Coconut Custard Pie

Confession: I was only planning to make two pies this Thanksgiving weekend. Still, we pastry fiends--aka my family of four--have managed to eat all but 1/3 of the pumpkin pie...and it's not yet Saturday afternoon. The solution? BAKE. MORE. PIE.

We all love a good coconut custard, so I tried a recipe from my beloved "Moosewood Restaurant Book of Desserts." It's quick and easy, so you can spend your time watching "Real Housewives of Atlanta" marathons in your sweatpants instead of stirring eggs over the stove and hoping they don't curdle.

COCONUT CUSTARD PIE

serves 8

10" prebaked pie shell, cooled to room temperature (see recipe below)
6 eggs
2/3 c packed brown sugar
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 c milk
1 c half and half
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp coconut extract or an additional tsp pure vanilla extract (optional)
2 tbs unbleached white flour
1 c unsweetened grated coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a blender, combine the eggs, brown sugar, salt, milk, half and half, vanilla, coconut extract, and flour and blend until smooth. Spread the grated coconut on a baking sheet or taster oven tray and lightly toast at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes, or until golden. Stir the coconut into the custard mixture. Pour the filling into the prebaked pie shell.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for at least 20 minutes. Serve warm or chilled.BEST ALL-PURPOSE PIE CRUST

yields 1 crust

1 1/2 c unbleached white flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbs sugar (optional)
1/2 c chilled butter
3 to 4 tbs ice water

To make in a food processor, cut the butter into 1" pieces and place them in the bowl of the food processor. Add the flour, salt, and sugar. Process until all of the ingredients are incorporated. With the processor on, add the water a tablespoon at a time until the dough begins to clump but is still crumbly. Continue to drizzle a little water and pulse the food processor, stopping to test the dough with your fingertips to see if it is moist enough to hold together. (You can almost make the dough by hand or in a stand mixer.)

On a floured surface, gently flatten the ball of dough with a rolling pin. Starting from the center, roll the dough into a circle about an inch larger than the diameter of the pie pan. Lift the dough into the pan. Fold the edges under and crimp with your fingers or a fork.

To make a prebaked pie shell, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prick the prepared crust in several places with a fork. Line the crust with aluminum foil (I used parchment paper) and a layer of dried beans (I used ceramic pie weights) to weight it down. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the crimped edge is lightly toasted. Remove the beans and foil and continue to bake for about 10 minutes, until the shell is golden brown and the bottom is no longer moist--if you use a glass pie pan, you can look at the bottom of the pan to check that all moisture has baked out of the crust. Cool before filling.

Chocolate Pecan Pie

In anticipation of Thanksgiving, I made a pumpkin pie and a chocolate pecan pie this morning. The editors of Martha Stewart Everyday Food Magazine note, "The pie filling puffs up during baking but settles as it cools." Enjoy with a large scoop of vanilla or caramel praline ice cream!CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE

serves 10

4 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 c light corn syrup
1/2 c sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 recipe Basic Pie Crust (see below), rolled and fitted into a 9" pie plate
1 c pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in lowest position. In a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water, melt chocolate, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes (or melt chocolate in microwave). Set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together (do not whisk) eggs, corn syrup, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Stirring constantly, gradually add melted chocolate. Pour filling into prepared crust; place pie on a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange pecans in one even layer over filling.

Bake just until set (filling should jiggle slightly when pie plate is tapped), 50 to 60 minutes, rotating halfway through. Let cool completely on a wire rack, at least 4 hours (or up to overnight) before serving.


BASIC PIE CRUST

makes one 9" crust
NOTE: If wrapped in plastic and aluminum foil, this will keep in the freezer for up the 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.

1 1/4 c all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 c (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 to 4 tbs ice water

In a food processor, briefly pulse flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with 2 tbs ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 2 tbs water, 1 tbs at a time). Don't overmix.

Turn dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold plastic over dough; press to shape into a 1" thick disk. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days)

On a floured piece of parchment paper, roll dough to a 14" round with a floured rolling pin. Wrap dough around rolling pin, discarding paper; unroll over a 9" pie plate. Gently fit into bottom and up sides of plate (do not stretch dough).

Using kitchen shears, trim dough to a 1" overhang. Fold under itself to form a rim, and press to seal. Using thumb and forefinger, crimp rim of crust. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 day.

Brownie Pudding

This recipe comes from Ina Garten's new cookbook, "Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients." It combines the cake-like crust of a brownie and the creamy undercooked texture of a British-style pudding. Yum!BROWNIE PUDDING

serves 6

1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for buttering the dish
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature (I substituted large eggs)
2 c sugar
3/4 c good cocoa powder
1/2 c all-purpose flour
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean (I substituted a splash of pure vanilla extract)
1 tbs framboise liqueur (optional)
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly butter a 2-quart (9x12x2") oval baking dish. Melt the butter and set aside to cool.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes, until very thick and light yellow. Meanwhile, sift the cocoa powder and flour together and set aside.

When the egg and sugar mixture is ready, lower the speed to low and add the vanilla seeds, framboise (if using), and the cocoa powder and flour mixture. Mix only until combined. With the mixer still on low, slowly pour in the cooled butter and mix again just until combined.

Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared dish and place it in a larger baking pan. Add enough of the hottest tap water to the pan to come halfway up the side of the dish and bake for exactly 1 hour. A cake tester inserted 2 inches from the side will come out three-quarters clean. The center will appear very underbaked; this dessert is between a brownie and a pudding.

Allow to cool and serve with ice cream.

Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp

This past weekend, I visited some friends from college who now reside in DC. On Sunday night, Emily and I made dinner for 5 people, and Adriana and Marshall brought a partially assembled apple crisp which they finished and baked on site.

The following is the Ina Garten recipe on which they based their dessert. Instead of McIntosh or Macoun apples, Adriana used Golden Delicious. Any tart and firm baking apple should work well. She rolled out a piecrust and baked the ingredients in an 8 or 9" glass pie dish. It smelled absolutely amazing while it baked, and it tasted even better when dished out with a scoop of ice cream! I could eat the buttery oat streusel topping by itself.

OLD-FASHIONED APPLE CRISP

serves 10

For the filling:

5 lb McIntosh or Macoun apples
Grated zest of 1 orange
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tbs freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 c granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg

For the topping:

1 1/2 c flour
3/4 c granulated sugar
3/4 c light brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 c oatmeal
1/2 lb cold unsalted butter, diced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x14x2" oval baking dish.

Peel, core, and cut the apples into large wedges. Combine the apples with the zests, juices, sugar, and spices. Pour into the dish.

To make the topping, combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and cold butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is the size of peas. Scatter evenly over the apples.

Place the crisp on a sheet pan and bake for 1 hour until the top is brown and the apples are bubbly. Serve warm.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

I apologize for not posting in a while! Luckily, the upcoming holiday season = copious amounts of cooking, baking, and eating. Get excited!

I love, love, love a dense cheesecake (usually of the plain/New York-style variety), but, as any seasoned baker knows, it's not the easiest dessert to master. However, this seasonal Martha Stewart Everyday Food recipe is super simple and nearly foolproof. No cheesecake water baths...hip hip hooray!

The editors caution, "To prevent the top from cracking, be careful not to overmix the batter, and do not open the oven door while the cake is baking or cooling inside the oven." I affix a bright purple Post-It to the oven door handle to remind myself and others in the household not to peek at the cheesecake while it sets.

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

serves 12

For the crust:
10 graham crackers (2.5" x 5" each) or 1 1/3 c store-bought graham cracker crumbs (I used the latter, and it made life so much easier!)
1/4 c sugar
4 tbs unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:
4 packages (8 oz each) bar cream cheese, very soft
1 1/4 c sugar
3 tbs all-purpose flour
1 c canned pumpkin puree
2 tbs pumpkin pie spice
1 tbs pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
4 large eggs, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in center. Assemble a 9" nonstick springform pan, with the raised side of the bottom part facing up.

Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse graham crackers and sugar until finely ground. Add butter; pulse until mixture forms moist crumbs; press firmly into bottom of pan. Bake until golden around edges, 10 to 12 minutes.

Make the filling: With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar on low speed until smooth; mix in flour (do not overmix). Add pumpkin puree, pie spice, vanilla, and salt; mix just until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.

Place springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour filling into springform, and gently smooth top. Transfer to oven; reduce heat to 300 degrees. Bake 45 minutes. Turn off oven; leave cheesecake in oven 2 hours more (without opening).

Remove cheesecake from oven; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours, and up to 3 days. Unmold before serving.

Beatty's Chocolate Cake

BEATTY'S CHOCOLATE CAKE

Butter for greasing the pans
1 3/4 c all-purpose flour, plus more for the pans
2 c sugar
3/4 c good cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 c buttermilk, shaken
1/2 c vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
Chocolate Frosting (see recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8" round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With the mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Place one layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING6 oz good semisweet chocolate (such as Callebaut)
1 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 c sifted confectioners' sugar
1 tbs instant coffee powder

Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

Pumpkin Pie

"To use fresh pumpkin, halve and place a 1 3/4 pound sugar pumpkin, cut sides down, in a baking pan. Roast in a 400 degree oven until very soft, 50 to 60 minutes. Scoop out flesh and puree in a food processor until very smooth."

PUMPKIN PIE

makes one 9" single-crust pie

All-purpose flour, for dusting
Pate Brisee (see recipe below)
3 large whole eggs, plus 1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 c canned or fresh pumpkin puree
3/4 c packed light brown sugar
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 c canned evaporated milk

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one disk of dough to a 12" round. With a dry pastry brush, sweep off the excess flour; fit dough into a 9" glass pie plate, pressing into the edges. Trim dough to meet the edge of the pie plate. Prick the bottom of the dough all over with a fork. On a lightly floured piece of parchment, roll out the other disk of dough. Transfer dough (on parchment) to a baking sheet. Chill pie shell and dough until firm, about 30 minutes.

Using a triangle-shaped cutter or a sharp knife, cut out about 40 triangles (each side about 1" long) from the sheet of dough. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and 1 tbs water; lightly brush the bottoms of the triangles with egg wash, and gently press, slightly overlapping, to adhere to the dough, until the entire rim is covered. Lightly brush the decorated edge with egg wash; don't let it pool. Chill pie shell until firm, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Line shell with parchment paper, leaving a 1" overhang. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the edges are just beginning to turn golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove parchment and weights. Return crust to the oven; continue baking until light golden all over, 15 to 20 minutes more. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg, whole eggs, and evaporated milk until combined. Pour mixture into the cooled crust, and bake until the filling is set around the edges but still slightly soft in the center, 40 to 45 minutes. (Check crust periodically; if it gets too dark, cover up the edges with foil.) The filling will be just slightly loose in the center, but will firm up as it cools. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Pie can be kept at room temperature, loosely covered with aluminum foil, for up to 2 days.PATE BRISEE

makes enough for one double-crust or two single-crust 9" pies

For the flakiest crust, make sure all ingredients (including the flour) are cold before you begin.

2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
1/4 c ice water, plus more if needed

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour and salt; pulse to combine. Add the butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining, about 10 seconds. (To mix by hand, combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then cut in butter with a pastry blender.)

With the machine running, add the ice water through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream, just until the dough holds together without being wet or sticky. Do not process more than 30 seconds. Test by squeezing a small amount of the dough together; if it is still too crumbly, add a bit more water, 1 tbs at a time.

Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface. Divide in half, and place each half on a piece of plastic wrap. Shape into flattened disks. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight. The dough can be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.

Fresh Applesauce

We'll be having a roasted pork loin and a garlic and spinach saute for dinner tomorrow, so I made applesauce today in preparation. Again, this recipe comes from "The Healthy Kitchen." According to Dr. Andrew Weil and Rosie Daley, "You can use any type of apple you'd like, and because apples are pretty much available year-round, you can serve it as a warm side dish in the winter, or a cold side dish, or dessert, any time of year."

I adjusted the recipe to my taste. Additionally, you could add lemon juice, granulated sugar, and/or brown sugar according to your palate.

FRESH APPLESAUCE

serves 6

6 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced, about 6 cups (I used 8 Cortland apples)
1/2 c apple juice (I used 3/4 c apple cider)
1 tsp ground cinnamon (I used 1 tbs ground cinnamon)

Put the apple slices and the apple juice in a saucepan with a lid. Cook, covered, over low heat, until the apples are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 10-20 minutes, depending on the type of apple you are using. Break up the apples using a fork or pour the mixture into a blender and blend until smooth. Sprinkle in the cinnamon and stir until it is thoroughly integrated into the apples. Let the apples cool for a few minutes or longer, depending on whether you want to serve them warm or cold.

Pear Custard Pie

I love to cook, but I hate cleaning dirty dishes and baking equipment. This recipe, from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food "Great Food Fast: 250 Recipes for Easy, Delicious Meals All Year Long," only requires a blender and a pie dish. It's easy to make, easy to clean up after, and therefore even easier to enjoy!

PEAR CUSTARD PIE

serves 6

1/4 c unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pie dish
3 ripe but firm Comice or Bartlett pears, peeled, halved, and cored
1/3 c granulated sugar
1/3 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3/4 c milk
1/4 tsp salt
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees; butter a 9" pie dish. Slice the pears 1/4" thick lengthwise. Arrange the slices, overlapping slightly, in the dish.

In a blender, process the melted butter, granulated sugar, flour, vanilla, eggs, milk, and salt until smooth.

Pour the batter over the pears; bake until golden and firm to the touch, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, dusted with confectioners' sugar.

Roasted Fruit

According to the editors at Martha Stewart's Everyday Food, "This dessert is more interesting when prepared with a variety of stone fruits, but if you can't find one particular type, substitute more of another. You could also use apricots in place of any of the other three fruits." Instead, I used four peaches.

I served this as a side dish alongside homemade turkey burgers (which were stuffed with red onion and grated Gruyere) and baked beans.

ROASTED FRUIT

serves 4

2 peaches
2 plums
2 nectarines
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 to 3 tbs sugar (depending on sweetness of fruit)
2 tbs unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tbs fresh lime juice
Vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. With a fork, prick the skins of the peaches, plums, and nectarines. Halve each fruit, and remove the pits. Halve the fruit again.

In a roasting pan, toss the fruit with the rosemary, sugar, butter, and lime juice. Roast, tossing occasionally, until the fruit is fork-tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Serve warm over vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt, if desired, and drizzle the pan juices over the top.

Frozen Cookie Dough

My sister lives in New York and rarely cooks, so I like to stock her fridge and pantry when I visit her apartment. This weekend, I'll be dropping off logs of frozen cookie dough. She can defrost, slice, and bake individual cookies whenever she wants!

After making a batch of cookie dough, divide it in half. Roll each half into a log and wrap it with plastic. Then, roll the plastic-wrapped log in a long sheet of parchment paper. Tightly twist the ends of the parchment paper. Using a permanent marker, I labeled the individual logs with the name of the dough and the baking directions. Here is a log of Chocolate Chunk Cookies:...and a log of Icebox Butter Cookies:You can store the cookie dough in your freezer for up to three weeks:

Almond Cake

My grandmother made a large Chinese dinner for 6 people, so I had to come up with a dessert that would balance the strong spices and flavors of her cuisine. I opted for a simple almond cake served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. You could also present this meal-textured cake with whipped cream and pear slices.

Giada De Laurentiis based this recipe on an almond cake from Il Fornaio bakery in Los Angeles. According to her, "It's very important to cream the butter and almond paste until it becomes thoroughly smooth."

If you're not familiar with it, almond paste is packaged in a tube and can be found in the baking section of most grocery and specialty food stores. It is usually located next to the marzipan. Tightly packaged, almond paste will keep in the refrigerator for two days or in the freezer for up to three weeks.

ALMOND CAKE

makes one 8" round cake

1/2 c fine yellow cornmeal
1/2 c cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp
1/4 c almond paste, cut into small pieces
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 c confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
4 large egg yolks
2 large eggs
1/4 c sour cream

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8" round cake pan.

In a medium bow, whisk together the cornmeal, cake flour, and baking powder. Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and almond paste on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the vanilla extract. Gradually add 1 1/4 c of confectioners' sugar, beating until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Increase the speed to high and beat in the egg yolks and whole eggs, one at a time. Reduce the speed to medium and add the sour cream and dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the surface with a spatula. Bake until the cake is golden and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 35 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool. Remove the cake from the pan and dust with more confectioners' sugar. (The cake can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight in a plastic container.) Cut the cake into wedges and serve.

Peach Bread Pudding

Today, I made Peach Bread Pudding, a recipe from my Moosewood dessert book. I chopped up 6 peaches and used 1 tbs of Appleton Estate rum, which my sister brought back from Jamaica last year. For the bread cubes, I used 2 slices of Pepperidge Farm Cinnamon Raisin bread and half of a loaf of homemade cinnamon raisin bread.

The Moosewood Collective recommends serving this with raspberry sauce, rum custard sauce, and/or a dollop of whipped cream. It would also be delightful with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!PEACH BREAD PUDDING

serves 8 to 10

5 c French, Italian or cinnamon raisin bread or challah, cut into small cubes
4 c milk
4 large eggs
1 tbs pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 c packed brown sugar
3 c chopped, peeled fresh or frozen peaches
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tbs rum (optional)
2 tbs butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the bread cubes in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla, and 1 c of the brown sugar. Pour over the bread cubes, stir lightly, and set aside.

In a separate bowl, toss the peaches with the remaining 1/4 c of brown sugar and the cinnamon, nutmeg, and rum, if desired. Stir into the bread mixture. Melt the butter right in a 9x13" baking pan in the oven and when the butter has melted, tilt the pan to coat.

Pour the bread and peach mixture evenly into the buttered baking pan and bake until puffed and golden, about 50 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

2 Variations on Banana Bread

This particular recipe comes from "The Martha Stewart Cookbook: Collected Recipes for Every Day."

I made two large loaves: one with 1/2 c of chopped pecans and the other with 1/2 c of semisweet chocolate chips. The photos depict what remains of the chocolate chip banana bread loaf!

BANANA BREAD

makes 1 large loaf or 4 small loaves

1/4 lb (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 c unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 c mashed very ripe bananas
1/2 c sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1/2 c semisweet chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9"x5"x3" loaf pan or several smaller pans.

With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, beating well.

Sift the dry ingredients together and combine with the butter mixture. Blend well. Add the bananas, sour cream, and vanilla. Stir well. If using, stir in the nuts or chocolate chips and pour into the prepared pan.

Bake 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean. Turn out onto a rack to cool.

Fruit with Cardamom Yogurt

I've been making recipes from my Moosewood dessert book quite a lot as of late, and this is an unusual spin on fruit-and-yogurt. The cardamom is an unexpected flavor profile. You could serve it as dessert, a side dish, a snack, or breakfast.

According to the editors, "We suggest cubed melon and seedless grapes, but this sauce is also delightful with blackberries, peaches, pears, or bananas. For an interesting change in texture, try adding chopped almonds, walnuts, pecans, or shredded coconut."

FRUIT WITH CARDAMOM YOGURT

serves 4 to 6

1 c yogurt (I used lowfat plain yogurt)
1 tbs sugar
2 tbs frozen orange juice concentrate (I used regular orange juice)
1/2 tsp freshly grated lime peel (I used orange peel)
1/8 tsp ground cardamom
dash of salt
2 c cubed cantaloupe or honeydew melon (I omitted this)
2 c green or red seedless grapes (I used 4 c red seedless grapes)

In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, orange juice concentrate, lime peel, cardamom, and salt. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Combine the melon and grapes in a bowl. Pour the yogurt mixture over the fruit and toss gently. Serve chilled.

Baked Apples

As it transitions into fall, I begin to crave doughnuts, pumpkin and pecan pies, and apples in all forms. There are many variations on a baked apple recipe; this one comes courtesy of Mireille Guiliano's "French Women Don't Get Fat."

BAKED APPLES

serves 4

1/3 c chopped walnuts (I substituted homemade maple-glazed walnuts)
4 apples (Cortland, Golden Delicious, or Rome Beauty are recommended)
4 tsp butter
4 tsp sugar mixed with 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbs water

Place the walnuts on a baking sheets and toast them in a 250 degree oven for about 5 minutes, until they are fragrant. Set aside.

Wash and core the apples. Place them in a baking dish. Combine the butter, sugar-cinnamon mixture, and toasted walnuts.

Fill the cavity of each apple with the mixture, dividing it evenly among the 4 apples. Pour the water into the bottom of the baking dish.

Bake the apples at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve warm. You can make the dessert more festive by pouring 1 tsp of heavy cream over each apple just before serving, garnishing with a sprig of mint for color, or placing an edible flower on the side.

Sugar Cookies

I made about 5 dozen sugar cookies last Friday and individually decorated them with a confectioner's sugar-based icing and various sprinkling sugars. Sadly, we've eaten most of them by now, and I only snapped photos of a few paltry remnants. The following may not have been the prettiest of the batch, but they still taste quite good with a mug of homemade cocoa!

An elephant and two rhinos:
Two ice cream cones and a guitar:

White Nectarines and Pate Brisee Stars

When I made my Fourth of July Blueberry Pie (see separate entry), I had several leftover stars cut from the pie crust. Rather than let them go to waste, I used them in a quick summer dessert of my own creation.

In a shallow ovenproof container, I formed concentric rings of white nectarine slices. I sprinkled a bit of sugar on top of them. Then, I overlapped the pate brisee stars atop the fruit. With a pastry brush, I dabbed a mixture of 1 tbs heavy cream and 1 large egg yolk all over the dish. I baked it at 350 degrees until the nectarines became soft and tender and the stars turned a flaky golden brown.This recipe enabled me to use up both ripe fruit and leftover pastry scraps!

Fresh Coconut Cake

My mom purchased this book at the recent annual book sale of our public library:The Junior League of Hampton Roads, Inc. (aka Richmond) published it way back in 1975. It's filled with traditional Southern recipes that have been handed down through the generations.

Last week, I made the Fresh Coconut Cake. The editors note that this recipe has been around for at least four generations. The shiny white icing resembles nothing so much as Marshmallow Fluff! From above, the entire cake looks like a Hostess Sno Ball:
I omitted the black walnuts and baked the batter in two 9" cake pans instead of the recommended three.

FRESH COCONUT CAKE

For the cake:

6 eggs
2 c sugar
1/2 c butter or margarine
1 c hot milk
2 1/2 c flour, sifted
1 tsp vanilla
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 c black walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Separate eggs. Reserve 4 egg whites for icing. Beat egg yolks, 2 egg whites and sugar at medium-high speed on electric mixer until light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. Melt butter in hot milk. Add 1/2 c flour to eggs and sugar mixture, beating slowly. Add half of the hot milk mixture, 1 c flour and remaining hot milk. Then add the rest of the flour, vanilla, baking powder and nuts. Pour into three 9" greased or lined cake pans. Bake 20 minutes. Cool slightly before removing from pans.

For the icing:

1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c water
4 egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla
2 c fresh coconut, shredded

Boil sugar and water for 2 minutes. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until eggs stand up in stiff peaks, but are not dry. Pour boiling syrup into egg whites, beating at highest speed on mixer. When icing becomes stiff enough to spread (2-4 minutes), add vanilla. Spread between layers, on top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with coconut.

Dark Chocolate Pudding with Bananas

This lightning-fast recipe comes courtesy of the "Moosewood Restaurant Book of Desserts." It's a great way to use up ripe bananas, and you can probably make it with ingredients that you already have in your pantry. I didn't go through the trouble of caramelizing the bananas, but they would add a decadent touch to a dark, dark chocolate dessert. I plan to make this a second time this week, albeit in my sister's New York galley kitchen!

DARK CHOCOLATE PUDDING WITH BANANAS

serves 4

For the banana layer:

2 ripe bananas
1 tbs butter
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbs sugar

For the pudding:

1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 c sugar
3 tbs cornstarch
dash of salt
2 c milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Peel the bananas and slice them lengthwise into halves. In a heavy skillet, melt the butter on medium heat. Cook the bananas for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden and just beginning to brown. Transfer the bananas to a bowl and lightly mash them. Stir together the cinnamon and sugar, sprinkle over the bananas, and set aside.

In the saucepan, combine the cocoa, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. On medium heat, gradually add the milk, stirring briskly until the cocoa has dissolved. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes, until the pudding is boiling, thickened, and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

To assemble individual servings, pour about 1/4 c of the pudding into the bottom of each of the dessert cups, spoon in 1/4 of the mashed bananas and cover evenly with the remaining pudding. To present the dessert in a serving bowl, layer half of the pudding in the bottom of the bowl, evenly spread on all of the bananas, and top with the rest of the pudding. Serve chilled.

VARIATIONS:

For plain chocolate pudding, make this recipe without the cooked banana layer.

For a quick variation, layer the pudding with sliced raw bananas (sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, if you like).