Fresh from the Field Pumpkin Pie
On November 3, 2015 by sixtyacrebakerPumpkin pie and I have made a bit of a journey together. Up until a decade or so ago, I used canned pumpkin and its accompanying recipe for my pie. It was good. Libby’s had a bit of a lock on the pumpkin pie market and deservedly so. Canned pumpkin, canned milk, sugar, eggs, spices. Easy as pie, right? It wasn’t until I started buying sugar pumpkins, at the farmer’s market, and subsequently growing my own,that I began making homemade pumpkin puree. The change has been slow, and deliberate. Moving from canned pumpkin to homegrown was a bit more daunting than ditching the canned milk. When we moved to the ranch we started growing some heirloom varieties of pumpkins. After a myriad of taste tests and bum to prove it, we’ve decided that the Jarrahdale pumpkin makes the best pie. Or should I say, my best pies are made with Jarrahdale pumpkins. The flesh is firm and a bit sweet after roasting and decidedly “pumpkinny”. When processed it is very smooth and makes an almost pudding like pie. Admittedly, they can be difficult to find..and this recipe works well with any (except jack-o-lantern type) pumpkins…but if you see one…grab it. They keep well, look eerie and taste amazing.
Pumpkin Pie
makes an 8 or 9 inch standard depth pie
1 recipe flaky pie crust (recipe follows)
2 cups fresh pumpkin puree (instructions follow)
2 whole large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup whipping cream
3/4 cup dark brown sugar–gently packed (add a bit more if you like a sweeter pie
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp allspice
*note: you can add or eliminate any spices you wish. I only suggest that you don’t overdo the cinnamon. The flavor of fresh pumpkin is gentle, if you put too much cinnamon, you will kill the subtlety.
Preheat the oven to 375f.
Whisk all ingredients, except the eggs, together in a large bowl and taste for sweetness and spice. At this point you can add a bit more sugar (add 1 Tbs at a time) and spice. When you are happy with the flavor, whisk in the eggs and egg yolks and place the bowl in the refrigerator while you “blind bake” the crust. Be sure to bake only until the crust begins to look cooked, but not browned. You do not want to over bake, as you need to put it back in the oven once you fill with the pumpkin custard. Remove the crust from the oven, remove the weights and parchment paper, and immediately pour in the custard. Reduce the oven heat to 350f. Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 40 minutes. It is important that you watch it. You do not want to overcook the custard. It is done if you tap the side of the pan and you get a slight jiggle/ripple in the middle of the pie (1 or 2″ from the center of the pie). Just as if you have skipped a small rock into a pond. If the ripple starts from the outer rim of the pie, it is not done. If it doesn’t ripple at all, pull it from the oven and get it on a cooling rack right away. Let cool at room temperature. Store in refrigerator.
Pie Crust
you can use a favorite recipe, or even a store bought crust (which simply isn’t as good, but I understand). This is a simple recipe that I use for a nice tasting and sturdy crust.
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbs sugar
1/2 cup cold butter–cut into chunks
1/2 cup lard
5-6 Tbs of cold water + 1/2 tsp vinegar
In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients. Add the butter and shortening all at once and “cut” into the pastry. I like to use my hands for this. I will work the mixture until the butter and shortening are incorporated into the flour in hazelnut size pieces. Add enough very cold water to bring the mixture together, but it should not be sticky. It should also not be dry. Handle the dough as minimally as possible, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight. If you are making the pastry well in advance (more than a day), I suggest wrapping it and freezing it. Raw dough will turn gray after a time in the refrigerator.
Fresh Pumpkin Puree
Do not use a pumpkin that you would use for carving. They can be stringy and don’t carry the flavor of sugar or (in this case) the jarrahdale pumpkin. Wash the pumpkin well, cut in half and remove all the seeds and stringy bits. Reserve the seeds and roast them for a treat. Place the pumpkins, cut side down on a lined baking sheet and place in a 350f oven until they are very soft. Let cool, remove skin run through a ricer, food mill, or immersion blender. For a silky smooth texture, process the “meat” of the pumpkin until it is no longer lumpy. I use a hand blender which works perfectly, but you can use a processor as well. Place puree in a cheese cloth lined colander and let drain 6 hours or overnight. You will need 2 cups for the pie recipe, but your pumpkin might yield more. You can freeze the extra at this point.
Blueberry Grapefruit Jam
On October 8, 2015 by sixtyacrebakerI have a freezer full of summer fruits; gathered in their peak and frozen to preserve freshness. It is my own secret garden. This jam combines the summer goodness blueberries hold, with beautiful winter grapefruit. I love it spooned onto toast, but I also have been using it as topping for cheesecake, filling for my homemade pop tarts,and as a delicious swirl in my morning yogurt.
blueberry grapefruit jam
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 grapefruits–flesh only
12 cups blueberries–fresh or frozen
1 tsp cardamom
generous pinch salt
3 cups sugar
1 pouch pectin
Slightly mash the blueberries and place in a heavy pot. Add the sugar, salt, ginger, grapefruit segments and an juice you can capture, and cardamom. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer about 5 minutes. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Stir in the pectin and boil for a full 60 seconds. Turn off heat and place in sterilized jars. Process for long term storage. Use the ball canning guide for time and process </s[an>
Every Day Crumb Cake
On October 4, 2015 by sixtyacrebakerI prefer a piece coffee cake to birthday cake because it has to rely on itself to be good. It doesn’t have some kind of amazing mocha-buttercream frosting to make it moist
or big red roses with that funny but somehow pleasing taste. Also, it really does taste great with coffee or a mug of tea. It reminds me of my grandparents who insisted on having coffee and cake
while playing gin and smoking cigarettes on our back porch during the warm summer nights. My. entire. childhood. It was magic.
Big Ginormous Coffee Cake
(adapted from Nancy Silverton’s La Brea Bakery Cookbook)
Streusel
1 cup toasted walnuts
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup softened butter
Sprinkling Sugar Layer
1 Tbs granulated sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup toasted walnuts
Batter
8 oz unsalted butter–room temperature
1 3/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp kosher salt
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 extra-large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
4 cups flour
2 cups sour cream
For the struesel: Mix in a bowl all ingredients except the nuts. Mix until it becomes a bit lumpy then toss together with nuts. Set aside
For the Batter: Cream the butter, baking soda, baking powder and salt on low until softened and mixed together. Add sugar and mix until light and fluffy. Mix together the eggs and vanilla in a bowl. Alternately add to the sugar and butter the eggs and the flour, beginning and ending with the flour. Stir until just incorporated, do not over-beat. Stir in the sour cream.
Line the bottom of a tube pan with baking paper, spray with pan spray being sure to hit the inner tube well. Spoon half of the batter in the pan and spread to create an even layer. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mix over on top of the batter. Drop the nuts on top and press a bit to get them into the batter. Spread remaining batter evenly on top and then cover with the streusel mixture.
Bake in a preheated 350 oven until firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
It will take more than an hour.
Bourbon Pecan Hand Pies
On May 1, 2015 by sixtyacrebakerThe season is starting. The season where you would rather be standing at the first turn cheering your horse, than sitting inside, fork in hand. This weekend is a race and event, anticipated like Christmas and filled with tradition. Every Southerner I know has a menu they serve every year, and their favorite milliner on speed dial. In breaking with tradition, this year, I am servingg hand held derby-like pies. In your left hand a buttery crust, filled with bittersweet chocolate, pecans and bourbon custard, in your right hand a winning ticket. Add a ice cold mint julip for your very own trifecta.
Bourbon Pecan Hand Pies
makes about 10-4″ hand pies
1 recipe pie crust
filling
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup brown sugar
generous pinch kosher salt
3 Tbs bourbon
3 large egg yolks
2 Tbs unsalted butter
1 cup pecans-toasted
about 3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
Use your favorite pie crust recipe, or purchase already prepared.
Place honey, brown sugar, kosher salt, bourbon and egg yolks in a saucepan. Whisk until well incorporated. Place over low heat and stir continually with a rubber spatula until mixture thickens. Coat the spatula with the mixture and run your finger down the middle of it. If doesn’t run back together, then it is ready. Run through a strainer into a clean bowl. Add butter and stir until incorporated. Stir in pecans. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Roll out your pie crust to about 1/4″ thick. Using a round cookie cutter, cut out an even number of circles. Line a sheet pan with parchment. Place 1/2 of your rounds on the parchment, approximately 1/2″ apart.Place a tablespoon of chocolate chips in the center of the circle. Top with a generous spoonful of filling. Place a second round of crust on top. Brush with egg yolk and bake in 400F oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Lemon Curd
On March 30, 2015 by sixtyacrebakerI have been waxing lyrical about lemon curd for days. Finally, the desire had become so overwhelming, I took matters into my own hand. It was time. My counter top had become over-run with duck eggs, a basket of lemons was prepping for it siren song to the fruit fly migration, and I can only stand the thoughts in my head for so long. The hue of this curd is overwhelmingly beautiful and true. It is a foreshadow to the bright treat I love so much.
Lemon Curd
makes approx 3 1/2 cups
8 extra large egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4-1 cup fresh lemon juice*
1 Tbs lemon zest
pinch kosher salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter-cut into pieces
Place the butter in a glass or ceramic bowl and set aside. Place egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt in a med/large saucepan or high sided saute pan. Whisk to fully incorporate all ingredients. Place over low heat and stir continually with a spatula. Be mindful to scrape the sides and bottom of pan while stirring. Continue stirring until the mixture thickens enough to heavily coat the spatula, and you can easily trace a clear path through with your finger. Do not let the mixture simmer or boil, otherwise you will cook your egg yolks. Remove from heat and pour through a sieve directly into the bowl with the butter. Whisk until all of the butter is melted and incorporated into the curd. The sieve will catch any cooked particles and most of the zest. This will allow for a clear texture to your curd.
To cool, place the bowl of curd into a larger bowl of ice water (mostly ice) and stir until the temperature reduces to room temp. You may continue cooling to use immediately, or place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the curd and allow to finish cooling in the refrigerator.
*I enjoy a very tart lemon curd as I mostly pair with sweet meringue, shortbread, or ice cream. If you like it a bit more tame, use 3/4 cup of lemon juice, if you are like me, use 1 cup.
Cupid’s Wings
On February 10, 2015 by sixtyacrebakerI find egg whites whipped, billowy and cloud-like, to be utterly satisfying. They are a testament to the notion that desserts don’t have to be fussy to be extraordinary. Their only real requirement is a clean bowl and strong wrist. On the ranch, eggs are readily available for a last minute fix. This valentine’s day, I will use the yolks for a decadent frozen custard, and the whites for these ethereal wings.
Meringue
3 large egg whites at room temperature
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
Make sure the beater and bowl are extremely clean and free of any oil or fats. Beat whites on low until foamy. Add salt and then kick up the speed to medium. Add cream of tartar. Begin to slowly add the sugar “raining” it into the egg whites. Continue to beat until soft peaks form, then add vanilla. Beat to stiff and firm peaks.
If you over-beat, you will see moisture starting to “weep” from the whites. If this happens, start over!
Homemade Conversation Hearts
On February 5, 2015 by sixtyacrebakerValentine’s day wouldn’t be complete without a conversation through candy hearts. I remember the days when hearts were carefully shared, making sure “i love you” didn’t get inadvertently passed, to a 4th grade crush. Also important: sharing only
the good flavors. Anyone would shudder to see the object of her affection, chewing up and spitting out her heart. Ten years old is too young to fully understand foreshadowing. I am confident any valentine would appreciate an “i love you” or three in flavors such as orancello, coconut, green tea, almond, anisette, coffee and vanilla bean. These are so much fun to make. I think a robin’s egg blue box full of “marry me” hearts would be a darling proposal. Or a love poem stamped out word by word, heart by heart, snaked down the dining room table, as a simple but thoughtful centerpiece. The possibilities are endless.
Just. Like. Love
Conversation Hearts
1/4 oz gelatin
1/2 cup water
2 tsp light corn syrup
2 lbs powdered sugar
cornstarch
flavorings
color
rubber stamp kit and/or food color pens
Place water in a bowl and sprinkle gelatin over. Let bloom. Add the corn syrup and gently cook in the microwave until the gelatin and corn syrup have melted. Do this in 20 second intervals. Mix the gelatin mixture into about 2/3rds of the powdered sugar. Knead with your hands, adding more powdered sugar as necessary until the dough is satiny and doesn’t stick to the counter. Divide the dough into 6-8 pieces, coloring and flavoring as desired. Keep tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, as this dough will dry out quickly. Keep some powdered sugar on hand, in case adding color and flavor makes the dough sticky.
Roll the dough out and cut with small heart cutter. Place on a cornstarch dusted sheet pan and let dry a minimum of 48 hours. When ready to decorate, use food color based pens, or brush food coloring directly onto a rubber stamp with the words spelled backwards. Press the heart onto the stamp and let dry about 15 minutes. You can also paint food coloring directly onto the heart as well.
{this is a post transcribed from my blog fudgeripple. the content exclusively belongs to me}
Pecan Pralines
On December 15, 2014 by sixtyacrebakerPRAWWWWWWlines. Say it with me, and then get in the kitchen and make some. You won’t be disappointed. I Guarantee It.
This recipe came from my love of the sweet confection. I have been obsessed with the treat since my first visit to New Orleans way back when Emeril had a last name. I printed this recipe and a story to go with it on my previous blog, but they are so good, I thought they warranted their own page on Sixty Acre Baker. They make a perfect holiday (or any time of year, really) gift.
Pecan Pralines
1 quart heavy cream
3 cups granulated sugar
generous pinch of kosher salt
1 1/2 lbs toasted pecans
1 Tbs+ 1 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbs unsalted butter
2 tsp vanilla
In a heavy bottomed pan, stir together the cream, sugar and salt. Place on low to med-low heat and pop in a candy thermometer. Cook until thermometer reaches 234 degrees F. The wait between 220 and 234 is lengthy..don’t be tempted to up the heat to make it happen faster. You can pretty much leave it alone until it reaches 220, at 220, stay in the kitchen checking on it frequently. When it hits 230, watch it and start stirring, it will start to change colors at this point and you want to make sure the bottom doesn’t burn. There will be brown bits, but just mix them in. Stir, stir, stir. When it hits 234, take the pot off the heat, remove the thermometer and add the lemon juice, vanilla, butter and pecans. Stir to incorporate, then pop the thermometer back in and bring the temp back to 234. It will go a bit faster this time, keep an eye on it and stir continually to prevent burning on the bottom. When it hits 234, spoon it out in dollops (i use a soup spoon),onto parchment lined cookie sheets, or aluminum foil that has been sprayed or greased lightly.There are a lot of pecans in this, so make sure you get a nice mix of the caramelly goodness. One batch will make about 50 moderately sized pralines. They will look like caramel until you cool them. As they cool and sit, they will begin to get a bit cloudy. That is a good thing. You are not looking for chewy here.
Let cool for a few hours. They will keep for quite a while if you keep them in an airtight container in a dry place. Please, do not put in the fridge.
Quince Fruit Leather
On December 5, 2014 by sixtyacrebakerAs a kid, I brought a sack lunch to school every day…as did most of my classmates. What I would never find packed in my lunch were modern day snack foods. I was always trying to trade up for fruit roll-ups. Oh how I loved them. The whole thing…the sound the leather made while being ripped off its backing. Eating it piece by piece…or better yet…making a dense chewy mini roll-up which would burst with flavor at every gnash. Apricot was always my favorite. I would trade my best halloween candy for a roll of apricot.
I learned to make fruit leather in fancy french culinary school. It was a bit of a production; mostly because it was fancy culinary school. Making fruit leather is simple and easy, and extremely satisfying. I love it because it gives a use for the “dregs” from another product: the pulp from jelly making, juicing, and simple syrups. I made a lovely quince sorbet as a palate cleanser for our Thanksgiving dinner {recipe coming soon}. I boiled down the beautiful fruit and extracted a lovely pink elixir. At the end of it all, I was left with a bundle of fruit. It was a bit chunky, and was lacking sweetness. With just a little bit of flavor tweaking, and a good dry out in the dehydrator, I was able to make a roll-up that was better than the memory of my youth and cheaper than culinary school tuition. Once you have the method down, you can make leather with all your favorite flavors. You also will be glad to know that having a fancy dehydrator, while a great convenience, is not required to make this tasty treat.
Quince Fruit Leather
2-3 lbs quince
juice of 1/2 lemon
seeds from 3 cardamom pods
1″ ginger root, peeled and smashed
1/2 cup granulated sugar (optional: I find that it helps bring out the pink color of the quince when cooking)
piece of parchment paper
additional sweetener (sugar, brown sugar, honey, agave; your choice)
ground cardamom, ground ginger
Wash fruit well and scrub off all fuzz from exterior. Chop quince into chunks (about 2″ each). Place in a heavy bottom pot and cover with water. Add lemon juice, cardamom seeds, ginger root. Cut your parchment paper into a round large enough to cover your pot Cut a small hole in the middle of the parchment round for venting. Place the parchment snugly on top of the quince. The purpose of the parchment is to keep the fruit submerged under the liquid. Cook until the fruit is very soft and falling apart and the color has changed from yellow to pinkish. The longer you cook, the more color you will get from the fruit. Blend everything together using an immersion blender, blender, food processor or food mill. Drain using a cheesecloth lined sieve or jelly bag. If you don’t want to drain the liquid out, toss the whole mess back into the pot and cook off most of the liquid. You don’t want the mixture to be completely dry, but you don’t want it to be so liquidy that you can drink it. Whether you drain or don’t drain, place the mixture you will turn into leather back onto the pot and taste for sweetness and spice. Don’t over sweeten. You will be dehydrating, which will make the flavor extra bold. Add enough sweetness and spice to highlight the flavor. You may want to add a bit more lemon juice at this point as well. Just cook long enough for the sugar to melt into the mixture.
You can use the drained for cocktails, homemade sodas, sorbet, over fruit, soaked in pound cake…
Prepare your dehydrator or sheet pans. If you have a dehydrator, line the mesh sheets with plastic wrap. If using oven, line with silpat or heavy plastic wrap. Using an offset spatula spread an even 1/8″ thick layer of fruit paste onto your prepared surface. If using a dehydrator or oven use a setting of 135-140F. It can take anywhere from 6-12 hours. Start checking up on it at 6 hours. The paste should have lost its stickiness, but not be hard. If it is hard, while still warm, it will be fruit crackle when it cools (which is still edible and yummy). I like to turn the dehydrator off at maximum of 8 hours and let the leather sit for a few hours or overnight.
Store in an airtight container…or fancy wrap them like the gift they are.
Dried Persimmons
On November 26, 2014 by sixtyacrebakerPersimmons seem to be a bit misunderstood. Some varieties need to ripen on the tree and be very soft, otherwise they are astringent, while others can remain very firm and be sweet. Personally, I prefer Fuyu persimmons. They do well in the area where we live, and grow abundantly through the fall. Firm and sweet, they are delicious off the tree, sliced in salads, frozen and enjoyed as an icy treat, and dehydrated into sticky sweet submission. To dry persimmons, you do not need a dehydrator, but it helps. If using a dehydrator, simply slice the persimmons in 1/4-1/2″ slices and set on the drying tray. Turn the heat of the machine to 130-135F for about 8 hours. Look at the fruit after about 6 hours to check on progress, they may be done. If not, check every hour until they are still a bit supple, but not wet. Leave to cool in the dehydrator for another 2 hours or so…or overnight.
If using oven: turn oven to lowest setting–preferably 130-135 if you can get it that low. Line your baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper. Proceed as described above.
You may also choose to dry the persimmons whole. You can do that by tying baker’s twine, or other type of string to the stem of the persimmon. Tie one persimmon onto each end of the string. Prop a broomstick or other apparatus in a warm window sill. Hang the persimmon on the pole/broomstick/etc. The strings will hang over the middle with a persimmon on either side. After a day or two, give each persimmon a little massage, a gentle squeeze on all sides. Continue doing this each day until the persimmon has completely dried out and formed a bit of a sugary crust on the outside. This may take several weeks and is nearly impossible in damp conditions. If the fruit shows signs of mold, throw the fruit away.
Dried persimmon makes a wonderful sweet as candy snack. It is also great in granola, oatmeal, and trail mix. You can reconstitute with water for use in salads or tagines. Soak in wine and spices for a compote. The uses are almost endless