Wild Blackberry Pie

Now that we're getting into fall, baking pies is one of my favorite things to make. I always freeze a bunch of wild blackberries, so I can make pies all year round. I made the pie dough the night before and had it wrapped into two separate balls. I let the dough rest at room temp for at least 10 minutes before rolling out.

Ingredients:

4 cups fresh or thawed frozen blackberries
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (about half a lemon)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt

Egg Wash:
1 egg white
1 tablespoon cold water

All-Butter Crust

1. Mix the blackberries and lemon juice in a large bowl. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch, tapioca, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

3. Pour the cornstarch mixture over the berries and gently toss till the berries are well coated.

4. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. Carefully place the rolled out dough onto a 9-inch pie dish. Gently push the dough into the pie pan.

5. Pour the pie filling into the prepare pie pan. Take a fork and press along the edge of the pie dough. To make the egg wash, mix together the egg white and cold water. Brush the wash along the edge of the pie dough. Roll out the other pie dough and place on top of the pie. Take a fork and seal the edge of the pie crust.

6. Cut a small hole in the middle of the pie dough and place a pie chute in the middle, if you have one. If you don't. Cut four slits in the top of the pie dough.

7. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place a rack in the center of the oven.

8. Place the pie in the freezer for 30 minutes. This step chills the butter in the crust and creates a flaker crust. After 30 minutes, take the pie out of the freezer and take some aluminum foil and place along the edges of the pie crust. Place the pie on a baking sheet.

9. Bake the pie for about 55-60 minutes. About 10 minutes before the pie is finished, remove the aluminum foil. Bake till the crust is golden brown. Let rest for at least 45 minutes till you cut into it.

Add the lemon juice to the berries

Mix up the pie filling.

Add the pie filling to the berries.

Gently mix everything together.

Let the chilled dough rest at room temp for at least 10 minutes.

Roll our the dough.

Gently press the dough into the pie pan.

Add the pie filling. Press the edges with a fork and brush the egg wash along the edge.

Cover the top with the other rolled pie dough. Press the edges with a fork.

Add the pie flute and place in the freezer for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, remove the pie from the freezer and place on a baking sheet. Add aluminum along the edges so they don't burn.

After baking for 55-60 minutes and golden brown, remove from the oven and let rest for about 45 minutes.

All-Butter Pie Crust

Some people maybe intimidated by making pie crusts or just pie baking in general. Pie crusts are super easy to make and you don't need any fancy stand mixers or anything.

I prefer the all-butter crust over the butter-crisco kind.  You can make this crust the day before and have it ready for when you start making your pies. It will also freeze for up to 2 weeks.





Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 cup ice water

1. In a large bowl mix all of the dry ingredients together.

2. Add the butter to the flour mixture and use a pastry cutter (or your hands) to incorporate the butter. Mix until the batter looks like pea-sized butter chunks. The dough should be coarse; don't over work it.

3. Add the ice water a little at a time until until the dough comes together. Form into two equal sized balls. Wrap in plastic wrap and let chill for at least an hour before using. This will help keep the butter solid, so your dough will be nice and flaky. When you're ready to make your pie, let the dough rest at room temp for about 10 minutes and then roll out on a lightly floured surface.

Mix all of the dry ingredients together. 

Add the butter to the dry mixture.

Use a pastry cutter to incorporate the butter.

Mix till its in pea sized form.

Add the water a little at a time.

Mix till the dough is coarse.

Form the dough into two balls, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour.

Whole Wheat and Cream Biscuits

While I've been getting ready for canning this weekend, I've started perfecting my biscuit recipe. I like these biscuits, because they are half whole wheat and half unbleached all-purpose flour, so they are not too grainy. Basic recipe is from "More from Macrina," by Leslie Mackie.

Ingredients:

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour.

2 tsp baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream, divided

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Shift together the flours, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in 1 1/2 cups of the cream. Using a rubber spatula, begin pulling the flour into the cream; mix just enough to combine the dough into a shaggy mass. Don't overwork the dough! When almost all the flour is incorporated, transfer the dough from the bowl onto a floured work surface and pat it into a 4-by-8 inch rectangle. Use a biscuit cutter or cut into 8 equal squares or biscuits.

3. Place the biscuits on one of the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Brush the tops of the biscuits with the remaining cream. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the biscuits are light golden brown on the edges and bottom. Cool on the sheet for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Shift the flours, baking powder and salt.

Make a well in the flour and pour in the 1 1/2 cups cream. 

Pull the flour into the cream and stir till the flour is incorporated. Don't over mix.

Place the dough on a floured surface and make into a rectangle.

Cut into squares or use a biscuit cutter.

Brush the uncooked biscuits with the 2 tablespoons of cream.

Place the biscuits in the oven and bake those suckers.

Let rest on pan for 5 minutes and then let cool completely on a wire rack.

Afternoon Applesauce Spice Cake

I received a jar of homemade applesauce and I just had to do something special with it. I recently bought this amazing canning book "Canning for a New Generation," by Liana Krissoff. Its chalk full of canning tips and recipes, as well as recipes to cook with your jams, jellies and pickled treasures.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup granny smith applesauce
1/2 vegetable oil
1/2 cup nuts, toasted and chopped
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, use a fork to combine the flour, brown sugar, spices, baking soda, and salt. Add the remaining ingredients and 1/2 cup water and stir the batter until the dry ingredients are just moistened. Scrape the batter into a 9-inch square cake pan and smooth the top. Bake in the middle of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.

Place all dry ingredients in a bowl.

Mix dry ingredients with a fork, till combined.

Homemade Apple Sauce!

Place toasted on a cutting board.

Chop up the nuts.

Add the rest of the ingredients and 1/2 cup water.

Mix till just combined.

Place in a 9 inch baking pan. I didn't have a square one, so I used a round one.

Cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes, before serving. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cookies with Strawberry Jam

There is nothing like having something sweet, as a mid afternoon pick-me-up. These cookies will stay moist and delicious, if stored in an air-tight container. I got this recipe from the Weeknights with Giada cookbook.

Makes 10-12 (4-inch) cookies

Ingridents:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, beaten, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup strawberry jam

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or use non-stick pans.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

3. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, peanut butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and all of the brown sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix until blended. With the machine running on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated.

4. Put the remaining 1/4 granulated sugar into a small bowl. Form the dough into 1/4-cup balls and roll in the sugar. Arrange 5-6 balls of dough, evenly apart, on each baking sheet. Using a round 1/4-teaspoon measure, or the thin end of a wooden spoon, make an indentation in the center of each ball of dough, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch deep. Spoon 1 teaspoon of jam into each depression.

5. Bake the cookies for 11 to 14 minutes, until the dough has spread and the surface of the cookies is cracked. The cookies may seem soft, but don't be tempted to bake longer, they will harden as they cool. Cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes.

Shift together, cocoa, flour, baking soda and salt.

Place in bowl and set aside.

Place butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a mixing bowl.

MIx for about 30 seconds.

Add beaten egg.

Add vanilla and mix till combined.

With mixer running on low, slowly add the cocoa-flour mixture.

Mix till incorporated.

Make 10-12 balls of dough and roll in sugar.

Place evenly on cookie sheet and make a small indentation with the back of a measuring spoon.

Fill the indentation with strawberry jam.

Bake for about 11-14 minutes. Let rest for about 5 minutes on baking sheet. Then move to cooling rack. Enjoy!