Apple Cranberry Crumble Pie

A fantastic pie which is fairly easy to make; albeit somewhat time-consuming. My changes to the recipe yield a tarter and naturally flavored pie. The crumble topping can be swapped for a traditional crust. If so desired, make full batch of Pâte Brisée and include the spices from the crumble with the apple maceration. Source http://joythebaker.com/2014/11/apple-cranberry-crumble-pie/ Change Log This recipe has been modified from the original source: Dropped the source crust recipe in favor of my own. Filling: Reduced each of the sugars by 50%. Filling: Added bourbon to the rendered liquid. Crumble: Reduced sugar by 25%. Oven temp: Reduced to 375°F (less risk of burn). Cook time: Increased to 1 hour. Special Equipment Pie dish Rolling pin Small saucepan Mesh strainer Apple peeler/corer Prerequisite Recipes Pâte Brisée Preheat Oven Place a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat over to 375°F. Ingredients Filling About 900 to 1000 grams (about 2 pounds) apples, peeled, cored and sliced ¼-inch thick. Granny Smith and/or Honey Crisp. 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 25 grams (1/8 cup) light brown sugar, packed 25 grams (1/8 cup) granulated sugar ½ to 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, preferably fresh grated ¼ teaspoon salt 30 grams (2 Tablespoons) unsalted butter 2 tablespoons Bourbon 1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch 1 heaping cup fresh cranberries Crumble 65 grams (½ cup) all-purpose flour 75 grams (1/3 cup) packed light brown sugar 1/3 cup old-fashioned oats ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg ¼ teaspoon ground ginger 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves ¼ teaspoon salt 55 grams (4 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes ¼ cup coarsely chopped salted pistachios Preparation Crust Prepare the Pâte Brisée. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out into a 13-inch round. Gently lift the 13-inch round from the floured surface and center in a deep 9-inch round pie dish. Place in the fridge to chill while you prepare the filling. Filling Apples In a large bowl, combine and toss to mix: Apples Lemon juice Brown sugar Granulated sugar Cinnamon Nutmeg Salt (if omitting the crumble topping, add the cinnamon, nutmed, ginger, and cloves from the crumble ingredients) Place the apples in a fine mesh strainer set over the large bowl. Allow the apples to macerate at room temperature for a minimum of 30 minutes and a maximum of 3 hours. The mixture will release at least ½ cup of liquid. Transfer the apples and cranberries to a bowl and toss them with the cornstarch until all traces of the cornstarch have disappeared. Syrup In a small saucepan, combine: Apple liquid Butter Bourbon Boil to reduce the liquid to about 1/3 cup, or until syrupy and lightly caramelized. Combine Pour the syrup over the apples, tossing gently (Do not be concerned if the liquid hardens on contact with the apples and cranberries; it will dissolve during baking.) Transfer the apple and cranberry mixture to the pie shell. Crumble In a medium bowl, whisk together: Flour Sugar Oats Spices Salt Add the butter and toss the mixture together with your hands. Break the butter up into the flour mixture until the butter is the size of small pebbles and oat flakes. Toss in the pistachios. Sprinkle the crumble over the apple and cranberry mixture. The apples should be completely covered with crumble mixture to prevent burning. Bake Pie Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, until the edges bubble and the apples are cooked through. Allow to cool for at least an hour before serving.

November 30, 2018

Mini Chocolate Cake with Mascarpone Creme

This cake is a composite of a few different recipes, modified to yield a small, two serving cake. A variety of fruits or berries can be used to top the mascarpone creme filling. Equipment 9" square cake pan (greased) Stand mixer Preheat Oven Preheat oven to 350°F Ingredients Cake 30 grams all-purpose flour 5 grams natural cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy ½ teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt 57 grams (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature 50 grams granulated sugar 1 large egg white ¼ teaspoon vanilla 2 tablespoons milk 2 tablespoons hot coffee or water Mascarpone Creme filling ½ cup mascarpone cheese 3/4 cup heavy creme 1.5 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla Fruits 1 cup of berries (whole blueberries or raspberries, or sliced strawberries) Preparation Cake In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Whisk in egg white and vanilla until well-combined. Into the butter/sugar creme mixture, add each item below, in sequential order, mixing each just till combined: Stir in half of the flour mixture. All of the milk The remaining flour mixture. Stir in hot coffee (or hot water). Note: Mixture will be thin. ...

July 24, 2018

Sausage Balls

A great sausage ball recipe. Meat substitutes can be in place of pork sausage meat. Source https://www.cookscountry.com/recipes/7168-sausage-balls Change Log Increased sausage from 227 grams to 310 grams Increased cheese from 113 grams to 130 grams Equipment Parchment paper Baking sheet Preheat Oven Preheat oven to 400°F Adjust oven rack to middle position Ingredients 213 all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 28 grams unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 310 grams bulk breakfast sausage or veggie sausage 130 grams sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup) ¾ cup buttermilk Preparation Combine Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a food processor, pulse together just until combined (about three pulses): flour baking powder salt pepper cayenne Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 12 pulses. Add sausage and cheddar and pulse until combined, about 8 pulses. Transfer mixture to bowl and stir in buttermilk until combined. Form into Balls Working with wet hands, roll 1 tablespoon dough at a time into 1%frac14;-inch balls and place, evenly spaced, on baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 22 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack and let balls cool for 5 minutes. Serve warm. Combine all, roll into balls and bake. ...

December 31, 2017

French Apple Cake

Source Milk Street Special Equipment 9" springform or round cake pan 12" non-stick skillet Small heat-proof bowl A second small bowl Large mixing bowl Large plate on which to cool cooked appless Preheat Oven Preheat to 375°F Ingredients 113 grams unsalted butter 7 grams of salt, divided into 3 grams and 4 grams ¼ teaspoon ground allspice 680 grams (1 ½ pounds) Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼-inch slices 454 grams (1 pound) Braeburn or Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼-inch slices 149 grams (12 tablespoons) white sugar, divided into: 25 grams (2 tablespoons) 113 grams (9 tablespoons) 12 grams (1 tablespoon) 2 tablespoons brandy or Calvados 95 grams all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 2 large eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Preparation Prep Pan Butter and flour the 9" springform or cake pan. Melt Butter Add butter and 4 grams salt to a 12" non-stick skillet Cook on medium-high heat, swirling the skilled frequently until the milk solids are golden brown; about 5 to 7 minutes. Pour butter into a small heat-proof bowl, without scraping the skillet; leaving excess butter for the next step. Add allspice to butter and stir. Set aside. Apples Add all of the apples to the still-hot skillet. Add the 25 grams (2 tbsp) sugar and 3 grams of salt. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until apples are starting to brown and liquid has evaporated; about 15 minutes. Add brandy and cook till evaporated; about 30 seconds. Transfer cooked apples to a large plate, spread into a single layer, and refrigerate till cool; about 30 minutes. Cake Batter Once the apples are cool… ...

December 26, 2017

Pumpkin Bread With Brown Butter and Bourbon

This recipe is modified from the source to cut out extra fat and boost flavor. Source https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017797-pumpkin-bread-with-brown-butter-and-bourbon Change Log Swapped unsweetened applesauce for oil Swapped extra bourbon for water Swapped dark brown sugar for light Increased cinnamon and ginger slightly Chose 4 cardamon pods instead of measured amount Special Equipment 2 9" loaf pans Parchment Paper Pre-heat Oven Pre-heat over to 350°F Move rack to center position Ingredients 113 grams (1 stick) unsalted butter ¼ cup bourbon (plus extra; see notes below) 1 tablespoon vanilla 1 ¾ cups pumpkin purée (Roast Pumpkin) 4 eggs ½ cup unsweetened applesauce 256 grams all-purpose flour 120 grams whole wheat flour 350 grams dark brown sugar 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda 5 grams fine sea salt 10 grams ground cinnamon 2 grams ground ginger 4 cardamom pods; seeds ground Preparation Prep Pans Grease the insides of two 8-inch loaf pans with butter Line with parchment paper; butter the paper Dust with flour Brown Butter In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook until the frothy white milk solids sink to the bottom of the pan and turn a fragrant, nutty brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Brown butter can burn quickly, so watch it carefully. Brown butter is almost ready when the frantic sound of bubbling begins to die down. Wets In a glass liquid measuring cup, combine bourbon and vanilla. Add additional bourbon until you reach the 2/3 cup mark. In a large bowl, whisk together bourbon mixture, pumpkin purée, eggs and applesauce. With a spatula, scrape all the brown butter from the skillet into the pumpkin mixture and stir to combine. Drys In another large bowl, whisk together: all-purpose flour whole wheat flour brown sugar baking soda salt cinnamon ginger cardamom Combine Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and stir to combine. Bake Divide batter between the two greased loaf pans. Use a scale to ensure equal amounts are in both pans. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet and transfer to oven. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a tester or toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Allow bread to cool completely before removing from pan.

October 11, 2017

Brownies

Preheat Oven Preheat oven to 350℉ Equipment 8-inch square baking pan Parchment paper Ingredients 85 grams (3 ounces) unsweetened chocolate 113 grams (8 tablespoons / 1 stick) unsalted butter, more for greasing pan 100 grams (½ cup) granulated sugar 100 grams (½ cup, packed) dark brown sugar 2 eggs 64 grams (½ cup) all-purpose flour Pinch salt ½ teaspoon vanilla bourbon Preparation Prepare pan Grease or line with parchment paper an 8-inch-square baking pan. Melt Chocolate Combine chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over very low heat, stirring occasionally. When chocolate is just about melted, remove from heat, and continue to stir until mixture is smooth. Combine Transfer chocolate mixture to a bowl, and stir in sugars. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add flour, salt, and vanilla; stir just to incorporate. Do not overmix. Bake Pour into pan, and bake 20 to 30 minutes, or until set and barely firm in the middle. Cool on a rack before cutting.

June 19, 2017

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

The go-to recipe for chocolate chip cookies. Browning (rather than simply melting) the butter adds an extra dimension and is completely optional. Special Equipment Stand mixer (optional, a strong arm will suffice) Two cookie sheets (one will suffice) Parchment paper Add-In’s ½ tart dried cherries (reduce chocolate chips a bit…) Pre-heat Oven Preheat oven to 325℉ Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper Ingredients 170 grams (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted (or browned) and cooled 270 grams (2 ¼ cups) All-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 tablespoon cornstarch ½ teaspoon salt 170 grams (1 cups) semisweet chocolate chips 128 grams (¾ cup packed) dark brown sugar 100 grams (½ cup) granulated sugar 2 tablespoons honey or golden syrup 1 large egg plus 1 large yolk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Preparation Combine dry ingredients Combine and set aside: ...

June 9, 2017

Aunt Goldie's Quick Rise Biscuits

These biscuits are from an old verbal recipe, passed down over the years. The measurements are approximate and should be varied according to humidity. This recipe lacks precise measurement, oven temperature, and cooking times. Source Goldie McCracken; dictated to Bonnie Sigler Ingredients Yeast Prep 1 or 2 packages dry yeast ½ cup warm water 1 tablespoon sugar Dry 5 cups Flour 3/4 cup shortening 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons sugar (more if you like, 4 to 6) 2 cups buttermilk Preparation Combine yeast prep ingredients; set aside until it bubbles Sift dry ingredients Cut in shortening Add buttermilk Add yeast Stir just till moist Transfer to a large bowl; cover and refrigerate Use as needed; roll out to ½ thick Cut, bake

May 8, 2016

Mom's Banana Bread

Mom’s original recipe! This is a flexible recipe which can exchange mashed bananas for pureed pumpkin. One may find it useful to reduce the sugar to 1 cup or less. Applesauce could be substituted for vegetable oil. Special Equipment Stand Mixer Two 9" loaf pans Preheat Oven Preheat oven to 350°F. Ingredients 3½ cups all-purpose flour 3 cups sugar 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon 2 cups mashed bananas 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 4 eggs 1 cup vegetable oil 1/3 cup orange juice 1½ cups chopped pecans Preparation Combine all ingredients. Pour evenly into two loaf pans. Bake about 1 hour until a knife inserted into middle comes out clean. Let cool about 30 minutes. Turn out onto cooling rack.

April 6, 2016

Crustless Broccoli and Onion Quiche

I’ve modified this recipe to streamline the cooking of the veggies and the final quiche. Source http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/crustless-broccoli-and-onion-quiche Special Equipment 9" Cast Iron Skillet Preheat Oven Preheat the oven to 350°F. Ingredients 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 large onion, diced 2 cups broccoli florets, cut into 1-inch pieces 4 large eggs 1 cup low-fat (1%) milk 1/3 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese ½ teaspoon fine sea salt Freshly ground black pepper ½ teaspoon dried oregano ¼ cup brown rice flour –or– whole wheat flour dash paprika Preparation ===Cook Onion & Broccoli ...

November 30, 2014