Sweet Cherry Pie

Using organic cherries from the farmers market, this pie had all of the natural flavors you crave during the summer!

Pie Filling
2 pounds sweet cherries, pitted and halved
1/2 C granulated sugar
2 T cornstarch
1 T fresh lemon juice
1 large egg, beaten
1 T sugar in the raw, for sprinkling

Pie Dough
2 1/2 C all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1 t salt
1 t sugar
1 C unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 C ice water

Prepare the pie dough first by combining the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor. Add the butter, then pulse briefly until the mix resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle with 1/4 C ice water. Pulse again until the dough is crumbly but holds together. Do not overmix.

Divide the dough in half, then wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

While the dough chills, prepare the pie filling. Preheat the oven to 400 F. In a large bowl, combine cherries, granulated sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Toss to combine. 

On a floured piece of parchment paper, roll one of the pieces of dough into a 14-inch round. Carefully transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Gently fit into the bottom and along the sides of the pie plate. Trim any overhanging pieces of dough. Pour the cherry filling into the prepared crust.

Roll out the second piece of dough on floured parchment paper, then, using a sharp knife, cut 1/2-inch strips of dough.Weave the strips over the filling to form a lattice. Trim any overhanging pieces of dough.

Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the lattice with the egg, and sprinkle with sugar in the raw.

Bake until filling is bubbling and the crust begins to brown, about 40 minutes. Create a tent with aluminum foil, and cover the pie dish. Bake an additional 20 minutes. Transfer pie to wire rack and let cool before serving.

Tangy Lemon Shortbread Bars

I have been craving something tart for awhile now, and when I can across this recipe I could not resist giving it a try! The shortbread was wonderfully moist and crumbly ( I hate it when shortbread is dry), and the filling was perfectly tart. Delicious! If I make it for guests, I will sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top for a nice presentation.

2 cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 5 medium lemons)
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (about 1 medium lemon)

Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with butter and set aside.

Combine 2 cups of the flour, the powdered sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt in a food processor. Pulse briefly to combine. Add the butter pieces to the flour mixture and pulse until the dough just begins to come together, about 20 (1-second) pulses.

Spread the dough evenly in the baking dish and gently press into the pan. Bake until the crust is fully set and just starting to brown on the edges, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool while you make the filling, at least 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.

To make the filling, combine the remaining 3 tablespoons flour, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, the granulated sugar, and the eggs in a large bowl and whisk until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice and zest and whisk until well combined.

Pour the filling over the baked crust, return to the oven, and bake until set, about 25 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares and serve.

Java Mud Pie

This was absolutely delicious! It consisted of my two favorite things: coffee and chocolate. It got that wonderful java flavor from both the ice cream and from the hint of coffee in the ganache. The crust was also exactly how it should be - crunchy, and not too thin. I also lightened the ganache a bit, so the chocolate topping is not too rich. It all balanced out quite nicely to create a superb ice cream pie!

Crust:
30 chocolate cookie wafers (I used Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers)
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted

Ganache:
4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
1/4 C skim milk
1/4 C strong-brewed coffee, cooled
1 T unsalted butter, melted

1 quart reduced-fat coffee ice cream

Preheat oven to 350* F.

Place the cookies in the food processor. Process until the crumbs are about the size of a pea. Add the melted butter, and process until finely ground. Scoop the crumbles into a pie plate, press firmly. Bake for 10 minutes, then let cool.

After the crust has cooled, place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Transfer the ice cream from the freezer to the fridge so that it can soften.

To create the ganache, bring the milk and coffee to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Place the chocolate in a small, heat-proof bowl, then pour the milk and coffee mixture over the chocolate, and let stand for 5 minutes. Add the melted butter and stir until smooth.

Remove the ice cream from the fridge and scoop into a bowl. Stir the ice cream until it is easily spreadable but not liquidy. Remove the pie plate from the freezer, and spread the ice cream over the crust in a single, smooth layer. Pour the warm (but not hot!) ganache over the ice cream. Freeze for 3 hours, then enjoy!

Shoofly Pie

This pie is very rich--you only need a sliver to be satisfied!

1 3/4 C all-purpose flour
3 T cold butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 C light brown sugar
1 t. baking soda
3/4 C boiling water
3/4 C molasses
1 egg, lightly beaten
I prepared pie crust

Preheat the oven to 375F. Gently placed the prepared pie dough into a 9-inch pie plate, trimming off any excess. In a food processor, combine flour, butter and brown sugar. In a bowl, combine baking soda with the boiling water. Whisk to dissolve. Whisk in molasses and egg until well combined.

Fill the crust with the molasses mixture, then evenly sprinkle the crumb mixture over the top surface. Some of the crumb mixture will sink into the filling. Bake the pie 45 to 55 minutes, or until set in the middle. Let cool 1 hour. Serve warm, or at room temperature.

Bourbon Fudge Sauce

Creates the perfect grown-up ice cream sundae topping! This sauce was so good that it turned those plain old brownie sundaes into something amazing. Also serves as a great mix-in for milkshakes!

1 C skim milk
1/2 C light corn syrup
1/2 C light brown sugar
10 ounces dark chocolate

1/4 C bourbon

Combine the milk, corn syrup, brown sugar, and chocolate in a medium nonstick saucepan.

Place the pot over low heat; cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, to form a thick, smooth sauce. Remove from the heat and add the bourbon, stirring to combine. Remove from the heat and cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm (130 degrees is ideal) over your favorite ice cream!

Ginger-Blueberry Pie with Streussel Topping

This pie was the perfect slice of summer! The fresh ginger really added some nice spice to the overall flavor.

For the pastry:

2 C whole wheat flour

1 t. salt

1/2 t. baking powder

2/3 C shortening (Crisco)

6 T. hot water

For the filling:

3 pints of blueberries

2 T lemon juice

1 T freshly grated ginger

For the crumble topping:

1/4 C whole wheat flour

1/4 C old-fashioned oats

3 T brown sugar

4 T butter

Beat the hot water into the shortening; cool slightly. Sift flour, salt and baking powder. Sift the flour mixture over the shortening and water; mix to a smooth dough. Try to do this with as little stirring as possible. Wrap in waxed paper and chill thoroughly.

Combine the blueberries, lemon juice, sugar and ginger. Chill.

Roll out the dough to fit a 9" pie dish. Spread the blueberry mix evenly over the dough. Bake at 425F for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, and reduce the oven to 350F. While the oven adjusts, combine the ingredients for the crumble topping. Spread evenly over the top of the blueberries, then bake at 350F for 20 minutes.

Derby Pie

In honor of the Kentucky Derby (and our resident Kentuckian/photographer), Saturday was spent prepping for the big race. This of course included home-made Mint Juleps, Hot Brown sandwiches, and the oh-so-delicious Derby Pie. For those of you who have not had the good fortune of experiencing Derby Pie, it is essentially a chocolate pecan pie that includes bourbon in the recipe. It also goes by the names "Thoroughbred Pie" and "Race Day Pie".

1 Basic Pie Dough (I used refrigerated pie dough from the grocery store, like a cheater...)

6 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

1 1/3 C light corn syrup

1/3 C packed light brown sugar

4 T (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

2 T bourbon

1 T vanilla extract

1/2 t kosher salt

2 C whole pecans, toasted

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350*, and arrange the rack in the lower third of the oven. Lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough into a round about 12" wide and 1/4" thick. Line a 9 1/2" pie plate with the dough, trimming off any excess. Pierce the base of the crust several times with a fork. Bake about 15 minutes, then remove the pie from the oven. Increase the temperature to 375*.

While the pie crust bakes, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, corn syrup, brown sugar, butter, bourbon, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the pecans and chocolate chips; mix well to combine. Pour the mixture into the crust until the filling sets, about 35 - 40 minutes at 375*. Remove and let cool on a wire rack. Make sure that the pie has cooled completely before cutting. It is usually served cold or at room temperature, but I like it slightly heated!

Honey and Ricotta Turnovers

These turnovers were so nice and light--the perfect sweet treat after dinner! This recipe makes enough so you can freeze half for later.

3/4 C low-fat ricotta
3 T sugar
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
pinch of salt
1/4 C unsalted butter
2 T honey, plus more for serving
12 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed

Preheat oven to 350*. In a small bowl, combine ricotta, sugar, vanilla, egg and a pinch of salt. Mix well to combine. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter and honey until the butter melts, about 30 seconds on high. Stir well to combine.

Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough on a lightly floured work surface. Keep the remaining sheets of phyllo covered with a lightly damp towel to keep them from drying out. Using a pastry brush, generously brush the phyllo with the butter and honey mixture. Lay 2 more sheets of phyllo onto the first sheet, applying the honey mixture to each. Cut the dough crosswise into 4 rectangles. Place 1 T. of the ricotta mixture into the corner of each of the rectangles. Gently fold the corner opposite the corner containing the ricotta mixture in half to form a triangle. Tuck the extra folds of phyllo over the edges of the triangle, brushing some of the honey onto the edges to hold it together ("flag style"). Repeat this with the remaining rectangles, then place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat this process with the remaining 3 sheets of phyllo. Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes. Serve warm, drizzled with honey.

Repeat the entire process with the remaining 6 sheets of phyllo. Freeze in a single layer for up to 1 month. Bake from frozen at 350* for 30 minutes.

Cinnamon Rolls

This was my first (and most likely last) time making cinnamon rolls from scratch. Although the method was relatively simple, it was quite time consuming. If you want to serve these for brunch, make sure you allow for plenty of time for the dough to rise!

Rolls
1 C warm fat-free milk (100-110*)
5 T. melted butter, divided
1/3 C granulated sugar, divided
1 package quick-rise yeast (available in the baking aisle)
3 3/4 C all-purpose flour
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 t. salt
Cooking spray
2/3 C packed brown sugar
1 1/2 T. ground cinnamon
1/3 C raisins

Icing
3 T. melted butter
2 T. half-and-half
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 C powdered sugar

Combine the milk, 3 T. melted butter, 1 T. sugar, and yeast. Let the mixture stand 5 minutes. Add the egg and remaining sugar. Gradually stir in 1 C flour until combined. Let the mixture stand 10 minutes.

Add 2 1/2 C flour and salt to the milk mixture. Stir until a soft dough forms (it will be quite sticky). Turn onto a floured surface. Knead until the dough becomes elastic, about 6 minutes. Add small amounts to flour to prevent dough from sticking to hands.

Place dough in a large bowl coated in cooking spray, then turn to coat the top of the dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, for 35 minutes or until doubled in size. Punch the dough down, then cover and let rise for an additional 35 minute or until doubled in size. Punch the dough down for a third down, then let rest for 5 minutes.

Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon a small bowl. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into an 18 x 11" rectangle. Brush the remaining 2 T. melted butter over the dough, and sprinkle evenly with the brown sugar mixture. Sprinkle the raisins evenly over the dough.

Beginning at one long side of the rectangle, roll up the dough tightly. Pinch the seam to seal, excluding the ends. Cut the roll into 18 equal slices, about 1" each. Arrange 9 slices, cut sides up, into two 8" square baking dishes coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise for 35 minutes, or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 350*.

Uncover the rolls. Bake for 22 minutes until golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes on wire racks, still in the baking dishes. Turn the rolls onto the wire rack and let cool for an additional 5 minutes.

While the rolls cool, combine 3 T. softened butter and cream. Whisk to combine, then stir in vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar, and stir until well-blended. Spread the icing over the rolls, and serve warm.

Cranberry Apple Crumble

This crumble was scrumptious, and very easy to make! It works well as a dessert, or for a special breakfast. I enjoyed it with a small scoop of vanilla bean ice cream!

1 ½ pounds granny smith apples, peeled and cored
½ C fresh cranberries, chopped
1/3 C sugar
½ t. ground cinnamon
Pinch of coarse salt
4 T. unsalted butter, chopped
½ C pecans or walnuts, chopped
¼ C flour
¼ C old fashioned oats
3 T. light brown sugar

Pre-heat the oven to 450°.

Combine the sugar, cinnamon and salt. Toss the apples in the sugar mixture until well-coated. In a separate bowl, combine nuts, flour, brown sugar and oats. Work the butter into the mixture to make a crumble. This mixture will be very lumpy, but that is what makes it a crumble!

Coat the sides of an oven-safe pie dish with butter. Spoon the apples into the dish, and top with the crumble mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top of the crumble turns a golden-brown. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.