Posts Tagged dessert

Cranberry Cream Pie

Well, hello.

It’s been awhile, to say the least. But I’m still here. I’m cooking and parenting and working and Instagramming all the things. Life is very good and very busy.

Lately I’ve found myself writing blog posts in my head. I’ve wanted to update you all on the things going on in my life. I was interviewed by the PDX Food Stories podcast, and then I was interviewed about being a working mom on the amazing Motherbirth podcast. Oh, and then I was interviewed by Rolling Stone. (My life is really weird sometimes.)

I miss blogging. I really do. I’m just not sure how to do all the things. As much as I’d like to think I’m Superwoman, I’m not. I’m just a regular ole human and something had to give. So, the blog has been sorely neglected.

But, when Missy Maki sent out an email a few weeks ago asking if I would like to be part of the 6th Annual Ultimate Oregon Thanksgiving radio show, how could I say no?! I’ve been on this show every year (with one exception, when the kiddo was a month old and I was in newborn zombie-land), and I certainly wasn’t going to miss this one. It’s extra special because Missy has decided to step away from her radio show – The Simple Kitchen – to focus on her business and her family. (I feel that so hard. Mad props to you for knowing your limits and your priorities, Missy!) This will be one of her last episodes EVER, and I am honored to be a part of it. So be sure to tune in to KPAM860 this Sunday, November 19th from 10AM-12PM, as I’ll be chatting all things Thanksgiving (including this awesome Cranberry Cream Pie) with a great group of bloggers.

When I was thinking about what to make for the show, I got the crazy idea to make a cranberry pie. A few years back, I made this Cranberry Custard Pie from Real Simple and it was very good. It was relatively simple to make and it was a hit with the in-laws. Win, win.

But, I must confess that I suck at making pie crust. I blame it on the fact that my sister is the baker in the family. I make the holiday dinners, she makes the pies. I just don’t have the pie making gene. But that’s ok, because GRAHAM CRACKER CRUSTS are perfectly acceptable and are way less stressful thank baking a pie crust and they taste super duper good. The graham cracker crust is my ultimate holiday hack.

So, I took the Cranberry Custard Pie and I mashed it up with an old recipe of mine for a Strawberry Cream Pie — and voila! This magical recipe for Cranberry Cream Pie was born. It’s really easy to put together. It’s beautiful. It’s delicious. You know you need this on your Thanksgiving table!

Cranberry Cream Pie

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust:

1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup salted butter, melted
1 package graham crackers (or 1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Cream Cheese Filling:

2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1.5 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
The zest of 1 lemon, plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Cranberry topping:

3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange zest, plus 2 tablespoons orange juice
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Pinch of vanilla bean salt (or regular salt will do)

Instructions

Make the crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9″ pie pan.
In a food processor, pulse together the graham crackers and almonds, until they are fine crumbs. Pour the crumb mixture into a bowl, and stir in the melted butter, brown sugar, and nutmeg. Mix until the crumb mixture is moistened. Press the mixture evenly into the pie pan. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Make the Cream Cheese Filling:

Once the crust is cooled, prepare the filling. In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla. Beat for 2-3 minutes, until fluffy. Gently stir in the lemon zest.

Make the Cranberry Topping:

Combine the cranberries, sugar, rosemary springs, orange zest and juice, and salt in a medium pot and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the liquid thickens and some of the cranberries burst, 7 -8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and chill 30 minutes to 1 hour.

To Assemble Pie:

Gently spread the cream cheese filling over the graham cracker crust. Top with chilled cranberry mixture. Top with a small sprig of rosemary, if desired. Chill pie for 6-8 hours before serving.

http://rosemarried.co/2017/11/14/cranberry-cream-pie/

Sweet Cream Biscuits with Roasted Plums and Chai Infused Whipped Cream

When it comes to making biscuits, there are two ways to go about it. There’s the classic Buttermilk Biscuit, and there’s the Sweet Cream Biscuit. Buttermilk biscuits are typically made with buttermilk, and lots (and lots) of butter. Sweet cream biscuits, on the other hand, opt for heavy cream instead of buttermilk and butter. Buttermilk biscuits tend to be a bit lighter and flakier, while sweet cream biscuits are slightly more scone-like. The real selling point of sweet cream biscuits is that they come together in minutes, and are incredibly easy to make. Each biscuit has their merits, and people tend to have very strong opinions when it comes to their preferred type of biscuit.

As for me, I’ve always favored the buttermilk biscuit. They’re buttery, pillowy, flaky, and perfect. To be fair, however, I’d never really given the sweet cream biscuit a chance. I’ve always defaulted to making biscuits with butter, and I’d never even attempted to make sweet cream biscuits.

Until now, that is.

A few weeks ago, I bought a whole bunch of Italian Prune Plums at the farmer’s market. (If you’ve not tried Italian Prune Plums, they are so incredibly delicious. And they are currently in season! Go get em!) Anyway, I got home with my giant bag of plums and realized I didn’t exactly know what to do with all my plums. So, I starting perusing the interwebs for ideas, and I stumbled upon my friend Michelle’s recipe for Sweet Cream Biscuits with Earl Grey Whipped Cream and Plum Jam. I was intrigued and delighted by the recipe, and knew I needed to make my own version.

So, I started by baking a batch of sweet cream biscuits. (I had to know what all the fuss was about, after all. Turns out, they’re totally awesome.) Since I was working with fresh plums (as opposed to plum jam), I had the idea to roast the plums with a bit of brown sugar and olive oil. Lastly, I didn’t have any Earl Grey tea, but I did have a tin of loose leaf Masala Chai Tea. Bingo. And that’s how this dessert was born.

Please note, this dessert is best eaten fresh! Biscuits are a type of quick bread, and they generally don’t keep well. Biscuits really are best the day they are baked, but they’re ok the next day if warmed or toasted. In general, however, I recommend you make this recipe the day you plan on eating it. (The plums and whipped cream, however, keep nicely in the fridge and are delicious for breakfast the next day…)

Sweet Cream Biscuits with Roasted Plums and Chai Infused Whipped Cream

Serving Size: Makes 8-10 biscuits

Ingredients

For the Sweet Cream Biscuits:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream, chilled
For the Chai Spiced Whipped Cream:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons loose-leaf Chai tea
2 teaspoons powdered sugar
For the Roasted Plums:
Several ripe Italian prune plums (8-10)
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon light brown sugar

Instructions

To make the Chai whipped cream: In a small bowl or jar, combine 1 cup of whipping cream with the loose leaf Chai tea. Gently stir together and cover the container, and allow to steep in the fridge for 1 hour or more.
After the whipped cream has steeped for an hour, strain out the tea leaves (using a mesh sieve or cheesecloth). Pour the cream into a medium sized bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer) and add the powdered sugar. Using an electric mixer (or stand mixer), beat the cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.
To roast the plums: Preheat oven to 400 F. Wash and halve the plums, removing the pits. Toss plum halves with olive oil and brown sugar. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until plums are browning and releasing their juices. Remove from oven and set aside until use.
To make the Sweet Cream Biscuits: Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt until well combined. Pour one cup of the cream over the dry ingredients, using a fork (or your hands) to gently mix the ingredients together. If the mixture is too dry, add more cream, one spoonful at a time, until the dough is soft and moist. Using your hands, gently knead the dough until it just comes together. (Be careful not to overknead!)
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Lightly pat the dough into a disc with your hands, until it is 1/2″ thick. (Once again, be sure not overwork the dough!)
Using a biscuit cutter (or juice glass!), cut out the biscuit circles. Be sure to cut the biscuits close together, and get as many as you can from this round. Transfer the biscuits to the prepared baking sheet. Gather the remaining scraps together and gently pat into another 1/2″ disc and cut out another batch of biscuits. (Note: only repeat this process once. Toss any remaining scraps, as dough will be too overworked at this point.)
Once you’ve cut out all your biscuits and placed them on baking sheets, brush the tops of the biscuits with cream. (Optional: you can also sprinkle a bit of sugar atop each biscuit, which I think looks rather pretty.) Bake at 425 for 15-18 minutes, or until the biscuits are fluffy and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Notes

Adapted from Hummingbird High

http://rosemarried.co/2014/10/07/sweet-cream-biscuits-roasted-plums-chai-infused-whipped-cream/

Broiled Apricots with Whipped Goat Cheese, Pistachios, and Honey

Oh, summertime. I just can’t get enough of you.

I love the heat, brightly colored sundresses, summer reading, and family vacations. I love stone fruits and summer squash and berries and green beans and peppers and fresh basil. I love camping, grilling, boating, and hiking. I love summertime adventures.

And, I love fruit-laden summer desserts. James beard once said, “Of all the desserts in the spectrum of cuisines, I find those made with fruit the most rewarding.” I tend to agree with Mr. Beard. Fruit desserts are simple and rustic, and they really let the fruit shine. There’s really nothing better than a simple fruit dessert in the middle of summer, when fruit is ripe, sweet, and perfectly juicy.

This is one of those perfect summer desserts. The broiled apricots take mere minutes to make, and they taste so darn good. The broiling caramelizes the exposed flesh of the apricot, and the sweetness of the caramelized apricot pairs beautifully with the tangy goat cheese and salty pistachios.

Broiled Apricots with Whipped Goat Cheese, Pistachios, and Honey

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients

2 ripe (but firm) apricots
1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar
4 Tablespoons goat cheese, room temperature
1 Tablespoon plain Greek yogurt
1 Tablespoon honey, plus more for drizzling
1/2 cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions

Using a whisk, whip together the goat cheese, honey, and Greek yogurt. Mix until fluffy and well combined. Set aside.
Slice the apricots in half, and remove the pits. Place on a lined baking sheet (skin down) and sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the surface of the apricots. Place under the broiler for 3-5 minutes, or until the tops of the apricots are beginning to brown and bubble. Remove from oven, and allow to cool for a minute or two.
Place a spoonful of the goat cheese mixture in the indent of each apricot (where the pit used to be). Sprinkle chopped pistachios over the top of the goat cheese, and liberally drizzle honey over the fruit. Top with a generous sprinkling of nutmeg and freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy immediately.

http://rosemarried.co/2014/07/07/broiled-apricots-whipped-goat-cheese-pistachios-honey/

Apple & Thyme Custard Tart

A couple of weeks ago, I went apple picking in Hood River with my friend Adriana.

Long before we picked our buckets apples, we had grand plans for them. Adriana wanted to try her hand at apple butter for the first time. I was determined to make a simple and unsweetened rustic applesauce. There would be cakes and pies and galettes galore.

When I got home, I realized that I had picked a never-ending supply of apples. I successfully made (and canned) a batch of unsweetened chunky applesauce (and it was delicious). I made rosemary apple butter. I made butternut squash and apple soup (twice!).

After all of that, I still had apples.

I knew what I had to do with the rest of the apples — they needed to be baked into delicious treats — but I was a little hesitant. Truth be told, I’m a little terrified of baking desserts. It’s not that I don’t like dessert. On the contrary, I really, really like dessert. I just didn’t do a whole lot of baking in my younger years. You see, my sisters are the bakers in my family. I’m the cook. (I make Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner and they make all the pies. It’s tradition.)

All of that to say, I’m a little bit rusty in the baking department. It had been awhile since I’d made a proper tart dough, and I was a little bit nervous for how it would turn out. Thankfully, it turned out beautifully. It’s such a simple tart, and it really highlights the beauty of perfectly ripe apples. It’s simple, seasonal, and it might be my new favorite dessert. I’m not so sure what I was afraid of, but I’m glad I rolled up my sleeves and dove into a little seasonal baking.

I should do this more often.

Apple & Thyme Custard Tart

Serving Size: 8

Ingredients

TART FILLING:
4 crisp apples (peeled, cored, and thinly sliced)
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
***********************************************
TART DOUGH:
1 cup powdered sugar
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup salted butter (1 stick), room temperature
1 egg

Instructions

In a small bowl, sift together the powdered sugar, flour, and salt.
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Add the egg and dry ingredients, and beat until the mixture comes together as an evenly formed mass. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. (Dough can be made one day ahead of time.)
Once the dough is chilled, roll dough into a thin circle (slightly larger than your tart pan). Working quickly, line the tart pan with the dough. Trim off any excess dough that hangs over the edges. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork a few times.
Toss apple slices with lemon juice, nutmeg, and half of the thyme. Working from the outside toward the center, lay the apple slices in the tart shell in a circular pattern, overlapping them slightly.
Gently whisk together the eggs, sugar, cream, and vanilla, until just combined. Pour the custard mixture over the apple slices. Sprinkle the rest of the thyme over the custard and apples.
Bake tart at 375 F until the crust is golden and center is set, 30 to 40 minutes. (Note: if you find your crust is browning too quickly, cover the tart with aluminum foil for the duration of baking.) Allow the tart to cool before serving.

Notes

Adapted from Joanne Chen’s recipe on Gothamist.com

http://rosemarried.co/2013/10/25/apple-thyme-custard-tart/

Vanilla Bean & Lavender Panna Cotta with Fresh Peaches

I like to think of this dessert as peaches and cream, all grown up.

My husband, however, describes it as “milky jello.”

The funny thing is, he’s kind of right. Panna cotta is essentially milky jello.

However, I don’t think that description does this dessert justice. This panna cotta is light and creamy, sweet but not cloying. The addition of honey, lavender and vanilla give the dish a subtle and lovely complexity. In addition, it’s the perfect summertime dessert, as it requires very little cooking.

And it should be said that this dessert is just really, really pretty. Not only does it taste good, but it’s just so lovely to look at.

Therefore, I implore you, friends: go forth and make this milky jello!

Vanilla Bean and Lavender Panna Cotta with Fresh Peaches
(Adapted from Cherry Tea Cakes)
Makes 4 small panna cottas

For the panna cotta:
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
1 vanilla bean
2 tablespoons honey
1.5 teaspoons culinary lavender
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin

For the peach topping:
1-2 peaches, sliced thinly
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon raw sugar

Method:
Prepare four small dishes (cups, mugs, ramekins, etc) by greasing them with a small amount of canola or vegetable oil. Set aside.

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the 2 tablespoons of water. Allow the gelatin to ‘blossom’. Let sit for 10 minutes.

In a small saucepan, heat the milk, cream, and honey over medium-low heat. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise with a sharp knife, and scrape out all of the vanilla seeds. Stir the vanilla into the milk. Add in the scraped vanilla pod and the lavender. Heat for 10 minutes, or until the milk is warmed all the way through and the honey is dissolved and combined with the cream.

Strain out the vanilla pods and lavender, using a mesh strainer or cheese cloth. When the milk mixture is still warm, stir in the gelatin mixture until combined. Pour contents into the containers. Refrigerate for 6 hours (or overnight), until set.

30 minutes prior to serving, slice the peach(es) and toss with sugar, lemon juice, lavender and thyme. Allow the peaches to sit for 30 minutes or more, in order to get the juices flowing.

When ready to serve, remove the panna cottas from the fridge and top with a spoonful of the peach mixture. Enjoy!

Strawberry Lemon Ginger Ale Pops: Recipe Swap

When life hands you lemons – or a vintage recipe for Lemon Sponge Pie – make popsicles. (That’s what I always say, anyway…)

For this installment of the Recipe Swap, Christianna from Burwell General Store selected a recipe for Lemon Sponge Pie. The recipe actually looks pretty great (unlike the infamous “Ham Snails“), but I just couldn’t bring myself to bake a pie.

It doesn’t get hot in Portland very often, but when it does the whole city shuts down. We all turn into whiny, melty puddles. It’s a bit pathetic, really.

That being said, I am guilty of being a whiny, melty puddle this week. It was 102 degrees! There was zero chance I was going to turn on my oven. So, I turned Lemon Sponge Pie into Strawberry Lemon Gingerale Pops. I was really pleased with the results.

They were frosty, tangy, refreshing, and delicious – the perfect cure to my summertime woes.

STRAWBERRY LEMON GINGER ALE POPS
(Inspired by this recipe from What I Do)
Makes 4 popsicles

Ingredients:
1 bottle good quality ginger ale or ginger beer
1 pint of lemon sorbet, softened (Note: you will have sorbet leftover!)
6-8 strawberries, stems removed and diced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Method:
In a small bowl, mix together the diced strawberries, lemon zest, and grated ginger.

Place a spoonful of the strawberry mixture in each popsicle mold. Pour a bit of ginger ale (slowly, as it will fizz!) over the mixture, and top with a dollop of lemon sorbet. Repeat with each mold – strawberries, ginger beer, sorbet – until each is nearly full. Leave a very small amount of headspace at the top. Place lids/sticks the in the molds and freeze overnight.

And, please see below for the other creative contributions to this month’s recipe swap!

Strawberry & Mint Shortcakes: Recipe Swap

When life hands you lemons, you’re supposed to make lemonade. When life hands you a neck injury, however, it seems that you can’t make much of anything.

I’ve been stuck on the couch for three days. It hurts to move, it hurts to sit, it hurts to sleep. I’ve got my routine down: a glass of water, ibuprofen, ice (frozen peas) and heat (homemade sock rice pack). I watched an entire season of Project Runway yesterday. I’m going a little bit stir crazy. And while there’s never a good time to get injured, this weekend seemed like particularly bad timing. The Montavilla Farmer’s Market opened for its 6th season today. In addition, today is the deadline for the June Recipe Swap.

I’ve been planning this post for weeks. When Christianna (from Burwell General Store) emailed us the recipe for ‘Mint Pie‘, I knew that I was going to take the recipe in an entirely different direction.

You see, I’m one of the few people on the planet that doesn’t like the combination of chocolate and mint. I love chocolate. I love fresh mint. For whatever reason, I just don’t like them together. (Please don’t hate me!) Since it’s strawberry season in the Northwest – and since my mint plant is growing like crazy and threatening to take over the backyard – I decided to combine these two ingredients instead.

My apologies to all of the chocolate-and-mint lovers out there, but I’m officially on Team Strawberries-and-Mint. The combination is incredible! This dessert is a slight variation of a classic strawberry shortcake, but it’s the subtleties that make this recipe truly special. Perfectly ripe strawberries, purchased at the farmer’s market this morning. Fresh mint, plucked from my backyard. Hints of lemon, mint, black pepper, and cream. It all works together to create a light and airy spring treat that isn’t overly sweet or complicated. It’s just perfect.

STRAWBERRY & MINT SHORTCAKES WITH LEMONY WHIPPED CREAM
Adapted from Bite by Michelle
(Makes 10-12 shorcakes)

For the shortcakes:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely diced
1 stick (1/2 cup) chilled salted butter, cut into small cubes
2/3 cup buttermilk
Optional: Egg wash & raw sugar

For the strawberry topping:
1 pint strawberries
1.5 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon white sugar
A couple grinds of black pepper

For the lemony whipped cream:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Method:
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Using a pastry blender (or knives, fingers, food processor, etc) cut in butter until it resembles a coarse meal. Stir in mint and buttermilk, and mix until just combined.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead a couple of times and pat into a circle (with a 1″ thickness). Using a biscuit cutter (or juice glass), cut out the shortcakes. Place on a lined baking sheet, 1-2 inches apart. Optional: brush each cake with an egg wash and sprinkle with raw (or coarse grain) sugar before baking.

Place baking sheet in the oven on bottom rack and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, wash and de-stem the strawberries. Slice strawberries and place in a bowl. Toss with fresh mint, black pepper, lemon juice, and black pepper.

Mix the whipping cream, vanilla, sugar, and lemon zest together. Whip, using a whisk or electric mixer for 3-5 minutes, or until the mixture is light and billowy. (Be careful not to overwhip! You want soft peaks.)

When the shortcakes have cooled, arrange each cake on a plate with a generous dollop of whipped cream and strawberries. Enjoy!