TWISTED CITRUS BLACKBERRY PIE

This recipe comes from the aptly named Perfect Pies by Michele Stuart. A perfect pie for summer and berry season, this delicate and light dessert is not only pretty but delicious. The homemade whipped cream makes it decadent and the citrus flavor is really refreshing. The only change I would make in the future is use a short bread crust instead of the graham cracker, but that's a personal preference.

The best part is how easy it came together. Bring this to a summer party and look like a rock star. No one needs to know the truth. Note: there is a lot of refrigeration time, this is a more than one day affair. Adapted recipe below.

Makes one 9 inch pie-6-8 servings.

Crust  

One 9-inch graham cracker crust (I used a store bought one) 

Blackberry Glacé 

1 cup blackberries, mashed

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup water

Filling 

2 tablespoons warm water

1 teaspoon gelatin 

3/4 cup fresh lemon juice 

3/4 cup fresh lime juice 

1 1/2 tablespoons grated lemon zest 

1 1/2 tablespoons grated lime zest 

1 cup heavy cream 

1 14-ounce can condensed milk, refrigerated for at least 30 minutes 

Garnish

2 cups whipped cream (homemade)
Grated lemon zest
Grated lime zest
1 pint blackberries, washed and dried

To prepare the blackberry Glacé – in a medium sauce pan over high heat combine the blackberries, sugar, and cornstarch in water, and whisk continuously for about eight minutes-until it begins to thicken like a jam. Strain over a bowl or measuring cup to catch any seeds. Let it cool to room temperature then place in the refrigerator for at least six hours or up to one day.  

To prep the filling, place the warm water and gelatin in a small metal bowl for at least five minutes to soften. Once softened, place over low heat for 15 to 30 seconds to get the gelatin to dissolve completely. Set aside.  

In a medium-size bowl using an electric beater on high-speed, combine lemon juice, lime juice, lemon zest, lime zest, heavy cream, and pre-chilled condensed milk and mix until the filling becomes thick, around three minutes. Then add 2 tablespoons of the cream mixture to the gelatin, to temper it. Then add the tempered gelatin into the cream mixture and beat on high speed until it becomes a thick, creamy texture.  

To assemble the pie, spread the BlackBerry Glacé evenly across the bottom of the graham cracker crust. Pour the pie filling over this spreading evenly. Refrigerate overnight before garnishing and serving.  

When ready to serve evenly distribute with whipped cream across the top of the pie--you can use a pastry bag or simply put it on with a spatula. Sprinkle lemon zest limes zest and extra berries as you desire.

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AND WE'RE BACK...

I have strayed from baking for too long. I need heavenly treats fresh from the kitchen in my life. It is fun and relaxing for me and a good way to make and keep friends....I can't eat it all myself. Sharing is caring.

Life got in the way. A move from the East Coast to the Midwest, a new job, and some medical hiccups filled up my time. It has been a long road back, but I am ready to get on to it.

I hope you will join me on this journey. Sadly I know the only readers I have currently are related to me. Hopefully that will change.

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SOUR CREAM COFFE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE CINNAMON SWIRL

This is the second coffee cake I have posted on my blog and it beats the last in leaps and bounds. While it didn't wow me it was substantially better. In taste testing it with my family it got solid reviews and I realized that I hoped each bite would wow me...so I am not just in search of the perfect chocolate chip cookie anymore, coffee cake has been added to the quest.

This delightful concoction comes from the book Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. These guys put together a great book with recipes from their Brooklyn, NY bakery aptly named Baked. (They have great sweatshirts in the book with the name emblazoned on the front and I really want one!) I really looked forward to working with the recipes these guys put together because of their passion. They left their advertising jobs to open the bakery with their savings and are making it work. Oh my dreams are possible!

They have put together a solid breakfast staple here. Any bake sale or tea party would be happy to have this on their table. And it definitely makes enough for either. The size of the cake is substantial. It is in a 9"x13" pan and fills its entirety. There is also plenty of the soft sand like buttery topping. I am a sucker for this stuff and hate getting a piece of any type of cake that is stingy on topping. These boys know their audience.

Try this one for yourself or when you have company coming. They will be glad you did.

Adapted recipe:

Crumb Topping
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup pecans, toasted
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch pieces

Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Cake Batter
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
16 ounces sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Crumb Topping:
Put the flour, sugar, and salt in bowl of food processor and pulse to combine. Add the pecans and pulse until they are finely chopped and incorporated. Add the butter and pulse until incorporated (book says it should look like coarse sand and it is the perfect description). Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl:
Mix cocoa, sugar, and cinnamon in small bowl.


Sour Cream Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350° F and butter a 9×13-inch pan. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.

In a large bowl cream the butter until smooth. Scrape down bowl and add sugar. Beat until the mixture is fluffy. Next add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping bowl as you go.

Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat just until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, scraping down the bowl before each addition and beating only until each addition is just incorporated. Make sure not to overmix your batter!

Pour one third of the cake batter into the prepared pan and do your best to spread spread batter evenly in pan. Sprinkle half of the chocolate cinnamon swirl mixture over this layer. Spoon half of remaining batter over the swirl mixture and spread it evenly. Top with remaining swirl mixture, then the remaining batter, and spread the batter evenly. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the top of the batter.

Bake in the center of the oven for one hour, rotating halfway through. A toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean when it is ready. Let the cake cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes and serve.

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DORIE'S BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Dorie Greenspan is a legend in the baking world so when I saw her Baking: From My Heart to Yours on the shelf of my library I couldn't wait to take it home. (Her blog is linked in my Sweet Toothed Blog section.) This was my first of many selections from this book since chocolate chip cookies are one of my brother's favorites and a care package for him was my baking objective. (His opinion has yet to be given since I am still annoyingly waiting for him to return my call.)

Like most bakers I am on the search for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe and while this one is very solid, it isn't the BEST for me. The cookies bake up crispy on the edge but chewy in the middles thanks to the high sugar content. The brown sugar gives a nice hint of caramel.

These cookies certainly did not come out looking like the perfect ones in Dorie's cookbook. None of my chocolate chip cookie recipes do, they always have that homemade look. Now they are certainly delicious, but I want it all. I know we teach kids that it is what on the inside that matters but gosh darn it I want the outside to be pretty too! Judge all you want but I am honest, haha.

Now that I have gotten that off my chest I can tell you my sister, who is a tough nut to crack, gave these an 8 out of 10. This is high praise from her. They disappeared pretty quickly from my house. Here is the adapted recipe:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips, or 2 cups store-bought chocolate chips or chunks
1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. (I didn't have either and that worked fine too).

Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
Beat the butter at medium speed for about 1 minute, until smooth in a large bowl. Add the sugars and beat for about 2 minutes, until well-blended. Beat in the vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients in 3 portions, mixing only until each addition is blended. Using a a rubber spatula, mix in the chocolate and nuts.

Spoon the dough by slightly rounded tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between rounds

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time and rotating the sheet at the midway point for 10-12 minutes, or until they are brown at the edges and golden in the center. They may seem under baked in the middle but that is perfect. Let the cookies cool for 1 minute and then carefully remove and place on wire racks. I dare you not to eat them now, haha.

Repeat with the remainder of the dough, cooling the baking sheets between batches.

(The dough can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days, or frozen.)

Makes about 45 cookies.

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CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH PEANUT BUTTER ICING

Sorry for the delay in posting. I have been dealing with that change of season cold and it is not pleasant. Luckily I knocked out 2 items at once before it hit so I have some goodies to post. I was feeling ambitious as I put together a care package so I made these cupcakes and some good old chocolate chip cookies.

I enjoy Ina Garten's show and have seen her make these special cupcakes on more than one episode. Being a fan of the peanut butter cup, I thought this was a recipe that couldn't miss and had been looking forward to testing it out myself. On the most recent episode of Ina's show she said this was one of the treats that helped her snag her husband. Well let me tell you it must really be love because it isn't these mini cakes!

The cupcakes do have a great flavor to them. I think it is the cocoa that gives them their taste rather than using melted chocolate or something of the like. Their lack of appeal to me is how dense they are. Even in your hand these feel heavy for a cupcake. I like a light and fluffy cake so these, while I am sure they have their place in many hearts, are not for me.

The icing on the other hand is a winner for peanut butter fans. It is very fluffy and has a strong peanut butter flavor without being overwhelming. With another cupcake this would really be a star. Ina credits her friend Kathleen King with the icing recipe. So thumbs up Kathleen!

Here is the the cupcake and icing recipe adapted from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa at Home cookbook:

Cupcakes:

2 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, shaken, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
2 tablespoons brewed coffee
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup good cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

With an electric mixer cream the butter and both sugars on high until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium, add the eggs 1 at a time, then vanilla and mix well.

Whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee in one bowl and sift together the rest of the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt) in another bowl.

Add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture alternately in thirds to the mixer bowl on low. Mix only until blended.

Divide the batter among the cupcake pans with paper liners. Bake in the middle of the oven for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes then remove from pans. Wait until the cupcakes are completely cool before frosting.

Icing:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup heavy cream


Mix the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt on a medium speed with an electric mixer. Mix creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high until the icing is smooth and fluffy.

Makes about 14 cupcakes.

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