Mini Blueberry Crumb Pies

Today is National Pi Day (3/14), so I decided to make some pies! I was looking for something different than the usual apple pie, so I opted for blueberry. This is my first time making a blueberry dessert, and it turned out delicious! I decided to make them mini pies, as I figured they'd be easier to serve; the blueberry filling tends to leak out the sides of the regular larger pie slices.

Ingredients:

Pie crust:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 stick unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup ice cold water

Blueberry filling:
5 cups blueberries, washed
3/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons corn starch
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
2 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

Crumb topping:
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Prepare the pie crust:



In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add the butter pieces and shortening, and use two knives or a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour mixture. Continue to do this until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.




Next, add the cold water, a tablespoon at a time, and mix in with a fork until the dough just comes together. (If the dough is still too dry, add a little more water. Be careful not to add too much, as the dough may become too sticky).

Wrap the pie crust dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. You may keep the dough in the refrigerator up to 2 days, if necessary.

2. Prepare the crumb topping:


In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the flour, light brown sugar, white sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Mix to combine.





Next,  add the cold butter pieces. Using your hands, work the butter pieces into the flour mixture until large clumps begin to appear. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. You may also freeze some of the crumb topping at this stage if you will not be using all of it.

3. Prepare the blueberry filling:

In a mixing bowl, combine the white sugar, cornstarch, and lemon zest. Mix well.







Next, add in the blueberries and lemon juice. Set aside for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.







4. Assemble the mini pies:

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Take the pie dough out of the refrigerator and divide the dough into two. I only made 4 mini pies, so I used only half of the dough. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut smaller circles out of the dough (larger than the circumference of your mini pie plates), and transfer each to a pie dish. Gently press the dough to fill in each dish. You can cut off any dough that is hanging over the edge of the pie dish or use it to create a decorative edge.

Pierce the bottoms of the crusts in a few places to allow steam to be released when baking. Place a piece of parhcment paper or aluminum foil over the dough in each dish. Fill the paper or foil with pie weights, uncooked rice, or dried beans. This will help weigh down the crust while it is pre-baking, allowing it to stay nice and flat.

Bake the pie crusts for about 20 minutes. Remove them from the oven, and remove the paper or foil and weights from inside each. Place them on a rack to cool.

Once the crusts have cooled for a while, add the prepared blueberry filling.

Top each of the pies with about 2 tablespoons of the crumb topping, and then bake the mini pies for about 40 minutes, or until the blueberry filling just begins to bubble. If you notice the crumb topping and/or edges browning too quickly, you can cover the pies with some aluminum foil and then resume baking. Once they are cooked, allow the pies to cool completely within the pie dishes. Once they have cooled, they should be easy to lift out of the pie dishes and onto a serving plate. Serve at room temperature.

Mini Strawberry Shortcakes

I had a bag of frozen strawberries in the freezer, and was trying to decide what to do with them. I usually like my strawberries fresh, but I thought that I might be able to incorporate them into a dessert. I decided to make a version of strawberry shortcake from scratch. This is also an easy dessert to put together if you are in a hurry, as you can also buy some of the ingredients pre-made and just assemble them yourself. Shhhh, nobody has to know! I made a pound cake for this recipe, as I like the richness of the buttery pound cake with the light freshness of the fruit. You may also use actual shortcake for the recipe, if you prefer.

Ingredients:
8 - 3/4 inch slices of homemade pound cake (you may use store-bought, if you prefer)
(I will post a separate recipe for this a little later)
15-20 strawberries, halved (if frozen, defrost them first)
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 cup whipped cream (see below for recipe, or you may use store-bought)
mint sprigs for garnish (optional)

To macerate the strawberries, add them to a medium sized bowl with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Cover and set aside.

...with sugar just added

...after about 30 minutes

You can cut the pound cake slices into whichever shapes you like, or leave them as is. I cut a few into rectangles by removing the edges and a few into circles using a large cookie cutter.








Whipped cream:
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons white sugar

To prepare the whipped cream, add the heavy cream and 2 tablespoons of sugar to a mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, whip the cream on high until it forms soft peaks. (You may also do this by hand using a whisk, but that requires some serious elbow grease!) It is important to refrigerate this if you won't be using it right away, or it may deflate.

To assemble the cakes, place on pound cake slice on a plate. Add a few strawberries with their liquid on top, and then a dollop of the fresh whipped cream. Place another cake slice on top, and another dollop of whipped cream. Finally, add some more strawberry pieces and top with a sprig of mint. Serve immediately.

Fudgy Brownies

Brownies are always delicious; whether they are dense and fudgy, moist and chewy, or light and cakey. I'm a chocolate lover, so my favorite brownies are the fudgy-gooey chocolatey kind. I've finally perfected my recipe for a fudgy brownie, and my secret lies in using chocolate instead of cocoa. I find that starting the recipe with a rich chocolate ganache helps to create that moist texture that I am looking for, and makes the brownies extra delicious. I then take it the extra step by glazing the brownies with a rich chocolate ganache...this is definitely a decadent chocolate dessert!

Ingredients:

Brownies:
1 cup (8 oz.) dark chocolate*
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Chocolate Ganache Glaze:
1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate*
1/2 cup unsalted butter

*Ghirardelli and Godiva are my favorite brands for baking. You may use either chocolate chips or chocolate bars for this recipe, it really doesn't make much of a difference. If using bars, be sure to chop the chocolate, as it will melt easier.

Directions:

Brownies:
Preheat your oven to 350F. Line an 8 x 8 baking pan with parchment paper, and lightly grease with butter.








In a saucepan, gently heat the chocolate, butter, and light brown sugar over very low heat. Stir constantly until the butter and chocolate have melted, then remove from heat.







Pour the chocolate mixture into a medium-sized mixing bowl.

Add the white sugar and stir.

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing vigorously to combine. Then stir in the vanilla extract and the salt.

Sprinkle in the flour, half at a time, and stir gently to combine. Mix batter for about 20 seconds by hand.

Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted about two inches from one corner of the pan comes out clean.

Cool brownies completely before glazing.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chocolate Ganache Glaze:
Heat the chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly.

Once melted, remove from heat and stir vigorously for about 15-20 seconds, or until the chocolate ganache is shiny.





Allow the ganache to cool for approximately 5 minutes, then pour it over the cooled brownies in the pan.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the ganache to set.

Once set, slice the brownies into squares, and use the parchment paper to lift it out of the pan. Enjoy with a tall glass of milk!

Strawberry and Nutella Stuffed French Toast

This recipe is great as a breakfast or as dessert! It includes two of my favorite things: strawberries and chocolate, and brings them together in a delectable creation. 

Ingredients:
     4 thick slices of challah or brioche bread (at least 1 1/2 inches thick)
     2 eggs
     1/2 cup milk
     1 tablespoon white sugar
     1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
     1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
     4 tablespoons Nutella (or any brand chocolate hazelnut spread)
     5-6 medium sized strawberries, washed, dried, and sliced thinly
     1-2 tablespoons butter
     confectioner's sugar, for dusting (optional)

To prepare the batter to dip the bread, whisk together the two eggs in a small mixing bowl. Add the milk, sugar, and extracts. Whisk until well combined, and pour into a shallow dish, large enough for at least one slice of bread to lay in it. Set aside.

To stuff the bread, take a bread knife and slice into the bottom side of a bread slice, forming a pocket. Slice until the pocket reaches almost from one end to the other, taking caution not to slice all the way through the other three sides. Using a butter knife, spread one tablespoon of Nutella inside the pocket. Gently lay strawberry slices on top of the Nutella. Repeat with the other 3 slices of bread.

Heat a skillet over low heat. Melt a little butter into the pan. Take one stuffed bread slice and place it into the batter. Let it soak for about 10 seconds on one side, and then flip it over and let the other side soak for about 10 seconds. If you like your toast more on the custard-y side, you can let it soak for a few more seconds on each side. Place the soaked bread onto the hot skillet. Let it cook over low heat for about 2 minutes on each side, or until each side is golden brown. Repeat with the remaining bread slices.

Place the french toast on a serving platter, and garnish with a dusting of confectioner's sugar and a sliced strawberry. Bon appétit!

Delightfully Delectable Dulce de Leche

Dulce de leche is a milky caramel sauce that is popular in the Spanish countries of South America and also in Brazil (where it is known as doce de leite) . It has a rich and creamy consistency that is hard to resist, and goes well with many different desserts. The original method of making dulce de leche involves simmering milk and sugar together for a long period of time until the mixture thickens and darkens in color.

There are a few shortcut methods for making dulce de leche using sweetened condensed milk: some people boil, pressure, or slow cook the can and its contents, some cook the condensed milk over a double boiler on the stove-top, and some pour it into a pan and bake it in the oven. I have read about how easy the "whole-can" method is, but there are so many warnings about the can exploding that I was too afraid to try it. The oven method seemed easier than the stove-top method, as it requires less supervision (cooking time is pretty long for both). I tried the oven method, and it turned out fabulous!

Ingredients:
2 14-oz. cans of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon of a fine-grain salt

Method:
Preheat the oven to 425F. Pour the cans of condensed milk into a shallow glass baking dish. Sprinkle the salt over the top and whisk to mix. Cover the glass dish tightly with foil. Place the glass dish in a larger baking/roasting pan. Pour water into the larger pan until it reaches a level of about halfway up the sides of the glass dish. Place it in the oven, and bake for 2 - 2 1/2 hours, checking every half hour or so to add water if it goes below the original level. Once the condensed milk has turned a deep golden brown, remove the pan from the oven. When you first take it out, it will have the texture of a custard, so whisk the dulce de leche until smooth and allow it to cool completely. It will thicken slightly upon cooling. Store in a jar and refrigerate for up to a week.

Out of the oven

After whisking smooth

Don't know what to use dulce de leche for?
Try it as a filling for cakes (recipe coming!) or cookies, a topping for ice cream or apple pie, swirled in cheesecakes, as a dip for apples, and so much more. Try it, and be creative!

Dulce de Leche Cake

Dulce de Leche-filled Cupcakes

Mini Fruit Pies

This idea came to me as I was brainstorming for baked goods to bring to a pathology lab meeting. There had already been brownies and cookies brought at previous meetings, so I thought a pie would be a good change...only thing was that it would be difficult to slice and serve a pie during lab. Instead, I decided to make a variety of mini pies so that everyone would be able to have one of their own without all the mess. I made caramel apple, pineapple, and cherry pies, so I've included the instructions for making each of those fillings as well.

Ingredients:
     2 batches of pie crust dough (or 2 store-bought pie crust dough sets)
     Fruit filling (see below)
     1 egg
     1 tablespoon of milk
     2 tablespoons of white sugar for sprinkling
     Caramel sauce (I used store-bought), optional

Preheat the oven to 350F. Roll out each piece of the pie dough to about 1/8 inch on a counter top (I use a sheet of wax paper for easy cleanup and a non-stick surface). Drop tablespoonfuls of fruit filling around one of the dough sets and spread around with the back of the spoon. Place the rolled out top dough over the bottom one with the filling. Use a cookie cutter (I used the top of a mug) to cut out circles around each set of filling. Cut slits on the top of each circle to allow steam to release from the pies as they bake.

Bring the scraps of dough together into a ball and roll out to about 1/8 of an inch again. Continue to make the pies as directed above until there is not enough dough left to make any more. In a small bowl beat the egg and the milk together. Place the pies on a cookie sheet and brush the top of each one with the egg wash. Sprinkle each with sugar and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tops of the pies are golden brown. Cool before removing from the cookie sheet.

Alternatively, cut one set of the rolled out dough into thin strips. Weave into a lattice and place over the bottom dough with the filling. Continue by cutting as directed above, brushing with egg wash, and sprinkling with sugar.

Strips to weave into a lattice

Mini lattice pies

FRUIT FILLINGS:
Apple filling:
     2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into small chunks
     2 tablespoons of light brown sugar
     1 tablespoon of cornstarch
     1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice
     pinch of cinnamon
     1/4 cup of water
Add everything into a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir and cook until the apples are tender and the filling has thickened, about 5-6 minutes. Cool before filling the pies. (For the apple pies, I add a little bit of caramel sauce onto the dough first and then the apple filling on top of it.)

Pineapple filling:
     1 can of crushed pineapple with juice
     1/2 cup of white sugar
     3 teaspoons of cornstarch
     1 teaspoon of lemon juice
Add everything to a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook for about a minute, until thickened. Cool before filling the pies.

Cherry filling:
     1 cup of tart red cherries, pitted and chopped
     1/4 cup of sugar
     1 tablespoon of cornstarch
Add the cherries to a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Once the cherries have released some of their juices, add the sugar and cornstarch. Continue to cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Cool before filling the pies.

Note: There are instructions for making pie dough from scratch in my Dutch Apple Pie recipe post. Enjoy!

Bird's Nest Cupcakes

Had a rough exam week, and finally got a chance to relax. How do I relax? By baking! Easter was last weekend, but I never got a chance to make an Easter dessert since I was spending the weekend studying. Here is a description of how I decorated these vanilla cupcakes to make them perfect for a springtime celebration.

Ingredients:
     12 baked and cooled cupcakes (I used vanilla cupcakes)
     2 cups frosting (I used chocolate frosting)
     1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
     Bag of mini egg candies

To toast the coconut flakes, spread the coconut in a frying pan and place on the stove over medium heat. Stir constantly until the coconut flakes are lightly toasted, and then remove the pan from the heat. Set aside. Spoon the frosting into a piping bag (or ziploc bag with one corner cut off) and pipe a circle of frosting on the top of each cupcake. Sprinkle the toasted coconut over each cupcake and shake the excess coconut off of each one. Place three candy eggs at the center of each circle, and you're done!

Toasted coconut flakes

Cupcakes