Holiday Pies at the CIA!

Years ago, my husband and I lived in Chicago. Every Thanksgiving, I cooked an elaborate Thanksgiving dinner with a huge turkey, various trimmings, an appetizer course, hors d'oeuvres, and a couple of pies for dessert. All this for three people: he, me, and my younger sister, who would take the train out from college to spend the week as our Thanksgiving Visitor. It was blissful.

When our son was born, we moved the hundreds of miles back to New York to live closer to our parents (both sets of whom live in the same town ~ !) so we could do family-type things like celebrate holidays and get free babysitting.

Because my dad is a chef, I no longer cook Thanksgiving dinner. He hogs the spotlight by making a huge turkey, 35 side dishes, homemade cranberry relish, and about 50 appetizers that do a pretty good job of making the big meal anticlimactic. As the baker, I get assigned desserts.

Now, as you might imagine, it takes some pretty spectacular desserts to rouse any interest at all after this stupendous feast. My father's Thanksgiving dinner is not an easy act to follow. Over the years, I've refined my techniques so that the pies I make and bring tend to actually get eaten, which, you'll have to trust me here, is a tremendous compliment on its own.

This year, I'll be bringing my A-est game though. I'm going to the CIA ~ that's the Culinary Institute of America, folks ~ for their "Holiday Pies at the CIA" class! I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to this. Going back to the CIA is, for me, like what I imagine it would be for Alice to return to Wonderland (the good parts, that is).

When I told my chef friend at the restaurant where I work about my pie class, he said, "Do you think you really need a class on how to make pie?" (And yes, I did hug him, bless his heart.) I thought about it. And friends, the answer is yes. Because although I've made probably thousands of pies using scores of different techniques, there is never a point at which you stop learning. And every time I go back to the CIA for a class or a bootcamp, I learn something new, something expanding and relevant to the job I do at work or at home.

Plus, making all my Thanksgiving pies in someone else's kitchen with no cleanup at home and lunch at the CIA? Priceless.

If you want to get in on the action and live in the New York-Connecticut-Massachusetts area, check it out. The Holiday Pies class is offered on Monday 11/23, Tuesday 11/24, and Wednesday 11/25. And coming up in December, they'll be offering a Holiday Cookies Class. Wonderland, here I come.

Pear-Ginger Galette with Pecan Streusel

Welcome to the countdown-to-Thanksgiving pie clinic! We're a week away, so we have plenty of time to get comfortable with pie pastry and think about some options for our holiday pies.

I've covered basic pie pastry in an earlier post, so what I'd like to address here is a little different. If you're planning to make a number of pies but have only a few pie plates, this is the post for you. Here, I'll go over the basics of the galette (or crostata), a terrific way to simplify the pie-making process.

The galette is basically a free-form pie or tart, made on a baking sheet instead of in a pie plate. The effect is rustic and unfussy, with plenty of charm. You can simply pile your fruit in an untidy, wanton heap in the center of your pastry, or you can take pains to pretty up your galette by arranging your fruit slices in careful concentric rings, forming an eye-catching spiral that belies its simplicity. Either way, the end result is going to be beautiful.

Here, I've used pears and ginger, with a pecan streusel. Feel free to exchange the pears for apples, peaches, or plums; omit the streusel if you desire; or add cranberries, raspberries, or raisins. Once you master the technique of pleating the pastry crust, you'll have a wonderful pastry option at your disposal any time you need to put together a quick dessert.

For tips on how to achieve success with this and other, similar pastry, scroll down to the "Recipe Notes" section.

Pear-Ginger Galette with Pecan Streusel

• 1 single-crust pastry
• 1/4 cup graham-cracker crumbs
  
• 6 cups peeled, cored, sliced pears
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 11/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

For Streusel:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 tablespoon minced crystallized ginger (approx. .5 oz)
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

• Cream
• Turbinado sugar
  

1. Roll out pastry in a circle about 1/8th inch thick. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet and spread 1/4 cup graham-cracker crumbs in middle of pastry, leaving a 2-inch margin. Set aside in refrigerator or freezer.

2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, salt, flour, cinnamon, and lemon zest. Set aside. In another small mixing bowl or cup, combine ginger and lemon juice. Place pear slices in a large mixing bowl. Pour lemon-ginger mixture over and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle with cinnamon mixture and toss again.
3. Make streusel: combine flour, sugars, and cinnamon. Cut in butter using a pastry blender. Add minced ginger and pecans; toss.
4. Mound pear slices in the center of the pastry, going to the edge of the graham-cracker crumbs. Fold up the edge of pastry, crimping and folding as you go, until you've made a complete circuit around the mound of pears and the entire margin is folded over the filling.

5. Sprinkle the Ginger-Pecan Streusel in the center, covering the pears. Lightly brush the crust with cream and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.

6. Place galette in preheated oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until crust is golden and crumb topping is lightly browned. If the top bakes faster than the crust, place a small square of foil over the center.
7. Let cool completely on pan before removing to serving plate. Serve warm with Cinnamon Brown Sugar Ice Cream, if desired. Refrigerate leftovers.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Recipe Notes:

• Although I like to use all butter in my pie crusts, for my galette and crostata doughs, I prefer to use a bit of shortening. Because these doughs don't have the structure of a pie plate to keep them in line, they have a tendency to spread out over the pan and lose their shape. This isn't necessarily a problem, just a cosmetic issue that is readily remedied by replacing a portion (say, a third) of the butter in your favorite pastry recipe with a good-quality shortening.
  
• If you roll out your dough between two pieces of plastic wrap, it's a piece of cake to transfer to your baking sheet. Just flip it over periodically during the rolling process to make sure both sides are uniform.

• You can make several batches of dough in advance. Roll it into a round, wrap it well in plastic wrap, label and date it, and toss it in the freezer. When you're ready to use it, just defrost and voila! Ready-to-bake pie pastry.
• Don't worry about breaking the butter down evenly into your flour mixture. In fact, you want there to be visible lumps of different sizes, ranging from lentils to green peas. In the oven, it's these lumps of butter that will melt down and create pockets of steam, which produce the flaky layers that comprise perfect pastry.
  

Peach Pepita Paleo Cookies

If you are a regular at The Baker's Bench, you'll know that this recipe is a little different from my usual fare. I can explain. I have a couple of friends who are very disciplined and health-minded and who subscribe to a "paleo" diet, which apparently consists mainly of meat and vegetables. They eat few or no processed foods ~ and that includes flour (even healthy, whole grain flour! ~ crazy, right? But I digress).

Because they insist on depriving themselves of butter-and-sugar deliciousness most days of the week but still enjoy oven love, I came up with this recipe. If you voluntarily choose to go through life without benefit of pizza or ice cream ~ something I'm quite positive I'm not genetically equipped to do ~ it's my feeling that you should at least be able to enjoy a cookie now and then.


So I carefully looked up all the ingredients and cross-checked them against various lists of accepted paleo foods. Honey is a little controversial, but I used raw honey, and since there are cave paintings that depict early man gathering honey from hives built into cliffs, I say that's good enough.

What do these cookies taste like? Pretty good, actually. On the level of a granola bar in terms of sweetness. The texture reminds me of a soft Florentine (the lack of sugar ~ white or brown ~ prevents this cookie from getting crispy). Overall, I consider these a good "weekday" cookie. Not indulgent, not swoon-worthy, but a nice virtuous snacking cookie. My kids liked them, and they're low in sugar, have no added fat, and have a good bit of protein and vitamins from the nuts, seeds, and peaches. Not bad for a cookie.

Peach Pepita Paleo Cookies

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons ground almonds
• 2 egg whites
• 2 tablespoons raw honey
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 2 T pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
  
• ¼ cup chopped dried peaches
• Ground cinnamon and ginger to taste
• Pinch salt
  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Stir all ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl. Spoon out by scant tablespoon onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake cookies at 350 degrees F for 10 to 11 minutes, until edges are golden brown. Let sit on pan 2 minutes before removing to rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.


Recipe Notes:

• You can purchase dried peaches but I like to dry my own in the dehydrator my wonderful husband bought for my birthday. I find dark, unsulfured peaches or apricots unappetizing, but I strongly dislike the idea of using sulfur to preserve the color. So, to prevent them from turning dark as they dry, I dip the peach slices in cold water to which a little bit of lemon juice, grated ginger, and honey has been added. They stay a beautiful vibrant color long after drying.
  
• If you don't like peaches or want some variety, try raisins, chopped prunes, or chopped dried apricots instead. Craisins and other dried cranberries are almost always sweetened and would therefore not be considered paleo-friendly, so bear that in mind if it's a concern for you.
  
• You can make these with ground walnuts or ground pecans instead of almonds. Grind them in your food processor; just be careful not to overgrind or you'll end up with nut butter.
• You can add dried unsweetened coconut and banana chips for a nice variation. Just be sure to use unsweetened if you're on observing a paleo or similar diet.
  

'Tis the Season for Holiday Baking!

Thanksgiving is coming ~ are you ready? Maybe you've got your pantry shelves stocked with molasses and pecans, brown sugar and cans of pumpkin puree, and you're knee-deep in magazine clippings featuring recipes you can't wait to try.

Or . . . maybe the thought of producing pastry for the most high-profile pies of the year makes you break out into the cold sweat of dread, and the pressure to produce feather-light biscuits just like Grandma's is starting to give you indigestion already. Relax, I'm here to help.


What's your biggest baking headache? Is it leather-tough pastry crusts? No problem, we can fix that! Soon, your legendarily tender, flaky crusts will be the talk of your family table, and before you know it, you'll be baking pies on demand every Thanksgiving! (Okay, so it's a blessing and a curse.)

Is it yeast dough that intimidates you and keeps you shelling out the big bucks for breads to grace your holiday table? Not anymore! You can make friends with that ornery little organism we call yeast and you'll be turning out artisanal-style loaves that will charm your guests without breaking your bank.

Frankly, we all have our baking betes noires, don't we? Especially when it comes to holiday favorites. (So much pressure!) But I'd like to help you break down some of the hurdles that may be causing you unnecessary trouble. So, let's get baking. By the time T-Day rolls around, you'll be excited to show off those mad pastry skills!

Stay tuned over the next couple of weeks as we work through pie and tart pastry, fall holiday yeast breads, biscuits, and the like. And I'd like to invite you to take the survey in the sidebar. Your answers will help me know where to direct the focus of my posts. Also, feel free to comment or e-mail me directly with specific requests for help tackling baked goods that you find especially troublesome or tricky.

Let's make some oven love this season!

BYOB Roundup ~ November 1, 2009

Beth of Kitchen Courage makes me hungry. She does. Even when I'm not hungry, she still has the power to entice me. But the best part? Her offerings are virtuous, folks ~ incredibly delicious-looking and -sounding breads and spreads that I could eat (even right NOW when I'm not even hungry) without the slightest bit of guilt. Don't believe me? Go and see for yourself. This month? Wheat-Beer Bread with (bonus!) Roasted Butternut Hummus!

Shirley of Plum Bush Cottage takes that daunting step every serious baker must eventually undertake . . . the Sourdough Starter! And wow, if you haven't done this yet and need some inspiration, be sure to stop by the Cottage!

I feel I must warn you . . . if you suffer from a lack of self-control or are trying to avoid dangerously tempting desserts, please do not visit Chrystal and Amir at The Duo Dishes! If you have an iron will or can master your passions with exceptional skill, go and see their alluring offerings of oven love: Almond Strawberry Cake with Whipped Chocolate Ganache, Sugar Cookie Pops, Chocolate and Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies, Frosted Sugar Cookies, Apple Raisin Walnut Cake, and Chocolate Peanut Butter Blondies. You've been warned!

Alyssa of Sour Cream and Jam has been a very busy baker, luckily for us! If you don't already have some baking time built into your schedule over the next couple of weeks, maybe you'll want to take a vacation day once you see these links! Poor Man's Brioche Buns (BBA), Casatiello (BBA), Challah (BBS), Ciabatta al Funghi (BBA), Beranbaum's Best Buns, Cinnamon Rolls (BBA), Cinnamon Rolls (Mom's recipe), Pumpkin Graham Crackers, Macarons (Daring Bakers).

Di of Di's Kitchen Notebook brings us a fall favorite ~ Cranberry Pecan Celebration Rolls. I'm thinking these would be a major hit for Thankgiving Day breakfast . . . with a cup of coffee and the Macy's Day Parade on TV, heavenly!

Cathy of The Bread Experience offers an absolutely lovely Pumpkin Cranberry Braid. Those of you dining at others' homes this Thanksgiving take note: this bread looks like the perfect hostess gift (but be advised that it may steal the show ~ so practice your humble face in advance).

Courtney of Coco Cooks celebrates Cinnamon Roll Day with us! No, she's not making this holiday up (but really, who would care if she were? Not me! I'd give her a hug!). Swedish folk (and if you've visited an IKEA, you know they take their cinnamon buns seriously) apparently set aside October 4 as Kanelbullens Dag to give this awesome piece of pastry the props it deserves. Thanks, Courtney, for helping us take part!

And as for me . . .

My oven has been keeping warm lately. Rye bread, ciabatta, a heavenly potato bread from Julia and Dorie,hamburger rolls, bulgur knot rolls, batards, baguettes, demi-baguettes. And breakfast goods including scones and muffins for 140. I've got pictures and recipes ~ lots and lots of recipes ~ for you . . . now all I need is some time to post them. Here's to hoping shorter days and longer nights will be good to us all.

Happy Baking, my friends!

Best,

Sandy

Peach Frangipane Tart

"Frangipane." The word itself intimidated me for the longest time. I knew what the actual substance was ~ it was delicious. To be more specific, Sharon Tyler Herbst's New Food Lover's Companion defines it as, "a rich [pastry cream] flavored with ground almonds and used as a filling or topping for pastries and cakes." And I knew it was simple ~ and better yet, inexpensive ~ to make, so that wasn't the problem, either.

No . . . it was the pronunciation. I couldn't bring myself to say that word out loud. I wouldn't disgrace myself by attempting the drawling French, "FRAWN-zhee-pan," and I felt ridiculous sputtering out the idiomatic, "frangeepanee." But then, something wonderful happened that helped me to achieve complete liberation ~ in this area, anyway.

I was in the process of making custard tarts, not frangipane custard but something that looked similar, when an individual walked past who, although as American as myself, happens to be a fluent French speaker with enough innate Frenchness to be credible. He pointed at my handiwork and said, "Oh, is that fran-juh-pahn?" Ah-ha! "No," I answered, holding my breath a little, watching him carefully. "No, it's not fran-juh-pahn." "Hmm. Too bad," he said, shrugged, and walked off. Yes! That was it! The middle road ~ a pronunciation that was neither too French nor too Yankee but just right. And so, liberated in this way, I immediately set about finding a recipe to express my newfound freedom. And here it is.

Vive la fran-juh-pahn!

Peach Frangipane Tart

• 3 large fresh peaches, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar or granulated sugar
  
• 1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (not thawed)
  
• 1 recipe Frangipane (follows)
• 1 pastry for single-crust pie
• 2 tablespoons mild honey, warmed (optional)
• Turbinado sugar

For Frangipane:

• ½ cup blanched almonds (whole or slivered)
• ¼ cup white sugar
• Pinch sea salt
• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• ¼ teaspoon ground vanilla bean or ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons (1.5 oz) butter, at room temperature
  

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a rectangular or circular tart pan with removable bottom with nonstick pan spray. Lay pie pastry over tart pan and ease into place, lifting sides and gently molding them to fit the corners and interior edges of the pan. Fold the excess loosely over the top and run rolling pin over to cut off excess.
2. To make the Frangipane: Combine the almonds, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles fine meal. Add egg, almond extract, and vanilla bean or extract and pulse to mix. Add butter gradually, pulsing to incorporate. Use a spatula to scrape down the bowl of the food processor and pulse again to mix thoroughly. Spoon a layer of Frangipane into crust, about 1/4 inch thick. Use a small offset spatula to distribute it evenly over the bottom of the crust.
   
3. Toss peach slices in lemon juice, then sprinkle vanilla sugar over and toss again to coat. Starting at one end of the rectangular tart (or on the outside edge of the circular tart), arrange peach slices so that they overlap slightly. Place blueberries around the outside of the row of peaches. Brush peaches with the warmed honey and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar.
4. Place tart in preheated oven and bake until the Frangipane is puffed and golden and the peaches are tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife. To serve, let cool on rack until barely warm, then unmold and dust with confectioners' sugar or top with vanilla ice cream or creme anglaise. Refrigerate leftovers.

Recipe Notes:

• You can make this without blueberries, but the visual contrast of the dark purple-blue against the yellow-orange of the peaches is appealing. If blueberries aren't available, you can substitute raspberries.
  
• I used yellow peaches for my tart, but feel free to try white peaches, Saturn peaches, or white or yellow nectarines. You can leave the peel on if you prefer, but I find the texture interferes with the silkiness of the Frangipane.
  
• You can use whichever pie crust recipe you like. Dorie Greenspan's version of sweet tart pastry has never let me down, and I like Cindy Mushet's pie pastry, though I do substitute a few tablespoons of shortening for some of the butter to help it hold its shape in the tart pan.
  

BYOB Roundup ~ October 1, 2009

Zhulaiha of Ovenhaven (a blog name I love, love, love) sent us two indulgent sweets: Glazed Chocolate Doughnuts and Nutella Swirl Scone Loaf (oh yeah, you read that right). I know I don't need to encourage you to run like the wind over to Zhulaiha's site to check these links out, but I will anyway. Turns out she sent them for the last roundup and they got lost in the ether and never made it in. Go, now! You don't want to deprive yourself a moment longer!

Chrystal and Amir of The Duo Dishes sent me a whole bakeshop worth of amazing delectables. Get your mouse hand ready: German Chocolate Cake Cookies, Sweet Potato Squares, Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes with Caramel Coffee Glaze, Coconut Cupcakes, Lemon Thyme Cookies, Glazed Lemon Polenta Cookies, and Peach Cobbler Cake. Amazing, right? I'm still swooning.

Cathy of The Bread Experience jumped right into the fray with a heavenly-looking Deep-Dish Semolina Pizza. And if that's not enough to keep you busy on her site, go and check out her gorgeous Kaiser Rolls ~ bakery perfect! And, wait for it . . . Marbled Rye Bread (BBA)!

Courtney of Coco Cooks brings us an absolutely luscious Pecan Apple Honey Challah. WANT. SOME. NOW.

Lucky for us, Alyssa of Sour Cream and Jam is another prolific baker! Grab your beverage of choice and go take a gander at her oven love: Anadama Bread (BBA), Artos ~ Greek Celebration Bread (BBA), Bagels (BBA), Dill-icious Potato Rolls, Crumpets (yes, crumpets, people!), Yeasted Banana Bread with Vanilla, and Mildly Corny Cheddar Pepper Muffins.

Di of Di's Kitchen Notebook celebrates the beginning of fall baking weather with an aromatic Cinnamon Raisin Bread and some seriously delectable-looking Apple Turnovers. Di ~ were the neighbors knocking on your door, "just dropping by to say hi," helplessly drawn by the seductive scents of warm cinnamon and apples?

Ever wonderfully creative, Sophie of Sophie's Foodiefiles made a Kefir White Organic Bread. It is my definite opinion that if all good-for-you food looked this delicious, we'd all be a lot healthier. Go, check it out, bake the bread, make a sandwich, smile with happiness!

As for me . . .

I am delighted that fall fruits are in season once again ~ the sheer variety of apples available in my neck of the woods has helped somewhat to ease the pain of saying good-bye to beloved summer berries and stone fruits. So what have I been baking? Breads, lots of breads. Tarts ~ playing around with frangipane lately, and the most lovely Pink Pearl apples I've ever seen. And I made a new pie, pear and ginger, with a pecan streusel, and some cinnamon-brown sugar ice cream with chili-pecan praline to serve on top. Stay tuned for those posts! I hope, I really hope to get back on track now that autumn is settling into a routine and I have my new computer ~ a kitchen laptop ~ up and running.

Till then, happy baking!
~Sandy