I was beyond delighted to be able to create this pie table for Elizabeth Howard's {of the Cordial Cricket - an amazing stationery store!} sister's wedding. The bride did not want a traditional wedding cake and instead, wanted an all-pie table. I think it was the month of June when I was developing some pie pops for another customer when I thought that it was time to add pies to the Petites Bouchees product list.

Having an all pie table booked was also one way to kickstart this sweet development into gear. Besides, before macarons, pie was my favorite thing.

Anyway, here were the pies that were made: blueberry, cherry, apple, sweet potato and pecan. There were three big pies: apple, cherry and pecan the last one being the cutting pie.

pie line-up

I wouldn't lie and say it was easy. Pies don't have a long shelf-life and they are best eaten within two days or three (pecan can last a week). I worked 20 hours straight and the apple pie was even slightly warm when I delivered it to the wedding venue.

pie pops

more pie pops!

I wasn't able to fit all of them on the table, luckily the staff at the Mill at Fine Creek was kind enough to refill.

mini-pies

mini-cherry pies

The mini cherry pies were my favorite little ones to make.  I should just remember next time to assemble them first because when you're tired and hungry, those lattices can get confusing.

I know, I know, I just waxed poetic about pies and tarts in a previous post. The thing is I couldn’t get them out of my system just yet and I don’t think I ever will or want to.

And then, uhm, there are pie pops.

I’m not sure where I first saw these cute little bites, but it seems Luxirare and then Bakerella had blogged about them way back in 2009. The one complaint was that there wasn’t much filling in proportion to the crust. Now y’all know that doesn’t go well with me. Something might look cute but it has to taste good first.

A 3-inch diameter pie is perfect on a 5-inch stick. I’ve surmised that it’s best to precook your filling because a) the filling wouldn’t be cooked by the time your crust is done b) fruit in pies creates a lot of moisture and results in a soggy crust which is the last thing you want and c) it’s easier to scoop up and portion into your dough.

The good thing with fruit fillings is that you have 3 basic ingredients: fruit, sugar and cornstarch. And with that, the possibilities become endless.

I really wanted to make a peach pie pop, but I didn’t have any peaches at home and I was kinda tied to the house baking macarons and tarts for a bridal show. Besides I didn't want to head out because the weather outside was just SO hot!

But I guess I was willing to fire up the oven to 375F to bake pie....so go figure.

Thankfully, I did have blueberries and I know just the perfect recipe.

Anyway, my first go-round making these I had some pies slide off the stick. I tried putting 1 tablespoon of filling first - yeh, wishful thinking, but it was really heavy and I knew right away that the pop won’t hold. I compromised with 2 teaspoons and though it still felt a bit heavy, it presented the best crust-to-filling ratio.

This is still a work in progress, but I’m pretty confident in the direction I’m heading, I've even made them for a bridal show and none fell off the stick! Next would be for the Farmer’s Market.

I’m still determining if I’m going to stick with Sherry Yard’s tender and flaky pie crust that can be found here or try a sturdier crust.

Hopefully, this wouldn’t spiral into another one of those Macaron Chronicles, but who knows how far my preoccupation with the pie pop will go.

Anyway, for those interested.

1. Roll out your dough and cut out 3-inch circles

3-inch discs

2. You can insert the sucker stick two ways. Load up 2 teaspoons filling and lay the stick on it.

2 teaspoons of filling

                                                   OR

As I found on Bakerella's website, lay the stick first and then cover with filling. I found this method more effective in keeping the pop sturdy.

3. Then you lay your top crust - you may apply water on the edges but sometimes I forget and the seal was fine - and seal with the sucker stick or with tines of a fork.

4. Brush with egg wash (yolk + cream) and bake at 375F for 12-15 minutes or until the filling bubbles through. I like chilling my pops first before baking but it's a matter of choice.

5. Whatever you do, do not wiggle the sticks right after baking, let the filling firm up and it's best to set the pops on a cooling rack.

Uh, some of my pie pops ended up with strange expressions. I realized it's best to put the vents near the top. I also started making pie pops with no vents at all and they were fine. The filling will seep out from the sides and as long as you let them cool properly the seal will be fine.

Blueberry Filling

makes about 18 pops

from tom parfitt (UR)

2 cups blueberries
1/2 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
juice and zest of half a lemon
pinch of salt

Mix berries, juice, zest, sugar, cornstarch and salt in a saucepan. Allow to stand for a few minutes to allow the juices to run. Set on a stovetop over medium heat. Cook until thickened and your mixture has turned purple.
 

I figured there will be other vendors with cupcakes so I'm skipping that this year and instead will be offering a favorite tart of mine: Lemon curd raspberry tartlets.

As usual, I'll be offering macarons in packs of two. My classic flavors will be in full force:

chocolate-espresso buttercream

hazelnut-salted caramel

pistachio bittersweet chocolate ganache

almond passion fruit milk chocolate

almond raspberry white chocolate ganache

almond vanilla buttercream

And new to Broad Appetit this year, my favorite Chocolate-Chocolate

Chocolate-Chocolate

Dark Chocolate Black Currant Ganache

Black Currant Ganache

and

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache made with Richmond's own Reginald's homemade peanut butter.

dark chocolate peanut butter

All prices are $3.00.

If there is anything I love as much as making and eating macarons, it’s making and eating tarts and pies. There is something comforting and “homey” about running your fingers through sandy clumps of butter and flour, or wielding your rolling pin to flatten chilled discs of dough. And when heat transforms these marbled sheets of pastry into tender and flaky layers replete with the heady scent of butter, a mystical cloud of coziness blankets ones kitchen and soul.

I’ve been trying to figure out why, despite a parade of elegant and architecturally worthy desserts, I’ve always circled back to the simplicity of the apple pie or any iteration thereof like tarts or galette.

Apple tartlets

I believe memories of childhood are deeply rooted in the fiber of who we become especially in affairs of the stomach. Even if we grow more sophisticated in our taste buds and are willing to be more adventurous, in times of stress, gaiety or moments when we just want to indulge, we become a youngster again and seek the satisfaction of food that brought us so much comfort in decades past.

Growing up in our bakery kitchen, I bore witness to sacks of flour, pounds of butter and crates of eggs being morphed into cakes, bread, pies or brownies. Of all these, I couldn’t wait for the apple pie or the brownies to come out of the oven. Cake, I often can do without, unless of course it’s chocolate. Risking the wrath of my parents {and often against the cautioning of those who knew better}, I would cut eagerly into warm just-baked pies - basically ruining its profitability - just so I can have it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and enjoy that hot and cold melty mess. Ahh, I can be a brat sometimes specially when the tunnel vision to apple pie begins.

I now make my own pies, thankfully and obviously learned that it is indeed better to let them cool down before partaking of a piece. However, I wonder if my preoccupation with mini sweets have something to do with this idea of independent pieces not affecting the whole.
 

I’ve been obsessed with tartlets lately maybe because they look gorgeous and make perfect small treats. I used to be annoyed with tart doughs because they break easily. But after reading almost every baking book about them and finally having a chef instructor tell me the same, there is no secret to them except to keep them well-chilled, which can be difficult in the summer when most fruits are begging to be turned into tarts. It’s best to start rolling them just on the side of being too cold because the eventual friction from your rolling pin is going to warm them up quickly. When all else fails, this dough is very forgiving and you can always pat the pieces into your tart pan.

One I’ve always used is by Kate Zuckerman and can be found here. There are two types used in tarts, pate sucree and pate sablee. It’s almost hard to tell the difference between this duo except the latter is usually referred to as shortbread. Both are used for tarts but I prefer to refer to mine as pate sucree which is sweet tart dough.

I recently compared three new recipes, one from a tart class I took from the University of Richmond’s Culinary Arts Center (URC), one from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s (RLB) Pie and pastry bible and the last from Deborah Madison’s Seasonal Fruit Desserts (DM).

All worked really well. From the picture below, URC’s tart crust {on the right} is very similar to RLB’s, {on the left} except the latter is a bit flakier because  chilled butter was used. The tastiest and flakiest was DM’s {middle} but I couldn’t use it in an apple tart because it got too soggy. For a lemon curd tart though, it was perfect.

From left to right, tart crusts: Rose Levy Beranbaum, Deborah Madison, University of Richmond Culinary Center (Chef Tom Parfitt)

For lemon curd recipe, see here.
I used Helen’s {Tartelette’s} grandmother’s apple tart recipe except I skipped the cardamom and used cinnamon. To make the tart, you make an apple compote, let it cool and then fill that into a partially-baked tart shell. Then you top with apple slices and bake until the top is brown.

Book Giveaway:

I am also giving away Deborah Madison’s cookbook, Seasonal Fruit Desserts! In my cookbook buying frenzy last Christmas after seeing Anita’s best of baking books of 2010, I apparently added two of this to my shopping cart. I am bad with returns and since I’m going to pay the shipping costs anyway, why not just send it to a reader who would appreciate the book. With the bounty of summer fruits just at our doorsteps, there’s nothing like the perfect time for this book. To be entered into the book giveaway, leave a comment about what kind of tarts you like or wish to make. The winner will be picked by the random number generator, announced on Tuesday, June 7,2011. Sorry, U.S. residents only.
 

Here's a dessert table I did for the Lululemon store opening. Mini-tarts add a refreshing look to your sweet table.

Lululemon sweet table

Tart dough recipe at the jump:

Tart Dough
from Deborah Madison’s Seasonal Fruit Desserts

1 cup all-purpose flour or 3/4 cup white plus 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon organic dark or light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon grated orange, lemon, or tangerine zest, when called for
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
1 tablespoon cold water mixed with 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and/or 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Put the flour, sugar, salt, and zest, if using, in a food processor; pulse to combine. Add the butter is broken up into pieces the size of baby peas. Drizzle in the water-vanilla mixture and pulse just until large, moist-looking crumbs have formed
Gather the crumbs together into a mass. The should stick together. If there is any dry flour left in the bowl, add a few more drops of water to bring it together as well, then add it to the rest of the dough. Shape the dough into a disk about an inch thick and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
If patting the dough into the pan, put it in the center of your pan and then start pressing it out using the heel of your hand. When you get to the edge, begin building the dough up the sides. The walls should be about 1/4 inch thick. It will probably take some going over the dough to get it evenly distributed, but don’t worry - it won’t toughen. Remove the dough that rises over the rim with your fingers and use it to patch another part of the tart that looks thin. Use a finger to make a slightly shallow impression at the base of the rim so that when the dough slides down during baking, it won’t end up too thick at that point. Refrigerate the tart until ready to bake.

You can pre-bake these at 350F for 15 minutes or until golden.

I have a backlog of recipes to blog about and I nearly forgot about this which I made almost 2 months ago. In case you all haven’t notice I have a penchant for petite sweets - I love them mini-sized. For me it’s not about how big the serving is, it’s how much each bite counts when it comes to flavor and satisfaction. In developing future treats for Petite Bouchees, I thought deep dish crumb pies would make a fabulous addition.

I got the inspiration from the book Sarabeth’s Bakery. I made it with apples because they were what was in season then, the book uses peaches and they're what I’m including in this recipe, so you all can try it when they come into season in a few months. I find the pie dough recipe interesting, but I still prefer the flavor of my go-to pie crust (which I have not tried in this application yet...experiments...experiments).

Innards

Individual Deep-Dish Peach Crumb Pies

{note...I used apples instead of peaches so don’t get confused with the picture, I used almost the same amount}

Tender Pie dough

14 tablespoons unsalted butter; at cool room temperature, cut into tablespoons
1/3 cup whole milk
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon superfine sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1. Beat the butter in the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment at high speed until the butter is smooth, about 2 minutes. With the mixer running, slowly dribble in the milk, occasionally stopping the mixer and scraping down the sides, of the bowl with a silicone spatula. The butter mixture should be fluffy, smooth, and shiny, like a buttercream frosting.
2. Mix the flour, sugar, and salt together in a small bowl. With the mixer speed on low, gradually add the flour mixture and incorporate just until the dough forms mass on the paddle and the sides of the bowl are clean. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead a few times until it is smooth and supple. Divide the dough in half. Shape each portion into a disk, about 1-inch thick. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap.
3. Refrigerate until chilled but not hard, 30 minutes to 1 hour. (The dough can be refrigerated up to 1 day, but it will be very hard, and should stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before rolling out. the dough can also be frozen, double wrapped in plastic, for up to 2 weeks. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight.)

Peach Filling

5 ripe medium freestone peaches, pitted, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 4 cups; see baker’s note)
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
seeds from 1 plumped vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

for apple, I figured the same amount of apple, use the same amount of sugar and cornstarch, omitted the vanilla and used cinnamon

Streusel
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon superfine sugar
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 350F. Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper. Generously butter the insides of six 6-ounces (3/4 cup) ramekins. Dust the insides well with flour, being sure they are completely coated, and tap out the excess flour. Set aside.
2. To make the filling, combine the peaches, brown sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Let stand while preparing the crumb pies.
3. To make the streusel, combine the flour, superfine sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir the melted butter and vanilla together in another small bowl. Gradually stir the butter mixture, just until evenly moistened (you may not need all of the butter). Squeeze the mixture in your hands until thoroughly combined. Crumble the mixture in the bowl to make fine crumbs with some small lumps. Set the streusel aside.
4. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the first disk of pie dough, 1/8 inch thick. Using a 6-inch metal entremet ring or saucer as a template, cut out three rounds of dough. Stack the rounds on a half-sheet pan, separating them with parchment paper, and place in the refrigerator. (The dough softens easily and must remain cold.) Repeat with the second disk of pie dough. Working quickly, fit the rounds into the prepared ramekins, pressing evenly into the corners. Let the excess dough hang over the sides and gently form a ruffle. Place the ramekins on a half-sheet pan and refrigerate for 5 minutes.
5. Scoop the filling into the shells, piling it just above the edge of the ramekins. One at a time pleat the pastry over the filling - the center of the filling will be exposed. Gently press the streusel over the top of the dough and filling.
6. Bake until the tops are nicely browned, 50 to 60 minutes. To check the pies for doneness, use the rounded tip of a dinner knife to separate the top edge of the crust from the side of the ramekin and take a peek - the side crust should be golden brown. If not, bake a few minutes longer. If you are concerned about the tops overbrowning, tent them with aluminum foil. Transfer the ramekins to a wire rack and cool, about 20 minutes. (Do not let the pies cool completely, or they may stick to the ramekins and be difficult to remove. If this happens, remember that the pies are just as tasty if eaten directly from the ramekins.)
7. To unmold the pies, use your fingers to gently loosen the top edge of the crust from the ramekin. (If you wish, you may carefully run a knife around the inside of the ramekin to loosen the crust, but take care not to cut the crust.) Using a kitchen towel, pick up the ramekin. Cup your other hand and invert the pie into the cupped hand to unmold the pie. Place the right side up onto the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining pies. Serve warm or at room temperature.
    

To form the purses, fit the dough into the ramekins

Let the excess dough overhang and scoop the filling into it

Pleat the edges over the filling {reminded me of making gyoza }

I could find many applications for these adorable purse-like desserts. Specially when unmolded, they look adorable!

Here’s an event I did last week at the Boathouse at Rocketts Landing. The colors were mustard and navy and I so enjoyed putting this table together!

Cupcake & Macaron table, Boathouse Richmond, Va

Close-up of the cupcake decor

What?! An apple pie that takes 2 days to make? Who’s crazy enough to do that? Well, Michel Richard for one and uhm...me. What can I say? I’m a sucker for this particular baked treat. When yet another apple pie recipe promises to be the best one and has a technique I’ve never tried, I get “sucked” in. (Though 2 days is an exaggeration and most of the time spent is waiting.)

The problem with fruit pies is the soggy bottom crust that naturally occurs when fruit juices start soaking up the prized bottom layer that supposedly supports the pie. I have successfully addressed this issue before by letting the apples macerate with the sugar and by boiling the juices down further. Additionally, I fill the apple pie and then refrigerate it until the fruit-mixture is well-chilled. This guarantees that the crust cooks first before the filling does, thus assuring a firmer crust.

So why, when a more complex recipe comes along, do I even want to try it?

Curiosity.

Which killed the cat, if I remember.

I will state off the bat that I was not impressed with the result. I was rebelling with the recipe starting with the 12 fuji apples it required (though I think it was partly the thought of skinning 12 apples), not to mention that it was quartered and not sliced thinner than what I am used to. I really wonder how small were the apples used to test the recipes. Another glaring issue I saw was the low temperature used to cook the pie.

Par-baked crust filed with chunky apples

I have utmost respect for Monsieur Richard, because dining at his restaurant, Citronelle, has been one of the few brilliant fine dining experiences I savor unto this day.

He is a great storyteller in his new dessert book, “Sweet Magic”, which I enjoyed reading cover to cover on one chilly night while sipping a steamy cup of chocolat chaud.

I was disappointed in my execution of this recipe and realized I have a disconnect with the great maestro of whimsical cuisine.

My bottom crust, despite being par-baked, tasted like plain “floury” dough. I had quite the amount of leftover apples and I did cut thinner to lessen the chunkiness. The taste of the filling was good - not too sweet- but failed to justify the time spent to make the entire pie. I do not know how to describe the top crust whether it was too flaky or too delicate for a robust and homey dessert like apple pie.

Maybe one of you will have better luck. Please let me know.

World's Flakiest Apple Pie

from "Sweet Magic" by Michel Richard

Day 1

2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, frozen and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup pastry flour

Day 2

3 cups pastry flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
About 3/4 cup ice water

Filling

12 Fuji apples, peeled, cored, and cut into quarters
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon apple juice

Finishing
1 egg, beaten with fork
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Powdered sugar for dusting

The day before you plan to serve the pie, put the frozen butter cubes into a food processor and pulse for 1 minute.
Add the flour and continue pulsing until tiny balls form. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze overnight.
The next day, return the mixture to the food processor bowl. Add the flour, sugar, and salt, and pulse, adding the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, very slowly. When the mixture just starts binding, you may not need all the water, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and finish forming it into a ball by hand. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for a few hours.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
To make the filling, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, stirring until the apples are well coated. Pour the mixture into a large glass or ceramic baking dish and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Let cool. Leave the oven on.
Meanwhile, prepare the pie shell by buttering a 9-inch pie plate. Unwrap the dough, cut it in half, then rewrap and return one piece to the refrigerator.
Roll out the other half to form an 11-inch round 1/4 inch thick. Gently wrap the rolled dough around the rolling pin, move the pie plate under the pin, and unroll the dough into the plate. Gently but firmly press the crust into place, and use a knife to cut the excess around the outer edge of the pie plate. Make sure you leave dough on top of the pie plate to edge. Freeze shell for 20 minutes.

Roll the remaining dough into another 11-inch round 1/4 inch thick. Make sure it will fit over the top of the pie with a little excess hanging off the sides. Rewrap it and return it to the refrigerator to rest.
Line the inside of the pie shell with parchment paper. Fill it with dry beans or pie weights and bake it for 45 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment and allow the crust to cool on the counter.
Spoon the cooled apple filling into the par-baked piecrust. Brush the beaten egg along the edges of the crust. Lay the top crust over the apples and gently apply pressure to the edges to form a seal. Cut off any excess dough from the sides of the pie plate using knife or scissors. Brush the remaining egg wash onto the top crust. With a knife or cookie cutter, make 1/4 to 1/2 inch hole in the center of the top crust. Sprinkle the sliced almonds on top of the piecrust and finish with a little powdered sugar.
 

 Cooking notes:

•  As I’ve said in the recipe head notes, I couldn’t understand why the temperature was so low. I suspect that was a mistake, for even if I let my apples cook longer both in the initial bake time and in the pie, they remained slightly firm and chunky and the juices never bubbled up through pie vents. The pie crust also looked anemic.
• Couldn’t the dough be divided in two before refrigerated?
• Heed the recipe when it says to “gently apply” pressure when attaching the top crust. I had a “now what?” moment when I realized that it’s not the usual “folding the top crust over the bottom crust” routine.
• I did like the technique of cutting those frozen butter cubes in the food processor with the flour. Little gravelly butter balls, I think my mistake was when I put the dough together... my food processor bowl was very small and most of the dough got “smooshed” together which destroyed those buttery layers.

Just finished making my macarons for this weekend's Farmer's market. While making my crunchy chocolate souffle flavor, I had some leftover macaron batter that wouldn't exactly fit on a full tray so I decided to experiment with bigger macarons.

The above macaron is about 7cm and made with the Italian Meringue. Normally, for this method, you just put the macarons straight into the oven without drying the tops, but for this size I dried it for about 20 minutes and baked it at 310F convection for about 20 minutes. I piped chocolate ganache in the middle, and I do wish now that I put some raspberries in the middle too, because that was a whole lot of ganache.

Now to answer some of your questions that I've received from emails and comments on my Macaron Chronicles.

When you live in a humid country like Singapore, Philippines or Malaysia

Macarons do have a difficult time drying in humid conditions. Air conditioning helps but most households do not have this. You can try using an electric fan but that is not always the solution. I tried making macarons in Baguio and had the weirdest experience with the macaron shells never really drying even if they were under a ceiling fan. And Baguio is hardly a humid city,but sometimes cold and wet is worse than hot and humid. When I notice too much moisture in my macaron batter I extend the cooking time by 1 minute. Sometimes it is also the eggs. If the chicken is free-range and eats grass there tend to be more moisture in its albumen.

Air-pockets

If overmixing is ruled out, this is usually undercooked macarons or sometimes the nut particles may not be fine enough. If you cannot grind your almonds finely you can probably increase your nuts. But really, even the best of us gets this sometimes and as long as they're not too big and your macaron doesn't look hollow, they should be fine.

Wrinkly tops

Nuts are too oily or the egg-whites are too wet. Not everyone has a commercial nut grinder. What you can do is break up the nuts part-way, add your confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar) and continue grinding. I usually get the wrinkled top with my chocolate macarons that uses cocoa powder because of the oil content in the cocoa. Chocolate macarons made with cocoa powder taste more like a brownie than a macaron.

Baking multiple-trays in the oven

I bake a maximum of three trays in the oven without changing the temperature. I use convection. Remember the more trays you bake the more humid it gets in the oven.

Big Mac

Pocket Pies

Since I started baking professionally, I've stopped buying every kitchen gadget I see, however when I spotted a picture of a miniature pie on twitter made with this pie-cutter from William's Sonoma, I couldn't help myself.

Pocket Apple Pie

What do you all think?

I was dubious at first if I was even going to get enough filling in  it, but I did and it was the perfect size. In the future though, I don't think I'll use the lattice-cut for fruit pies. As pretty as it may look, it's hard keeping the juices in.

One note about the cutter. The lattice was hard to cut out directly. I used the regular cutter and then took the dough and pressed it on the lattice-cutter to get the pretty design out.

A Pumpkin Dessert

Made this yummy and healthy sweet dessert yesterday. My friend's Aunt brought an asian pumpkin, I think it's a kabocha squash.

Pumpkin and Coconut Milk

Wash the pumpkin, cut it into pieces and remove the hard knots that stick out from the skin. Lay it on a pot, pour a can of coconut milk {around 14 oz}, 130 grams of palm sugar, 2 tablespoons white sugar. Really you can just sugar to taste. Add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer undisturbed until soft, around 15 minutes. I prefer my pumpkin with a little bite and not too soft. You can substitute brown sugar for the palm sugar.

This is absolutely delicious and healthy too!

Warning: Possible rambling post!

Many people get the wrong impression that because I love to bake, I have a big sweet tooth. Sure there are times when I have no choice but to survive on cupcakes for a day but that doesn’t mean I did not want something else, like deep fried pork belly for example.
{Confession: I have a continued addiction to the Coke soda which I am trying control because too much high-fructose corn syrup couldn’t be too good for you and any iterations of it from diet to coke-zero are simply not acceptable. I’m able to curb my craving to some degree with sparkling water so it must also be partly the fizz that I like.}
The truth is I’m very picky with the desserts I put into my mouth. I do not have the metabolism of a bird but I am not afraid of sugar either, my motto is to make every bite count so I want to be satisfied with just a few bites {although for some desserts that really have my number, I’m doomed to overeating}.
If you shove a cupcake laden with American buttercream in front of me, I could feel my throat constricting and my teeth hurting. Giant cookies have no appeal to me and when I see them bunched together in some plastic containers at our finer supermarkets, I find myself wondering if people really eat those. Why not just eat a spoonful of sugar since there really is no other taste that can be gleaned from them.

Apple Cake

So do I have a sweet tooth?

Let’s see:
I love chocolate. {who doesn’t, but I know some who don’t} My favorite form of chocolate desserts are: brownies, pots de creme, chocolate lava cake, chocolate torte (not cake), pastry cream and let’s not forget hot chocolate which I did a comparative study of when I was in Paris {yes, I'm one lady who takes her hot chocolate very seriously.}

I think I love chocolate in rich concentrated form so just a little of it goes a long, long way.

I love cream. Whipped cream, creme fraiche, mascarpone cream, vanilla pastry cream - specially when they are mixed with fruit.

I love yolk-based desserts - creme caramel, ice cream {certain flavors only but vanilla made with real vanilla beans is always a favorite) and pastry cream.

I guess by now you are all saying: “We get it, you like pastry cream.” This is probably why I don’t sell any desserts made with it, the temptation is too strong I’d probably eat the whole bowl even before it gets into the dessert.

I cannot stand doughnuts but I love beignets. Go figure. I peel the glaze off the doughnut before I eat it if I’m desperately hungry enough in the morning {not much left of the donut when you remove the glaze} but I’d eat two huge beignets from Lousiana Flair in a heartbeat.

Rice pudding

I love rice pudding. There’s this Filipino snack called champorado which would probably be the equivalent of chocolate rice pudding - and I could eat it with “gusto” any time of the day. Rice pudding is a dessert staple in Parisian restaurants and one way to test the right consistency of a good rice pudding is if you could stand a wooden spoon in it. Also the rice shouldn’t be overcooked and should still have some “bite” to it so risotto rice, like arborio, is typically the best one to use.

Of course, I’m saving the best for last.

I love tarts and apple pie, specifically my mom’s apple pie. My heart quivers when I see apple anything on the "sweets" menu. “Comfort me with apples” is definitely true when it comes to my dessert choices. Which is why I couldn’t wait to make these "apple-y" creations from Dorie Greenspan’s new book, “ Around My French Table”.

The recipe for Marie-Helene’s Apple cake can be found here. I didn’t have the right size pan which was probably why there wasn’t enough cake batter to cover the cake, but I did like the abundance of apples in this recipe.

Lotsa apples!

However, it was a simple rice pudding that had me in a tizzy for dessert for two days in a row. I’ve also  realized another aspect of dessert that tickles my fancy: hot and cold desserts in one.

Some of my favorite "hot-cold" indulgences:
Vanilla ice cream and hot fudge.
Volcano cake and vanilla ice cream
Warm apple pie and vanilla ice cream
Cold rice pudding, warm caramel sauce and caramel apples
Warm chocolate pudding with a streak of cold milk

Oh, and a pet peeve: cold apple pie.

Rice Pudding and Caramel Apples

From Dorie Greenspan’s “Around my French Table”

For the pudding
pinch of salt
1/2 cup arborio rice
4 cups whole milk
1/3 cup sugar
1.5 to 2 teasopoons vanilla extract

For the apples
2 sweet apples such as Gala, braeburn, or jonagold, peeled
1/4 cup sugar
Fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces at room temperature
1/2 cup apple cider, at room temperature
pinch of salt
1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature

To make the rice pudding. Bring about 3 cups of water and the salt to a boil in a medium to large saucepan. Stir the rice and boil for 10 minutes. Drain, and rinse out the pan.
Put the milk and sugar in the pan and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice, reduce the heat to medium/medium-low, and cook at a steady simmer, stirring frequently. Pay particular attention at the beginning, because he milk has a tendency to bubble up exuberantly and will bubble over even in a tall pot if you don’t catch it and stir it down in time. Stir in the vanilla extract at the end.
Notes from Dorie: watch the pudding closely in the last 10 minutes, don’t cook it until all the milk is gone or you’ll have a stiff pudding. If you are going to chill it add more vanilla extract as the cold will mute flavors.
Press a plastic wrap on the surface and let the pudding cool to room temperature.

To make the apples. Cut the apples into 1/4 inch thick slices and then cut each piece crosswise.
Sprinkle the sugar in the center of a medium nonstick skillet. Moisten with a splash of lemon juice and then turn the heat to medium high. When the sugar melts, bubbles and start to color, either tilt the pan or stir the sugar with a fork or wooden spoon. As soon as the sugar is a nice amber color, pull the pan away from the heat. Stand away, because the mixture will splatter, and add the butter, swirling to mix it in.
Put the skillet on medium heat, pour in the cider, and add the salt. Bring the cider to a boil, then add the apples. cook, stirring often for 5 minutes, or until the apples are tender. Pour in the heavy cream and boil for 1 minute more, then turn the apples and caramel sauce into a heatproof bowl and allow to cool. The apples are ready to serve when they are just slightly warm or at room temperature. (Don’t taste them as soon as they’re cooked: the caramel is dangerously hot.)
Put a little of the caramel sauce in the bottom of each bowl or glass, top with rice pudding, and finish with apples and a little more sauce. If you’d like, add a dollop of whipped cream.
 

It took all my self-control not to eat the whole thing. Maybe I just like rice, maybe I just like creamy goodness and to top that with caramel apples, this sure beats any plated desserts that defy the laws of physics. What stopped me was knowing that I put 4 cups of milk in it and even if most of the liquid had evaporated or absorbed, I don’t think the calories did.

What about you? What desserts define your sweet tooth?

The truth is, between cakes and pies or tarts, I prefer tarts and pies more. Except in the case of brownies which I don't consider a cake but more of a food of the gods - given a dessert choice, I'd gladly pass over a perfectly delicious cake if presented with good old-fashioned warm apple pie.

There's something about feeling the pie/tart dough taking shape between your fingers that is so oddly gratifying. Which is why I am so ready for the fall!

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to score the tastiest plums from Whole Foods. I immediately thought of turning them into tarts but I wanted to try a new frangipane recipe.

I found a pistachio frangipane recipe from Aran's blog, Canelle et Vanille and since I had some roasted shelled pistachios which I couldn't use for macarons (either I ordered wrong or I was sent the wrong item), they sounded perfect for these tarts.

I sliced the plums thicker than what these tarts normally use because I really like the plum flavor to be stronger. This might make your frangipane cream more wet which was what happened but everything was simply delicious and worth it.

Pistachio Frangipane from Canelle et Vanille

200 grams butter, softened
200 grams sugar
2 eggs
60 grams flour
200 grams pistachios, ground to a fine meal

Cream the butter and the sugar together. Add the egg. Scrape and mix well. Add the flour and the ground pistachios and mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.

If you are only going to use a little bit of this, you can freeze the leftovers for up to 2 months.

Bake the tarts at 375F for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
 

I used my sweet tart shell from here.

I've been having blogger's block, lately. The truth is I've been doing a lot of experimental baking but I think because of these baking marathons, I've been too tired to document them in a meaningful way. Hopefully, I'd get over this funky mood because I so love writing about food!

It amazes me to see how time turns to light speed once you pass the age of 30. I remember when I was sixteen I had calculated how old I would be by the year 2000. Eek...32, that is ancient, I had thought. I also couldn’t wait to turn 20, graduate from college, find work just so I wouldn’t have to do homework anymore...
Is it midlife crisis that brings on this retrospective mood concerning the should have, could have, would have of my life up to this point?
Let’s put it this way, it was January not too long ago and now it’s the middle of August. Where did time go, what have I done between then and now? It’ll be another year soon which means another year older.
Am I making sense here? Do you all feel the panic in my voice?
Let me put it another way. It was not too long ago when we were flushed with a bounty of summer fruits. Now it seems the season is almost over. I haven’t remade the frangipane tart that Helen and I baked up when she was here and now plums were not as sweet or fragrant as they used to be.

Luckily, HH was able to scrounge up some plums from Costco that were okay, not the best, but fruit decent enough to bridge the gap between the fading days of summer (you can’t really tell with the hot weather over here) to the warming glow of fall when apples and pears will come into season.

I am now accorded an opportunity to slow down and plan for what I want to do next in my life. The news today is met with conflicting emotions on my part, uncertainty for sure but when one door closes another shall open.

First I shall take my time and smell the roses so to speak, because I know it shall not be too long before there will be an apple pie in the oven.
 

Plum Frangipane Tarts

Frangipane Cream I (with pastry cream)

4 oz. confectioner’s Sugar
4 oz. unsalted butter
2.5 oz ground Almonds
1 large egg (room temperature)
1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
4 tsp. corn starch
6 oz. pastry cream
pinch salt
4 tsp. brandy

Sift the confectioner’s sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and beat together on low speed to combine. Increase the speed to medium and beat until smooth and creamy. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the almonds, whole egg, egg yolk, cornstarch, pastry cream, salt, and brandy (if using) and beat on low speed until all the ingredients are evenly incorporated, stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed. The mixture may have a slightly “broken” appearance, which is normal.

The cream will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Frangipane Cream II

7 oz ground almonds
1 oz sugar
7 oz unsalted butter
pinch salt
4 tsp. brandy
2 large eggs
2 tbs. whole milk

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy. Add the sugar and mix to incorporate. Add the ground almonds and beat until thoroughly combined. Add the salt, brandy (if using), and 1 egg and mix until incorporated. Add the remaining egg and the milk and mix until light and fluffy. The cream will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Pastry Cream

16 oz whole milk 
1/2 vanilla bean
1/4 tsp. salt
3 tbs. cornstarch
4 oz sugar
2 large eggs
2 oz unsalted butter

            Pour the milk in a heavy saucepan. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and use the tip of a sharp knife to scrape the seeds from the pods into the milk. Add the salt, place over medium high heat and bring to just under a boil, stirring occasionally and making sure that the milk solids are not sticking to the bottom of the pan. The larger batch, the more careful you should be.
            Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and the sugar. Add the eggs and whisk until smooth.
            When the milk is ready, ladle about 1/3 of the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the egg-milk mixture back into the hot milk and continue whisking over medium heat until the custard is thick as lightly whipped cream, about 2 minutes. In order for the cornstarch to cook and thicken fully, the mixture should come just below boiling point. However if the cream is allowed to boil you will curdle the cream. Remove from heat and immediately pour trough the sieve into the bowl.
            Let cool for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to release the heat and prevent a skin from forming. Cut the butter into 1 tbs. pieces. When pastry cream is ready whisk the butter into the pastry cream 1 tbs. at a time, always whisking until smooth before adding the next tbs.
            To cool the cream, cover the bowl with plastic wrap pressing the wrap directly onto the top of the cream. Be careful whisking the cream when it is cold. Overmixing will break down the starch and thin the cream. Pastry cream will keep, well covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

For sweet tart shell, recipe is here.

I used 3-inch tart rings and decided to make 8 tarts. I filled the tart shells with pie weights and baked them for 12 minutes at 350F. I used 8 plums, using approximately half a plum for each. Hungry Hubby wanted the plum to stand out in the tart so I cut the slices thicker than would normally be pleasing to the eye. I got greedy and decided to overfill the tarts with frangipane cream against my better judgement ( I know I’ll be paying later as I try to get the tarts out of the rings.
I baked these tarts in a 375F oven for 20-22 minutes, until the top of the tarts were golden brown.
 

The frangipane cream made with pastry cream makes a creamier tart filling than the one made without pastry cream. The second version also makes a cakier tart. I prefer the first version, but the second one is quicker to throw together, so it’s really a matter of choice of whether you have the time or not. Obviously, I had the time to do both.

The tarts, stored in an airtight container at room temperature, are best eaten within two days.

Note: I had plenty of pastry cream and frangipane cream left.