blueberry-almond double crust pie

Why wait for summer to have blueberry pie? And why have boring pie? Let's add something in there this time. What goes with blueberry? Well on a recent research quest to find the perfect croissant on cape cod (and it's hard let me tell you). I had a fairly decent almond croissant and though wow, there should be blueberries in here. That almond, crunchy, sugary paste is so good and a tart blueberry would pair nicely with it. So, I'm sure this has been done before, somewhere....

It's really easy to do, I just used a double crust and filled the two layers of the crust with that wonderful almond paste by King Arthur (or you can make your own or use whatever brand you like). If you do decide to make this, please read recipe instruction beforehand. It's worth the effort...it really is. The subtle flavor of the almond paste is heavenly.

I want to make almond croissants. I just have such a craving for them. My quest to find croissants around here are sad. Therefore I must make my own. Anyone had success with making almond croissants? Would love to hear about it.

Fill with a 1/4 cup or so of fresh almond paste. Then cover with another layer of pie crust. I've used pre-made pie crusts here--they work wonderful! Or you can use homemade pie crust; I've included a link in the recipe. 

Fill with blueberries, cover with pie crust, egg wash. Bake. Done!

Blueberry-Almond Pie
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cook notes: I do not like to make my blueberry pies too sweet in general. I only added in 1/4 cup of sugar. If you like your pies sweet you might want to add more sugar in. Also, with my crust, sometimes I like to tuck the crust under and not out with edges. Feel free to do it how you want. Sometimes I just like to tuck them under to have a neat, round pie--just for fun. You don't have to add a double crust on the top like I did. I'm just a crust-junkie so that's why I did it. But you might like it. If you like your blueberry filling a little more runny and juicy then only add in 1 TB cornstarch.

Crust:
2 - One double crust (so we need 4 layers of pie crust or you could use 3: 2 on bottom and 1 on top. I used 2 on bottom, 2 on top. Do what you want, but we need 2 for bottom in order to fill the pie crusts w/ almond filling).
If you need a good pie crust and want to know what I always use, it's Martha Stewart's recipe. Martha's basic pie dough never fails me. But you use what you like or use pre-made pie crusts. Keep in mind the pre-made one's might cook differently than homemade; just keep an eye on them when baking. In this recipe I used the pre-made pie crusts; they work wonderful!

Filling ingredients:
2 ½ pints of blueberries
2 TB fresh lemon juice
2 TB cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar

About ¼ cup of almond paste

Pie egg wash:
1 egg
2 TB heavy cream

In a glass combine the pie egg wash and mix/beat very well
In a bowl combine blueberries, lemon juice, cornstarch, and sugar. Mix well. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Spray your 9 inch pie pan with non stick spray. Place a layer of pie crust down. Fill & spread the almond paste. Cover with another layer of crust. Seal up the edges to close. Fill with blueberries. Take your egg wash and brush the edges of the pie. Place top layer of pie and seal all edges. Do it how you like but I like to tuck mine underneath. Feel free to do it however you like, just make sure they are sealed good.
Brush the rim of the crust with the egg wash and the entire pie. Poke a few slits on the top of pie before baking to let steam escape.
Place pie on a sheet lined with parchment paper.
At this point some of you might like to chill your pie. Please go ahead if you want too. I do not like to chill mine. I’ve never ever noticed a difference when I chilled it (unless it's summer or a hot kitchen). But do what works for you when handling pie doughs.
When ready to bake place pie in preheated 425 degree over and bake for about 15 minutes. Then turn heat down to 350 degrees and bake another 30 to 40 minutes. Mine was done at 30 minute mark; please check at the 30 minute mark.
To know when it’s done? Look for browned edges, bubbly insides.
Let cool before serving. Should serve 6-8.

crispy buttermilk-cheddar waffles w/ kielbasa maple syrup

When I go to diners I love to see what people are eating. Curious to see if they are like me: do they love their bacon or sausage dripping in maple syrup? Do they love cheesy grits with maple syrup? Do they have to take a bite of pancake with a bite of maple dripping bacon? And you know its great when I see there are others out there like me who think of breakfast as the absolute best time for the ultimate creations in sweet with savory. Sure desserts are another way of indulging in the whole sweet and savory family, but I truly think breakfast takes the crown. So many variations, creations can come of sweet and savory for breakfast and brunch.

To share a secret passion of mine: I have wanted for some time now to do a little bit of research on when and where or even who started the whole sweet & savory thing. I mean possibly it might not be just one person, could be a country or culture that had it in it's existence and it gradually made it over here to the US. It would be fascinating to see and learn--don't you think? As a kid I don't remember the whole sweet and savory thing being too popular, but I really wasn't reading cookbooks as a child, just watching Julia Child and Sesame Street. Julia did have one episode of cheese stuffed crepes with some sort of jam or cherry reduction. I remember this because she flambéed it. Best part.

What's your favorite "diner special"? And what's the best diner you've ever been to?

Mine would be corned beef hash, poached eggs, bacon all smothered in a perfect hollandaise sauce. Best diner? Man, that's hard a lot of good ones in NYC and New Jersey.

Crispy buttermilk-cheddar waffles w/ kielbasa-maple syrup
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Use your favorite waffle or buttermilk waffle recipe (that would serve 2-4 people)
Add to the batter ½ - ¾ cup of mild cheddar cheese, shredded
Cook as normal.

For the kielbasa-maple syrup:
Chopped kielbasa, small chunks (about ¾ - 1 cup)
1 cup or more of maple syrup

Fry up the kielbasa until nice and crispy. Degrease a little of the oil out of pan, then pour in the maple syrup, turn heat to low, and let heat up until waffles are done. Don't let it boil! Just warmed through. When waffles are done pour the hot kielbasa syrup over them.

If you don’t have a waffle recipe here is one from Cook's Illustrated:

Buttermilk Waffles
Makes about eight 7-inch round waffles.

While the waffles can be eaten as soon as they are removed from the waffle iron, they will have a crispier exterior if rested in a warm oven for 10 minutes. (This method also makes it possible to serve everyone at the same time.) Buttermilk powder is available in most supermarkets and is generally located near the dried-milk products or in the baking aisle. Leftover buttermilk powder, which can be used in a number of baking applications, can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a year. Seltzer or club soda gives these waffles a light texture that would otherwise be provided by whipped egg whites. (Avoid sparkling water such as Perrier—it’s not bubbly enough.) Use a freshly opened container for maximum lift. Serve waffles with butter and warmed maple syrup.

2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup dried buttermilk powder (see note)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups unflavored seltzer water

Instructions
1.1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet and place baking sheet in oven. Whisk flour, sugar, salt, buttermilk powder, and baking soda in large bowl to combine. Whisk sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and oil in medium bowl to combine. Gently stir seltzer into wet ingredients. Make well in center of dry ingredients and pour in wet ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir until just combined. Batter should remain slightly lumpy with streaks of flour.

2.2. Heat waffle iron and bake waffles according to manufacturer’s instructions (use about 1/3 cup for 7-inch round iron). Transfer waffles to rack in warm oven and hold for up to 10 minutes before serving with butter and maple syrup.

Technique
For Crispier Texture, Ban the Butter
For crispier results, we swapped the melted butter in our batter for oil. Unlike butter, oil contributes no moisture to the waffle. The exterior of the waffle can thus reach a higher temperature faster, giving the crust more time to form. Plus, oil helps keep the waffle cripe after it comes off the heat: As pure as fat, it is better able to repel water, keeping interior moisture from migrating to the waffle's dry, browned surface and turning it limp.

quarter pound double chocolate-mint stuffed cookies

Yep another 1/4 lb cookie. I'm on a mission people. A mission to make as many varieties of quarter pound cookies as I can. Yes, I am Levain Bakery obsessed. One of my close friends Esi says I need an intervention. Is there a rehab place for those obsessed with Levain Bakery cookies? In Malibu or something? As I type this up I am eating one and having a very hard time concentrating.
You know I made the double chocolate Levain Bakery clones here, and have always wanted to factor in a mint element somewhere in there. I don't want a lot of mint because the chocolate in these cookies is high quality and strong--so I don't want that to get lost with a mint extract. Next best thing I thought are those York peppermint patties. They aren't too minty and will offer a small little package of something something in the middle of the giant HOCKEY PUCK sized cookies.

Can you guess what the next quarter pound cookie creation will be?





quarter pound double chocolate mint stuffed cookies
recipe by & from vanillasugarblog.com
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2 and ¾ sticks unsalted butter, grated & cold
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 TB half & half (or cream)
1 ½ ts pure vanilla extract
3 cups all purpose flour
½ cup + 2 TB cocoa powder (not dutch process)
1 TB cinnamon (if you have Vietnamese cinnamon use it)
Oversized ¾ ts sea salt
1 and ½ ts baking powder
½ ts baking soda
2 cups 60 % or higher cocoa dark & milk chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (a combo of dark & milk)
10 candy mint patties (like York peppermint patties)

Grate your butter into a bowl; keep in freezer until ready to use.
In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, or by hand beat butter and both sugars just until creamy. Don’t overbeat. Add in the eggs, vanilla, and half & half and beat just until incorporated.
In another bowl mix the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
When thoroughly mixed, add to batter and stir just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips.
Keep in mind this dough is very hard to mix, sticky and thick. I just get in there and use my hands to mix, cover bowl, and get back in the fridge as soon as possible. Recipe by dawn Finicane of vanillasugarblog.com We want to keep this dough nice and cold. Chill dough at least an hour before baking.
Divide dough into 10 – 12 lemon size balls. Don’t shape as a lemon though, just shape as a nice round ball. Spilt ball in half, insert a peppermint patty, cover with other half and seal all edges. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet—keeping them 3-4 inches apart. Now back into the fridge to chill.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Depending on your oven, these should need anywhere from 12- 15 minutes to cook. It’s hard to tell when they are done, but look for:
- slightly crisp edges
- soft in the middle
- cracks in dough ok
- all around semi firm

If you have a convection oven you might need to bake these at 365 for about 12 – 14 minutes.
Don’t overbake or they will turn into scones.
Once baked don’t try and move the cookies off the pan, they will break apart, let them rest at least an hour before moving them.
Makes 10-12 giant cookies. (mine made 10—I just wanted them huge this time round)

quarter pound oatmeal-raisin cookies

Remember my obsession with Levain Bakery cookies? How I made the chocolate chip cookies and the double chocolate cookies? Both quarter pound cookies? Well, I made an oatmeal-raisin version.
I know this is isn't very valentine's day'ish. But I didn't make anything for VD. Shame shame. But I know there are a lot of you out there that love Levain Cookies as much as I do so this is just like a present--in a baker sort of way. No?

quarter pound oatmeal-raisin cookies
(loosely based on the levain bakery cc cookies)
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8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted Irish butter, cold & grated (you can use whatever butter you like)
4 ounces cream cheese, room temp
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 ts vanilla
2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
1 ¾ cup rolled oats
3/4 ts sea salt
1 and ¼ ts baking powder
1/2 ts baking soda
1 cup walnuts
1 cup raisins

If using dough right away, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. (It’s best to chill, though; I chilled overnight)
(keep in mind this is a very dry dough, and will be hard to mix once you put the raisins & nuts in; I used my hands). See also notes on cooking times below.
In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter, cream cheese, and both sugars just until creamy. Don’t overbeat. Add the egg and vanilla and beat just until incorporated.
Stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add in the oats and mix. Then add the dry to the wet batters. When thoroughly mixed, stir in raisins and walnuts.
Divide dough into 12 big 4 oz lumps. Mold into golfballs; do not press flat! Keep them as balls on the cookie sheets. Bake on ungreased cookies sheets (one sheet at a time). (I chilled my dough balls BEFORE baking)
Bake times (how I’ve done it the past few times; pick one if you dare):
Put the cookies in a 375 degree oven and set timer for 8 minutes. When timer rings, without opening oven or removing cookies, reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for another 8-10 minutes or until cookies appear set.
OR I did mine at 375 degrees for about 21 - 23 minutes or until done. (Mine were done in 21 minutes).
Also if you have a convection your cooking time will go down a couple minutes.
Makes 12 (mine made 13)

almond joy bites w/ cookie crust

So you've heard this story before....love those almond joys BUT they need to be 'kicked up'. Me and my endless task(s) of making candies, cookies, cakes, muffins, etc... better is a never ending journey people. But have no fear I will prevail and continue on--just for you. :-)
This was on the 'to create' list for some time now: "kick up the infamous almond joy". I can now cross that off the list. Need I say these are just fabulous? They are. They are also very very rich. And I must warn you a little hard to handle; the crumbles fall apart in this shape. So if you were to make these, consider doing so in a tart pan instead. It'll work a lot easier for handling.

**Side note: a lot of you have asked why the copyright stamp on all the photos? It ruins the photos to see wording on there. I agree! But I have so much photo theft that I have to put it on there. I wish people would make their own photos and stop using mine, but that doesn't happen. So sadly I have to put these watermarks on there. I hate it too, trust me.
A wonderful friend of mine Deb from tasteandtellblog.com did a fun little interview on me and my blog. Come check it out here.

almond joy bites with cookie crust
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Filling:
9-10 ounces sweetened coconut
14 ounces of condensed milk

Cookie crust:
10 ounce pack of Lorna Doone cookies (or any other thick butter shortbread cookie is fine), crushed fine
1 stick of butter, melted
Pinch of salt

Coating:
High quality dark chocolate

Garnish:
Smokey/salty almonds

Combine coconut with condensed milk until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and set in fridge.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter and in a bowl combine it with the crushed cookies and salt. Mix well and pour into greased muffin cups or tart pan (with removable bottom).
Bake the crust for about 10 – 15 minutes or until set. Don’t let it brown! Let cool completely.
When cooled fill cups with a nice size scoop of the coconut mixture; making sure to NOT let the mixture touch the sides of the pan. We want the chocolate to drip down the sides (see photo). Cover muffin pan with parchment paper and let set up in fridge for at least a couple hours.
Melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler. Remove coconut bites from muffin pan, and set on wire rack to pour chocolate over. Or you could leave them in the cups and pour chocolate into cups. They should release out fine (I don’t know as I used the wire racks to cover in chocolate). Top with smokey almonds. Let set before devouring.

Notes: you could use a tart pan instead of muffin cups. Make sure to grease your pans well. I don’t know if milk chocolate would work in this. And remember the cookie crust is delicate, so use the coconut as your base when ready to drizzle with chocolate.