Chocolate French Macarons

I saw an adorable book called “I Love Macarons” and I just had to try my hand at this notoriously finicky recipe. For starters, I had to do my research. Apparently everyone has their own version of what makes a good macaron (and we’re not talking about those globs of coconut…). Step two was procuring the right ingredients—organic powdered sugar, eggs, cocoa powder, and almond meal. The macarons began by whipping egg whites and folding in the almond meal, and sugar/cocoa until the mixture was glossy and ribbon like in texture. After placing it in a piping bag, I made half-dollar sized circles onto a silpat, where I let them dry out for thirty minutes before baking them in a 375-degree oven for 14 minutes. I knew I had done it right when I saw the famous “foot” appear. Once the macarons had cooled I held them together with nutella, for a delicious chocolate and hazelnut treat. I can’t wait to try them again!

Vanilla Pastry Cream

Vanilla Pastry Cream is a classic feeling for fruit tarts, éclairs, and other cream filled pastries. The recipe began with heating milk until it started to simmer. While the milk warmed, I whisked egg yolks and sugar until thickened and then added in flour to create a smooth, creamy mixture. I added in a small portion of the hot milk to temper the egg mixture and then poured it back into the saucepan to thicken. Once the cream came to a boil, I added in butter and vanilla and cooked for one minute to thicken. I let the pastry cream cool in an ice bath and then stored it in the fridge until I was ready to assemble the Fruit Tart.

Coming tomorrow: Classic French Fruit Tart

Vanilla Shortcrust Dough

Unlike piecrusts, tarts often have a crumbly, cookie-like shortbread crust. This crust is super easy to make and much more foolproof than pie dough. I started by blending the dry ingredients (flour, salt, sugar) and then cutting in cold butter. When the mixture was the texture of sand, I added in eggs, vanilla, and a splash of water until the dough was shaggy. I turned it out onto the counter and kneaded it a few times until it came together. I flattened the dough into a disk and chilled it overnight.

Up Next: Vanilla Pastry Cream

Peach-Gingerbread Dumplings

Dumplings are very similar to turnovers except they usually encase whole or halved pieces of fruit. I halved fresh peaches and then filled the cavity with a mixture of almond paste, molasses, and spices (cinnamon, ginger, and cloves). I placed each peach half onto a 5-inch square of dough and then folded up the sides to create a pyramid-like enclosure. Each pastry got an egg wash and sprinkling of sugar before chilling for thirty minutes. The dumplings baked for 30 minutes until they were deep golden brown. They smelled just like gingerbread, and the peaches were softened but not mushy. My only complaint was that the almond filling was a little too thick. If I made these again, I would actually use a blend of brown sugar and spiced and leave out the almond paste altogether.
Well, now that we made it through chapter 4, I am happy to say that we’ll be diving into chapter 5—the wonderful world of TARTS!

Coming soon: Vanilla Shortcrust Dough

Summer Berry Turnovers

Homemade turnovers are better than any grocery store version. I started with a cream cheese crust (which seems fool proof since no liquid is added and there is little chance of over mixing) and let the dough chill overnight. The next day, I mixed raspberries and blackberries with sugar, salt, lemon, and flour to form the filling for the turnovers. I rolled the dough out into 5-inch squares, and filled each square with the fruit mixture. Folding each square of dough in half on the diagonal created the turnovers. I sealed them with a fork, did a quick egg wash, topped them with sugar (for sparkle and crunch) and chilled them for thirty minutes. The turnovers baked in a 375-degree oven for 25 minutes. They emerged from the oven bubbling and smelling of sweet berries. I let one barely cool before I bit into it. The crust was flaky and tender and the berries perfectly sweetened. The only thing that would have made them better is a big scoop of vanilla ice cream! We enjoyed them for dessert one night and breakfast the next morning. Yum!

Last recipe of chapter 4: Peach-Gingerbread Dumplings

Chocolate Silk Pie

I have had chocolate silk pie at restaurants, but I had never seen a recipe. I always thought it was just a pudding, but boy was I wrong. I didn’t realize that the old recipes contained raw eggs and that the filling is more of a ganache than pudding. To start, I made an Oreo cookie. Next, I started on the filling. I whisked eggs and sugar over a pan of simmering water until the mixture registered 160 degrees (the temp required to kill any harmful bacteria) and then I beat them for 3 minutes. While the eggs were beating, I melted the dark chocolate, butter, and cream and added this to the whipped eggs. I poured the chocolate filling into the pie shell and chilled until set for one hour. I topped the pie with vanilla whipped cream and dug in! This pie was insanely rich and not for the faint of heart. I love chocolate and it was hard for me to eat more than a little sliver at a time (yet, somehow, the pie was gone in three days…). If you like dark chocolate, this is for you. The filling was creamy, smooth, and rich, and went perfectly with the cookie crust.

On deck: Summer Berry Turnovers

Dulce De Leche Banana Cream Pie

This pie was also pretty easy to make since it started with an Oreo cookie crust. I lined the crust with a thin layer of chocolate ganache to help keep the crust crisp. Once the crust was prepared, I went to work on a pastry cream to hold the sliced bananas. The pastry cream was a combination of cream, sugar, vanilla, eggs, and cornstarch, cooked until thickened. I whisked a can of dulce de leche into the pastry cream and added in the bananas. The mixture was then placed into the cookie crust and topped with homemade whipped cream. Overall, I thought this was really tasty, but there are a few improvements I would make next time. For starters, I didn’t feel the dulce de leche flavor came through very much and it seemed to thin out the pastry cream. Next time, I might try a butterscotch pudding (similar to the previous recipe). I also felt that the chocolate ganache, while a good idea, was a little too strong in flavor and detracted from the bananas. When I have some free time, I will try this one again with the changes, because after all, bananas and cream in any combination is pretty darn tasty.

Coming soon: Chocolate Silk Pie

Butterscotch Pie

So, I have to say, this is my favorite recipe so far. Yep, FAVORITE! I had never heard of a butterscotch pie before, and after making this, I wondered how I had lived my life without it! This southern classic has found a permanent home in my rotation of desserts. The best part? It is SO easy! No pie dough here—just a simple and delicious graham cracker crust. The filling is a rich, decadent butterscotch pudding, topped with billowy, vanilla whipped cream. After I made the piecrust (graham cracker crumbs + butter, baked for eight minutes), I went to work on the pudding, which was essentially a pastry cream. I melted butter and brown sugar together to create a thick caramel. Next, I added heavy cream and cornstarch and stirred until thickened. I tempered this mixture with the eggs and returned to the stove to boil and thicken for open minute. I finished the pudding with some butter and vanilla and let it cool to room temp in an ice bath. I filled the graham cracker crust with the pudding and topped it with the whipped cream. The hardest part was waiting three hours for everything to chill up in the fridge! I took one bite and I was sold. The pudding is so creamy and rich, with a heavy butterscotch flavor. The graham cracker crust is the perfect partner, offering a nice contrast in texture and bringing out the vanilla notes. The cold, soft whipped cream brings everything together. Can you tell I like it? I’ve made it three times since. This is a keeper.

Next up: Dulce De Leche Banana Cream Pie

Herbed Chicken Pot Pie (or Turkey pot Pie in my case!)

I stole some leftover turkey from thanksgiving and was happy to see that it timed perfectly with this recipe! Unlike many of the other recipes, I made the pie dough and rolled it out into the pan, but I did not pre-bake it. Instead, I started with the potpie filling. I softened celery and onions in butter and whisked in flour to form a roux. Once the flour was cooked, I added chicken stock and brought the mixture to a boil to thicken the sauce. I added in the carrots and turned the temperature down to simmer while I sautéed mushrooms and herbs in a sauté pan. I added the mushroom mixture to the thickened sauce and then put it in an ice bath to bring everything down to room temp (in order not to melt the butter in the pie dough and ensure a flaky crust). I filled the pie shell and topped it with another crust, did a light egg wash, and baked the pie for 45 minutes at 375-degrees. The pie smelled incredible when it came out the oven. I let it cool for 20 minutes before we dug in. The fresh herbs (chives, parsley, thyme) really added a brightness and nice contrast to the creamy sauce. We wound up eating this for two days and we were sad to see it disappear. The only change I would make is to use a little more flour because I prefer a really thick filling. I know what I’m doing with my leftover turkey next year!

On deck: Butterscotch Pie

Roasted Butternut Squash-Onion Pie

I told my Mom I would bring a side dish for Thanksgiving and this pie seemed to fit the bill. Since there were so many steps to this pie, I decided to spread it out over three days. On the first day, I made the pie dough and let it chill. Day two I rolled out the crust and blind baked it. I also roasted the butternut squash in a hot oven and caramelized a yellow onion on the stove. I let all of the vegetables cool overnight in the fridge. I also prepared the custard mixture by whisking together milk, eggs, pecorino cheese, chives, fresh thyme, sage, lemon zest, salt and pepper. On the third day, it was easy to assemble the pie. I layered the caramelized onions onto the bottom of the pie shell and then spread the butternut squash over it in an even layer. I poured the custard mixture over the veggies and baked in a 350-degree oven for 45 minutes. I took the pie home for the holiday and reheated it in an oven until warmed through. Overall, everyone really liked this vegetarian side dish option. I thought that the roasted squash and onions were delicious, but I felt that the lemon was overwhelming (maybe because I made the custard in advance?). I would like to try this again, but next time, up the herbs and take out the lemon zest. Verdict? It’s a keeper with a few modifications.

Up next: Herbed Chicken Pot Pie