Category: Pies & Tarts
Blueberry Cornmeal Tart, Sweet Enough

Blueberry Cornmeal Tart, Sweet Enough

By | | Comments 0 Comment

Yikes!  Before blueberry season ends, make this Blueberry Cornmeal Tart.  From Alison Roman’s Sweet Enough, an easy, absolutely delicious way to take advantage of fresh blueberries. But before we get into the recipe and my notes…I need to address the elephant in the room.  Yes at one time I was ready to burn my Alison Roman cookbooks.  In an interview, she decided to DIS Chrissy Teigen and Marie Kondo as “sell-outs” for hawking products, while encouraging folks to buy her stuff. LOL  Interestingly enough she called out two POC women.  Backlash ensued, she lost her column in the New York Times, had a Twitter squirmish with Chrissy, which she lost, and felt the ire of many POC foodies.  She laid low for a while, started back, and is now back in the good graces of most.

She recovered, but will probably always be under the microscope. Occasionally, controversy rears its head in a damned if you do, damned if you don’t way.  She made a dish, called it Gentle Lentils (LOL), and got called out for Appropriating Daal, an Indian staple. What are you going to do? 🤷🏻‍♀️.  Her personality is up my alley, a bit tongue-in-cheek, snarky, funny AND she is fond of expletives, just like me.

Yes, Another Cookbook

She came out with a dessert book and I caved.  I have made her dessert recipes and they are pretty darn good.  I believe she originally worked in pastry.  Her Salted Butter and Chocolate Chunk Cookies went viral one year (pre-fallout) and are really good. They’re buttery, sandy, chocolatey, and sweet with a surprise pop of salt.  It hits every taste bud, and has a crispy edge from the demerara sugar finish.

This Blueberry Cornmeal Tart couldn’t be easier.  The crust and crumble topping are made from the same dough.  Butter, flour, and powdered sugar go into the dough. The powdered sugar lowers the flour’s protein content to help with tenderness.  Cornmeal adds that characteristic cornmeal crunch to the crust and crumble.  I am not a fan of the grittiness of stone-ground cornmeal.  Luckily, cornmeal comes in a wide range of textures and grinds.  I love the cornmeal from a local family farm in the Bay Area, Tierra Vegetables.  They have an array of heirloom cornmeals that are amazing.  My favorite is the Hopi Pink Cornmeal which is finely textured and adds just a tiny bit of crunch.  It’s perfect in Christina Tosi’s Corn Cookies where you can see the reddish pink flecks in the cookies, so cool.  Use the cornmeal you like.

The Steps

Betcha think the next instruction is to roll the dough out.  Nope, there is no rolling involved in the making of this tart.  Yay.  Reserve a quarter of the dough for the crumble and put it in the fridge to chill. Press the remaining dough into a 9-inch tart pan.  How easy is that?

The blueberries are mixed with a bit of sugar and either vinegar or lemon juice, I prefer lemon juice, I am a citrus kinda gal.   Flour rounds out the filling to act as a thickener and that’s it.

Pour your blueberry mixture into the tart pan and spread evenly over crust.  Press little bits of the dough to form little clumps and sprinkle these over the blueberries.  Bake on a sheet to save yourself from oven cleaning. 

Bake until the crumble and crust are a nice golden brown and the blueberries bubbling.  Remove to a rack and let it cool completely before removing.  Serve with a generous scoop of vanilla…cause that’s how we roll!  Enjoy!

Print

Blueberry Cornmeal TartI

From Alison Roman's Sweet Enough, a simple, absolutely delicious Blueberry Cronmeal Tart
Course Dessert, Pie, Tart
Cuisine American
Keyword blueberry, cornmeal, tart

Ingredients

For the Crust & Topping

  • 1 ½ cups /225g all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup /55 grams cornmeal
  • ⅓ cup /50 grams confectioners’ sugar
  • ¼ cup /55 grams light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon / 4 grams baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon / 3 grams kosher salt
  • ¾ cup /170 grams unsalted butter 1 1/2 sticks, melted and cooled slightly

For the Filling

  • 1 pound /455 grams blueberries or combination of blueberries, blackberries and raspberries
  • ½ cup /110 grams light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons / 28 grams apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon or lime juice I prefer lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons / 18 grams all-purpose flour
  • Pinch of kosher salt

Instructions

Make the crust and topping: Preheat oven to 350°.

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, confectioners’ sugar, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Add melted butter, then use your hands or a wooden spoon to combine ingredients until a coarse dough comes together, with a few dry spots.
  • Press 3/4 of the cornmeal mixture into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom making sure the mixture is evenly pressed on the bottom and about 1/2 inch up the sides. (Using something large and flat, like the bottom of a measuring cup, will be helpful.) Place the shell on a rimmed baking sheet; pop the tart shell and remaining mixture into the fridge while you prepare the filling.

Make the filling:

  • Toss blueberries, brown sugar, lemon juice, flour and salt in a medium bowl. Pour the fruit into the crust.
  • Crumble the remaining cornmeal mixture over the blueberries, pressing bits of the mixture together into large clumps as you go, as you would with a crisp or coffee-cake topping (note that it won’t cover the top entirely, more just create a nice sporadic covering, still allowing the blueberries and their juices to poke through).
  • Bake tart until the blueberry filling is bubbly and thickened, and both the crust and top are nicely browned, 50–55 minutes.
  • Let tart cool completely before slicing into triangles and serving. The tart can be baked up to 2 days ahead and stored tightly wrapped at room temperature or refrigerated (especially if your kitchen is hot or humid).
  • EAT WITH: vanilla ice cream would be too obvious, but I don’t care.

Notes

DO AHEAD: tart can be baked 4 days ahead, stored wrapped in plastic at room temperature, or refrigerated. 
Happy Chicken Pot Pi Day!

Happy Chicken Pot Pi Day!

By | | Comments 2 comments

Here in California, we have been battered by some extreme weather…more rain, snow and high winds than we have seen in a long, long time.  I hope folks are staying safe, warm and dry.

So we are having a somewhat subdued, quiet Pi Day.  Especially since we haven’t had power all day!  That’s not gonna stop me, pi golly.  I adore pies, sweet or savory, by the slice, as a potable hand pie, you get the pic. So Pi Day is just an excuse to make pie.  A day of cold, wet, blustery weather calls for comfort food so what better dish than Chicken Pot Pie?  

I LOVE Pot Pie.  As a kid, it was a special treat if mom pulled out Swanson’s Chicken or Beef Pot Pies for dinner.  Little did I know, it meant an easy meal for her.  As I got older and my taste became more refined I left behind those Swanson’s pies.

I discovered Marie Callendar’s Pot Pies!  So good, more crust, bigger pie, yum.

My love of pies logically led to making my own pies and this includes savory pies, top on the list is Chicken Pot Pie.   

The Elephant In the Room

Not everyone wants or has a compelling need to start from scratch and that’s OKAY!  It’s perfectly fine to start with cooked chicken (a Costco rotisserie chicken comes to mind), commercial low-sodium chicken stock AND a premade pie crust. Making a Chicken Pot Pie is a labor of love.  If any step, homemade PIE CRUST comes to mind, gives you anxiety, use a shortcut. There are great frozen pie crusts dough and puff pastry doughs that can be used to make a fabulous pot pie. Hate prepping veggies?  Frozen WORKS, really.  But if you want to go the whole nine yards…read on 🙂

For novice pie makes, this is a good recipe to make over a couple of days so it doesn’t seem overwhelming.  Make the pie crust and throw it in the fridge to chill. You could do this up to a couple of days before.  This also applies to poaching the chicken and making the filling too.  The chicken can be shredded, the stock reduced, and the filling made and kept in the fridge until you are ready to assemble the pie.

Pick your favorite veggies, I like mushrooms, carrots, celery, broccoli, potatoes, and peas.  Pretty classic aside from the broccoli.  Blanching the veggies ensures they will be nicely cooked in the pie.  Blanch 10 minutes, the goal is al dente + so they don’t get too soft.  The veggies should be cut roughly the same size for even cooking.  The exception to this would be mushrooms, saute’ these before adding to the sauce.

Sauce Me Up

What holds everything together is a simple bechamel sauce of butter, flour, milk,and stock.  Start by making the roux .  Sauté onions with the butter for flavor and add the flour. Cook this for a couple of minutes before adding the chicken stock and milk.  Simmer sauce until it is thick like gravy, stir constantly.  Season well with salt and pepper.  

Two Pie Camps

There are 2 kinds of pie people in my book, those who like crust (ME) and those who like filling (Can’t even imagine who that is).  So I’ve searched far and wide for a pie crust I like.

I love Dorie Greenspan’s pie crust recipe. It’s buttery and flaky, and best of all, it makes a generous amount of dough, enough for a two-crust pie and a small single-crust pie. That’s a lot of crust.  Which is exactly what I want.

Make the crust by hand or in a food processor.  Be extra vigilant that you don’t overprocess the dough.

This is what your dough should look like coming out of the food processor. 

Gather it up into a disc shape and chill.  Roll out 2 crusts one for the top and one for the bottom.  Follow my tweak below or line your baking dish with the bottom crust and chill again.

Let’s Get to the Bottom of the Pie

Bake your chicken pot pie with a top crust only.  What Deb?!  That’s less crust!  Hold on now…here is the tweak.  Roll out the pie dough for the bottom crust then cut out circles or squares from this sheet equal to a serving of your pie.  Bake them separately.  When it’s pot pie time, place one of these buttery, flaky rounds on the bottom of each plate then topped with a generous wedge of your baked pie over it.  Buttery, flaky, crispy, crust on the top and bottom. This, my friends, is chicken pot pie nirvana.

Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before serving!

So, Happy Pi Day, now go make some pie! Check out my IG Reel for Chicken Pot Pie!

Print

Classic Chicken Pot Pie

Ultimate comfort food. This is the classic Chicken Pot Pie. Buttery, flaky crust with a thick, velvety Bechamel filled with chunks of chicken and veggies. A keeper!
Course comfort food, dinner, One dish meals
Cuisine American
Keyword Chicken, chicken pot pie, comfort food, food for the soul, made from scratch, pie, pot pie, savory
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 1 minute
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

  • 1 food processor

Ingredients

The chicken and stock:

  • 1 3 1/2-pound whole chicken (approximately 3 cups of cooked chicken, shredded or cubed) Shoretcut 1: Sub chicken parts for whole chicken Shortcut 2: Costco Roast Chicken Yeah, you read that right
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 stalk celery
  • 1 small onion halved
  • 2 teaspoons salt or 1 t salt and 1 tablepsoon Better Than Bouillion Chicken Base

Simply Irrecrustable: or Dorie's MoRe CrUsT RecipE

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup 1 stick chilled unsalted butter, diced into 1/2-inch cubes (best to chill cubes in the freezer for at least 15 minutes before using)
  • 1/4 cup vegetable shortening chilled
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

It's All About the Filling

  • 3 med carrots sliced about 1.5 cups
  • 2 stalks celery sliced about 1 cup
  • 3/4 cup green peas frozen or fresh
  • Use any veggies you like broccoli, squash, potatoes. You want about 3 cups of vegetables sliced or chopped.

Da Sauce: This is a generous amount of sauce so you can increase your veggies if you like.

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 1/4 cups yellow onion (you have leeway use 1 med or large onion which yields 1 cup to 1-1/2 cups diced onions diced
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 cups chicken stock reserved from cooking chicken
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/4 cup dry sherry
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
  • 2 teaspoons salt to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • For the egg wash: optional
  • 1 egg whisked with 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

Da Chicken: A whole chicken in a large stockpot with water to make a chicken pot pie casserole. Yep, you read that right.

  • Combine the chicken, carrot, celery, onion and salt or chicken base into a large stock pot. Add cold water until just covered and bring to a boil over high heat.
  • Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and let cool for 15 minutes. While the chicken is cooling, continue to boil the remaining water and vegetables in the pot.
  • When the chicken is cool enough to touch, strip away as much of the meat as you can. Place the meat on a dish, set aside. Shred chicken or cube. You should have about 3 cups.
  • Return the chicken bones to the stockpot and continue to boil, on high heat, until the stock has reduced to a quart or quart and a half.
  • Set aside 2 1/2 cups of the stock for this recipe. Freeze remaining stock for a rainy day.

All About the Crust: Simply Recipe Yields only 1 crust. You will need to double it or make Dorie's omitting the sugar

  • Combine the flour and salt in a food processor. Add the chilled butter cubes and pulse 5 times to combine. Add the shortening and pulse a few more times, until the dough resembles a coarse cornmeal, with some pea-sized pieces of butter.
  • Slowly stream in ice water, a tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition, until the dough sticks together when you press some between your fingers.
  • Empty the food processor onto a clean surface. Use your hands to mold into a ball, then flatten the ball into a disk. Sprinkle with a little flour, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days, before rolling.

Filling It Up

  • Blanch prepped carrots, celery, potatoes, broccoli (if using) in water for about 10-15 minutes. Veggies should be al dente but cooked through. Set aside.
  • In a large skillet, melt butter on medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they're translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, one minute more.
  • Whisk in 2 1/2 cups of the chicken stock. Whisk in the milk. Decrease the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often until thickened and creamy.
  • Add the chicken, thyme, sherry, peas, blanched veggies, parsley, salt and pepper and stir well. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Pour into prepared baking dish(s)

Pieformers: Assemble

    Bake: Preheat oven to 375

    • Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a little less than a quarter-inch thick.
    • Roll roughly to the shape and size of your baking dish. A little bigger so you crimp the edge. Lay pastry over filling and dish.
    • Fold the excess dough under itself and crimp edge of pie.. Cut a 1-inch vents into pie. Use a pastry brush to apply an egg wash to each pie.
    • Line a baking sheet with foil, place pie on baking sheet. Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the filling is bubbling. If the edge gets too dark, cover with foil.
    • Let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.
    Apple Almond Galette (You’re the Apple of My Pie)

    Apple Almond Galette (You’re the Apple of My Pie)

    By | | Comments 0 Comment

    When the fall season rolls around, apples begin to crop up at our farmer’s market.  Gone are the days when the only available apples were Red or Golden Delicious (thank goodness)!  The variety of apples is mindblowing.  My intention is to just get a few, but I invariably end up with what feels like a bushel of apples.

    Here, There, and Everywhere…Apples

    This is why I am constantly bookmarking recipes that sound wonderful and highlight apples knowing full well I won’t be able to resist the fall bounty of apples.  Luckily, I found an Apple Almond Galette from Zoe Bakes.  It’s the perfect recipe “to show off them apples”.  Get a combination of apples, Fujis, Mutsus, Braeburns, Jonagolds, or Honeycrisps.  Yes, you can get them ALL these days.

    Better yet, you don’t have to peel the apples as the PEEL is part of the apPEAL of this galette, it’s a win-win and why you want a variety of apples.  Use a mandolin (carefully) to thinly slice the apples.  A knife is very doable, it will just take a bit longer than a mandolin.  The filling is an almond cream easily made in a food processor and consists of almond paste, eggs, butter, and a touch of almond extract.  A lovely combination-apples and almonds.

    For the galette crust, I used Dorie’s pie dough (1/2 recipe), but feel free to use your favorite pie crust.  You will need enough dough to create a 13 to 14-inch circle.  Roll your dough on parchment paper so you can then slide it all onto a baking sheet, easy peasy.  Spread the almond filling in the center of the dough leaving a 2-inch border.  Next, take stacks of your sliced apples and arrange them ARTFULLY on the almond filling.  Then fold the edge of the dough over the apples.

    The finished galette is not only gorgeous, it’s delicious.  Serve it with softly whipped cream or ice cream.

    This galette is now part of our holiday dessert menu every year. It’s a keeper!

    Print

    Apple Almond Galette

    A rustic, delicious riff on apple pie. The apples sit on a layer of almond cream encased in a buttery, flakey pie crust.
    Course Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Keyword almond cream, Apple galette, apples, zoe bakes
    Prep Time 25 minutes
    Cook Time 45 minutes

    Equipment

    • 1 mandolin optional
    • 1 food processor

    Ingredients

    Pie Crust

    • 1 recipe of Dorie's pie dough will make 2 galettes

    Almond Cream Filling

    • 4 oz almond paste
    • 2 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
    • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
    • 2 tbsp sugar
    • 1 egg yolk
    • 1 tsp vanilla
    • 1/2 tsp almond extract

    Da Apples

    • 5 large Apples thinly sliced on a mandoline or use a sharp knife and slice
    • Egg wash 1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water
    • 2 tbsp granulated sugar for sprinkling over top Can substitute raw or Demerara sugar

    Instructions

    Galette shell: Use Dorie's Pie crust recipe link below

    • Roll the chilled pie dough to an 1/8-inch-thick circle = 13-14" circle on a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet or slide the parchment onto a baking sheet.

    Almond Cream

    • In a food processor blend the almond paste, flour, sugar, butter, almond and vanilla extracts and yolk until smooth. Spread over the center of the dough, leaving about a 2-inch ring on the outside.

    Assemble

    • Arrange apples over the almond cream. Fold the uncovered dough over the apples and pleat to keep it in place. Freeze the galette while you preheat the oven to 425°F.
    • Brush the crust with the egg wash and sprinkle the sugar over the crust and apples.
    • Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 25 minutes or until the apples are tender. Allow the galette to cool to room temperature before sliding it onto a serving plate.
    • Garnish with toasted almonds if you like and serve with a bit of Greek yogurt or whipped cream or ice cream (I like vanilla!).

    Notes

    Dorie's pie crust recipe
    “Drop” Everything & Make This Biscuit Berry Cobbler

    “Drop” Everything & Make This Biscuit Berry Cobbler

    By | | Comments 0 Comment

    Are you like me? Our farmer’s market in the summer is like a candy store and I’m the kid in it, running around and grabbing baskets of berries, peaches and whatever looks delish.  The past few weeks I’ve come home with way too much fruit for the hubs and me.  Thankfully, Dorie Greenspan came to my rescue with a recipe for a  Drop-Biscuit Peach Blueberry Cobbler.  It is so good and so easy, I have made this more times than I can count this summer.

    Cobbler, Crisp, Crumble…explained

    I LOVE pies…but even I have to admit, when I want an easy dessert, pies do not come to mind.  Enter the 3 Cs, cobbler, crisp and crumble, easy, homey and delicious.

    First, a cobbler is your choice of fruit baked with a biscuit topping.  Second, a Crisp is fruit covered with a streusel topping that contains butter, flour, sugar, and oats.  You can find me making Apple Crisps in the fall to chase away the summer is over blues.  A crumble is the English version of a crisp and does not usually have oats in the streusel. But it can, as in this Strawberry Rhubarb Hazelnut Crumble that I adore!  Finally, from Vivian Howard of  A Chef’s Life, her  Blueberry Cobbler with a Cornmeal-Sugar Cookie Crust is so amazing and worth the calories.

    So, get thee to a Farmer’s Market now.

    Dorie’s original recipe calls for peaches and blueberries. I’ve used all berries, berries plus peaches, nectarines, and mangoes-it’s all scrumptious.  Berries and fruits with a lot of moisture will need cornstarch to thicken the juices.  Adjust the sugar depending on the sweetness of the fruit (and to your taste of course).  Add lemon juice and a bit of lemon zest, for a refreshing citrus zing.

    Biscuits Until I Drop

    The biscuit dough is essentially a cream biscuit and comes together in a snap, no butter to mess with!).  Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir in the buttermilk and heavy cream.  The fat in the heavy whipping cream stands in for butter.  Mix just until combined without any dry spots, try not to overmix.  The dough will be wet and loose. Use a large ice cream or cookie scoop (about 2-3 T) to drop the dough onto the fruit.  Leave a bit of space between dough scoops (aesthetics).

    Bake until the crust is a nice golden brown and the fruit is bubbling.  The biscuits will be tender, light, and cakey, the perfect foil for the delicious fruit compote underneath.

    Spoon out warm, just baked wedges into bowls and top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.  It doesn’t get much better than this although my family would beg to differ.  They actually like it straight out of the fridge the next morning.  The biscuit has had time to absorb some of the lovely juices, the fruit has a toothier bite.  It’s all good in my book.  Let me know if you like this cobbler straight out of the oven or fridge!

    Print Pin

    Drop Biscuit Berry Cobbler from Dorie

    A quick, easy and DELICIOUS Cobbler perfect for the summer fruit season! Berries, mangoes, peaches, or nectarines all work beautifully in this summer dessert. Thanks Dorie!
    Course Berries, Biscuits and scones, Cobbler, Dessert, Stone fruit
    Cuisine American
    Keyword blueberries, cobbler, Cream Scones with peaches, drop biscuits, strawberries, summer fruits
    Prep Time 20 minutes
    Cook Time 1 hour
    Servings 8

    Ingredients

    Da Fruit- Use whatever fruit you like! You will need 6 cups of cut fruit.

    • 3 pounds ripe peaches or nectarines, peeled or not, your choice. about 1 1/2 kg
    • 1/4 cup sugar, or to taste 50 grams
    • Freshly squeezed lemon juice, and zest of 1/2 -1 lemon Zest is optional but I love the flavor zest imparts
    • 1 cup blueberries 150 grams
    • 2 teaspoons cornstarch and up to 1-2 tablespoons for juicy fruit

    Biscuit Top

    • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 204 grams
    • 3 tablespoons sugar
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt reg table salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 cup cold heavy cream 240 ml
    • 1/2 cup cold buttermilk (shake well before measuring) 120 ml
    • Ice cream or whipped cream for serving (optional, although in my universe this is not optional)

    Instructions

    • Center rack in oven and preheat it to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Butter a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate and put it on the baking sheet.
    • If you want peeled peaches, cut a shallow X in the base of each peach. Blanching makes peaches very easy to peel. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Drop in the peaches a few at a time, leave for about 15 seconds, lift out and transfer to a bowl filled with very cold water and ice cubes. Leave for a couple of minutes, then drain and peel.
    • Cut the peaches into bite-sized chunks or slices and toss them into the pie plate. Taste and decide how much sugar you want and then, if you’d like, add some lemon juice. Add the blueberries and then make a decision about the cornstarch: It’s only a tiny bit, but it will thicken the juices a little. If your peaches are very ripe, I’d add it. Give everything a good stir and set aside.
    • To make the biscuit topping: Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. In a measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together the cream and buttermilk. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry and, using a table fork, stir until the flour is evenly dampened and you’ve got a moist batter.
    • Using a medium (1 1/2-tablespoon capacity) scoop or a tablespoon, dollop the topping over the fruit — leave a little space between each pouf of batter.
    • Bake the cobbler for 45 to 55 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the fruit juices are boiling under, and maybe up, through and over, the biscuits.
    • Transfer to a rack and let cool for at least 20 minutes, or until the cobbler reaches room temperature, before serving, with or without ice cream or whipped cream.

    Notes

    You can vary the cobbler according to what fruits are in season and within reach: Keep in mind you need about 6 cups of cut-up fruit, sugar to taste and juice of 1/2 freshly squeezed lemon. For an all-berry cobbler — mix whatever berries you can get and, if you want, cut in some ripe mango; add 1 to 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to the berries — they’re very juicy. I've used 3 cups of halved strawberries, 2 cups blueberries and a cup of mango, delish.  Let your imagination go...plums make a pretty cobbler and work well with peaches or nectarines. Early summer, try rhubarb and strawberries (and some cornstarch).
    STORING: The cobbler is best the day it is made. You can keep it covered overnight at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
    The Apple Pie of My Eye (Cinnamon Bun Apple Pie)

    The Apple Pie of My Eye (Cinnamon Bun Apple Pie)

    By | | Comments 0 Comment

    Our Thanksgiving dinner was a little family affair as I suspect most people’s celebrations were.  We modified our dinner, kept it small, moved it earlier in the day so we could eat outside, roasted turkey parts instead of the entire bird (wow, cut the cooking time a ton!), and settled for fewer side dishes.

    But when it came to dessert…there was no compromise on PIE.

    We made three pies…for six people.  Yep, one pie for every two persons.

    Sounds about right.

    Jamie worked on a Purple Sweet Potato Pie (post coming soon) from ZoeBakes.  A pie she tried last year and was determined to improve upon this year.  A graham cracker crust that replaced the butter-flour crust proved to be a delicious tweak.

    Sadly pumpkin pie was outvoted by Pecan Pie (I am shocked, Jordan generally votes with me for pumpkin, switched camps-what an ingrate). The Pecan Pie from  Park Chow has been my go-to recipe for years.  Initially disappointed we didn’t have pumpkin pie, one bite of that pecan pie and all thoughts of pumpkin vanished.

    The final pie, drum roll please APPLE PIE.  The hubster’s favorite pie and admittedly mine too (in the fruit category at least).  King Arthur Baking posted a Cinnamon Bun Apple Pie that I immediately put on my gotta make Bucket List. WHAT A GENIUS RIFF.

    The top dough for the pie is rolled out in a rectangle, buttered and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.  The dough is then rolled up like a carpet and chilled (ok, frozen), and cut into spirals.  The spirals are placed side by side and once again rolled to flatten and smoosh the spirals together.  Voila’ pinwheel top pie crust-too CUTE.  Not only cute but the cinnamon sugar added a cinnamon bun element to the pie….it was DELISH.  It wasn’t that much more work for the huge WOW factor return.

    I used my own apple pie recipe and Dorie Greenspan’s pie crust, which worked perfectly.  Dorie’s piecrust makes quite a bit of dough so I was able to roll it out to 1/8 inch thick and then trim it down to a 9×13 rectangle.  Feel free to use your own favorite apple pie recipe.

    So, sign up for desserts next holiday and try this pie!  Auntie “Always brings finger jello” will be unduly impressed.

    The Process

    I rolled the crust out, on parchment paper,  to 1/8-inch thickness and then using a pizza cutter, trimmed it to a 9 x 13 rectangle.  Use an offset spatula (easy peasy) to spread the softened butter on the dough.  The cinnamon sugar should cover the dough completely (oops) except for 1/4-inch on one side of the short end, preferably the short side furthest from you.

    Use the parchment paper to help roll the dough into a log.  Try to keep it tight when rolling.  Pinch the seam on the log closed and wrap the log in the parchment.    I have PVC pipe that I slide the log into before chilling to keep the log completely round. You could use a paper towel roll.  Cut one line entirely down the tube so you can then wrap the roll around the dough log.  Place in freezer, seam side down.  Chill until firm, a minimum of 30 minutes.

    Remove log from freezer and cut into 1/4-inch slices. Rotate the log as you cut to prevent a flat edge.  If the log gets too soft, throw it back in the freezer for a couple of minutes.  Arrange the spirals touching next to each other and as close as you can get to a circle shape.  Roll the dough to 1/8-inch thickness using even pressure to keep the spirals as round as possible.  You should end up with a circle about 14 inches in diameter.  Good luck may the pie force be with you.  Just kidding, it’s really not that bad.

    Roll the dough loosely around your rolling pin.  Center over far edge of pie and unroll towards you, over the apples.

    Crimp the edges and you are ready to bake.  If the edges brown too quickly, cover with foil.  My spirals were not tight enough so you will see where a couple of them collapsed.  NBD-it’s called the rustic look.

    Ta-da, Cinnamon Bun Apple Pie, ready for the center of the dessert table, like a BOSS.

    Print Pin

    Mom’s Apple Pie

    My go-to Apple Pie recipe, been using this for years. Tried and true.
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Keyword Apple Pie, Cinnamon Bun
    Prep Time 45 minutes
    Cook Time 45 minutes

    Ingredients

    My current favorite pie crust recipe is from Dorie Greenspan. It makes a generous amount of dough so you will have excess that you can use for hand pies or small pie.

    • Pastry for 9 inch Two-Crust Pie
    • 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar + 1/4 c dark brown sugar
    • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour*
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground mace
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • Dash of salt
    • 6 cups thinly sliced pared tart apples about 6 medium
    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • 1 tablespoon KA Boiled Cider (secret apple booster) optional

    Instructions

    • Prepare pie crust. Place in fridge to chill while making filling.
    • Heat oven to 425 degrees.
    • Mix sugar, flour, mace, cinnamon and salt.
    • Stir in apples. Turn into pastry-lined pie plate; dot with butter.
    • Cover with top crust that has slits cut in it; seal and flute.
    • Make a 3 inch aluminum foil ring. Set aside to use if crust browns too much
    • Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Lower temperature to 375 degrees, bake until crust is golden brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust, 40 to 50 minutes. Cover edge with ring if necessary.
    Cranberry Curd Tart (All the Colors of the Pie)

    Cranberry Curd Tart (All the Colors of the Pie)

    By | | Comments 1 comment

    The Perfect Potluck Event

    Before going full force into Christmas mode, a recap of Thanksgiving is due.  Turkey Day was spent at my brother’s house in The City with aunties, uncles, cousins, and friends.  Potluck style, the spread is a mash-up of classic Thanksgiving dishes and Chinese dishes adapted for the holiday.

    Our table would not be complete without sweet rice stuffing – Gnaw Mai Fan and Cousin Gary’s Sweet Potatoes (yep the classic copious amounts of butter and brown sugar, topped with mini-marshmallows). Our contribution to the annual feast was PIES and for forty-plus people.  That’s a whole lotta pie. Lucky for me Jamie was home. Yay.  Reinforcements.

    It’s Pie Time

    Have you ever noticed, Thanksgiving dinner is texturally (besides the turkey) a toothless delight-stuffing, yams, corn casserole, carrot pudding, overcooked green bean casserole…you know what I’m talking about.  The traditional desserts are a plethora of orangey-brown tones-pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie, and pecan pie. The only reprieve is a dollop of whipped cream on every slice.  Kinda monochromatic.

    Well, we fixed that this year.  Not the soft foods just the dessert color palette problem.  We still made Pecan Pie and Pumpkin Pie but we then finished with a color flurry-Purple Sweet Potato Pie, Apple Tart (don’t peel your apples), and a Cranberry Curd Tart.  Splash!

    For the Cranberry Curd Tart, two recipes stood out (ok, they were the first two after Googling).  David Tanis’s recipe in the New York Times and the Cranberry Curd Tart from the blog Blossom to Stem.  A flip of the coin, Blossom to Stem won.  It is a beautiful blog, craft cocktails, and delicious food, check it out.

    Let’s Talk Crust, Crust, Baby

    The crust, all butter, flour, powdered sugar, egg yolk, and orange zest.  The powdered sugar makes a tender crust by lowering the protein content of the dough.  Melted butter means no waiting for the butter to soften.  I am a believer in using melted butter for crusts.  I learned this from making Alice Medrich’s BOSS Lemon bar recipe.  Bake it until a nice golden brown. The finished crust is sweet, citrusy, and tender.  Love it.

    The curd starts with cooking the cranberries in orange juice until they burst then passing the mixture through a food mill to remove the seeds and skin.  Don’t have a food mill? Make the curd and strain it. A little more elbow grease (ok, more than a little) without a food mill but doable.

    Voila, a gorgeous ruby red cranberry curd-sweet, tart, and delicious.

    The curd will thicken as it cools so make sure the crust is baked before finishing the curd. Quickly pour the curd into the crust and slide it into the oven for 10 minutes.  Remove and cool the tart at room temp for an hour and then into the fridge it goes to set.

    Garnish with pomegranate seeds or candied cranberries and serve with a ubiquitous dollop of whipped cream or if you like, a meringue (nope, not me).

    Make this tart and bedazzle your family and friends this holiday season.

    Print Pin

    Cranberry Curd Tart

    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Keyword cranberry curd tart
    Prep Time 30 minutes
    Cook Time 25 minutes
    Additional time to prep curd and bake 25 minutes
    Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
    Servings 8 Servings

    Ingredients

    For the crust

    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
    • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick
    • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • zest of one orange

    For the cranberry curd

    • 12 ounces cranberries fresh or frozen
    • juice of one orange Approximately 1/2 cup
    • 1 1/4 cups sugar
    • 2 whole eggs
    • 2 egg yolks
    • 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 tablespoon orange liqueur such as Grand Marnier (optional)

    Instructions

    Make the crust

    • Preheat oven to 350°F. Add the flour, powdered sugar, and salt to a small bowl and whisk together. Melt the butter in a small saucepan (or in the microwave), add the vanilla extract and orange zest to the butter and stir, then pour into the dry ingredients and stir together until thoroughly moistened.
    • Press the dough evenly along the bottom and sides into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake until the crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

    Make the cranberry curd

    • Heat the cranberries and orange juice in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until the cranberries split. Strain through a food mill or fine mesh sieve and discard the skins.
    • Return the strained cranberry mixture to the saucepan and add the sugar, eggs, egg yolks, butter, vanilla, and orange liqueur (if using) to the pan and give everything a good stir. Heat gently over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and registers 170°F on an instant read thermometer (about 8-9 minutes). Immediately strain through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl and pour into the prepared crust. Bake (still at 350°F) until the curd is set (it should jiggle but not slosh), about 10 minutes.
    • Let cool at room temperature for about 1 hour, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill. Serve this chilled or at room temperature.
    • Serve with softly whipped cream
    Gettin Figgy Wit It (Fig & Honey Tart)

    Gettin Figgy Wit It (Fig & Honey Tart)

    By | | Comments 0 Comment

    I’m pretty jazzed, a friend is gifting me a fig tree!  She took a cutting, threw it in dirt and whaddya know, it grew into a full-fledged tree. I’m going to be really embarrassed if it doesn’t survive on my watch.  Farmer Deb is not a moniker associated with me.  

    I am content to be the recipient of anyone else’s green thumb bounty.  This includes figs, which I adore. Until my little tree matures, I will happily take extra figs off your hands.  Put that right in the box, next to the “what am I going to do with all these” zucchinis and persimmons.  

    Yep, bring it on.

    Lucky for me, Snookies brought me a couple of generously filled baskets of green and purple figs.  After popping a couple of them into my mouth (yum), I got online to FIG-ure out delicious ways to use these little bad boys.

    A Fig & Honey Tart from The Little Epicurean caught my eye instantly. The tart is as beautiful as it is delicious AND it is pretty darn easy to make.  Your friends and family will be SO impressed.  Word.

    To start the crust is very easy to work with.  Don’t be intimidated by the whole pie crust thang.  The addition of almond flour and sugar creates a tender, cookie like crust that oozes with buttery goodness. A couple of interruptions had me taking the dough in and out of the fridge before finally fitting it into the tart pan and baking it off.  If the crust gets a little soft, toss it back in the fridge.  By the time I rolled out the dough and placed it in the pan, talked to Jamie on the phone for a bit,  it was getting pretty soft.  I ended up pressing pieces into the pan, worked like a charm.

    The filling is stupid easy.  Combine cream cheese with honey and sugar, give it a good mix and that’s it.  I added a teaspoon of vanilla to add depth.  Quarter the figs and place in concentric circles on top of the filling.  Dust with raw or Demerara Sugar.  Go to the garage and grab your blow torch and caramelize the sugar.  Drizzle honey over tart and sprinkle chopped pistachios on top.  I used hazelnuts cuz that’s what I had on hand, Yums.

    Print Pin

    FRESH FIG TART WITH HONEY AND PISTACHIOS

    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Keyword fig, honey, little epicurean, tart

    Ingredients

    Crust

    • 1 cup all purpose flour
    • 1/3 cup almond flour
    • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
    • 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
    • 1/2 cup unsalted butter cut into tablespoons, cold
    • 1 egg yolk cold

    Filling

    • 8 oz package cream cheese
    • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
    • 2 Tbsp honey
    • green figs or purple figs quartered, as needed
    • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
    • Pistachios or toasted hazelnuts Chopped

    Instructions

    Crust

    • In a food process, combine flour, almond flour, salt, and sugar. Pulse to mix.
    • Add cold butter. Pulse 4 times at 3 second intervals to lightly mix together the ingredients. Add egg yolk and pulse until dough begins to come together.
    • Dump the dough onto a clean working surface. Gather the dough together and push into a ball. Flatten dough to about 1-inch thickness.
    • Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let chill in the fridge for 30 minutes, or until well chilled.
    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll dough out on a lightly floured work surface. Press dough onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.
    • Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Let cool on wire rack to room temperature before filling with cream cheese.

    Filling

    • Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and honey. Mix until combined. Spread cream cheese filling into cooled tart shell.
    • Arrange cut figs on top of cream cheese filling. Cover with plastic wrap and keep chilled in the fridge until ready to serve.
    • Before serving, sprinkle with Demerara Sugar and caramelize.
    • Drizzle honey over tart and sprinkle nuts on top
    Pecan Tartlets-The Perfect Little Nutty Bite

    Pecan Tartlets-The Perfect Little Nutty Bite

    By | | Comments 0 Comment

    We were invited to Rosh Hashanah dinner the other night and I volunteered to bring dessert.  It’s usually a no brainer since our host LOVES Lemon Bars.  But then I remembered I had promised to post Mrs. S’s Pecan Tartlet recipe.  The Lemon Bars would have to wait for another occasion.

    Mrs. S, for all of you that have not read my Toffee Bars post (hint, hint), is my baking muse and mom of my BFF, Joy.  Every Christmas, since I met Joy in middle school, I have been the lucky recipient of a plate of Mrs. S’s holiday cookies.  They were delicious and beautiful.  She was meticulous and something of a control freak (I can SO relate) so she would shoo us out of the kitchen when she started her holiday baking.  Occasionally she would let us help with just the finishing touches, placing the pecan halves in her chocolate thumbprints or rolling her meltingly tender almond crescents in powdered sugar.  But mixing the cookie dough itself, nope, that was her domain.

    My Favorites

    Her Toffee Bars and Pecan Tartlets.  When I became interested in cooking and baking and not just eating, I asked for her cookie recipes and she was gracious enough to share them with me.  For Mrs. S making these cookies became second nature.  Details and how-to’s were committed to memory, not to paper.  Over the years I have figured out the little extra steps she took that elevated her cookies, especially her Pecan Tartlets, above the rest.  I’ve also added my tweaks to make the process easier and faster.

    How-Tos:

    The tart crust is butter and cream cheese-based and similar to a cookie dough.  It does not include any liquids so it won’t shrink much.  I make the dough in a food processor, much like tart dough.  The dry ingredients are placed in the food processor bowl and pulsed a couple of times to combine.  The original recipe includes up to half a cup of sugar in the dough, way too much.  I often don’t add any sugar but if you like a sweeter crust, add a MAX of 1/4 cup.  Note that the more sugar you add, the quicker you will need to roll out the dough as the sugar makes the dough stickier and tougher to work with.  Add the butter and cream cheese and pulse until the dough just starts to clump.  Do not overprocess.  Gather the dough and chill for approximately 2 hours. 

    You could scoop out dough, roll it into balls and press each into tiny muffin tins which is pretty easy, but then you wouldn’t get those cute scalloped edges.  Mrs. S’s method was to roll the dough out approximately 3/16 inch thick and cut it with a flower petal cookie cutter.  I know, lots of work but, look at how nice they look.  The genius of using the petal cutter is the shape makes it very easy to press the dough into the muffin tins.

    Next Step:

    Make the filling while the dough chills in the fridge.  Here’s the cheat.  Pour the filling into a squeeze bottle.  I replace the top with the lid from the honey I buy at TJ’s.  The spout is bigger which allows the filling to flow easily…a nice squirt into each muffin cup.  How EASY is that?  Ingenuity being the mother of invention, my cheapie wine opener works perfectly for pressing the dough evenly into the muffin tin.

    Fill the tarts to where the petals meet and sprinkle the pecans on top.  Walnuts or a mix of different nuts would be delicious too.  Follow the baking instructions.  When slightly cooled, dust the tarts with a nice layer of powdered sugar.

    Enjoy these little bites of bliss.  Don’t wait until the holidays to make them!

    Print Pin

    MINIATURE PECAN TARTS

    Bite-sized pecan tarts, sweet, nutty and delicious!
    Course cookies, Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Keyword cookies, holiday baking, Mini Pecan Tarts, pecans
    Prep Time 45 minutes
    35 minutes

    Equipment

    • mini-muffin tin
    • 2 inch petal cookie cutter optional

    Ingredients

    Cream Cheese pastry

    Mix together:

    • 3 ounce cream cheese
    • 1 stick butter salted, or if using unsalted add 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour  preferably Gold Medal but any will work

    Filling

    Blend together:

    • 1 tablespoon softened butter
    • 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar light brown sugar
    • 1 egg large
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 1 cup chopped pecans substitute mixed nuts if you like, walnuts

    Instructions

    Dough

    • Original instructions: Combine well and refrigerate. Cut into small circles and press into mini-muffin tin.
    • My instructions: Mix the dough in a food processor. Place flour in fp bowl. Add butter and cream cheese to flour. Pulse mixture just until it begins to clump. Do not overprocess. Pour onto wax paper or plastic wrap and pat into a disc shape. Chill for at least 2 hours.
    • On a lightly floured surface, roll pastry out to 3/16-1/4 inch thickness. Cut into small circles. I use a petal cutter 2.5-inch or a plain round 2-inch cutter. Press circles into ungreased muffin tins. Chill muffin tins while making the filling.

    Filling

    • Blend filling ingredients well. Pour into a squeeze bottle. I use a plastic TJ honey container that has an opening about 1/8inch. This is a quick way to fill the muffin tins. You could use a spoon.
    • Fill prepared muffin tins about 3/4 full.  Allow filling to settle slightly.  Fill each muffin tin to the top with finely chopped pecans (about 1 cup)  Chill.
    • Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  Reduce temperature to 250 degrees and bake 20 minutes longer. Allow tarts to cool and carefully remove from tins.
    • Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar while still warm.  Allow to cool before removing from tins.

    Notes

    There aren't instructions for the prepared muffin tins.  I'm guessing at lightly greased.  I generally don't grease the tins and occasionally I lose a tartlet to sticking but for the most part a little pry with a thin bladed knife and the tarts come out of the pan.
    Almond for Pie! Cherry Slab Pie with Marzipan Crumble

    Almond for Pie! Cherry Slab Pie with Marzipan Crumble

    By | | Comments 0 Comment

    Right next to my favorite strawberry stand at the farmer’s market is a cherry stand. A couple of weeks ago was their last time at the market for the season. So, of course, I couldn’t resist and loaded up on cherries hoping to savor the last pick of the season.

    Which meant I was constantly tossing unadulterated cherries into my mouth.  Around the 50th cherry, the thought-there must be another way to enjoy these bad boys, danced through my head.  Coincidentally, a post from Ipso Fatto appeared in my inbox for a luscious-looking cherry slab pie.  Fortuitous or can Google read minds now. Hmmm.

    The recipe is originally from Vintage Baker by Jessie Sheehan.  This is not the first time I have tried one of her recipes. I also posted her Butterscotch Potato Chip Balls that are, in a word, scrumptious. She also has a blog, Jessie Sheehan Bakes, which I have added to my blogs to follow. Plenty of photos and helpful notes to go along with her well-written recipes.

    Did not even know I had a cherry pitter…go figure, another kitchen gadget, makes me so happy.

    Do not get freaked out by the word PIE.  The crust for this slab pie is made in the food processor and pressed into a removable bottom pan. No rolling here! Very easy.  The dough is made with regular flour and almond flour (which helps keep the crust tender), butter, an egg yolk, and sugar.

    Pulse ingredients in the food processor until it just starts to come together.  Do not over-process.  If you pinch the dough and it stays together, stop.

    Press the dough into a springform pan. See, EASY.

    The crumble is made with almond paste to amp up the almond further.  Ahhh, cherry and almond, like Fred and Ginger, a spot on flavor combination.

    I made half the recipe which is the best way to resist the temptation of eating an entire slab pie.  An excellent strategy for me of little self-control.  I used a 9 inch round springform pan which worked perfectly.

    This pie is delicious, the buttery crust and marzipan crumble all supporting the star of the show-juicy sweet cherries.  If only cherry season was a little longer, sigh.

    Print Pin

    Cherry-Almond Slab Pie with Marzipan Crumble

    Lovely, easy to make slab pie from Vintage Baker
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American, Asian
    Keyword cherry, marzipan crumble, slab pie, vintage baker
    Prep Time 30 minutes
    Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
    Servings 8 servings

    Equipment

    • 9x13 pan
    • 9 inch springform pan

    Ingredients

    Almond Piecrust

    • 2 cups all-purpose flour 280gms
    • 3/4 cup almond flour 90gms
    • 1/3 cup granulated sugar 65gms
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled 165gms, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
    • 1 tsp almond extract
    • 1 egg yolk
    • 1/4 cup cold water

    Marzipan Crumble

    • 1 cup all-purpose flour 140gms
    • 7 ounces almond paste
    • 2/3 cup granulated sugar 130gms
    • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled 110gms cut into 1/2 inch pieces

    Cherry Filling

    • 10 cups pitted cherries, fresh or frozen do not throw
    • 3/4 cup cornstarch 105gms
    • 2 cups granulated sugar
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 2 T lemon juice
    • 1/2 tsp almond extract
    • Sliced almonds for sprinkling

    Almond Glaze

    • 1 cup confectioners' sugar 120gms
    • 1/4 cup heavy cream 60ml
    • 1/8 tsp almond extract

    Vanilla Ice Cream!

    Instructions

    Piecrust

    • Preheat oven to 400 degrees
      Grease 13x9x2 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray or softened butter, line bottom with parchment paper, grease paper. Set aside.
    • Combine AP flour, almond flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse to combine ingredients. Distribute butter on top of the flour mixture and pulse until coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized pieces.
    • Combine almond extract, egg yolk and 1/4 cup cold water. Add liquid mixture to food processor and continue to pulse until the dough begins to clump. Do not overdo it! Transfer the dough into prepared pan, press it evenly onto the bottom and two thirds up the sides. Wrap pan in plastic wrap and place in freezer while you make the crumble and filling.

    For the Crumble

    • Add flour, almond paste and granulated sugar to food processor bowl. Pulse to combine. Add butter and process until it comes together in one mass. Remove from processor and break in bits. Cover and wrap and store in freezer until needed.

    Filling

    • Combine cherries, cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add lemon juice and almond extract and stir well.
      To assemble pie, pour cherries into pie crust. Top with crumble and sprinkle sliced almonds on top.
    • Bake 80-90 minutes, less for fresh cherries, rotating the pan after 30 minutes and tenting with foil so it doesn't brown too much. Pie is ready when the filling bubbles thru the center.

    Glaze

    • Combine powdered sugar, cream and extract in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Drizzle on pie.
    • Serve with Vanilla ice cream, that's an order.

    Notes

    This recipe can be halved, which is what I did.  Weigh ingredients if possible for accuracy.  
    For the egg, one large egg is about 3 tablespoons.  Beat egg and mesure out 1-1/2 tablespoons for half recipe.
    Half recipe can be baked in a 9 inch springform pan.
    Baking time will be shorter, start checking at 50 minutes.