 Whole Wheat Pie Pastry makes enough for one lattice topped 9” pie 1¾ cups all-purpose flour ½ cup white whole wheat flour 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar 1 teaspoon salt 4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted cold butter, cut into pieces 3 oz. non-hydrogenated shortening, frozen and cut into pieces 6-9 tablespoons ice cold water 2 teaspoons cherry shrub (available from the Hudson Standard) or apple cider vinegar In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, brown sugar and salt. With a pastry cutter or a bench scraper, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal, then cut in the shortening, being careful not to over mix. In a small pyrex measuring cup, combine 6 tablespoons of the ice cold water with the cherry shrub (or apple cider vinegar.) Gradually add the liquid to the mixture, tossing it lightly with your fingertips, pulling the mixture together. If it feels dry, add up to an additional 3 tablespoons of ice cold water. Divide the dough in half, shape into two discs, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour before rolling out. On a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper, roll out one disc of dough into a 12” circle, about ⅛” thick. Gently place the dough into the pie plate without stretching it. Tuck the edges under, flute them and refrigerate while you prepare the filling. Remove the second disc of dough from the refrigerator and roll it out on a lightly floured sheet of a parchment. Using a pastry wheel, cut the dough into 1” strips, cover with plastic wrap and set on a baking sheet. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling. Filling for- Rhubarb Cherry Pie with Bourbon and Bitters (tweaked from Kate Lebo) 2½ cups fresh rhubarb, leaves removed, rinsed, cut into ¾” pieces 2½ cups sweet cherries, rinsed, stems removed, pitted 1 cup sugar zest from 1 small orange 3 tablespoons bourbon 2 tablespoons Amaro (an Italian liqueur not to be confused with Amaretto- I used Cynar) 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 dashes of cherry or rhubarb bitters ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom pinch of salt 5 tablespoons tapioca flour egg wash made from 1 egg yolk beaten with 2 tablespoons of milk or cream sanding sugar for sprinkling Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the rhubarb and cherries with the sugar, orange zest, bourbon, Amaro, vanilla, bitters, cardamom, and salt. Turn to coat with a rubber spatula. Add the tapioca flour to the fruit mixture, combining well. Retrieve the bottom crust and the lattice strips from the refrigerator. Pour the filling into the bottom crust and weave the lattice strips over the filling. Seal the lattice top to the bottom crust, fold the edges under and crimp decoratively. Brush the lattice with the egg wash and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Place the pie on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake on the bottle shelf of the oven for 15-20 minutes until the crust turns golden. Move the pie to the middle shelf of the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. and bake for an additional 45 minutes, rotating the pie halfway through, until the pie bubbles around the edges and from the center. Place the pie on a rack to cool completely before serving. 
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 Makes one 9” pie
Graham Cracker Crust 1¼ cups graham cracker crumbs ¼ cup packed light brown sugar ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and salt. Add the melted butter and toss with a fork to incorporate. Butter a 9” pie plate and press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the pie pan and up the sides. (A small measuring cup is helpful for smoothing the crumbs evenly into the pie plate.) Refrigerate the crust and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Bake the crust for about 8 minutes, just until it turns golden. Remove from the oven and set on a rack to cool while you prepare the filling. Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Key Lime Filling 4 large egg yolks 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk 2 teaspoons lime zest 1/2 cup Key Lime juice (I use Nellie and Joe’s- available in most supermarkets) Place the egg yolks in a large mixing bowl. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat the egg yolks for 5 minutes until thick. Add the sweetened condensed milk and the zest and beat until smooth, then gradually add the Key Lime juice, beating on low speed to combine. Place the cooled pie shell on a baking sheet. Gradually pour the filling into the crust and bake the pie in the preheated 350 degree oven for 15-17 minutes. The pie will be set around the edges and be the slightest bit jiggly in the center. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for several hours until firm. Serve with scoops of vanilla ice cream (or freshly whipped cream) and blueberry compote. Freshly Whipped Cream 1½ cups heavy cream 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar ½ teaspoon vanilla extract In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the cream and confectioners’ sugar. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks, then add the vanilla. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Fresh Blueberry Compote 2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and picked over for stems 2 tablespoons honey 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Place the blueberries, honey and vanilla in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until blueberries soften and just begin to burst. Remove from the heat and let the compote cool; it will thicken slightly. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers. Keeps in an airtight container, 3-4 days.  (borrowed and reconfigured from a collection of coffeecakes)
makes one 10” tart For the Streusel- 1¼ cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon ground cardamom ¼ teaspoon salt ½ cup dark brown sugar 1 stick (4 oz.) cold, unsalted butter cut into ½” pieces In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cardamom, salt, and brown sugar. Using a bench scraper, cut in the butter pieces until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Cover and refrigerate. For the Filling- ½ cup toasted walnuts, finely chopped ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar ¾ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom pinch of salt Combine all of the filling ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside while you prepare the pound cake batter. For the Pound Cake batter- ¾ cup all-purpose flour ¾ cup white whole wheat flour ¾ teaspoon baking powder ¾ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom 3 oz. unsalted butter, room temperature ¾ cup sugar 1½ eggs (save the ½ for egg wash for a pie) 1 teaspoon vanilla ¾ cup low-fat plain yogurt Fresh berries of your choice, for garnish Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and lightly flour a ten-inch tart pan with removable bottom. (Mine measures 10” across by 1½” deep.) In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Add the egg and a half and the vanilla, mixing until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the yogurt. Do not over beat. Place the tart pan on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place half of the pound cake batter in the tart pan, using an offset spatula to spread it evenly. Sprinkle the filling (not the streusel) over the first layer of batter. Top the filling with the remaining batter, spreading it evenly. Retrieve the streusel from the fridge. Sprinkle the streusel over the batter; it will come to the top of the pan. Bake the tart at 325 degrees F for 50-55 minutes, until the streusel is golden and the tart tests clean with a small knife. Cool the tart on a rack for 15 minutes (or more) before carefully removing the sides of the tart pan. Serve with fresh berries. Slice the cake using a serrated knife. Tightly wrap any leftovers in plastic wrap.  Makes 1 nine inch pie
1 recipe Classic Pie Pastry for a double crust (see recipe index) For the filling- 1 pound rhubarb, rinsed, leaves trimmed, sliced ½” thick (a generous 2½ cups) 1 pound blueberries, rinsed, stems removed (a generous 2½ cups) 1 cup granulated sugar pinch of salt generous pinch of freshly grated nutmeg zest of one small orange 1 tablespoon cornstarch ¼ cup finely ground instant tapioca 2 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces egg wash made from 1 large egg beaten with 2 teaspoons water sanding sugar for sprinkling On a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper, roll out one circle of pie dough and fit it into a 9” pie plate. Turn the edges of the crust under itself and crimp decoratively. Set the pie shell in the refrigerator. Roll out the second circle of pie dough on a sheet of parchment paper, into a circle approximately 12” in diameter. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate while you prepare the filling. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt, nutmeg, orange zest, cornstarch, and ground tapioca. Add the rhubarb and the blueberries, using a rubber spatula to toss the mixture. Make sure the rhubarb and the blueberries are well coated with the dry mixture. Retrieve the bottom crust from the fridge. Place the pie plate on a parchment lined baking sheet. Pour the filling into the bottom crust. Dot with the butter pieces. Retrieve the top crust from the fridge and carefully transfer the top crust to the top of the pie. Trim the edges of the top crust, fold the top and bottom edges together, sealing them, then crimping them. Cut steam vents in the center of the top crust, then brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle generously with sanding sugar. Bake the pie on the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet from front to back, lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees F, and continue baking for an additional 35-40 minutes, until the pie bubbles up through the steam vents and the crust is golden. (Keep an eye on the pie- cover the top of the pie with a sheet of parchment or a piece of foil if it starts to overbrown.) The pie must cool for several hours before slicing.  makes 3 dozen (the recipe can be halved) 1 cup (120 grams) pecan halves, toasted 1 cup plus 1½ tablespoons (250 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into ½” cubes 1 packed cup plus 2 tablespoons (200 grams) brown sugar 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract 2 large eggs 4½ cups (560 grams) self-rising flour 1 teaspoon salt 9 oz. (260 grams) dark chocolate chips or chunks Coarsely chop the toasted pecans and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and salt. Place the butter in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the sugars/salt to the butter and beat on medium speed to combine, then increase speed to high, beating until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Turn the mixer down to low and add the vanilla extract and the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour, beating just until combined, then beat in the chocolate chips and pecans, Turn off the machine, gently bring the dough together by hand; the mixture should come together easily. Use a medium ice cream scoop (or your hands) to form the dough into cookies about 1⅔ oz. (45 grams) each. Place the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and refrigerate for at least an hour before baking. (Don't skip this step or the cookies will not hold their shape.) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. When ready to bake, place the cookies 2½ inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet, (or two baking sheets if you’re baking off all of the cookies.) The dough freezes beautifully; if you’re not serving a crowd, you can bake off any portion of the dough that you need and place the unbaked cookies in a Ziploc bag and freeze them. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheet(s) halfway through, until the cookies are golden brown and slightly cracked on top. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool on the baking sheet(s) for 10 minutes until firm, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.   4½ cups rhubarb, cut into ½” pieces
½ cup sugar 1 tablespoon brown sugar ½ vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped with small paring knife ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom zest from 1 medium orange zest from 1 medium lemon ¾ cup fresh orange juice 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Pour the orange and lemon juice through a fine mesh strainer into a non-reactive saucepan. Add the sugar, brown sugar, vanilla bean seeds, and cardamom. Cook over medium heat, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens and becomes syrupy. Add the rhubarb and cook over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes, gently stirring the mixture with a rubber scraper. Be careful not to break down the rhubarb by over mixing- it should be tender but retain some of its shape. Remove from the heat, add the orange and lemon zest and transfer the compote to either a rimmed baking sheet or a heatproof baking dish. Let the compote cool in the fridge then cover. Keep refrigerated.  makes two 6” pies
For the crust- (this makes more than needed; wrap the extra in plastic and freeze) (special thanks to Kate Lebo) 2½ cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon sugar 2 sticks (8 oz.) cold, unsalted butter, cut into ½” pieces ½ cup ice cold water combined with 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar Place the water/cider vinegar mixture in the freezer. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and sugar. Add the cold butter pieces, tossing to coat the butter in the flour mixture. Use your fingers to incorporate the butter, gently rubbing the butter between your fingers. You should have a mixture that is made up of mostly pea-size pieces with a few larger pieces. Retrieve the water from the freezer and pour half of the liquid around the edge of the bowl, tossing the dough to incorporate the water. Add almost all of the remaining liquid, again tossing the dough, just until it becomes shaggy but not overly moist. If the dough feels dry, add an additional tablespoon of water. The dough should just keep its shape. Gather the dough together, divide it in three equal pieces, gently press it into discs and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least an hour before rolling. Remove two circles of dough from the refrigerator and let it rest on the counter for about 10 minutes before rolling. On a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper, roll one portion of dough into a circle about 8”or 9” in diameter and about ⅛” thick. Ease the dough into your 6” pie plate without pulling or stretching the dough, leaving a slight overhang. Turn the excess dough under itself, forming an edge. Use you fingertips to crimp the edge and place the pie shell in the freezer for at least an hour before pre-baking. Repeat the process with one more portion of dough. To pre-bake the shell, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Retrieve two pie shells from the freezer and line them with aluminum foil or parchment paper that extends over the sides of the pie shell. Fill the foil (or parchment) with beans or rice or pie weights. Place the pie shells on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until the pie shell is golden and holds its shape. Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven, and remove the foil/parchment and beans/rice/pie weights from the pie plates. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Use a fork to prick the bottom of the pie shells and return them to the oven for an additional 5-7 minutes, or until the crusts are golden. Transfer the pie shells to a cooling rack and let them cool while you prepare the filling. (Pie shells can be made the day before, cooled completely and covered with a sheet of parchment paper.) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place one oven rack in the middle of the oven. For the filling- ½ cup whole milk ½ cup heavy cream 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces ¼ teaspoon salt 1 large egg 4 large, fresh mint leaves, lightly rinsed, dried and finely chopped 2 tablespoons bourbon In a heavy bottomed saucepan, bring the milk and cream to a simmer, add the chopped mint leaves and let the mixture steep for 15 minutes. Return the saucepan to the heat just to rewarm the mixture; do not let it boil. Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Pour the cream through a fine mesh strainer, over the chocolate, pressing on the mint leaves with a rubber spatula. Let the chocolate and cream sit for a few minutes, add the salt then whisk until the mixture is smooth and the chocolate is melted. Place the egg into a medium bowl. Slowly add a little of the warm chocolate mixture to the egg, whisking constantly, then continue to gradually add the rest of the chocolate and the bourbon. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer set over a Pyrex glass measuring cup or a large pitcher. Place the pre-baked pie shells on a parchment lined baking sheet. Divide the chocolate mixture evenly between the two pie shells. Bake the pies on the middle rack of the oven for 20-25 minutes, just until the chocolate filling has set around the edges and the middle of the pies are jiggly. Be careful not to overbake; the pies will continue to set up as they cool. Remove the baking sheet to a cooking rack and cool the pies for an hour. Serve the pies at room temperature. Any leftovers should be covered and refrigerated. (*Fresh mint really is key here- substituting mint extract doesn’t do the recipe justice.) |
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