Apple Raisin Bread

What happens when I get bored and there are apples on the kitchen table? I bake! Well, really that question could just be "what happens when I get bored," and the answer would still be the same. But that's not the point. The point is this apple raisin bread! The recipe comes from The Modern Baker by Nick Malgieri. It was absolutely delicious. But I think I should've squeezed some of the liquid out of my apples. They were really juicy, and after 10 additional minutes of baking, the bread was still gooey in the center. I was afraid of overbaking the edges, so I took it out. The baked parts are delicious, but the middle was still a bit raw. Oh well, nothing the dog won't take care of!Apple Raisin Bread (from "The Modern Baker" by Nick Malgieri)
Makes one 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf

2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 large eggs
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large tart apples, such as Granny Smith
1/2 cup dark raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. Set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Combine the flours, baking soda, and cinnamon in a bowl and stir to mix well.
3. In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs to break them up and whisk the sugar into the eggs. Whisk in the oil and set the bowl aside.
4. Quickly peel and grate the apples into a shallow bowl. You should have about 2 cups of grated apple.
5. Use a large rubber spatula to fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Quickly fold in the apples, raisins, and walnuts.
6. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake the bread until it is well-risen and a toothpick or a narrow-bladed knife inserted into the center of the bread emerges clean, 35-40 minutes.
7. Cool the bread in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes, then unmold it and cool it completely on a rack. Transfer the bread to a platter or cutting board before serving.

Favorite Deep-Dish Apple Pie

I've done it! I've finally mastered the apple pie! You may remember my apple pie post from two months ago. I loved that pie, but I overcooked the filling on the stove, so the apples were a little mushy. I wanted to try making apple pie again, but for some reason I moved on to a totally different recipe. My second try was with a Martha Stewart recipe. It's from her Baking Handbook, but I can't remember the exact name of the recipe. Anyway, it turned out horrible! I used my own crust recipe, but the problem was in the filling. It wasn't sweet at all, and the apples turned into complete mush! You would've thought I had made the pie with unsweetened applesauce! It was just horrible! So two days later I went back to the recipe I liked from "The All-American Dessert Book" by Nancy Baggett. This time I used the easy no-refrigeration oil-based crust from the grape pie because I just wasn't in the mood to wait around for my go-to crust to chill and rest in the fridge (FYI, my go-to crust recipe is here in my first apple pie post, as well as a link to the printable recipe). The oil-based crust is seriously a life-saver because you can use it as soon as you make it! It's a dream to roll out, but the only drawback is the lack of flavor. I guess you could add butter flavoring if you wanted to, but I'd rather just taste the slightly sweetened pastry. In my first apple pie I used 6 apples. In this pie I used a total of 9 apples: a combination of Braeburns, Granny Smiths, Honeycrisps, and Fujis. I spiced it up with cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. And this time I didn't overcook the filling on the stove! It baked up perfectly in the oven, and the apples still had a nice bite to them.

If you use the oil-based crust, it gets pretty soggy after a day or two, so make this pie when you plan on eating the whole thing quickly! Otherwise, go with the butter/shortening crust in the following recipe.

Favorite Deep-Dish Apple Pie (from "The All-American Dessert Book" by Nancy Baggett)

Double crust All-Purpose Pie Pastry Dough (recipe follows)
All-purpose flour for dusting dough

FILLING
10 1/2 cups peeled, cored, and thinly sliced apples (8-11 medium baking apples; choose at least three kinds, such as Stayman, Jonathan, Golden Delicious, Braeburn, Smokehouse, Sunrise, Granny Smith, Grimes Golden, York, and Gala) (I used 3 Braeburn, 3 Fuji, 2 Honeycrisp, and 1 Granny Smith)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
Scant 2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 1/2-4 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch (use larger amount if apples are very juicy)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I increased to 1 teaspoon and added 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice and 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg)
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 tablespoon milk for brushing on dough top (mix with 1 egg yolk if using the oil-based crust as it does not brown well in the oven)
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar for sprinkling on dough top (I used turbinado sugar)

Lightly grease a 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie plate or coat with nonstick spray (I do not spray my pie plate). If the dough is cold and stiff, let it warm up until slightly pliable but still cool to the touch. Generously dust it on both sides with flour. Roll out one dough portion between large sheets of baking parchment into a 13 1/2-inch round. Occasionally check the underside of the dough during rolling and smooth out any wrinkles. (If the dough seems sticky or limp, place in the freezer for 5 minutes to firm up.) Gently peel off the top sheet of paper, then pat back into place. Flip the dough; peel off the bottom sheet. Center the round, dough side down, in the pie plate. Gently peel off the remaining paper. Smooth the dough into the plate and patch any tears, if necessary. Using kitchen shears or a paring knife, trim the overhang to 1/4 inch. Prick the pastry all over with a fork (I don't prick it at all). Loosely cover the pastry and place in the freezer while you roll out the top pastry and prepare the filling.

Roll out the second portion of dough into a 13 1/2-inch round as described above. Transfer the round (paper still attached) to a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F (I preheat a pizza stone as well). In a very large, heavy non-reactive saucepan, toss the apples with the lemon juice. In a medium bowl, stir together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt until well blended. Add the sugar mixture and butter to the apples, tossing until well blended. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-­high heat. Simmer, stirring and scraping the pan bottom, for about 3 minutes, or until the apples cook down slightly; be careful not to burn (I cook them until the juice begins to thicken, about 5 minutes). Remove from the burner. Taste and add more lemon juice, if desired.

Turn out the apple mixture into the bot­tom crust, mounding it in the center. Gently peel off the top sheet of paper from the second pastry round. Center the round, dough side down, over the filling. Peel off and discard the remaining paper. Trim the over­hang to 3/4 inch. Fold the overhang under the bottom pastry to form an edge that rests on the lip of the plate. Press the layers together firmly, then flute with your fingers or press the tines of a fork all the way around. Brush the dough top (not the edges) with the milk, then sprinkle with the granulated sugar. Cut generous slashes in the top for steam vents, using a sharp, lightly greased paring knife.

Set the pie on a rimmed baking sheet (or directly on the hot pizza stone in the oven). Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned. Spray the under­side of an extra-wide sheet of aluminum foil with nonstick spray (or use nonstick foil). Make a foil tent over the pie top so the entire crust is cov­ered. Continue baking for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned and the filling is bubbly. Transfer the pie to a wire rack. Let cool for at least 1 1/2 hours and preferably 4 hours or longer (for neater slices) before serving.

The pie will keep, covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days or re­frigerated for up to 2 days longer. Let come to room temperature before serving.

All-Purpose Pie Pastry Dough (Double Crust)
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
7 tablespoons solid white shortening, cut or spooned into 14 pieces
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cake flour
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar (I increased to 3 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
6-9 tablespoons ice water

Freeze the butter cubes and shortening pieces for 20 minutes. (I used refrigerated shortening and butter, not frozen.)

In a large bowl, thoroughly stir together the all-­purpose flour, cake flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Sprinkle the chilled butter and shortening over the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender, forks, or your fingertips, cut in the fat until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with a few bits the size of small peas remaining. Be sure to scrape up the flour mixture on the bottom of the bowl.

Combine the all-purpose flour, cake flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in the processor. Pulse for 10 seconds to mix. (I re-wrote the next part of the recipe to show how I made it.) Sprinkle half the chilled butter over the flour mixture. Process with about five 1-second pulses. Stir, lift­ing up the contents on the bottom. Add the remaining butter, and pulse about 5 more times. Add shortening, and pulse 10 more times, just until the bits of fat are cut in and the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with a few bits the size of small peas remaining; stop halfway through and stir to redistribute the contents on the bottom. Turn out the mixture into a large bowl.

In a small bowl, measure out 6 tablespoons ice water. Using a fork, lightly combine the water mixture with the flour mixture, tossing until the water is evenly incorporated and the mixture just be­gins to form clumps, 15 to 20 strokes. Be sure to reach down to the bot­tom to be sure the flour underneath is dampened. Check the consistency by pinching a small amount of dough between your fingertips; it should hold together smoothly and be moist but not soggy. If it is crumbly or dry, sprinkle over more ice water, 2 teaspoons at a time, tossing briefly with a fork. When the water is evenly incorporated and the dough is suf­ficiently moistened to hold together when pinched, gather it up and firmly press it together with your fingertips into a smooth, dense mass. Divide the dough in half, and flatten the portions into 6-inch disks. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes and preferably 1 hour. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or wrapped airtight and frozen for up to a month; thaw in the refrigerator before using. Roll and bake as directed in the individual recipes.

Fresh Apple Cake

I think my dad is playing me like a fiddle! He knows that any time he brings fruit home, I'm gonna turn it into something good. Lately, apples have been popping up frequently on our kitchen table. So what do I do? Apple pie, apple turnovers, apple crisp... but this time I wanted to make something different. I've never made apple cake before, and when I googled it, Smitten Kitchen's recipe was one of the top results. Cha-ching! The recipe is her mother's, and I can tell you it will become a staple recipe in our house. It was absolutely delicious! I read some of the reviews on her blog from other people who made it. A few people said it was gummy, dense, and had other strange complaints. I dunno what their problem was because the cake I made was out of this world! Her mom's original recipe calls for McIntosh apples, but my dad seems to always buy Granny Smiths. I thought they were excellent in the cake. They were very tart and provided a nice contrast from the sweet cake. The brown crust was my favorite part! Mmm... I halved her recipe and baked it in a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Umm let's keep this quiet... I ate THREE slices! ;PMom’s Apple Cake (from SmittenKitchen.com)

6 apples, Mom uses McIntosh apples
1 tablespoon cinnamon
5 tablespoons sugar

2 3/4 cups flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a tube pan. Peel, core and chop apples into chunks. Toss with cinnamon and sugar and set aside.

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, orange juice, sugar and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients into the dry ones, then add eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.

Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Spread half of apples over it. Pour the remaining batter over the apples and arrange the remaining apples on top. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until a tester comes out clean. (If baking a half recipe in a loaf pan, bake for 50-60 minutes.)

Spicy Cinnamon Apple Pie

So apparently I'm the only person in the world who likes a REALLY spicy apple pie on the first day of Fall (I made it Wednesday). And I might be the only person in the world who likes a really spicy apple pie at all. I googled, I searched AllRecipes.com, I checked Flickr, I checked the food blog search engine. All of the recipes turned up with a modest amount of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg here or there. I was looking for something that resembled a spicy baked apple, but in pie form. Or better yet, you know those spicy red apple rings they sell in the grocery store? THAT'S WHAT I WANTED IN MY PIE!! I found nothing of the sort! I did see some yummy looking recipes for mincemeat pie, but no spicy apple pies! So... I made my own. I used the apple pie recipe in The All- American Dessert Book by Nancy Baggett. I spiced it up by increasing the cinnamon from 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon and adding 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon oil. Of course I used my brand new REAL cinnamon you saw me bragging about in my last entry. And because I like some things to be supermarket-cheesy, I added some red food coloring to look more like the red apple rings. The filling smelled so cook on the stove, and it tasted exactly like I wanted it to. I accidentally overcooked the filling so the apples were slightly mushy, but not too bad.Before you start judging me and thinking I only like apple pie as a vehicle for cinnamon, you're half wrong! During the summer I use a squirt of lemon juice, a pinch of cinnamon, and I'm good to go. But during the Fall and Winter months, I prefer my pies on the spicy side. However, I do think nutmeg in apple pie is a sin! Save it for the nog, people!!Now, let's talk about crust. I started making my own pie crusts last year, and I've tried a few recipes since the very first time. With every new recipe I say "I've found my go-to pie crust recipe!" Well, that was before I really knew what I was looking for. I don't like my pie crusts to be so flaky that they shatter when you touch them with your fork. I also prefer my crust a little on the sweet side, and I like to taste a tiny bit of salt here and there. Most importantly, I don't like a greasy crust. I've seen pie crust recipes that use double the amount of fat to flour. This crust recipe is perfect!! Part of it is in the technique. I pulse half of the butter in the dry ingredients a few times before I add the rest of the butter. Then, I pulse that a few times until there are some big chunks left. Then, I add the shortening and pulse until only small pieces remain (The size of tiny peas). This produces tiny, flaky layers and a very tender crust because the first addition of butter coats the flour and prevents gluten from forming. (Thanks, America's Test Kitchen, for your episode on pie crust!) I increased the sugar from 1 1/2 tablespoons to 3 tablespoons, and it's the exact amount of sweetness I was looking for. This is definitely my go-to pie crust recipe! ;DBtw, this IS an apple pie, not a peach pie... I guess the tiny bit of red food coloring I added only turned it pinkish orange! And those shapes on top were supposed to be apples... Oops.
Favorite Deep-Dish Apple Pie (from The All-American Dessert Book by Nancy Baggett)

Double crust All-Purpose Pie Pastry Dough (recipe follows)
All-purpose flour for dusting dough

Filling
10 1/2 cups peeled, cored, and thinly sliced apples (8-11 medium baking apples; choose at least three kinds, such as Stayman, Jonathan, Golden Delicious, Braeburn, Smokehouse, Sunrise, Granny Smith, Grimes Golden, York, and Gala) (I used 2 Pink Lady, 2 Braeburn, 1 large Granny Smith, and 1 large Fuji)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
Scant 2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 1/2-4 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch (use larger amount if apples are very juicy)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I increased to 1 teaspoon and added 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon oil)
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits

1 tablespoon milk for brushing on dough top
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar for sprinkling on dough top (I used turbinado sugar)

Lightly grease a 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie plate or coat with nonstick spray. If the dough is cold and stiff, let it warm up until slightly pliable but still cool to the touch. Generously dust it on both sides with flour. Roll out one dough portion between large sheets of baking parchment into a 13 1/2-inch round. Occasionally check the underside of the dough during rolling and smooth out any wrinkles. (If the dough seems sticky or limp, place in the freezer for 5 minutes to firm up.) Gently peel off the top sheet of paper, then pat back into place. Flip the dough; peel off the bottom sheet. Center the round, dough side down, in the pie plate. Gently peel off the remaining paper. Smooth the dough into the plate and patch any tears, if necessary. Using kitchen shears or a paring knife, trim the overhang to 1/4 inch. Prick the pastry all over with a fork. Loosely cover the pastry and place in the freezer while you roll out the top pastry and prepare the filling.

Roll out the second portion of dough into a 13 1/2-inch round as described above. Transfer the round (paper still attached) to a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. In a very large, heavy non-reactive saucepan, toss the apples with the lemon juice. In a medium bowl, stir together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt until well blended. Add the sugar mixture and butter to the apples, tossing until well blended. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer, stirring and scraping the pan bottom, for about 3 minutes, or until the apples cook down slightly; be careful not to burn. Remove from the burner. Taste and add more lemon juice, if desired.

Turn out the apple mixture into the bot­tom crust, mounding it in the center. Gently peel off the top sheet of paper from the second pastry round. Center the round, dough side down, over the filling. Peel off and discard the remaining paper. Trim the overhang to 3/4 inch. Fold the overhang under the bottom pastry to form an edge that rests on the lip of the plate. Press the layers together firmly, then flute with your fingers or press the tines of a fork all the way around. Brush the dough top (not the edges) with the milk, then sprinkle with the granulated sugar. Cut generous slashes in the top for steam vents, using a sharp, lightly greased paring knife.

Set the pie on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned. Spray the under­side of an extra-wide sheet of aluminum foil with nonstick spray (or use nonstick foil). Make a foil tent over the pie top so the entire crust is covered. Continue baking for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned and the filling is bubbly. Transfer the pie to a wire rack. Let cool for at least 1 1/2 hours and preferably 4 hours or longer (for neater slices) before serving.

The pie will keep, covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days or re­frigerated for up to 2 days longer. Let come to room temperature before serving.

All-Purpose Pie Pastry Dough (Double Crust)
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
7 tablespoons solid white shortening, cut or spooned into 14 pieces
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cake flour
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar (I increased to 3 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
6-9 tablespoons ice water

Freeze the butter cubes and shortening pieces for 20 minutes. (I used refrigerated shortening and butter, not frozen.)

In a large bowl, thoroughly stir together the all-­purpose flour, cake flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Sprinkle the chilled butter and shortening over the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender, forks, or your fingertips, cut in the fat until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with a few bits the size of small peas remaining. Be sure to scrape up the flour mixture on the bottom of the bowl.

Combine the all-purpose flour, cake flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in the processor. Pulse for 10 seconds to mix. (I re-wrote the next part of the recipe to show how I made it.) Sprinkle half the chilled butter over the flour mixture. Process with about five 1-second pulses. Stir, lift­ing up the contents on the bottom. Add the remaining butter, and pulse about 5 more times. Add shortening, and pulse 10 more times, just until the bits of fat are cut in and the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with a few bits the size of small peas remaining; stop halfway through and stir to redistribute the contents on the bottom. Turn out the mixture into a large bowl.

In a small bowl, measure out 6 tablespoons ice water. Using a fork, lightly combine the water mixture with the flour mixture, tossing until the water is evenly incorporated and the mixture just begins to form clumps, 15 to 20 strokes. Be sure to reach down to the bottom to be sure the flour underneath is dampened. Check the consistency by pinching a small amount of dough between your fingertips; it should hold together smoothly and be moist but not soggy. If it is crumbly or dry, sprinkle over more ice water, 2 teaspoons at a time, tossing briefly with a fork. When the water is evenly incorporated and the dough is sufficiently moistened to hold together when pinched, gather it up and firmly press it together with your fingertips into a smooth, dense mass. Divide the dough in half, and flatten the portions into 6-inch disks. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes and preferably 1 hour. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or wrapped airtight and frozen for up to a month; thaw in the refrigerator before using. Roll and bake as directed in the individual recipes.

Breton Apple Pie for "Pi" Day!

Pi Day is held on March 14 to celebrate the mathematical constant π (pi) (because pi is roughly equal to 3.14... get it?). Anyway, I know pi and pie are two different things, but I'll accept any excuse to bake! Gala apples were REALLY cheap a few days ago, and I bought a few pounds. I didn't want to make a plain 'ole apple pie, so I looked in a cookbook I've had since Christmas but never used, The Modern Baker by Nick Malgieri. I found a recipe for Breton Apple Pie. I was intrigued by it because he describes it as more of a cake-like crust with a cooked apple filling. And it was like a sign from up above that the recipe called for 4 egg yolks, and magically I happened to have 4 egg yolks sitting in the fridge! It was destiny!

How'd it taste?? The pie was... different. On the first day, I didn't like it too much because the crust was crunchier than I expected. However, when I ate a microwaved slice the next day, the crust reminded me of a scone. Mind you I've never eaten a scone, but I've heard that they're like a sweet version of a biscuit. That's what the crust reminded me of. Much better reheated the second day with a scoop of ice cream and some caramel sauce!

He says the apple filling will be like a chunky applesauce. I was glad mine didn't turn out that way. My apples stayed in tact while I cooked them, probably because I used Gala instead of Golden Delicious. Gotta love a press-in pie crust!
I couldn't get the lattice pattern on my top crust before baking because the fork was just pulling up the dough, so mine looked like this when it was baked...
And it came out a little shorter than Mr. Malgieri's! Oops...?

Breton Apple Pie (from The Modern Baker by Nick Malgieri)
Makes one 10-inch pie, about 12 servings

For the filling
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 pounds Golden Delicious (or Gala) apples, peeled, cut in half and cored; cut each half into 6 wedges
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the dough
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the cake pan
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large egg yolks, plus an egg wash of 1 large egg beaten with a pinch of salt
2 3/4 cups flour (spoon flour into a dry-measure cup and level off)

For the filling: Melt the butter over medium heat in a large pan that has a tight-fitting cover, such as an enameled cast-iron Dutch oven. Add the apples and sprinkle them with the sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon. Cook, covered, for about 10 minutes, checking them and stirring occasionally, until they are swimming in liquid. Uncover and cook for about 10 minutes, so the liquid evaporates; stir occasionally to keep the apples from sticking or scorching. (Most of the apples will disintegrate while the filling is cooking, making it like a chunky applesauce.) Remove from the heat and let cool while you make the dough.

For the dough: Set an oven rack on the lowest level of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees. Use a little butter to grease a 10-inch round cake pan. Cut a round of parchment or wax paper to fit in the bottom, then butter the paper. Have ready two 10-inch cardboard rounds or tart bottoms.

Combine the butter, sugar and vanilla extract in the bowl of a mixer. Beat at medium speed for 5 minutes, until the mixture is very light and aerated. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a large rubber spatula to incorporate the flour.

Place half of the dough in the bottom of the prepared pan. Use your fingertips to press the dough evenly over the bottom of the pan and about 1 inch up the sides. Spread the cooled filling over the dough (My filling was still very warm, but it didn't make a difference).

Flour the remaining dough lightly on both sides and press it into a 10-inch disk (use a cardboard or tart pan bottom as a guide). Run a long-bladed knife or spatula under the dough to keep it from sticking. Invert the dough onto a separate floured cardboard and slide it onto the filling.

Brush the top of the pie with the egg wash. Use the tines of a fork to trace a lattice pattern on the top. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until the dough is nicely colored and baked through. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, then invert, unmold and turn right side up again (it's good to use one of the cardboard disks or tart bottom for this). Let cool completely.

To serve, slide the Breton pie onto a platter and cut it into wedges at the table. (I need to get a cute cake stand!)

There's Always Time For Pie!

I've been busy... really REALLY busy. Did I mention how busy I've been? Over the span of 3 days last week, I made 4 pies and a birthday cake for our family's annual get-together at my great aunt Christy and uncle Charlie's house. We've accurately dubbed the holiday "Thanksmas." It's between Thanksgiving and Christmas... get it??? It's a holiday we made up in order to see family we don't get to see during the other holidays. I digress. This is about pies. Lately, I've been on a make-my-own-pie-crust kick. It's been fun so far. No major disasters as of yet (One went in the trash, but I'm learning from my mistakes). Anywho, while shopping at Michael's about a month ago, I found the neatest ceramic pie plates. Each plate has a recipe stamped on the inside of it. I thought it would be really nice if I made the pies according to those recipes and gave them the pie plates as a gift! So I did it. And I'm going to post all the photos and recipes in this post. Because last week when I posted all of those cookie recipes separately, I had a lot of unsubscribers saying I update too frequently...... whatever weirdos.

Wednesday evening I cranked out six, count 'em, SIX pie crusts! I was quite proud of myself. One lesson I definitely learned is to make sure the pieces of butter in the pie crust are small! Some of my pieces were as big as [small] marbles. They melted while baking resulting in holes in the crust and a burnt butter smell in the oven. No good at all! Don't stop cutting in the butter until the biggest lumps are the size of peas.

Thursday I got started on the baking. The first pie crust I rolled out was picture perfect. That is, until it went into the oven to be pre-baked. The instructions said just to prick it with a fork, didn't mention a thing about pie weights. The crust shrunk down into the pie pan. I tried to save it as best I could, but it was still kinda ugly. My boyfriend tried to make me feel better by saying it looked more homemade that way. I prefer to say "rustic." The first pie was the pumpkin pie. The recipe made a little too much filling, so I poured the extra into two small ramekins and baked them alongside the pie. Since the pie was going to be given away I couldn't exactly steal a bite, so I used the ramekins as my tasting portions. The filling was definitely delicious. The ginger flavor was my favorite part. (What's with me and ginger this season??) I recently got word from the recipients of this pie that my uncle Lanny ate ALL of it! My aunt Sherry and my cousins, Stephanie and Samantha, didn't even get a taste! I guess I'm flattered... Lol.

The second pie I made was a pecan pie. This was my first time ever making a real pecan pie, so I was nervous. I baked it exactly according to the directions. I took it out when the edges were set and the center was still jiggly. It smelled SO good while it was cooling! I gave this pie to my Aunt Michelle. She loves pecan pies, so I hoped I did it right for her. She said it was baked exactly how she likes it. Still gooey in the middle, not chewey and overbaked. She was nice enough to offer her pie up to everyone at Christy's for dessert Saturday night (alongside the Boston Cream birthday cake I made for Tammy's birthday that got devoured within the hour!).





The next pie on my to-do list was the cherry lattice pie. It was my first time attemping a lattice top pie, and I was especially nervous using homemade pie crust because it's very delicate. A few of the strips broke while I was putting them on the pie. Then the warm cherry filling started to soften the strips while I was folding them into the lattice pattern. It was extremely nerve racking, but I was able to mend all the broken strips. I ended up with a very rustic looking pie. The filling was so good. I snuck a little taste while I was making it. Homemade cherry filling is the BEST! I didn't get a picture of the inside of the pie because my aunt Tammy was not in the mood to share. But that's okay, because she texted me the next day and said it was really delicious!

The fourth and final pie was the one I was most excited to make. The apple cranberry pie was a sinch to put together. The smell of fresh apples and cinnamon is one of my favorite scents in the whole wide world. It comes second in my list of favorite smells only to vanilla cake batter. Now that stuff is pure heaven. But more about the pie. You may be thinking, "Wow, that top crust looks so flaky and perfect." Well remember that pie crust I told you that took a trip to the garbage can? Yeah... It was the top crust on this pie. The one you see in the photo is a Pillsbury refrigerated roll-out crust. I'm not afraid to admit defeat. One of my pie crusts was just too crumbly to roll, so I took a little help from the Dough Boy! But the little apple cut-outs came from my own crust, so props to me for something! Another mishap reared it's head when my great aunt Christy sliced into this pie. The filling never thickened up. It was very soupy. I dunno what went wrong. I've made apple pies before, and this has never happened. Any advice? Could it have been the recipe? Nevertheless (bringing back some old school vocab!), I stole a tiny bite of the slice of pie we took home to my dad. It was really good. The cranberries added a beautiful flavor throughout the pie. And the apples were cooked perfectly. I like when they still have a little bit of texture. The only suggestion my dad gave was that if I was making that pie for him, he'd want a little less cranberry and a little more apple. Other than that, it got great reviews!

Here are all of the recipes with my suggestions in orange italics (as always!):

• Pumpkin Pie
  1 single-crust pastry
  2 eggs
  1 can (16 oz.) solid pack pumpkin (I used a 15 oz. can)
  ¾ cup granulated sugar
  1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  ½ teaspoon salt
  ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  1 can (10 oz.) evaporated milk (Do they come in 10 oz. cans? I used two 5 oz. cans)
  
  Preheat oven to 425 F. Roll out pastry into round; press onto bottom and up sides of pie pan; trim edges and prick bottom with a fork (I suggest using pie weights). Bake 7-8 minutes (or until lightly golden).
  In large bowl, beat eggs; stir in pumpkin, sugar, salt, spices, and evaporated milk; pour into pie shell. Place pie on jelly roll pan; bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 F. Continue baking 50-55 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean (I baked mine just until the outside was set and the center was slightly jiggly, about 45 minutes). Cool completely on wire rack. Refrigerate.
  
  
• Pecan Pie
  1 single-crust pastry
  1 cup light or dark corn syrup (I used King Syrup)
  3 eggs, lightly beaten
  ½ cup granulated sugar
  4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, melted (I used salted butter)
  1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  2 cups pecan halves or pieces
  
  Preheat oven to 425 F. Roll out pastry into circle; press onto bottom and up sides of pie pan; set aside.
  In large bowl, whisk together corn syrup, eggs, sugar, butter, and vanilla; mix well. Stir in pecans. Pour mixture into pie shell. Bake 15 minutes or until edges are set and center is still slightly liquid (I had to bake mine for about 25 minutes). Remove from oven; cool completely.
  
  
• Cherry Lattice Pie
  1 double-crust pastry
  1 can (20 oz.) pitted tart cherries (I couldn't find a 20 oz. can; I measured 20 oz. from two 14 oz. cans)
  1 cup granulated sugar
  2 tablespoons butter or margarine
  1/3 cup cornstarch
  1/8 teaspoon salt
  ¼ teaspoon almond extract
  Zest of 1 lemon & 1 orange (I used 1 lemon and only half an orange)
  
  Preheat oven to 375 F. Roll out pastry disk into an 11” circle. Place in pie pan (Don‘t forget the pie weights). Bake 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown.
  Drain cherries, reserving 1 cup liquid. In saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt; stir in cherry liquid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add butter, citrus zest, and almond extract. (The recipe forgot to say this, but add the cherries now, as well.) Pour into pre-baked pie shell. Roll out second pastry disk into an 11” circle. With a knife or pastry wheel cut eight ½” strips. Place pastry strips horizontally, then vertically, across the top of the pie (CLICK HERE FOR ILLUSTRATED HELP) . Bake 30-35 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Cool before serving.
  
  
• Apple Cranberry Pie
  6 cups sliced, peeled, and cored baking apples (about 6 large apples) (I used 3 Granny Smith apples and 2 Gala apples sliced ½” thick)
  ¾ cup dried cranberries
  1 tablespoon lemon juice
  ¾ cup granulated sugar
  2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  1 double-crust pastry
  1 egg white, lightly beaten
  2 tablespoons coarse sugar (optional)
  
  Preheat oven to 400 F. In large bowl, combine apple slices, cranberries, and lemon juice. In small bowl, combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Sprinkle sugar mixture over apples; mix well to coat.
  Line deep dish pie plate with pie crust; fill with apple mixture. Using mini cutter, cut out vents in top pie crust. Place crust over filling; crimp and flute edges. Brush pie crust with egg white (and sprinkle with optional sugar).
  Bake 45-50 minutes or until apples are bubbly and crust is deep golden brown. Remove pie from oven. Cool pie in pan on cooling rack at least 1 hour before serving.

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

I'm not the first blogger to do Caramel Apple Cupcakes this season, and I bet I won't be the last. One of my favorite treats of Autumn is a caramel apple! So when I came across a recipe for Caramel Apple Cupcakes (actually there were so many recipes it was hard to choose one), naturally I had to try it! I was slightly disappointed, not by the cupcake, but by the weather the day I made these cupcakes. With a high of 92°F it's hard to get into the Fall spirit. However, the cupcakes still came out great and just TASTED like Autumn!

ingredients chunky apple cinnamon batter apple cinnamon cupcakes cooling (and smelling GREAT!) caramel (before) caramel (after)Caramel Apple Cupcake... + pecans!

Recipe from Crazy About Cupcakes by Krystina Castella.

MY NOTES: I used Granny Smith apples. I could only find large apples, and when I chopped them up I got about 3 cups. I only used 2 cups in the batter, and it was perfect. The topping turned out more like a browned butter icing than caramel. I'd recommend using your favorite caramel recipe instead.

Caramel Apple Cupcakes
Makes 16-18

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 medium sized tart apples, peeled, cored, and chopped small (about 2 cups)

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Insert liners into a medium cupcake pan.
2. In a large bowl beat together the brown sugar, oil, cinnamon, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition.
3. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Beat until blended. Stir in apples.
5. Fill the cupcake liners 1/2 to 3/4 full (I did about 1/2) with batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes (mine were done at about 18 minutes), or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in pan. (This book always says to cool them in the pan, but I always cool them on wire racks.)

Caramel Topping
(I had to double this recipe to cover all 16 cupcakes.)

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a saucepan over medium heat bring the brown sugar, butter, and cream to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer (about medium-low) and continue stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Stir in the vanilla.
3. Pour the warm caramel topping over cupcakes. (***I HIGHLY ADVISE LETTING THE CARAMEL COOL AND THICKEN BEFORE TOPPING THE CUPCAKES!!*** Otherwise you'll just get a thin, runny mess and hardly any caramel on each cupcake. I let mine cool in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes.)