An Affordable Vanilla Extract - Amazing!

Hello Bakers,

Holiday baking is right around the corner and it’s time to stock up on ingredients. Speaking of ingredients I found an affordable vanilla extract or VEX as my friend Chef Baker calls it.

You may already be aware of this well priced gem at Trader Joes but I was skeptical at first. It seemed too good to be true.

But it is good, really good. Finally I bought a bottle and tested it out. It worked fine in cookies and pound cake but the real test was vanilla ice cream. It passed - the vanilla flavor was clear and smooth.

Flavors are dulled in cold desserts so if the flavor comes through then the extract is good quality.

I am not totally giving up on my vanilla bean paste but with this good quality well priced extract it can be saved for times when we want the posh flecks - creme brulee comes to mind or a vanilla bean Chantilly cream. Speaking of paste, here is a tip - when it runs out I don’t wash the bottle but fill it with vanilla extract, screw on the top and shake - the vanilla pod (aka “cavier” of the vanilla) residue clinging to the side of the bottle will disperse into the extract.

For our everyday baking, in recipes that are full of other flavors and VEX is mainly a best supporting actor - this Trader Joes vanilla cannot be beat.

Stock up now because they sometimes run out of popular items. And no they are not paying me to tell you about their vanilla. I wish they were. One day I will be better at all that.

Store your vanilla extract in a cool dry cupboard. :

Happy Baking! Colette

Let's Practice Pies!!!! Seven weeks until Thanksgiving.

Hello Bakers,

It’s just under seven weeks until Thanksgiving - I know we haven’t even gotten to Halloween but it might be fun to practice pies over the next several weeks so that we are in shape for Thanksgiving Pie Baking. It is a baking and cooking marathon after all and we need to train. Also, Thanksgiving is early this year, November 22.

Now forgive me because my last blog post also starred apples. I am hoping that you won’t mind too much.

This pie is super classic and because the filling is cooked it doesn’t have any pasty flour flavor. The foundation of this recipe came from my grandmother’s cookbook - she was an cook and would have been a chef if that had been possible for her. The recipe comes from the Antoinette Pope school of Fine Cookery - it was a cooking school in Chicago from the 1930s -1960s. Here is the book. She took every class they offered. I first made the book version of this pie when I was 10.

This was the last edition - I have her 1940s edition too but it is falling apart….

Since then the recipe has been tweaked a little - the original had all white sugar for one thing and it was light on the spice. Speaking of spice…one thing that you might not know is that cinnamon is a thickener and that is one of the reasons (besides flavor) that it is so often used in pie fillings.

I am including last year’s flaky pie dough tutorial here so that if you want to review you don’t have to go looking for it.

My plan is to post a great pie recipe every week’s before Thanksgiving - practice, make your dough ahead - let’s keep the stress to a minimum.

Here are three tips for pretty pies:

1. Line a baking sheet with foil, place it in the oven when you go to preheat the oven for your pie - the pie hitting a hot pan helps ensure a nice bottom crust. Use your oven mitts and be careful.

2. Chill the dough lined pan at least 2 hours before filling and baking. This will help the edges retain their shape.

3. If you have a lot of pies to bake, you can line the pans head of time, stack them with a square of parchment paper in between so that they don’t stick. Wrap and freeze for up to one month.

Flaky Pie Crust

Yield: Enough dough for two 10” pie crusts - if there your pie pans are smaller there will be a little leftover dough, which can be frozen or cut into 1” strips, tossed in cinnamon sugar and baked.

• 16 ounces (454g) of unbleached all purpose flour

• 1 Tablespoon, 1/2 ounce (15g) sugar

• 1 teaspoons, (6g) salt

• 5 ounces (170g) butter - cubed and chilled

• 102g shortening - chilled or frozen if possible

• 4g (1 teaspoon) apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

  Yield: Enough dough for three pie crusts

  • 16 ounces (454g) of unbleached all purpose flour

  • 1 Tablespoon, 1/2 ounce (15g) sugar

  • 1 teaspoons, (6g) salt

  • 5 ounces (170g) butter - cubed and chilled

  • 102g shortening - chilled or frozen if possible

  • 4g (1 teaspoon) apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

  • 150g plus extra ice cold water ***please weigh this out and pour off the ice. Ice in the water will throw off the weight

  1. Place the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. 

  2. Add the chilled butter. Using a bowl scraper or pastry blender, cut in the butter until it looks like corn flakes, lightly coated with flour. 

  3. Sprinkle the apple cider vinegar on the butter and flour mixture.

  4. Add the shortening and cut it in too - even frozen it will break down quickly. The pieces of both butter and shortening should be uniform in size and be about the size of peas.

     1. Sprinkle the 150g of cold water on top of the mixture. As shown in the video, begin to fold the water into the dough - working from the side of the bowl and "folding and mashing it" into the center. Do this until the dough is a semi cohesive mass. Check for dryness on the bottom of the bowl - add water if necessary (1 tablespoon at a time) - drizzling it around the side of the bowl and then use the bowl scraper to work it through the dough - check again. 

     2. Once the dough is a cohesive mass and you can lift it off the bottom of the bowl and there is no residual flour - dump it out onto your work surface. Shape into a flat disk (about 1/2 inch thick), wrap in plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of one hour. If making the night before or freezing, wrap in plastic wrap

Streusel Topping

Yield: 2 1/2 cups, 19 ounces or 539g

Equipment: Stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

Ingredients: 

Streusel (aka Crumb Topping) in the mixer, ready to go

8 ounces (227g) All purpose flour

2 ounces (57g) Granulated sugar

3 ounces (85g) Brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg

6 ounces butter (170g) cubed and chilled

1. Combine all ingredients, except butter, in the mixer bowl

2. Turn the mixer onto speed 1 and mix the dry ingredients together for 30 seconds.

3. Stop the mixer and distribute the butter onto top of the dry ingredients.

4. Mix on low speed to medium low speed, pulsing the mixer on and off until the mixture looks like coarse meal and there are no visible chunks of butter visible.

See the butter chucks - this needs a little more mixing

This is what it should look like when finished

Left over streusel can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week or frozen up to one month. It’s great to have on hand to top muffins or coffee cake.

Apple Filling:

Equipment: Large Saute Pan, Heat proof Spatula, Half sheet tray lined with parchment for cooling down apples

Ingredients:

7-8 Medium Sized Apples - 6 if they are large. I used a combination of Granny Smith and Golden Delicious. Peel, core and cut into 16 chunks. I used an apple corer to get even slices and then cut the slices in half - cut them into thirds if the are large. I prefer chunks over slices because they tend to hold there shape after baking. It makes for a nice presentation. Also don’t drop the apples in water - they will soak it up like a sponge - just toss the apple chucks in the lemon juice. It is ok if they are brown a little - they will be cooked.

If you have an apple corer, this is a good time to use it. Sometimes the ends need to be trimmed but tha can be done when you are cutting the apple slices in half.

Juice of one lemon 

Apple Filling Mise en Place - I had already tossed the apples with the lemon juice

2 Tablespoons, 1 ounce, (28g) Unsalted butter
2 ounces (71g) Granulated sugar

2 1/2 ounces (57g) Brown Sugar

3/4 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg

 1 ounce Cornstarch

2 ounces Cold water

1. Toss the apples in lemon juice and combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and set aside.

2. butter over medium - high heat, add apples, toss in butter and cook for a few minutes until they stop looking raw. (3-4 minutes).

3. Add both sugars and spices. Cook for 2 to 3 more minutes, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved and the apples are well coated with the apples and the spices.

4. Reduce heat, and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Let the apples release some of their juices.

5. Mix the cornstarch and water together one more time before adding to the apple mixture - stir until the mixture thickens. Once the apples are well coated, remove from heat and dump onto parchment lined 1/2 sheet tray. Scrape the pan well.  Let cool until room temperature.

Assembling and Baking the Pie

Ready to bake. Don’t pack the streusel too hard - leave a little space for the apples to breathe.

1. Remove chilled dough from the refrigerator. 

2. Sprinkle 1/4 cup, 2 ounces of streusel on the bottom of the pie shell. 

3. Pour apple filling into the pie shell and top with streusel topping. Not too much not too little. 

4. Place pie on preheated baking sheet and bake at 375 for 25 minutes, then reduce to 350. If the top of the pie is getting too dark, cover lightly with a piece of foil, shiny side down. 

5. Continue to bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. My pie took 60 minutes. You might have to adjust the time for your oven but for the pie to fully bake. it will need to be in the oven at least 45 minutes.

Apple Cream Cheese Tart

Ready for Fall - Apple Cream Cheese Tart

Hello Bakers,

Remember a few weeks back when I talked about “procrastibaking”. I mentioned that when I “procrastibake” I like to make tarts. They are great for “procrastibaking” because you can really lose yourself in composing a tart.

That’s what I call it “composing” a tart. It might sound a little fussy to say that but it’s true. To me they are pastry paintings some more involved then others.

When I taught at Le Cordon Bleu, I even had a “how to compose a tart” handout. I loved writing handouts - that one had drawings.

Former students who read the blog - you might have one buried in one of those notebooks we used to make you create.

Tarts are composed - we have crust, filling and sometimes topping or garnish as our components. Once we have all the components we go to work, shaping pastry, filling perfectly and then topping. That’s what takes time - especially fruit tarts - that’s where baking perfectionism can really get a workout.

Today’s tart is topping with apple slices that have been thinly sliced and tossed in sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom. I cut the apples on a Japanese mandoline called a Benringer (use the guard) - they can also be cut by hand with a sharp knife but be careful.

I used Granny Smiths but you can use your favorite apple - with the exception of Red Delicious and Macintosh.

And lastly the dough makes just enough to fill a 9” fluted tart pan - it is essentially shortbread which is very fragile so you will might start by rolling it out and then patting it into the pan and up the sides - make sure no metal of the pan is showing through. If this seems like too much you can use a smaller tart pan or a flan ring (I have photos below). However, if you like a challenge try the 9” pan - the dough weight weighed 9 1/2 ounces (269g) and there was not a gram of dough left on my pastry board.

The other thing which might seem strange is that I do not partially bake this dough- just fill and bake the chilled crust. It works - the crust will not be raw under the cream cheese filling.

Which means this tart can be put together quickly - if you need a dessert in a few hours - this could be a contender.

I hope you like this tart and add it to your recipe repertoire - it is sure to garner rave reviews

Happy Baking! Colette

Tart Crust

Equipment: Stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, bowl scraper, plastic wrap, rolling pin, 9” fluted tart pan with removable bottom, aluminum foil

Tart Crust Mise en Place

Ingredients:

4 Ounces (113g) Unsalted butter, cut up

1 1/2 ounces (43g) Sugar

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

4.5 ounces (128g) Unbleached all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon Fine sea salt

Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla extract for 2 minutes just until the sugar and butter is combined - the butter should not lighten in color.

Butter, sugar and vanilla

Do not over mix - butter is still yellow - add flour

Whisk together the flour and salt and add to the butter and sugar. Mix on low speed just until the flour disappears.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, flatten and refrigerate for one hour. Dough can be made a day ahead or frozen up to one month.

After an hour, roll the dough out onto a light floured board. Chill while making filling and apple topping.

As I said, it takes every micron of dough to fill the larger tart shell - you can use the smaller tart shell and flan ring - there will be a little dough left over but no stress - don’t worry about the finger imprints - you may have to pat this dough in. The good news that it not overmixed it doesn’t shrink.

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking tray with foil and preheat it too. Your tart will go on top of the hot aluminum foil lined tray.

Cream Cheese Filling

Equipment: Mini (3 cup minimum) or full size food processor, spatula, microplane or zester

Ingredients:

12 ounces (340g) Cream cheese, cut up into 1” pieces

3 1/2 ounces (99g) Sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Zest of 1/2 lemon

1 egg

Combine the cream cheese and sugar in the food processor, fitted with the metal blade.

Mix for 1 minute, stop and scrape down. Add vanilla extract and zest. Mix for 1 minute, stop and scrape down.

Add the egg and mix for 1 minute. Stop and scrape down - the mixture should be smooth. If not, scrape down and mix for another 30 seconds.

Pour filling into tart shell.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. And place a sheet tray lined with foil in the oven to preheat. Your tart will be placed on the hot tray - this helps the crust bown.

Apple Topping

3 Medium Apples - peeled, thinly sliced (1/8” thick) and placed in a medium sized bowl

1 1/2 ounce (43g) sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch nutmeg and cardamom

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1. Combine sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom. Pour over sliced apples and toss gently to coat.

2. Carefully arrange circles of apples over the filling, overlapping a little and covering all the filling. Place the tart carefully on the hot, foil lined tray.

3. Bake at 350 for 35-50 minutes. Ok it takes forever - because 350 is not that hot. After 30 minutes if the apples are over browning on the edges then cover with a piece of foil, shiny side down and bake until the filling is set, the apples look slightly softened and the crust is golden brown. I set the timer for 8 minutes intervals - mine took 50 minutes total .

   The tart will keep in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for 3 days.
   
   
   

Pumpkin Spice Macarons with Maple Filling. Hybrid Italian Technique!

Hello Bakers,

Pumpkin Spice is back - Starbucks (and everyone else started serving PSL this week. It may sound cheesy but I look forward to the return of the PSL - it's a modern harbinger of Fall. 

So here is the first macaron of fall before we get tired of pumpkin spice everything.

This one has ground up pumpkin seeds making up about 1/5th of the nut meal mix. I just invented that phrase "nut meal mix". The pumpkin seeds should be plain, nothing added. I bought mine in bulk at Whole Foods. But they are easy to find. I also added pumpkin pie spice which I sometimes use in place of cinnamon - that way it gets used up and a fresh container can be purchased for holiday baking.

The method is my Italian hybrid technique - a mix of French and Italian that I designed for a class in San Diego, a few years ago. This one gives you very pretty feet, nice and tall. I feature this book in my book, Mastering Macarons, Classic to Contemporary Techniques available from www.amoretti.com.

Equip

Stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachmEquipment:  small saucepan for cooking sugar syrup, instant read thermometer, large bowl, spatula, food processor, scale, #12 Wilton 12 or any plain round tip with a 3/8” round opening, piping bag. 2 half sheet trays lined with templates and covered and parchment paper. If you would like a set of templates, please email me at bakingwithcolette@gmail.com and I will email them to you.

Pumpkin Spice Macarons

Pumpkin Spice Macaron Mise en Place

Ingredients:

25g Pumpkin seeds

100g Almond meal

150g Powdered sugar

1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice *with the 1/4 teaspoon, they will be spicy

87g Egg whites

1/4 tsp Egg white powder (optional)

57g Water

113g Sugar

Orange gel color

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (optional)

1. Place the pumpkin seeds in the food processor and grind them until they are medium fine. Add layers of the sugar and almond meal in the food processor and grind the pumpkin seeds, almond meal, powdered sugar and pumpkin pie spice together for 30-45 seconds or until it is a fine powder. Set aside.

Grind pumpkin seeds this fine.

Powdered sugar, almond meal and pumpkin seeds all ground together

2. Place the egg whites and optional egg white powder in the mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachmpentand turn the mixer on to medium low speed.

3. Place the water and the sugar in a small saucepan, place over medium heat and bring to a boil.

4. Could the sugar to 230 degrees and add orange food color. It should be a deep orange color as it will lighten as the meringue is created.

5. At 236 degrees pull the sugar from the heat and pour the sugar into the moving egg whites. When pouring, lock the lip of the pot to the lip of the mixer bowl and aim for the space between the whisk and the side of the bowl.

6. Turn the mixer to medium high and whip until the mixture lightens and looks fluffy. Add optional vanilla extract.

7. Increase speed to high and whip until the meringue holds a peak.

8. Check for peak. The peak should be firm with the angle supporting the peak at 11:30. Transfer to the large bowl.

The angle of the peak should be at 11:30.

9. Fold in the almond meal and powdered sugar in three increments.

Last increment of dry ingredients

10. Paint the mixture halfway up the side of the bowl, scrape down and repeat until the mixture slowly sides down the side of the bowl - the batter almost becomes elastic.

Painted up the side of the bowl

11. Pipe onto parchment cover paper templates. Slam the tray hard, 4-6 times on the counter, then fist bump the tray twice to remove any excess air bubbles.

Drying...

12. Let dry until they look dull (25-40 minutes) depending on humidity. They should look dull.

13. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

14. Bake for 11-13 minutes, macarons are done when the shell does not glide back and forth on the foot, the macaron releases from the dry and the foot looks dry not damp. If the macarons are still sticking to the tray, put them back in the oven for 1-2 minutes.

15. Let cool for a few minutes before removing from the Silpat or parchment paper.

Maple Filling

Equipment: Stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, spatula

Maple Filling Mise En Place

Ingredients:

4 ounces (113g) Unsalted butter

9 ounces Powdered sugar, sifted

1 Tablespoon Sour cream, yogurt or creme fraiche

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract

2 teaspoons Maple flavoring or maple extract ***I ordered my maple flavoring from The Spice House in Chicago. www.thespicehouse.com

       1. Put the butter in the mixer bowl, mix on low speed for 1 minute, increase speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes.

       2. Stop the mixer, scrape down the bowl and add half the sugar. Mix on low speed until the sugar in incorporated, then mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.

       3. Stop the mixer, scrape down and add the remaining sugar. Mix on low speed until the the sugar is incorporated then increase speed to medium for 2 minutes.

Adding second batch of sugar - scrape down the bowl before or after adding the sugar - mixer is off (I always worry about this as some of you know)

       4. Add sour cream, vanilla and maple extract. Mix for 3 minutes on medium high speed.

This is how it should look when finished.

The buttercream will keep in the refrigeration for 5 days and in the freezer for one month.

Filling the macarons. Load the buttercream into a piping bag, fitted with a plain round tip - you can fill these without a tip but this gives you more control. Fill with about a tablespoon filling, top and chill for a minimum of 1 hour before serving. This buttercream is very stable so these can be filled and frozen up to one month, carefully packaged in an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature without opening the container.

Waiting to be topped and chilled.

Without freezing they will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator.