​Plum Cherry Pie in Checkerboard Pastry
 
makes one 9” x 1½” pie
 
For the Graham Pastry- (from Bernard Clayton, Jr.)
 
You can certainly use a classic pie pastry for the pie, but I like the slightly nutty flavor of the graham flour with the tartness of the plums and the sweet cherries. This makes enough for a double crust pie- you only need one disc of dough for the lattice; wrap and freeze the other disc for another time.
 
2½ cups graham flour (Bob’s Red Mill is available at Whole Foods and some supermarkets)
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
8 oz. (2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter (cut into small pieces)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ cup ice water, approximately (you will use less!)
 
Add the lemon juice to the ice water and place in the refrigerator. In a large bowl, whisk together the graham flour and salt. Using a bench scraper or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour/salt. The mixture should resemble coarse crumbs. Retrieve the ice water/lemon juice from the fridge. Add a portion of the  liquid 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing the mixture together with a fork. Add an additional tablespoon of liquid, tossing again, and if needed, 1 more tablespoon. Gather the pastry together into a ball and let it rest for 5 minutes; this gives the pastry a chance to absorb the liquid. After 5 minutes, if the pastry feels a bit crumbly you can add another teaspoon or two of liquid. Don’t add too much liquid- the graham flour takes time to absorb the liquid and you don’t want it to be too wet. Divide the pastry in half, shape each half into a disc and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate one disc of dough; you can freeze the second disc for another pie. Let the pastry rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour before rolling it out on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper. Roll the pastry into a rectangle about ¼” thick and use a knife or a pastry wheel to cut 1” strips. Cover the strips with plastic wrap and slide the parchment paper with the strips onto a baking sheet and refrigerate.
 
For the All-Butter Pastry- (this will be enough for the bottom crust and part of the lattice)
 
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
8 oz. (2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
½ cup ice cold water (you will use less!)
 
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and sugar. Using a bench scraper or your fingertips, cut the butter into the dry ingredients. The mixture should resemble coarse crumbs. Add the ice cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing the mixture with a fork until it barely holds together. Shape the pastry into two discs and wrap each disc in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the pastry for at least one hour before rolling out. On a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper, roll out one disc of dough into a circle approximately 12” in diameter. Gently ease the dough into a 9” x 1½” deep pie plate. Turn the edges under and crimp decoratively. Set the pie plate in the freezer. Roll out the second disc of dough into a rectangle about 1/4" thick;  use a knife or pastry wheel to cut 1” strips to form the lattice. Cover the lattice strips with plastic wrap and slide the parchment with the lattice onto a baking sheet and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
 
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F
 
For the Plum and Cherry filling-
 
1½ pounds red plums, rinsed, halved, pits removed, cut into quarters (you should have 4 cups)
1 cup sweet red cherries, rinsed, stemmed and pitted
½ teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon orange juice
½ teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
dash of cherry bitters
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons clover honey
pinch of salt
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ginger
3 tablespoons cornstarch (if the plums are excessively juicy, add an additional 1 teaspoon of cornstarch)
 
1 egg white beaten with 1 teaspoon cold water for the egg wash
sanding sugar for sprinkling
 
In a large bowl, place the plums, cherries, orange zest, orange juice, extracts, bitters and honey. In a medium bowl, whisk together the salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cornstarch. Add the spices and cornstarch to the fruit mixture, stirring with a rubber spatula to coat the fruit thoroughly.  Retrieve the bottom crust from the freezer. Turn the fruit into the bottom crust. Retrieve the graham pastry lattice strips and the all-butter pastry lattice strips from the fridge. Weave a lattice over the fruit; (if you prefer, you can simply set all of the graham strips running horizontally across the fruit and place the all-butter strips running vertically to create a ‘faux’ lattice.) Seal the edges and crimp decoratively. Set the pie back in the fridge for about 15 minutes to firm up the crust. Cover the edges of the pie with strips of aluminum foil to prevent over browning. Place the pie on a parchment lined baking sheet, brush the lattice with the egg white wash and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake on the bottom shelf of the oven at 425 degrees F for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven heat to 375 degrees F, move the baking sheet with the pie to the middle shelf of the oven and continue baking for an additional 35-40 minutes, or until the pie bubbles around the edges and in the middle. (If the pie begins to over brown after 30 minutes, cover the pie with a sheet of parchment paper.) Remove the pie to a cooling rack. Cool at least 4 hours before slicing. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.

​makes one 9½” x 1½” tart
 
Grilled Fruit
 
4 Peaches, washed, halved, and pitted
4 Apricots, washed, halved and pitted
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons clover honey
zest of 1 orange
 
Heat grill to medium. Brush both sides of the peaches and apricots with half of the melted butter. Place the peach and apricot halves, cut side down, on the grill. Grill the peach halves for about 3 minutes, the apricot halves for about 2 minutes, turn and grill for an additional 1 minute. The fruit should hold its shape. Remove to a serving platter. Stir together the remaining melted butter, honey, and orange zest. Drizzle over the warm fruit. Let cool,  cover and refrigerate.
 
Tart Pastry
 
2 cups all-purpose flour
⅓ cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon orange zest
3 egg yolks
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
 
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Using a bench scraper or two knives, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a medium bowl, whisk together the zest, egg yolks and vanilla. Add the yolk mixture to the butter mixture. Use a fork to incorporate the yolks into the crumbs, using your fingers at the end to shape the pastry into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour before rolling out.  On a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper, roll the pastry into a circle about 12” in diameter. Gently fit the pastry into a 9½” tart pan with removable bottom, easing it along the bottom and up the sides. You should have an overhang of about ½."  Fold the dough inwards to create a sturdy edge, using your fingers to pinch it in place. Set the tart shell in the freezer to firm up, at least half an hour. When the pastry is sufficiently chilled, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Retrieve the tart shell from the freezer, line it with parchment paper or aluminum foil and dried beans. Set the lined tart pan on a baking sheet and bake on the bottom rack of the oven for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven. Use an oven mitt to remove the parchment (or foil) and beans. Prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork to prevent it from puffing up. Return the tart shell to the middle rack of the oven and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes, or until the tart shell is golden and the pastry is dry on the bottom and along the sides. Set aside to cool completely.
 
 
Aperol-Orange Chiffon Filling
 
(adapted from Craig Claiborne and A Treasury of Fine Desserts by M. Storm)
 
½ cup cold water
1 tablespoon powdered Knox gelatin (don’t panic- it’s just jello!)
3 large eggs, separated
⅔ cup of sugar, divided (half goes in with the yolks, half with the whites)
pinch of salt
5 tablespoons Aperol
1 tablespoon Cointreau
3-4 dashes orange bitters
¼ cup Mascarpone
¾ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon orange zest
 
(First things first- bloom the gelatin. This simply means adding the gelatin powder to the cold water and giving the two an opportunity to get acquainted. The gelatin powder will absorb the water. That’s it. )
 
Place the gelatin and water in a non-reactive, heavy bottomed medium saucepan and let the gelatin ‘bloom’ for about 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and salt. Scrape this into the bloomed gelatin and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, until the mixture thickens. The gelatin will dissolve and the egg yolks will thicken very slightly. (The mixture will just barely coat the back of a wooden spoon. DO NOT LET IT COME TO A BOIL. My insta-read thermometer registers just 160 degrees F.) Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the Aperol, Cointreau, and bitters. Scrape this mixture into a large bowl and refrigerate. It takes a little under 30 minutes for the mixture to chill to the correct consistency. You will need to gently stir the mixture with a rubber scraper every 5 minutes, so it doesn’t get too firm. If you find yourself with a solid jello mixture, fear not. Place the mixture over a bowl of barely simmering water- this will bring it back to the proper jiggly consistency. (Just remember, this is the base of the dessert and needs to be cool when you add the remaining ingredients. )
 
Place the egg whites in a large bowl. Use a hand-held mixer to whip the whites, gradually adding ⅓ cup of sugar, until you have a stiff meringue. Set aside while you whip the Mascarpone and heavy cream.
 
In a large bowl, whisk together the Mascarpone with the heavy cream until it is smooth. Use a hand-held electric mixer to beat the cream with the powdered sugar until medium-stiff peaks form. Add the orange zest.
 
Use a rubber spatula to combine all three components: Place the gelatin/egg yolk mixture in a large bowl. Gently fold in the meringue until no white streaks show, then gently fold in the whipped cream. Scrape the filling into the tart shell, smooth the top and gently cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 4 hours before serving with the cooled, grilled fruit. Wrap and refrigerate any leftovers.

Makes  one pie, filling a 9" cast iron  skillet  

Cornmeal Biscuit Crust
(from Ken Haedrich)
 
2 cups all-purpose flour
⅓ cup fine yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into ½” pieces
¾ cup cold sour cream
⅓ cup whole milk
 
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cover and refrigerate this mixture for 30 minutes. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream and milk. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to mix the dough.
 
Retrieve the dry ingredients and the cold butter from the refrigerator. Use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the butter into the flour mixture. The mixture should resemble coarse crumbs with a few larger pieces of butter. Retrieve the sour cream/milk mixture from the refrigerator. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the sour cream/milk mixture all at once to the center of the dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula to combine the dry with the wet ingredients. Let the dough sit for a minute. Lightly dust a sheet of parchment paper with flour. Dust your hands with flour and turn the dough out onto the parchment. Gently knead the dough a few times then divide it in half.  Shape each half into a disc, then wrap each disc in plastic wrap. 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 circle about 12” in diameter. Without stretching the dough, carefully place it into a 9” cast iron skillet, allowing the excess dough to hang over the edge of the pan. Place the skillet with the bottom crust in the refrigerator. Take the second disc of dough and roll it out on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper into a circle about 10” in diameter. Use a 3” round or square cookie cutter to cut out the “shingles” of dough to serve as the top crust. Slide the parchment with the top crust onto a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
 
Filling-
 
2 lbs. ripe yellow peaches, peeled, halved, pitted and sliced into thick wedges (about 5 or 6 peaches)
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
2-3 tablespoons of cornstarch (depending on the juiciness of the peaches)
pinch of salt
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ cup honey (taste the peaches; you may wish to add an additional tablespoon or two of honey)
 
egg wash made from 1 egg yolk whisked together with 2 tablespoons milk or cream
 
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
 
In a large bowl, toss the sliced peaches with the orange zest and juice. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, salt, and nutmeg. Add the honey to the peaches, stirring to coat with a rubber spatula then stir in the spice/cornstarch mixture. Retrieve the skillet with the bottom crust from the fridge and the baking sheet with the top crust. Pour half of the filling into skillet, sprinkle half of the raspberries over the peaches, then add the remaining peach filling  and raspberries. With lightly floured fingers, place the circles or squares of dough over the fruit, starting at the edge of skillet and slightly overlapping to create a “shingled” effect. Leave the very center of the top crust open to allow steam to escape. Seal the edges of the bottom crust to the top crust, roll the edges under and flute decoratively. Brush the top crust with egg wash. Place a baking sheet or a sheet of aluminum foil on the very bottom of the oven to catch any drips. Place the cast iron skillet on the lowest shelf and bake at 375 degrees F for 40 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes, until the center of the pie is bubbling and the pastry is golden brown. Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Let cool for at least two hours before serving. (If you can’t wait, be prepared to serve the pie in bowls. )
 
Bourbon Caramel                
 
⅓ cup cold water
1½ cups sugar
¾ cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature     
½ tsp. kosher salt
2 tablespoons bourbon
1/2  tsp. vanilla extract
 
In a heavy-duty saucepan, combine cold water and sugar. Cook over medium high heat, for about 8 minutes, swirling the pan occasionally; do not stir. The mixture should turn from golden to deep amber. Carefully add the heavy cream, (mixture will bubble up) whisk to combine, then add the butter. Remove from heat and add the salt, bourbon, and vanilla.