Pies, Pies, Pies - December 2008

Happy Holidays!

Seasonal Fruit Basket - grapefruits, oranges, apples, and pears. Thanks Mom and Gram!
Peach-Blueberry Peanut Butter Crisp

Recipe from: The Peanut Butter & Co. cookbook
On Saturday, December 6th I took a Pie Baking Fundamentals class at the Whole Foods Bowery Culinary Center. The 4 hour course was taught by Judiann Woo (chef and creator of the Haagan Daaz ice cream flavor - sticky toffee pudding!). We began with a brief lecture/discussion on pie baking techniques and a demonstration on making apple pie with crumb topping. We then proceeded to make our own blackberry hand pies and coconut cream pies with animal cracker crust. After everything finished baking, we sampled some of the warm apple pie with homemade whipped cream - I think it was the BEST piece of pie I've ever had.

My finished coconut cream pie (in a professional pastry box!)

Homemade whipped cream, yum!
Blackberry Hand Pies with turbinado sugar topping

Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients: 12oz fresh cranberries (rinsed in water)
3/4 cup sugar (original recipe called for 1 cup)
1 cup water
Directions: Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil; add cranberries, return to boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover and cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate until serving time. Makes 2 1/4 cups. This was great - you couldn't even tell it was reduced sugar!

Quick wheat loaf

This recipe uses 1/2 whole wheat flour, 1/2 all-purpose flour, salt, baking soda, Tb sugar, 12 0z beer, and a bit of butter. It's really easy to make - I found the recipe on the back of a King Arthur flour bag.

Caramel-Apple-Walnut pie from Sanitary Bakery (Nanticoke, PA)