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!

Father's Day Treat

This Father's Day I was inspired by the blogger Bakerella. When my son saw her Father's Day idea he just had to do it so I put together my shopping list and went to work. First let me show you how cute they are . . .

Now let me tell how much work they are! Bakerella used premade mixes for all her recipes but I like to go 100% homemade. So, first I made a batch of sugar cookie dough. Rolled it out. But it into french fry lengths and sprinkled with sugar. That was easy. No problem. Then I made a double batch of homemade brownies since my usual recipe fits in and 8x8 and I needed to fill a 9x13 pan. I used a biscuit cutter to cut out the circles and nibbled on the leftovers to give me energy to finish. The next day I baked up my cupcakes courtesy of Cook's Illustrated which makes 12 cupcakes. I mixed my homemade buttercream and tinted them red, yellow, and green. Then I sliced my cupcakes in half and invited Jonathan to help me assemble them. He loved doing this!!!! Finally we brushed the tops with water and sprinkled on the sesame seeds. Bakerella had templates for the fry bag and the paper dish. I printed them up on plain old printing paper and taped them together.

For dinner we served real burgers and fries to my husband. After we were sated, we served up these tiny little versions. They were yummy. But very rich and very filling. Cute as they are, I don't think I would make them again. Too much work and not really my "style."