makes one 9” pie
 
For the pie crust- (you can use your favorite pie crust recipe, but I like the way the texture of this crust offsets the richness of the filling. Traditionally, Chess Pie calls for cornmeal in the filling- I prefer it tucked inside the pie crust.)
 
1 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup rye flour
½ cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 sticks (1 cup) cold, unsalted butter
2 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons heavy cream, cold
 
In a large bowl, whisk together flours, cornmeal, and salt. Cut in butter pieces until mixture resembles coarse meal. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and heavy cream. Add the yolk mixture to the flour/butter mixture, using a fork to toss the mixtures together until you have a shaggy dough. Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured work surface. Gather the dough together, gently turning the dough a few times until smooth, shape into a disc, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least one hour, preferably overnight, before rolling out. Roll out into a circle approximately 12” in diameter and transfer to a 9” pie plate. (Save any scraps to bake off for snacking.) Turn the edges under, crimp decoratively and freeze until firm.
 
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
 
Line the chilled pie shell with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Fill with beans or rice. Place on a baking sheet and bake on the bottom rack of the oven for approximately 25 minutes, until the edges of the pie crust are firm and the bottom of the crust is set. Carefully remove the parchment or foil and beans and set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, cover the edges of the pie crust with foil strips to prevent over browning and continue baking the crust until the bottom is no longer raw, and is golden, approximately 15 minutes.  Set aside to cool completely while you prepare the filling. (Pie crust can be prepared a day ahead, cooled, wrapped in plastic wrap and left on the counter.)
 
For the filling-
 
2 oz. unsalted butter
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate (I use Trader Joe’s 72% Dark)
½ cup Buttermilk (I use Five Acre Farms)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (I use Medaglia D’oro)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I use Jones’ Vanilla)
2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk, whisked together in a small bowl
 
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
 
In a large heat-proof bowl set over a pot filled halfway with simmering – not boiling – water, melt the butter and chocolate, stirring occasionally. Remove the bowl from over the double boiler and whisk in the buttermilk until smooth. Whisk in the sugars, cocoa powder, salt, espresso powder, and vanilla until smooth. Whisk in the eggs and egg yolk until well incorporated. Place the pie shell on a parchment lined baking sheet. Pour the chocolate filling over the pie crust and bake in the pre-heated 325 degree F oven for 40-45 minutes, just until the center of the pie begins to set. Do not over bake; the pie will continue to set up as it cools. Serve with freshly whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers; the texture of the pie is best when served at room temperature.
 
 

makes one 9” pie
For the crust-
​1¾ graham cracker crumbs
⅓ cup sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
pinch of salt
6 tablespoons melted butter
 
In a medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir together with a fork then add melted butter. Toss to blend until well combined. Reserve one tablespoon of the crumbs to sprinkle over the meringue topping. Transfer the remaining mixture to a 9” Pyrex pie plate, pressing the crumbs across the bottom and up the sides. Smooth the crumbs using a small measuring cup so that they are evenly distributed. Refrigerate the crust for at least 15 minutes before baking.  Bake in a preheated 325 F degree oven for 8-10 minutes, just until golden. Set aside to cool completely while you prepare the filling.
 
For the filling-
 
6 large egg yolks (Note: you will only use 4 of the whites for the meringue)
¾ cup granulated sugar
6½ tablespoons cornstarch
⅛ teaspoon salt
3 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks; set aside. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens, bubbles, and comes to a boil, about 5 minutes. Whisking constantly, slowly pour a few tablespoons of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks, to temper them. Add the rest of the milk mixture to the yolks. Return the yolk/milk mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and begins to bubble, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract. Strain the filling through a fine mesh strainer set over a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. (The filling may be refrigerated overnight if not using right away, but I like to time things so I’m placing a freshly made meringue on a warm filling.) Fill the cooled pie crust with the filling and prepare the meringue.
 
For the meringue-
 
4 egg whites
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
¼ teaspoon salt
 
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the egg whites, granulated sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, cream of tartar, and salt. Place the bowl over a just simmering pot of water, making sure the bowl does not come in contact with the water. Stir gently with a heat-proof spatula until the mixture registers 160 degrees F on an insta-read thermometer. Remove the bowl from the heat and immediately place it onto the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat until meringue is glossy with stiff peaks, and the bowl feels cool to the touch. Spread the meringue over the pie, making sure the meringue reaches the edges of the crust. Brown the meringue using a kitchen torch, sprinkling the top of the pie with the reserved graham cracker crumbs. Slice with a sharp knife dipped into hot water and dried off. Refrigerate any leftovers. (Rather than fuss with plastic wrap, invert a large bowl over the remaining pie and refrigerate.)

makes 30 (36, if you reroll the scraps)
 
For the Meyer Lemon Curd-
 
(The curd is made using thin-skinned Meyer lemons, which are less bitter with a wonderfully floral fragrance. The Meyer lemons and sugar need to macerate for at least 3 hours in a non-reactive bowl. I prefer to let them sit in a covered bowl, overnight.)

2 Meyer lemons, sliced paper thin (mine weighed a total of 4½ oz.) 
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon flour
2 eggs, beaten

Prepare the lemons by slicing them paper-thin, (saving the juice) removing all seeds, and placing the lemon slices, the juice, and the sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse just until you have coarsely chopped pieces of lemon. (Slices of lemon work well in pie, but small pieces work better in rugelach’s crescent shape.) Transfer the mixture to a non-reactive bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let them sit for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.  (There may be a few stray seeds that should float to the top after the sugar and lemons sit. Remove them.)

In a small bowl, whisk together the butter and flour, then whisk that into the lemon/sugar mixture. Add the eggs, and combine thoroughly. Place the lemon filling in the top of a double boiler, set over simmering water. Cook the lemon filling until it becomes very thick- I take it off the heat when my insta-read thermometer registers 185 degrees. Transfer the filling to a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and set the bowl over ice to cool completely before filling the rugelach. (You can prepare the lemon filling 3-4 days ahead of time and keep it refrigerated.) When ready to bake, pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
 
For the dough-

Note- (Some bakers are keen on preparing their rugelach dough In the food processor. I think that expedites the process only slightly and lends itself to over mixing. I prefer to use a stand mixer.)
 
8 oz. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into ½” pieces
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature, cut into ½” pieces
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour (plus additional for rolling)
 
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place butter and cream cheese. Beat on medium speed until well combined, then turn mixer to low and add sugar, salt, and vanilla. Turn off mixer, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. With mixer on low, add the flour, one cup at a time, mixing just until combined. Do not overwork the dough. Scrape the dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap, dust it with flour, divide it into thirds, shape each portion into a disc, and wrap individually in plastic wrap.(Each disc should weigh 7.5 oz or 213 grams). Refrigerate for at least two hours, preferably overnight, before rolling out. (You can also double wrap the dough in plastic wrap and freeze for up to one month.) Prepare the egg wash and the nut mixture.
 
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash
 
Nut mixture-
 
2 tablespoons sugar
zest of 2 Meyer lemons
½ cup shelled pistachios
 
Place the sugar and Meyer lemon zest in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse until the zest and sugar are combined, then add the pistachios, pulsing until the nuts are finely chopped, but not dusty.

Retrieve one disc of dough from the refrigerator. Dust a sheet of parchment paper with flour. Roll the dough into a circle about 11” in diameter, adding just enough flour to prevent sticking. To trim the edges into a neat circle, use an overturned bowl or plate measuring about 11”. (I use the ring from an 11” tart pan with removable bottom.) Using a small offset spatula, spread 3½ tablespoons of chilled lemon curd on top of the dough then sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the nut mixture over the lemon curd. Cut the circle into 10 wedges, and roll up each wedge to form a crescent. Place the rugelach on a parchment lined baking sheet and return them to the fridge. Roll and fill the next two portions of dough, (one at a time) placing the completed crescents back in the fridge. (You can fit 24 crescents per half sheet pan.) Brush the crescents with egg wash and return to the refrigerator to chill thoroughly before baking, at least 30 minutes, preferably more. When ready to bake, pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
 
Place the parchment lined baking sheet on top of one more baking sheet (this is called double-panning) which helps prevent the bottoms of the cookies from burning. Bake on the middle rack of the pre-heated oven for 20 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through. After 20 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F for the last 5-8 minutes of baking. The rugelach should be puffed and deeply golden.  Cookies keep best stored in an airtight tin.
 
 
 

(from Heidi Swanson)
 
makes about 2 cups
 
1 cup/240 ml freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, strained

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp
1/4 cup/60 ml honey

2 large egg yolks, room temp

2 large eggs, room temp

⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh ginger juice (made by pressing grated ginger through a strainer)
 
Place the grapefruit juice in a small saucepan. Simmer until reduced to ½ cup. Set aside to cool for a bit. Using a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place the butter in a stainless steel bowl. Add the honey and beat until light. Add the yolks one at a time, beating well to incorporate, then the whole eggs one at a time, until the mixture is well combined. Add the salt, then gradually add the reduced grapefruit juice, lemon juice, and ginger juice.

​Set the stainless steel bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, creating a double boiler. Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 10 minutes. (Curd should register 166 degrees F on an instant read thermometer.) The curd will continue to thicken as it cools. Strain through a fine mesh strainer; cover surface with plastic wrap. Refrigerate. Curd will keep refrigerated for one week, or up to a month in the freezer.
 
 

A slightly different take on traditional pecan pie. Golden syrup and maple syrup team up with toasty walnuts and macadamias in a dessert that is rich without being overly sweet. Serve with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of maple syrup.
 
makes one 9” pie
 
For the pie pastry-

1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
4 oz. (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
½ teaspoon cider vinegar 
4 tablespoons ice cold water

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and water and set this in the fridge. Add the butter pieces to the flour mixture and incorporate using a bench scraper or your fingertips until you have irregularly sized crumbs. Gradually add the cold water and vinegar to the flour/butter, distributing the liquid evenly with your fingertips. If the dough seems a bit dry, you can add an additional teaspoon of cold water. Gather the dough together and shape it into a disc. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour before rolling out. On a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper, roll the dough into a circle about 12” in diameter. Transfer the dough to a 9” x 1¼” pie plate, trimming the overhang to 1”. Turn the edges under to create a rim; crimp decoratively. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before blind baking.
 
(To blind bake, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line the chilled pie shell with a piece of aluminum foil or a sheet of parchment paper. Fill with dried beans and place the pie plate on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake on the bottom rack of the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees. Carefully remove the foil or parchment and beans, prick the shell with a fork to prevent it from puffing up, and bake an additional 10 minutes or until golden and the bottom of the pie shell is no longer raw. Place on a cooling rack to cool completely before filling.)
 
For the filling-
 
1 cup walnut halves
½ cup unsalted macadamia nuts
½ cup dark brown sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
¼ cup Lyle’s Golden Syrup
½ cup maple syrup, Grade B
⅓ cup butter, melted and cooled
½ teaspoon vanilla extract*
¼ teaspoon maple extract*
3 large eggs, room temperature
(* preferably from Jones & Co. https://vanillasoftheworld.com)
​
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the walnuts and macadamia nuts on a parchment lined baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 10-12 minutes, stirring once or twice, until golden and fragrant. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
 
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, salt, Golden Syrup, maple syrup, melted/cooled butter, vanilla and maple extracts. Whisk in the eggs, 1 at a time until combined.
 
Place the pre-baked pie shell on a parchment lined baking sheet. Scatter the nuts over the pie shell. Carefully pour the filling over the nuts. Place the pie on the middle rack of a preheated 325 degree oven. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the edges of the pie are set and the middle jiggles slightly. Place the pie on a rack to cool completely before slicing. (It’s best to use a serrated knife.) Any leftovers should be covered in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days.  
 

For the pastry- (adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum)
 
6 ounces cold, unsalted butter cut into ½” pieces, placed in the freezer for 30 min.
4½ ounces Philadelphia brand cream cheese, cold cut into cubes and placed in the freezer for 30 min.
1 cup pastry flour
½ cup rye flour
½ cup cornmeal
1½ teaspoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons ice water combined with 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
 
In a medium bowl, whisk together the pastry and rye flour with the cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Transfer the mixture to a large zip-loc bag and freeze for 30 minutes.
 
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse the dry ingredients. Add the cream cheese to the flour mixture, pulsing just until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Add the butter pieces and pulse until the butter is no larger than the size of a pea. Transfer the flour/cream cheese/butter mixture to a large bowl. Gradually drizzle the ice water/cider mixture over the flour (start around the outer edge of the bowl) tossing the mixture with a fork. The pastry will be shaggy; continue to toss the mixture using your fingertips, until the liquid is absorbed and you can gather the dough together. Divide the dough in half, knead each half a few times until the mixture feels slightly stretchy. Shape each half into a disc and flatten slightly. Wrap each piece of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour, preferably overnight, before rolling out. On a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper, roll out one circle of dough to a diameter of about 12”. Ease the dough into a 9” glass pie plate. Turn the edges under and crimp decoratively. Place the pie plate in the refrigerator. Roll out the top crust (on the same sheet parchment paper, lightly dusted with flour) into a circle about 10” in diameter. Place the top crust (still on the parchment) on a baking sheet, cover with plastic and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
 
For the filling-
 
3½ pounds ripe/firm pears (preferably Bosc or Anjou) rinsed, peeled, halved, cored
2 tablespoons pear eau-de-vie, orange liqueur, or fresh orange juice
3-4 tablespoons pure maple syrup, depending on the sweetness of the pears
2 teaspoons orange zest
1 teaspoon lemon zest
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
⅔ cup walnut pieces
3 tablespoons candied ginger, diced
⅓ cup golden raisins (optional, but they are a lovely addition)
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped with tip of a paring knife
2 tablespoons Minute tapioca, finely ground in a food processor
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
 
egg wash made from 1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon milk or cream
coarse sanding sugar for sprinkling
 
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
 
Cut the pears in chunks and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the liqueur (or juice), maple syrup, zest, cardamom, walnuts, ginger, raisins, vanilla bean seeds, tapioca, and salt. Toss well to coat using a rubber spatula. Retrieve the pie shell and top crust from the refrigerator and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Turn the pear mixture into the pie shell and dot with the butter pieces. Drape the top crust over the fruit, tuck the edges of the top crust under the edge of the bottom crust, pressing together to seal. Crimp decoratively. Apply egg wash to the top crust (not the edges)
and sprinkle with sugar. Use a paring knife to cut several slashes on the top crust to allow steam to escape. Place the pie in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to set the crust. Just before baking, cover the edges of the pie with strips of aluminum foil to prevent the crust from getting too dark.
 
Bake the pie on a parchment lined baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F, move the pie to the middle rack of the oven and back for an additional 45-50 minutes, until the crust is deeply golden and the pie bubbles around the edges and from the center. Set the pie on a rack to cool completely before slicing. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers for up to 3 days.
 

makes one 9” loaf
from Leslie Mackie
for the Dough-
½ cup whole milk
1½ teaspoons dried yeast
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup barley flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
seeds scraped from ¼ vanilla bean

In a small saucepan, warm the milk slightly then pour into the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast and sugar on top of the milk, mixing with a whisk to dissolve the yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes allowing the yeast to bloom. Add the eggs, flour, barley flour, salt, melted butter, and vanilla bean seeds to the yeast mixture. Place the dough hook attachment on the mixer. Mix on low speed to combine ingredients, then increase speed to medium and mix for approximately ten minutes until the dough becomes satiny and stretches easily. Transfer the dough to an oiled, medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 1 hour, until doubled in size.

for the Apple Butter- (this makes a little more than you will need; measure out ¾ cup of cooled/strained apple butter to assemble the bread. Serve any extra alongside.)

2 large Granny Smith apples, rinsed, peeled, cored, cut into ½“ pieces (2 cups)
⅓ cup sugar
1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
seeds scraped from ¼ vanilla bean
zest of 1 small lemon
pinch of salt

Place the apples, sugar, butter, vanilla seeds, lemon zest, and salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, about 25-30 minutes, until the apples soften and the mixture begins to caramelize.  Remove from heat, mash with a fork and let cool completely. Transfer the apple butter to a fine mesh strainer to remove excess liquid which you don’t want when rolling up the bread.
 
for the Spiced Sugar-

¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Place all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together to combine.

​To assemble the bread-
Prepare egg wash from 1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water
 
Butter the bottom and sides of a 9”x 5”x 2½“ loaf pan, then line with parchment paper and butter again.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
 
Transfer the dough from the bowl to a floured work surface, flattening the dough with your hands. Dust your fingers with flour and shape the dough into a rectangle, measuring roughly 6” x 14” x ¼“ thick. Spread ¾ cup of the apple butter (it is a thin layer) over the dough. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the spiced sugar to sprinkle over the completed bread. Sprinkle the remaining spiced sugar evenly over the apple butter. Roll each of the 6” sides inwards until they meet in the center. Gently pinch the seam together. Carefully turn the loaf over so the smooth side is on the top and place the bread in the loaf pan, seam side down. Cover the bread with plastic wrap and let proof in a warm room for 1 hour, until the dough fills approximately ¾ of the pan.
 
Remove the plastic wrap and brush the top of the loaf with the egg wash and sprinkle with the reserved spiced sugar. Place the bread on a baking sheet and place on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top of the bread is golden brown (the internal temperature measured with my instant-read thermometer registered 195 degrees.) Let the bread cool for 15 minutes. Use a small offset spatula to loosen the bread from the pan, carefully transferring the bread to a cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing. Serve with additional apple butter. Any leftovers can be wrapped in plastic and stored in the fridge for 2 days; they also makes sensational French toast.

​makes 6 dumplings

​6 apples (between 7-8 oz. each) peeled, cored, leaving the bottom intact, brushed with 1 tablespoon lemon juice (I use either Honeycrisp or Cortland- something sturdy, but not Granny Smiths- too tart)

Hazelnut Pastry
2 & 1/4  cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups finely chopped skinned hazelnuts
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon ice water
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse together flour, hazelnuts, brown sugar and salt. Add butter, pulse just until mixture resembles coarse meal. Turn this mixture into a large bowl. Combine ice water and cider vinegar, add to flour/nut/sugar/salt/butter mixture, one tablespoon at a time, just until the dough comes together. Turn out onto a piece of parchment paper. Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Cherry Hazelnut filling
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped skinned hazelnuts
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons tart Montmorency dried cherries
In a small bowl, stir together the butter, brown sugar, hazelnuts, cinnamon and dried cherries. This will be the filling for the cored apples. (Prepare 1 egg yolk mixed with 2 tablespoons of cream or milk as an egg wash.)

Working with one disc of chilled pastry at a time, roll out the dough onto parchment paper, 1/8" thick. You can cut out an 8" square of parchment to use as a template, or simply use a ruler to mark 8" squares. You should get three 8" squares from each disc of rolled pastry with extra to cut out decorative leaves. (Chill the leaf cutouts on parchment while you are wrapping the apples in dough.) Place one apple, right side up, in the center of each square of dough, and fill the apple with 1 generous tablespoon of the brown sugar/hazelnut/dried cherry mixture. Brush the edges of the dough with a bit of the egg wash, then bring one corner of  the square up to the top of the apple, pressing gently to hold it in place. Bring the next corner of dough up to the top, slightly overlapping, pressing it into place. Continue with the remaining two corners of dough. The dough should be overlapping, and it's fine to pinch it with your fingers to adjust the creases. Brush the entire pastry wrapped apple with some of the egg wash. Continue the process with the remaining apples, placing the completed apples 1 & 1/2" apart on a rimmed parchment lined baking sheet. Dab the leaf cutouts with egg wash and attach them to the dumplings. You must refrigerate the apples before you bake them, at least an hour, to ensure that the pastry is cold and doesn't slip down during the baking. I've kept them covered with plastic in the fridge overnight and baked them in the morning and they are delicious hot of the oven for breakfast. Before you are ready to bake them, pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Use a small knife to poke a hole in the top of each pastry, allowing steam to escape. (The leaf cutouts brown faster than the rest of the pastry, so you may want to cover them with foil halfway through.) Bake at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the apples feel tender when pierced with a knife. Serve with the Cider Caramel. 

Cider Caramel
2 cups good quality apple cider, reduced to 1/4 cup 
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
5 tablespoons salted butter (the salt deepens the flavor of the caramel, balances the sweetness)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract
1 pinch sea salt

Reduce the cider down from 2 cups to 1/4 cup. This takes a little time and patience- keep an eye on things here; you can start with a high heat but as it reduces, you will need to lower the flame. Measure the reduced cider into a pyrex measuring cup- if it's more than 1/4 cup, reduce it a bit more. When you have 1/4 cup of cider reduction, place it in a medium sauce pan. Add the brown sugar, salted butter and heavy cream, stir to combine and cook over low heat. Continue cooking the caramel until the mixture thickens; this can take about 8-10 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla and the sea salt. Stir and set aside to cool. The caramel will continue to thicken as it cools down. Refrigerate the cooled sauce.

Fills one 9” square cake pan OR two 7½” x 2” fluted cake pans with removable bottoms
(From A Slice of Heaven)
For the cake-
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1¾ teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon peeled, freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cardamom
1¾ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons finely minced crystallized ginger
¾ cup + 2 tablespoons canola oil
¾ cup + 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
½ cup + 2 tablespoons molasses (I don’t use blackstrap molasses in this cake; it’s a touch too bitter)
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons honey
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
¾ cup boiling water
 
To garnish-
additional finely minced crystallized ginger
Poached Pears (recipe follows)
Mascarpone Cream (recipe follows)
 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
 
Grease cake pan(s) with vegetable cooking spray or softened butter. Line the bottom of the pan(s) with parchment paper that extends ½” larger than the pan bottom. (This serves two purposes; it helps release the cake from the pan after baking and prevents the batter from seeping through the bottoms of the fluted pans.) Grease the parchment paper, dust cake pan(s) with flour and tap out excess.
 
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ground and freshly grated ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, baking soda, and salt. Add the crystallized ginger to the dry ingredients, tossing to coat. In a medium bowl, whisk together the canola oil, brown sugar, molasses, and honey until well blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking until incorporated. Add the orange zest and orange juice. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, whisking just until combined. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl with a rubber scraper. Whisk in the boiling water.
Place the cake pan (or pans) on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake on the middle rack of the preheated 350 degree F oven for about 45 minutes, or just until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake(s) tests clean. (Every oven is different- start checking the cakes for doneness at 40 minutes.) Remove the cake(s) from the oven and set on a cooling rack. Let the cakes cool while you prepare the poached pears and mascarpone cream. (Cooled cakes should be wrapped in plastic wrap if not serving that day.)
 
For the poached pears-
 
2 pounds firm/ripe pears, rinsed, peeled, and halved
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1½ cups (12 oz.) dry white wine (I used Sauvignon Blanc)
1½ cups water
¼ cup honey
1 cinnamon stick
orange peel strips from one large, thick-skinned navel orange
1 vanilla bean pod, split
 
Use a melon baller or small spoon to remove the core from the pears. Leave the stems intact. Sprinkle the pear halves with lemon juice. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, stir together the wine, water, honey, cinnamon stick and orange peel. Using the tip of a small paring knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the poaching liquid; add the pod as well. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring to dissolve the honey. Place the pear halves in the poaching liquid and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pears with a circle of parchment paper. Poach the pears just until tender, turning them occasionally. Poaching time will depend on the size and ripeness of the pears; it should take about 15 minutes. (Better to undercook just the slightest rather than end up with overly cooked pears.) Use a small paring knife to test for doneness. Remove the pears from the liquid using a slotted spoon. Cool the pears in a baking dish that accommodates them without crowding. Reduce the poaching liquid over medium heat just until it becomes syrupy, about 8-10 minutes. Let the syrup cool completely before pouring it over the pears. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. (Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.)
 
For the mascarpone cream-
 
​4 oz. mascarpone
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon Cointreau
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

In a chilled bowl, combine the mascarpone and heavy cream. Use a handheld electric mixer to beat the mascarpone and cream just until soft peaks form. Add the sugar, vanilla, and Cointreau, beating on low just until thickened. Be careful not to over beat or the cream will become grainy. Use a rubber scraper to fold in the orange zest. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. (Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.)