Laura's Best Recipes: Pies and Tarts Archives

Roasted Apple Cinnamon Crumble

December 26, 2010 1:01 PM

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Roasted Apple Cinnamon Crumble

It's the day after Christmas and I thought I was done baking sweets. We've been baking and eating them for days but I guess I'm just not ready to stop. Doing so would be admitting the holidays are over. Since New Years is still a week away, I feel completely justified in continuing my quest to make the best sweets.

This morning I woke up thinking about apples. I happened to have some nice ones handy and so this crumble came to life. My mom and a good friend were visiting today so this seemed like a worthy investment of time on a lazy Sunday. Apple desserts of any kind are my husbands favorite. So, while he wandered off to go mountain biking on the trails near our house... I set off to make this dessert using leftover holiday ingredients. The measurements can be easily adjusted. You really can't screw up a crumble.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did! In fact, if my husband doesn't return from mountain biking soon... there may not be any left!

Long live the holidays!

Ingredients:

Apple Layers:

4 Granny Smith Apples (peeled, cored and sliced)
4 Honey Crisp Apples (peeled, cored and sliced)
2 tsp ground cinnamon (make sure it's fresh)
3/4 cup sugar
4 TBSP all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt (scant)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 TBSP apple schnapps
2 TBSP whipping cream

Crumb Topping:

1 cup organic gourmet granola (of your choice) *optional*
1 cup dark brown sugar
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 stick unsalted sweet cream butter (cut into cold cubes)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
dusting of fresh grated nutmeg

Method:

Preheat oven to broil. Add the apples, cinnamon and 3 tbsp of sugar to a roasting pan then toss apples to coat. Broil until the tops of the apples just begin to brown and sugars are gooey. Don't leave unattended as apples may burn. Toss the apples when you notice they are browning. Once they are caramelized but not cooked through, remove from heat and add remaining sugar, flour, vanilla extract and salt. When done set oven to 350 degrees.

While apples are in broiler, in a separate bowl mix the dark brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Set aside. Pulse granola in food processor until milled but still slightly chunky. Don't over process. Add granola to the same bowl. Add butter and slowly mix and squeeze with your hands until well mixed and a buttery crumb is created with large and small crumbs. I like to do this until I'm sure all the dry ingredients have been very well blended and are no longer dry or dusty.

In a large pie, gratin or casserole dish (about 9 x 9) place apples in layers so there are no gaps at the bottom of the dish. You can use more apples if you feel the layers aren't deep enough. Sometimes I use un-roasted granny smith apples cut into little chunks to fill any holes in the apple layers. Then cover with the brown sugar crumb mixture until apples are no longer showing. Dust lightly with freshly grated nutmeg.

Bake for about 1 hour at 350 or until the topping is golden brown and crisp and bonded together. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream with a little sugar in it. Add a drizzle of Baileys Irish Cream or Kahlua for an extra layer of flavor!

Enjoy!

Vanilla-Vanilla Bean Roasted Apple Pie

September 30, 2010 7:42 AM

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Vanilla-Vanilla Bean Roasted Apple Pie

Recipe and photo reprinted with permission by Chef Dawn Viola
www.wickedgooddinner.com

Dawn Viola of "Wicked Good Dinner" is an award-winning chef and food-writer. She won the 2009 Crisco National Apple Pie Championship (professional division) for this wonderful Vanilla Vanilla-Bean Roasted Apple Pie. Dawn has also appeared on Food Network, Fox News, Martha Stewart Radio, Cooking with Emeril and has been featured in Desserts Magazine. Most recently, she spent the summer working as an intern in America's Test Kitchen.

As I've admitted in previous posts, I do not consider myself a great baker. It's not that I don't enjoy it, I just spend more energy cooking then baking. Last year when I decided to make an apple pie during the holidays, I decided to try Dawn's national award-winning recipe. It was considered the best apple pie in America in 2009!

When I read the recipe, I immediately knew why she won. I loved the idea of a vanilla scented crust and roasted apples. Roasting anything magnifies the the intensity of the flavors. I was so pleased with this pie! The crust had little flecks of vanilla bean and is the best I've tasted. It was very easy to prepare. Roasting the apples will always be part of my pie process. This recipe uses Granny Smith apples which are tart, but roasting brings out a little extra sweetness.

This recipe calls for some organic and specialty ingredients that are well worth the investment. Aside from the great flavors, I felt good using such high quality ingredients and items like the vanilla powder opened new horizons for future recipes. I also went to my local culinary store in Boulder and bought some fun pastry tools to make the crust more elegant and festive. It was fun to play with the design and get creative.

Overall, I enjoyed making this pie so much that it will be part of my fall tradition. Although I may experiment with different varieties of apples or crust flavorings, I'll stick to most of Dawn's formula. Like all of her recipes, she spends countless hours testing and perfecting her dishes. Why mess with perfection! So here it is... the first place winning recipe by a very talented and passionate chef!

Enjoy!

Vanilla-Vanilla Bean Roasted Apple Pie

Ingredients:

For the crust:
2 1/2 cups Organic all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting/rolling
2 teaspoons Salt
1 tablespoon Vanilla powder
3 tablespoons Organic sugar
1 Vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
20 tablespoons (10 ounces) unsalted European style butter, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 tablespoon Apple cider vinegar, chilled
6 - 8 tablespoons Ice water (plus more if needed)

For the filling:
4 tablespoons European style butter
12 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced in large chunks
1 Vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon
1 cup Organic sugar
4 tablespoons Organic all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
2 tablespoons Apple cider
1 tablespoon heavy cream

For the egg wash:
1 egg
1 tablespoon of cream
Coarse sugar

Directions:
Measure out all ingredients and place in the freezer for 15 minutes. Place the food processor blade and bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Make the dough:
Place the food processor bowl back on the motor with the blade, as directed by the manufacturer. Combine flour, salt, vanilla powder, sugar and vanilla bean seeds in the food processor; pulse to mix.

Add butter cubes and pulse 10 times, or until the mixture begins to resemble coarse meal with varying sizes of fat - pea-sized + some larger and some smaller.

Add the vinegar and pulse to mix. Add one tablespoon of water at a time, pulsing to incorporate, until the mixture begins to clump together. Pinch some of the dough in your hand. If it sticks together, the dough is ready. If the dough does not stick to itself, add another tablespoon of water, pulse, and pinch the dough together again. Repeat until the dough holds together without being overly wet. Dough should be slightly crumbly, but hold together when pinched.

Remove dough from the food processor and transfer to a work surface. Divide the dough into two equal parts and gently shape into two flat round discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. (allowing to rest overnight is best)

Prepare the apples:
Preheat the broiler. Add apples, vanilla bean seeds, cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of the sugar to a roasting pan; toss apples to coat. Broil until the tops of the apples begin to brown. Apples can burn easily under the broiler, so don’t walk too far away. Toss apples as soon as you notice browning. Once apples are caramelized (but not cooked through), remove from heat and add the remaining sugar, the flour, vanilla extract and salt.

Add the apple cider and cream, stir to incorporate. Taste for seasoning – depending on how sweet or tart the apples are, you may need to add additional salt, sugar, vanilla or cinnamon to taste.

Finish the pie:
Place a 9” pie plate into the freezer. Remove one dough disc from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 5 - 10 minutes, or just long enough for it to become easy to roll, but still chilled. Lightly flour your work surface and roll dough out to a 12" circle, between 1/8 - 1/4" thick. Place in the bottom of the chilled 9” pie plate. Return to the refrigerator to chill. Remove after 5 minutes and add apples. Dot the top of the apples with remaining butter.

Remove second dough disc and roll out to a 12” circle on a lightly floured surface. Place on top of the apples and pinch the top and bottom dough edges together to enclose the apples. Add decorative edge if desired, and slice 1” air vents around the top of the pie.

Make the egg wash:
Beat the egg in a small dish and mix in cream. Lightly brush the egg wash over the top of the pie and along the edges. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake:Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Cover edges with aluminum foil if browning too quickly. Turn the pie in the oven, and continue to cook for another 15 minutes. Continue to cook in 7 minute intervals, as needed, until the crust is golden brown and flakey.

Cool:
Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least two hours before cutting and serving.

Chef's Notes:
Because it's impossible to determine how much juice an apple will give up after being salted and sugared, it's always best to mix the apples with seasonings in a separate bowl, as explained above, instead of adding the apples to the pie and then sprinkling the seasoning over the apples (as most recipes will suggest). This will allow you to control the amount of liquid you add to the pie. Use a slotted spoon to add the fruit to your bottom pie crust, which will allow you to see just how much juice is left in the bottom of the bowl. You'll need about 1/4 cup of the juice. If you have more in the bottom of the bowl after removing the fruit, take only 1/4 cup and pour over the apples. Top with the top crust dough and bake.

Praline Pumpkin Pie

October 21, 2009 10:41 AM

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Praline Pumpkin Pie

Recipe and photos with permission by:

Deeba Rajpal (Twitter @vindee) of

http://www.passionateaboutbaking.com/

I was on Twitter yesterday and saw another blogging friend post a link to this recipe and one simple line . . . "be still my heart." And when I saw this recipe I thought.... wow, be still MY heart!

The Twitter blogging community is so full of talented chefs, home cooks, photographers and just passionate and creative people. Deeba Rajpal has the most stunning baking blog called www.passionateaboutbaking.com. I can't think of a more appropriate name. She usually writes about her own recipes or those of friends, but this one came from a wonderful book that is just being published called Park Avenue Potluck CELEBRATIONS. Aside from the great recipes in the book, it's also a fundraiser for cancer. To read more about that, please visit Deeba's blog. And then don't just visit it, bookmark it because she is always making something wonderful and sharing her recipes. You may also become her Twitter buddy by following @vindee.

Now, back to the pie. I. Love. Pumpkin. Pie. It's my favorite and I've seen some creative variations . . . but this one takes the cake, er... well...takes the pie! I intend to add this to my Thanksgiving table this year and hope you do too!

Pumpkin Praline Pie - Recipe
from Park Avenue Potluck CELEBRATIONS
Makes 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients:

½ recipe - your favorite
2 tablespoons apricot jam
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons canned, frozen, or freshly cooked unseasoned pumpkin puree
¾ cup granulated sugar
1¾ cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons whole milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons dark rum
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup light brown sugar
½ cup coarsely chopped pecans
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Pie Shell Ingredients:

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, measured by dip-and-sweep
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ¼-inch pats
3–3½ tablespoons ice water

METHOD:

PIe Shell:

Mix flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor fitted with steel blade. Scatter butter over dry ingredients; process until mixture resembles cornmeal, 7 to 12 seconds. Turn mixture into a medium-sized bowl.

Drizzle 3 tablespoons of water over flour mixture. With blade side of a rubber spatula, cut mixture into little balls. Then press down on mixture with broad side of spatula so balls stick together in large clumps. If dough resists gathering, sprinkle remaining water over dry, crumbly patches and press a few more times. Form dough into a ball with your hands; wrap in plastic, then flatten into a 4-inch disk. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. (Can be refrigerated for 2 days or, if sealed airtight in a plastic bag, frozen for up to 6 months.)

Generously sprinkle a 2-foot square work area with flour. Remove dough from wrapping and place disk in center; dust top with flour. (If it has been chilled for more than 1 hour, let dough stand until it gives slightly when pressed, 5 to 10 minutes.) Roll dough in all directions, from center to edges, rotating a quarter turn and strewing flour underneath as necessary after each stroke. Flip disk over when it is 9 inches in diameter and continue to roll (but don’t rotate) in all directions, until it is 13 to 14 inches in diameter and just under 1/8-inch thick.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Roll out the pastry and line a 9-inch glass pie pan. Trim the edges and crimp with a fork. Line the pastry with a sheet of foil and pile in pastry weights or dried beans. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then remove the foil liner and weights and bake for another 10 minutes, until lightly colored.

Remove from the oven and cool.

Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Brush the bottom of the crust with the jam. Place the pumpkin puree in a large bowl and beat in the granulated sugar, 1 cup of the cream, the milk, eggs, rum, spices, and salt. Pour into the prepared crust, place in the oven, and bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake for about 20 minutes longer, until the filling is set. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a rack.

Preheat the broiler. Combine the brown sugar, pecans, and melted butter in a small bowl and sprinkle over the top of the pie. Cover the crimped pastry edge with a strip of foil and broil for a few minutes, just until the topping bubbles, watching carefully so it does not burn. Transfer the pie to a rack and cool completely, about 1 hour.

Whip the remaining 1 cup cream and serve it with the pie.

Bananas Foster Creme Pie

June 12, 2009 3:27 PM

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Banana’s Foster Cream Pie

Photos and Recipe Reprinted with Permission by

www.evilshenanigans.com

This is such a smart recipe. Take a classic dessert like Bananas Foster and turn it into a creme pie. The writers of www.evilshenanigans.com came up with this on a whim and I bet it will become a classic of its own.

Here is the recipe, in her own words:

Yield 1-9″ Pie

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Caramel Sauce:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup light brown sugar, loosely packed

2 tablespoons cream

2 tablespoons dark rum

Filling:

2-3 bananas sliced

2 1/2 cups milk, 2% or higher

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon all-spice

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Topping:

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon dry gelatin

1 tablespoon water, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons sugar

Cinnamon for dusting

Heat the oven to 350 F.

Method:

In a bowl mix the brown sugar, graham cracker crumbs and melted butter until well mixed. Pour into a 9″ pie plate and press it evenly into the pan.

Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool while you prepare the caramel.

In a small skillet melt the butter and brown sugar over medium low heat. Allow it to come to a boil, turn the heat down to low and cook for 30 seconds.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream and rum. Allow to cool slightly.

Slice two to three bananas and layer the slices on the bottom of the pie crust.

Pour the caramel evenly over the bananas. Allow to cool at room temperature while you prepare the custard.

In a heavy saucepan combine the sugar, cornstarch, salt, vanilla bean paste, and spices. Pour over the milk and mix well. In a separate bowl mix the eggs and egg yolk well. Pour it into the milk mixture and whisk until well combined.

Cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a simmer. Cook for 30 seconds then remove from heat.

Strain the mixture into a large bowl, then whisk in the butter.

Pour the custard over the bananas and caramel. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure it is pressed directly against the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Chill for at least four hours, but overnight is better.

To finish the pie mix the dry gelatin with the water in a small microwave save bowl. Allow to bloom for two minutes. Once bloomed, heat in the microwave for 10 seconds. Stir and allow to come to room temperature.

In a large bowl add the cream. Mix on medium speed until it begins to develop large bubbles. Add the vanilla and increase the speed to medium high. Add the sugar and the cooled gelatin. Increase the speed to high and beat until it thickens and holds soft peaks. Spread the cream over the cooled pie and dust with cinnamon. Chill for thirty minutes before slicing and serving.

I did get this shot of the last slice in the pan, from across the room, before my brother ate it.

Read Full Post Bananas Foster Creme Pie.

Peggy's Baked Autumn Alaska - Pumpkin Pie

November 2, 2008 9:55 AM

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My mother used to make a Thanksgiving dessert that she called Autumn Alaska. It was originally inspired by the traditional Baked Alaska dessert - but used a full size pumpkin pie as the base, then a layer of ice cream topped by meringue. It was both beautiful and delicious. In the 1970's, her recipe was published in a cookbook in the San Francisco area.

Unfortunately, she no longer has her exact recipe, but she was able to put this together based upon her memory and what she found on-line. It's more of a concept than an exact recipe. You may use your own favorite pumpkin pie recipe or crust. The pumpkin pie recipes calling for molasses got the best reviews for us. It would be best if you could practice making this before attempting the recipe for a special event. On Thanksgiving, plan to assemble w/ice cream and bake just before serving after dinner.

Once perfected... the end result is a beautiful meringue pie with ice cream and pumpkin pie on the inside. It's a unique twist to simple pumpkin pie.

Recipe is ready in 2-5 hours. There is a degree of difficulty.

Serves/Makes: 12

Pumpkin Pie (or use your favorite recipe)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 cup (or less if you prefer) tablespoons molasses (makes flavor more rich)
3 egg yolks -- slightly beaten
1 can (16 ounce size) pumpkin
1 can (13 ounce size) evaporated milk
1 pint high quality Vanilla or French Vanilla ice cream

Single-Crust Pastry

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening,
1 tablespoon shortening (separate use from the 1/3 cup listed above)
2 tablespoons cold water

Brown Sugar Meringue

5 egg whites (room temperature)
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
10 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare pastry.

Mix remaining pie ingredients except ice cream and meringue. Pour into pastry-lined 10" pie plate. Bake 15 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake until knife inserted in center comes out clean, about 45 minutes longer. Refrigerate baked pie at least 1 hour.

Soften ice cream slightly; press ice cream into waxed paper-lined pie plate, 8 ×1 1/2 inches (make sure it's about an inch smaller than your pie pan) Freeze until very cold and solid. It's very important that the ice cream pie plate by smaller than the pumpkin pie dish.

Just before serving, heat oven to 500 degrees F. Prepare Brown Sugar Meringue. Unmold ice cream and invert (upside down) on pie; remove waxed paper.

Spoon meringue onto pie, covering ice cream completely and sealing meringue to edge of crust. Bake until golden brown (watch very closely), 2 to 3 minutes.

Serve immediately. Because this has ice cream, it will not keep - plan to eat it all!

Additional Instructions:

BROWN SUGAR MERINGUE: Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy.

Beat in brown sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time; continue beating until stiff and glossy. Do not underbeat. Beat in vanilla.

PASTRY: Mix flour and salt. Cut in lard until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons water can be added if necessary).

Gather pastry into ball; shape into flattened round on lightly floured cloth-covered surface. Roll pastry 2 inches larger than inverted pie plate with floured cloth-covered rolling pin. Fold pastry into fourths; unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side.

Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of plate. Fold and roll pastry under, even with plate. Flatten pastry evenly on rim of pie plate. Press firmly around edge with tines of fork, dipping fork into flour occasionally to prevent sticking. Or build up edge of pastry.

Place index finger on inside of pastry edge and knuckles (or thumb and index finger) on outside. Pinch pastry into V shape; pinch again to sharpen. Fill and bake as directed in recipe.

For Baked Pie Shell: Heat oven to 475 degrees F. Prick bottom and side thoroughly with fork. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown; cool.

Recently in Pies and Tarts

Roasted Apple Cinnamon Crumble

Vanilla-Vanilla Bean Roasted Apple Pie

Praline Pumpkin Pie

Bananas Foster Creme Pie

Peggy's Baked Autumn Alaska - Pumpkin Pie

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