

Now that we've discussed my current state of mind, let's discuss how these bars came to be.  

Apple pie has been on the brain for a couple of weeks now.  It started when we went apple picking and from there I began scouring cookbooks and the internet for the apple pie recipe.  During this obsessive search I realized that while pie is AWESOME it's not easy to share - How do you slice it to bring in for coworkers?  What do you do if not everyone has plates?  I knew if I was going to make a pie, I needed to make a pie that I could share. 

(While I am insane, I am not completely illogical.  Only an illogical person would keep an entire pie in their fridge with less then 2 months to their wedding.)

These bars are a result of necessity but they also came about because I am just really in love with hand-held portable desserts as of late since it's fun is to offer people things like "apple pie bars" . Tyler commented that these are is if an apple pie and apple crisp had a baby and I find this description to be rather apt.  A brown butter shortbread base gives way to layers of cinnamon spiced apple slices.  And the topping? That's a generous layer of strussel deliciousness.  Are these rich, over-the-top, and amazing?  Yes, yes they are. They are also really, really, good.  

Happy first day of fall. 

Brown Butter Apple Pie Bars

Recipe adapted (barely) from Apt. 2B Baking Co.

I don't need to tell you there is a decent amount of butter in these.  You have eyes, you can see it.  But!  These make A LOT of servings.  And a lot of healthy servings.  This is the kind of thing you should only make when you have a crowd to feed.  You've been warned.  

Yield: one 13''x9'' pan, 24-30 bars  (You can also halve this if you want to make a more manageable amount.)

For the Brown Butter, Brown Sugar Shortbread Crust

12 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes
½ cup brown sugar (I used light)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup whole wheat flour

1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour (you can also do a full 2 cups of all-purpose flour though the whole wheat is lovely)

Preheat your oven to 350º and line a 13''x9'' baking dish with greased foil or parchment paper. 

Brown the butter over medium heat in a small saucepan, stirring frequently until the milk solids turn light brown and the butter has a nutty fragrance. Set aside to cool slightly. 

When the butter has cooled a bit add it to a medium bowl and add in the brown sugar, salt, and vanilla and stir. Add the flour and mix until completely combined. Press it into the prepared pan and bake it until it is golden, about 20 minutes. Set the baked crust aside to cool.

While the crust is baking and cooling prepare the filling.

Apple Filling

¼ cup brown sugar (I used light though dark would work well)
6 large apples, peeled and cut into thin slices (Any pie apples would work)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of salt

In a large bowl toss the sliced apples with the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  Set aside.  

Crumb Topping

1 ½ cup oats
½ cup whole wheat flour

½ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon baking soda
3/8 teaspoon salt
8-9 tablespoons butter, softened

In a large bowl combine the oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt, then add in the butter (start with 8 tablespoons and add the extra one if your mixture isn't coming together) and mix with your hands until it holds together in clumps.

To Assemble

Spread the apple mixture evenly over the prepared crust, then top with the crumble mixture and press down lightly. 

Bake the bars at 375º for 30-40 minutes until the crumb topping is golden. Cool completely before cutting into 24-30 squares.

cherry streusel slab pie.

Guys I made a cherry pie!
(Can finally cross that off my list of summer foods to make.)

I didn't think it was going to happen this summer with all that's going on. Road trips to Maine, friend's weddings, flea market trips, and that little thing that involves a lot of planning (aka our own wedding) but it did because if there is anything I was going to make time for it was baking a cherry pie.  

(Have you seen the cherries this year?  They are beautiful.)

This also wasn't just any cherry pie. It was a cherry slab pie which is probably the greatest kind of pie that ever was.  It's portable! It's handheld! You don't need a fork (!) which means you can eat it on the go or on picnics or on the beach.  Slab pie also feeds a crowd which means it's a party pie (and everyone loves a party).  

The rye crust is nutty and substantial, providing the perfect base for a plethora (and I mean plethora) of cherries. The streusel topping is my favorite part. A little bit sweet, a little bit crunchy, and a whole lot of almond flavor. The almond flavor as everyone knows is brilliant with the cherries (one of my personal favorite combinations) which is how I found myself gobbling up pie faster then should be allowed.  

Cherry Streusel Slab Pie

For the filling

Generous 5 cups of cherries
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Juice of 1/2 a lemon

For the strussel topping

1 1/4 cups almond flour
1/2 cup rye flour
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
5 tablespoons butter

1 rye crust (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 375º F and line a 9- by 13-inch rectangle baking sheet with parchment paper.

Gently toss the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice in a bowl and set aside. 

On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of the dough into a roughly 9- by 13-inch rectangle, 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick (dough can come up the sides of the pan). Gently move the dough to the prepared baking sheet and put the whole thing in the fridge for about 20 minutes.

Make the streusel - Blend all of the ingredients together in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until the mixture becomes crumbly.  Or you can blend the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender until large chunks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Remove the dough from the fridge and pour the cherry mixture on top.  Sprinkle the streusel mixture over the cherries.

Bake the pie until the crust is deep golden brown and the juices are bubbling, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool slightly before cutting into squares and serving with ice cream or whipped cream.

Rye Crust

Recipe from Yossy Arefi 

6.75 ounces all-purpose flour

6.75 ounces rye flour

9 ounces unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes

3/4 teaspoon salt

6 to 9 tablespoons ice water

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar

To make the crust, combine the flours, sugar and salt in a bowl. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to cut half of the butter into the flour until it is the size of peas, then cut in the other half until it is the size lima beans. Some of the butter will be completely worked into the flour, but you should have lots of visible pieces of butter in the dough, too. Add the apple cider vinegar to the water and make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Use a gentle hand or wooden spoon to mix about 8 tablespoons of water into the flour until just combined. If the dough seems very dry, add more water a couple of teaspoons at a time. You have added enough water when you can pick up a handful of the dough and squeeze it together without it falling apart. Press the dough together, form into a disc, and wrap the disc in plastic wrap. Chill the dough for at least one hour before using, or overnight.

rhubarb-custard pie.

I am going to apologize now for both the present and future number of rhubarb recipes that have and will appear on this little blog.  It's not that I am obsessed with rhubarb (I am only slightly obsessed) it's just that after a long (very long and very cold) winter I am craving anything and everything bright and tart and fresh (and the fact that they are the most beautiful ruby pink color doesn't hurt). This is why I've already made 2 pounds of rhubarb jam, 1 batch of rye-rhubarb bars, and now this pie which is my latest obsession. (There are also plans for a rhubarb upside-down cake to be made this weekend so maybe it is safe to say that I am a woman obsessed.) 

This pie.  This pie makes me feel as if I have I have transported myself to the Midwest where things like rhubarb-custard pie are the norm and the people baking them always wear checkered aprons (instead of flour stained boxer shorts).  It's a pie that is pure comfort food. The kind of thing I imagine I would serve to the boy after a long day spent outside building me my dream wood-fired pizza oven (I have pizza ovens on the brain).  It begs to be eaten outdoors by the fading light of the day.  


Rhubarb-Custard Pie
Recipe tweaked from the Four & Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book 

I bought this back during the dark days of winter when I needed a little pick me up and a reminder that soon fresh produce will return.  This book is superb and it's safe to say this is going to be the summer of pie.  I adore this recipe for the simple fact that the crust is an oatmeal crust which means no rolling pins involved. (!!) Layered above the crust is the most phenomenal rhubarb compote with a color that kills me (it's the perfect pink/red shade that only nature can create). And above that? A tangy custard that brings the whole thing together. Tyler said the pie reminded him of a lemon meringue pie with the flavors and layers and I agree with that sentiment though I think this is better.  

Slicing this pie is the best part since it that is when it reveals it's gorgeous inside. (All those pretty layers!). You've been warned.    

Oat crumble crust for a 9 inch pie, pre-baked (recipe below)
1 pound fresh rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (about 3 cups)
1 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup sour cream
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees.  Place the prebaked pie shell on a rimmed baking sheet. 

In a medium saucepan, combine the rhubarb, 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat until the rhubarb is cooked down into a thick sauce.  Set aside to cool while preparing the custard.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, heavy and sour cream, nutmeg, and vanilla extract, and mix until smooth.  Stir in the eggs one at a time and mix well.  

Spread the rhubarb evenly oven the crust.  Pour the custard over the rhubarb.  Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 30-35 minutes, rotating 180 degrees when the edges start to set, about 15 minutes through baking.  The pie is finished with the edges are set and puffed slightly and the center is no longer liquid but still quite wobbly.  Be careful not to overbake as the custard can can curdle and separate; the filling will continue to cook and set after the pie is removed from the oven.  Allow to cool completely on a wire rack, 2 to 3 hours.  Serve slightly warm, at room temperature, or cool.  

The pie will keep refrigerated for 3 days or at room temperature for  1 day.  

Oat Crumble Crust

2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup all-purpose or rye flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, at room temperature

Stir together all ingredients except butter into a large bowl.  Sprinkle in the butter pieces and toss to coat. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until the butter is incorporated and the mixture is chunky but not homogeneous.  

Press evenly into the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased, preferably metal 9-inch pie pan.  Freeze until solid about 15 minutes.  Meawhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Bake on the middle oven rack for about 18-20 minutes.  If the crust slumps or cracks while baking, gently push the crumbs back into place, while hot, with a clean folded kitchen towel or piece of parchment.  Cool completely before filling.