Peaches & Dreams Pie

ANOTHER PIE.  And more anguish. Unfortunately, this one felt more like a nightmare. Its appearance is rather horrific as well. The story of a perfectly crimped crust that collapses and melts over the edge of the pan. A bubbly, gurgling topping that appeared to be straight out of "The Blob".  I'm quite certain there are plenty of ethereal, dreamy versions over at Baked Sunday Mornings - along with the recipe. So you can make your own nightmare.

Hard to believe something as simple as a peach pie could become so horrifying. Canned peaches mingle with a filling of eggs, sour cream, flour and dark brown sugar. The streusel topping (more nightmares ensue) - made of dark brown sugar, flour and butter, became a greasy entity as it congealed while it cooled. Reminds one of a ground beef and cheddar casserole, does it not?

Feeling rather mischievious, I served this for my Friday Social at work. What horrifying thoughts and expressions would occur? Along side with a batch of David Lebovitz vanilla bean ice cream, this terrifying experience came to a close - with rave reviews. Astonishing. This simple, became the darling of the social. Wonders never cease - it all seems like a dream.

     

   – mike 

Blackberry Mini-Pies

INDEPENDENCE.  I thought I might escape my proverbial "4th of July Pie Guilt Trip" this year. It's no secret I have a fear of this All-American dessert - which everyone seems to make  - much better than I (or is that 'me')?  I'd gladly have passed on Baked Sunday Mornings Blackberry Pie selection, if it weren't for my dad. On a Costco outing yesterday, we stood looking a their selection of organic blackberries. He raved how much he loved this berry. After that surge of guilt ran through me, along with an eye roll - into my cart they went. 

Knowing I'd have to make pie dough especially for this BAKED dessert was a possible "out" for me - until I opened my freezer and stared at a Ziploc bag with not just ordinary pie dough -but BAKED pie dough. Gee, thanks.

Even with my limited knowledge of pie-making, I questioned the recipe's instructions to "fold under and crimp" the bottom crust. Since this is a double crust, isn't it normal to crimp "after" the top crust is applied? Like an idiot, I crimped. Then re-crimped it all over again with the top crust. I made two mini-pies, so you can imagine the carpal-tunnel-crimping involved.

After a few stabs with the knife, egg wash and sanding sugar - my obligatory 4th of July pies were made. I hope they're half as delicious as they smelled (as I'm sure the BAKED boys wouldn't disappoint). They escaped my taste-test, as I delivered them to my folks - along with a sparkler.

•  HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY  • 

     

   – mike 

Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cake Cookies

T U E S D A Y S   W I T H   D O R I E

Special thanks to this week's host: Peggy of Peggy the Baker

When the World's Fair and Richard Nixon came to my hometown during the summer of 1974, I dragged my parents to see the New Home Frontiers woman cook an egg in a frying pan with absolutely no oil or butter - and egg over easy, no less. We had season passes to the fair, which meant almost daily visits to watch this 10-minute demonstration. I was enthralled with this magical pan called "Silverstone".

These days I'm fascinated with other such non-stick accessories, such as foil and silicone. Now correct me if I am wrong, but I thought the whole idea behind non-stick was just that - non-stick. I'm not sure what the magical ingredient was, but these cookies stuck like glue. Stuck to the non-stick mat. I took the trusty can-o-pam and sprayed my non-stick silicone mat for the second round. You can tell by the picture below how well that worked.

What was left of this cookie was nothing short of excellent. A true 'cake' cooky - light and fluffy with a slight sour cream tang, and made even more chocolaty with the addition of mini-chocolate chips and a dash of espresso powder.

I'm now enthralled with this cooky. The non-stick mat - not so much.

– mike

Caramel Coffee Pots de Ice Cream

T U E S D A Y S   W I T H   D O R I E

Special thanks to this week's host: Peggy of Peggy the Baker

MAC.  A month ago I noticed Mac was having vision problems. Lines, quirky things across his face - and all that blinking. He never gets sick. Now he's completely blind - and mute to boot. Speaking of booting up - which he can't seem to do at all now. Not that I'm insensitive, but all I want is my precious iPhoto library, and my TWD photos. Thanks to my dad's old iMac, I found a path back to cyber-bake-space. But enough about me.

This is all about Peggy and her wonderful pick of the week - Caramel Pots de Creme. Like Peggy, I proceeded to lay out the custard cups, line the roasting pan with paper towels, put the kettle on . . . and thought . . .  to who and where am I going to unload eight cups of pots de creme? 

I stood there, staring at the recipe, and that ubiquitous light bulb appeared overhead (or maybe it was in the oven). If I ditch the two whole eggs, add one more egg yolk to the recipe's five, I'd have a custard - an ice cream custard. And, if I partake of Dorie's "bonne idee" using coffee beans, I'd have two of my favorite things - in one. 

OVERLOOKED EXCELLENCE?  In homage to Mr. Ice Cream - David Lebovitz - Dorie, or David (or someone) should put this recipe in their next book - pronto. It's one of the best ice creams that has crossed my lips. A slightly burnt caramel paired with a smokey, espresso-infused custard.  

I'm going to have to make a copy of this recipe so I don't lose it. Much like the backup of Mac's life that I never bothered to make. Stupid Mac.

– mike

Cornflower Shortbread Cookies

T U E S D A Y S   W I T H   D O R I E

Special thanks to this week's host: Valerie of 
Une Gamine dans la Cuisine

PIXIE.  Valerie, our hostess for this week's Cornmeal Shortbread Cookies, is a self-proclaimed pixie. I envision Tinkerbell, or a reasonable facsimile, flitting about, spreading pixie dust over her incredible creations. Which brings us to this inspiration for corn flower cooky.

I must have shortbread and sugar cookies mixed up, for I truly thought I'd end up with a cute, little shortbread cooky, complete with button holes, in celebration of the corn flower (centaurea cyanus). Seems there's a proper butter-to-flour ratio for shortbread. Too much butter and your shortbread spreads. I found that on the Internet, not that you can believe anything on the Internet. Seems my butter ratio must have been high. Or fat. Or something. 

TALK ABOUT A METAMORPHOSIS. These diminutive florals flattened out like pancakes, losing their crisp edges and looking rather like . . .  I see a faint resemblance to a Girl Scout Shortbread Cooky, don't you? A darned-good Girl Scout Cooky at that. Those little granules of cornmeal really give a "bite" and texture to these buttery florets. Did I mention butter? All that's left is to pour yourself a tall glass of whole milk. To celebrate all that butter.

– mike

New York-Style Easter Crumb Cake

EASTER GREETINGS.   Let's sit back and enjoy a morning crumb cake while the children run about with sugar-induced comas hunting down multi-colored, plastic eggs - filled with - more sugar. BAKED Explorations' New York-Style Crumb Cake has plenty of "grown-up" sugar to tide us all over.  Make sure to catch all the Crumbs, and the recipe, over at Baked Sunday Mornings!

The key to this crumb cake is the crumb itself. A big, colossal crumb, the New York crumb. Made up of dark brown sugar, cinnamon, melted butter and flour, it's supposed to be applied with a heavy hand. Not just sprinkled on top of the sour cream-based batter, but applied with big, heavy, sugary clods of "crumb". Not a surprise that it followed the same pattern as all of my coffee / crumb cakes. Instead of remaining chunky, it bubbled and melted during baking. As it baked I knelt in front of the oven window chanting, "where's the crumb? This looks nothing like the picture in the book". 

While I lost the hunt for the elusive New York crumb this time, the cake is a traditional favorite - slightly crusty edges, with a moist, cakey center and a dense, brown sugar crumb (er . .  streusel). Guess I'll just have to try it again (soon).

•  H A P P Y  E A S T E R  • 

     

   – mike 

Carrot Coconut Scones

GERBER. When I read this week's project list of pureeing carrots for a scone my stomach started to turn. It's tradition:  Scones are sweet, creamy, maybe even slightly nutty. But not vegetarian. Maybe I can just run and grab a Gerber. No one will know. Leave it to BAKED Explorations to come up with such a whacky recipes. Check out all the pureed carrot scones over at Baked Sunday Mornings!

So I'm over the carrot thing (I didn't really buy baby food, but made BAKED's simple carrot purree - a breeze)! But now, we're going to add coconut? Leave it to the BAKED boys to come up with a combination like that. And why not throw in some oats and buttermilk for hearty-goodness? I've never been one to eat raw scone dough, but would gladly change my ways. One taste and I could tell these would be my favorite new scones. The exact name of this recipe includes "with Citrus Glaze" - a blend of confectioners sugar and orange & lemon juice. Honestly, these were so good and sweet with just a sprinkling of sanding sugar, there wasn't any need for a glaze. And we're back to that tradition thing - scones aren't supposed to have glazes - or vegetables for that matter. But I'm glad these do!

GOODWILL EXPLORATION:

I'm at my local Goodwill - hunting, browsing the housewares aisle. Lots of 80's & 90's dishes, Strawberry Shortcake mugs, you know. Then I spot a piece of amber glass. A 1930's piece of Fostoria, the "bon bon plate" - priced at $1.49. I have to wait behind several women who are rustling around, picking it up, putting it back. I get my chance and nab it, thinking "what, are these people nuts"?  A beautiful piece of antique glass AND a new food prop!  WHERE DO YOU FIND YOUR FAVORITE PROPS?

     

   – mike