Mini Apple Pies

As a fan of Bakerella and a follower of her blog, I knew I would eventually find a good reason to attempt the Luxirare inspired Pie Pops on her site. With Fall Family Fun night on the horizon at my son's preschool, I knew I had the perfect excuse to delve into creating these little goodies. Apples were the theme for the night, so deciding my filling was easy. I found an apple shaped cookie cutter and set to work. I wanted to put more filling in these mini pies based on Bakerella's note that the crust overshadowed the filling. To avoid potential disaster with a top heavy pop (ie. one bite and it's on the floor), I eliminated the lollipop sticks taking a hit on the cute scale. To make up for the sticks, I pulled out my powdered food coloring and lemon extract to paint my mini apple pies. A few minutes to dry, a coating of egg white and a generous round of matching color sprinkles and they were ready for the oven. They came out tasty and adorable with just the right amount of filling. I took the easy route with pre-made crust and canned filling to save time, but these would be even more heavenly if they were homemade.

A Tale of Two Pies

We went peach picking again this August and picked twice as many peaches as we did last year. I froze a bunch of them so we could have peach pies and cobblers this winter but I also tried out two new pie recipes.

This one was called Honey Bourbon Caramel Peach Pie and I snatched the recipe from Sassy Radish, a great food blog. I left out the bourbon only because I didn't have any. It was a great pie. I loved the crust. But the honey overpowered the taste of the delicate peaches. Plus, it was a bit runny.

This pie was my favorite. It's from Martha Stewart and is called Peach and Creme Fraiche Pie. It couldn't have been easier to make. You don't even have to peel the peaches. I used two more tablespoons of sugar than Martha calls for because I like my pies a little sweeter. So yummy.

Coconut Quilt Cake

The week after Sam’s 5th birthday, we celebrated my grandmother’s 90th birthday with a gift from the entire family of a special family tree quilt. To go along with the quilt theme, I created a three tiered coconut layer cake with coconut buttercream between the layers and a thin layer of fondant on top of each tier. Once I got my fondant in place, I pressed the pattern onto the sides with a combination of cookie cutters and a rolling wheel tool to give a stitched impression. I transported the cake 3.5 hours away to WV where my grandmother lives and then painted the yellow flowers and blue diamonds with lemon extract (which is mostly alcohol–the key) and powdered food coloring. I assembled the day of the party, piped stars to connect the tiers and placed some simple flowers on top for an elegant finish. The cake recipe is from Cooks Illustrated and it is dense, moist and had the most wonderful flavor and texture a few hours after we cut it open. We all agreed that the second piece was even better than the first. Fondant is wonderful for keeping a cake fresh.

"Tractor Mower" Birthday Cake

We just celebrated Sam’s 5th birthday John Deere style and he asked for a “tractor mower” birthday cake. After a bit of looking on the internet, I was able to find a tractor pan that looked enough like a lawn tractor and went to work. The trouble with these kinds of cakes is that there is no good place to write a Happy Birthday Message on the cake. Plus, I like to incorporate the birthday year into the design instead of just using candles. So, I decided to add a utility cart off the back and write my message on the cake board. I used my tried and true Vanilla cake recipe from Williams-Sonoma and tried some new frosting recipes that I don't recommend. They were ok, but I'll stick to traditional buttercream next time and leave Wilton out of it.

Blueberry Tart

I don't think this post needs any explanation other than the picture. It looks so good even I just want to take a bite out of my computer screen. This blueberry tart is so easy to make and so impressive when served. You really must make it while blueberries are still in season. Go. Now. Make it!

Apple Danish

About a month ago, I ambitiously made some Danish dough from Martha's baking cookbook. I had planned to make the Sugar Buns from her cookbook but never found the time to make the pastry cream that was to go in the middle. So I froze the dough and saved it for another day. Well, that other day came. My husband's cousin was coming to visit but we weren't sure what time of day so I thought danishes would be perfect to serve either with tea or as a dessert after dinner. I thawed the dough and then followed the Daring Bakers' recipe for apple filling. Each danish got filled and shaped and egg-washed. Then I put them in a warm place to rise. When I looked back at them two hours later they had risen properly but escaped from their perfect shapes. Oh well. I slid them in the oven and 20 minutes later they looked and smelled divine, shape or no shape. I whipped up a glaze made of powdered sugar and milk. Once that was drizzled on top I sprinkled a few almonds on each one. These were scrumptious! It was hard to eat just one even though I KNEW how much butter each one contained. Now, I have another batch of Danish dough in my freezer and I can't wait to make these again.

Red, White, and Blueberry Revamped

So, last year my very first post on this blog was Red, White, and Blueberry popsicles just in time for the 4th of July. This year we were having a guest for dinner and I wanted to make something just as patriotic and a little more impressive for dessert. Inspired by some recent viewings of the Food Network, I decided to try making some meringue shells. I had never made these before, although I've made meringues for other reasons. I followed my recipe in my trusty old Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. It was so easy to pipe into little bowls and then I had lots leftover so I made some stars. For a perfect star shape I traced a star cookie cutter onto parchment and then turned the parchment over. When I was piping the meringue, all I had to do was follow the design. I baked these and let them sit overnight in the oven.

The next day when it was time to serve dessert, I spooned homemade strawberry jam into the shells and topped it with homemade whipped cream. Then I sprinkled blueberries and strawberries on top. Each meringue creation received a star and was served. They were a hit! Sweet, cool, creamy, fruity, yummy, and patriotic too!