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.

Toasted Pecan Pound Cake

I've been going through my pantry and trying to use up all of the little tid-bits in there. I found some pecans, leftover from the holidays. I really want to tone down the amount of food I have in my pantry, so I'm not having food go to waste and I want to start having more natural foods in there.

This pound cake recipe I got from my usual go-to 'The Fearless Baker," by Emily Luchetti and Lisa Weiss. Its perfect for the summer and pairs well with fresh strawberries or raspberries.

Ingredients:

1 cup pecan pieces

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp kosher salt

16 tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter, soften

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp grated lemon zest

2 large eggs

3/4 cup buttermilk or 3/4 cup whole milk mixed with 1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray or butter.

2. Spread the pecan pieces in one layer in a small baking pan and put in the (preheated) oven. Set a timer for 10 minutes and check the nuts to see if they're a light golden brown. If not, toast 2 minutes longer. Set aside to cool.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder and salt. Set aside. 

4. Using the stand mixer, or the medium bowl and a handheld mixer, on a medium-low speed, beat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on medium speed until well combined before adding the second egg. Scrape down the side of the bowl with the rubber spatula.

5. In a small bowl, stir the buttermilk with the vanilla.

6. With the mixer on low speed, add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until just combined. Add half of the buttermilk, again mixing until combined. Add the remaining flour, then the buttermilk, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the pecans.

7. Using the rubber spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly, nudging the batter into the corners of the pan. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

8. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes. Run a small knife around the cake to loosen it from the pan and invert it onto a piece of parchment or plate. Let the cake cool to room temperature before slicing.

Toast the pecans

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt.

Remove the toasted pecans from the oven.

Beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest,

Beat till creamy.

Add one egg at a time and beat.

Add the vanilla to the buttermilk.

Add half the flour and mix well.

Add half the buttermilk

Looking good!

Add the rest of the buttermilk and flour mixture and mix well in between each addition. 

Chop up the pecans, if they're not already chopped.

Stir in the pecans to the batter.

Spread evenly in a bread pan and bake.

Let sit in the pan for 15 minutes.

Remove from the pan and let cool completely. Enjoy!

Pumpkin, Orange and Poppy Seed Cake

This is my take on the recipe from "Bake, The Essential Companion," by Alison Thompson. Its a super moist and flavorful cake. Next time, I need to use a bigger pan, so more of the syrup will be absorbed into the cake. 

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups unsalted butter, diced, softened

1 1/2 cups superfine sugar

4 eggs

Grated zest of 3 oranges

Grated zest of 3 lemons

1/4 cup poppy seeds

2 2/3 cups self-rising flour, sifted

1 1/4 cups canned organic pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

Syrup

1 1/2 cups sugar

6 tbsp freshly-squeezed orange juice

6 tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a 10-in round or square pan with parchment paper.

2. Beat the butter and superfine sugar, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on high speed for 5 minutes until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the orange and lemon zests, poppy seeds, sifted flour and pumpkin. Mix on low speed until combined.

3. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. (While cake is baking, prepare the syrup.)

4. To make the syrup, combine the sugar, lemon juice and orange juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring, then remove from the heat.

5. Pour the hot syrup over the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan. 

Place parchment paper in the bottom of the pan. This will make it easier to remove the cake later.

Beat the butter and sugar.

Beat till pale and creamy.

Add the lemon and orange zests. 

Shift the flour into the mixing bowl.

Add the pumpkin.

Save the lemons and oranges for juicing.

Add the poppy seeds and mix together.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake.

Enjoy!