Edible Holiday Gifts

I love my friends and family dearly, but braving crowded shops to hunt for gifts for them is pretty low on my list of desires this time of year. What I love to do instead is hunker down in the kitchen to stir hot, bubbling caramel on the stove, roll out gingerbread guys and gals, mix and bake cookies, and then wrap it all up to give as gifts. There is joy in the making and joy in the giving of homemade holiday treats, which is a lot more than I can say about a trip to the mall.

I send some of my treats across the country to my family and a lot of it goes to work with P, but I love having little bags of treats all packed up and ready to go for when an unexpected visitor pops by or I meet a friend for coffee around the holidays. It's a simple, inexpensive way to show people that I am thinking about them during this season that seems to get more and more hectic every year.



You can see a few of my favorite ways to pack treats for the holidays in these photos. I like to keep it really simple and gravitate towards unbleached parchment paper, Weck jars, glassine bags, natural twine (from the hardware store), little bits of nature, and baker's twine to wrap my treats. I've owned the spool of baker's twine pictured in these for 5 years and it never seems to get any smaller.

Edible Holiday Gift Recipes

You can find my favorite Gingerbread Cookie Recipe (for ornaments and eating) in the new holiday issue of Foodiecrush Magazine, out today!

Apple Cider Caramels, pictured in the top photo are straight from Deb at Smitten Kitchen, but I cooked mine to 250º instead of 252º which the recipe suggests because I wanted them to be a bit soft. Oh, and make a double batch. You won't regret it.

Nibby Brownies (a family favorite)
Squash Harvest Loaf
Spicy Caramel Cashew Corn
Apple Butter

And a few more from the photos

Nibby Buckwheat Butter Cookies
adapted from Alice Medrich
yield 48-55 cookies
These aren't really a classic holiday cookie, but it has become my own tradition to make them every December. The unusual combination of buckwheat and cacao nibs makes them special enough for gift giving.
1 ¼ cups (5.6 ounces) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (3 ounces) buckwheat flour
½ lb unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup cacao nibs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours.
2. In a stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar and salt until smooth and creamy but not fluffy, about 1 minute. Add in the cacao nibs and vanilla, and beat to incorporate. Add the flours and beat on low speed until just incorporated. The mixture will seem very dry, but the dough will eventually come together. The dough is very thick so sometimes I use my hands for the last bit of mixing so my mixer doesn't have to work so hard
3. Form the dough into a long (about 12'')  log about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap well and refrigerate at least two hours, or overnight.
4. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
5. Using a thin, sharp knife, carefully cut the dough into ¼-inch-thick slices. Place slices on the prepared baking sheets, spacing each cookie about 1 ½ inches apart.
6. Bake until cookies just begin to color around the edges, about 12 to 14 minutes, rotating the sheet pans halfway through the cooking time. Transfer to wire racks, and cool the cookies on the baking sheets (or slide the parchment onto the rack to free up the pans). Cool completely before eating or storing. Repeat with remaining dough. Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 month. They also freeze really well.

Candied Citrus Peel
This method works for most citrus fruit and is simple as can be. I used yuzu peels above, but oranges, grapefruit, lemons or meyer lemons would work as well.

Citrus Fruit (4 oranges, 6 lemons, or 3 grapefruit)
4 cups water
4 cups plus 1/2 cup sugar

1. Using a paring knife, make 6 slits along curve from top to bottom of each citrus fruit, cutting through peel but not into fruit. Using your fingers, gently remove peel. Slice each piece of peel lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Using a paring knife, remove excess white pith from each strip and discard.
2. Place strips in a large saucepan, and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then drain
3. Bring 4 cups sugar and 4 cups water to a boil, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Add the boiled of citruspeel to the boiling syrup, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer gently until strips are translucent, about 20-40 minutes. Remove from heat, and let strips cool in syrup. Reserve the syrup for another use (cocktails).
4. Using a slotted spoon, transfer strips to a wire rack placed on a rimmed baking sheet. Let the strips dry for a few hours then roll strips remaining sugar. Arrange in a single layer on a wire rack, and let dry for at least 8 hours.

Lebni Tart with Persimmon and Pomegranate

Next up in my unofficial holiday "Parade of Tarts" is this jeweled beauty. The base, hiding underneath all of that fruit, is made from lebni (sometimes spelled labneh) which a yogurt cheese used often in the Mediterranean and Middle East. It's a lot like sour cream with some oomph, but the great thing is that it's tartness makes the finished filling like a nice, light cheesecake. The topping of sweet persimmon slices and crunchy pomegranate arils scattered on top like jewels makes it perfect for any holiday table.

A note on de-seeding a pomegranate: We eat a lot of pomegranates in my family over the holidays and my dad used to be in charge of de-seeding them. His technique was to cut the pomegranates in half and just bang the hell out them with a wooden spoon until all of the seeds fell out, which works just fine, but also makes the kitchen look like a crime scene. So, now I prefer this underwater method which is just a bit tidier.

Lebni Tart with Persimmon and Pomegranate

Sweet Tart Dough
adapted from Dorie Greenspan

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
9 tablespoons cold, cubed butter
1 egg yolk
2 Tablespoons water

1. In the bowl of a food processor or with a pastry blender, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is the size of small peas. Add the yolk and pulse, then slowly stream in the water and pulse until the mixture begins to clump a bit.
2. Lightly butter your tart pan or pans and gently press the crumbly dough into the pan. Make sure to evenly coat the bottom and the sides while being careful to not compact the dough too much. You may have a bit of extra dough, save it just in case you have to repair any cracks later on. Freeze the tart shell(s) for 30min.
3. Preheat your oven to 375º and bake the tart shell on a baking sheet (no need for pie weights) until it is lightly golden, repair any cracks that may have formed with your leftover dough. While the shell is baking, prepare the filling.

Lebni Filling
adapted from Alice Medrich's Pure Dessert
Alice cautions that the order in which the ingredients are mixed really makes a big difference in the smoothness of the finished tart, so follow these directions exactly or I'll tell Alice!

3 large eggs
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups labneh (kefir cheese)

In a medium bowl whisk the eggs with the sugar, salt and vanilla. Then, whisk in the cheese.

To Bake

Turn the oven down to 300º

Pour the filling mixture into the warm tart shell and return to the oven to bake until the filling is set, but jiggles slightly in the center, about 15-20 minutes. Take care not to over bake the filling, as it will ruin the smooth texture of the filling.

To Garnish

Cool the tart completely then top with 4 peeled (a y shaped peeler is great for this task) and sliced fuyu persimmons (the short, chubby ones) and the arils from one pomegranate (about a cup's worth). Serve immediately. This tart is exceptionally good without the fruit, so if you can't find persimmons and pomegranates, don't let that stop you!

Cranberry Meringue Tartlets

These tartlets were inspired by a lengthy discussion between me and my dinner companions last weekend on whether lemon meringue pie is appropriate Thanksgiving fare. We never came to consensus on the topic, but my general attitude on Thanksgiving is, the more pies the better! So, I think I'll probably sneak one in next year's dessert line up for the lemon meringue lovers in our group, but I also might make a case for these cranberry meringue tartlets instead. They hit all of the right sweet, tart, and creamy notes that a great lemon meringue pie does with the bonus that they are a bit more seasonally appropriate.

The cranberry cream I filled the tartlets with is a riff on Tartine's Lemon Cream, which is a fairly simple (but genius) recipe for lemon curd enriched with a goodly amount of butter. For my cranberry version, I swapped the lemon juice for unsweetened cranberry juice and reduced the sugar and butter to cut the richness just slightly because I knew I wanted to top these tarts with a Swiss meringue cap which can be quite sweet. The cream was a delicious success. In fact, I had to hide the leftovers from myself because I couldn't stop going at it with a spoon.

p.s. I hope you all had a nice holiday weekend! I'll be back soon with a few photos of my Thanksgiving celebration, but in the meantime I'd love to know what you all made this year. Share in the comments below!

Cranberry Meringue Tartlets

Sweet Tart Dough
adapted from Dorie Greenspan
for 1, 9'' tart or 6, 4'' tartlets

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
9 tablespoons cold, cubed butter
1 egg yolk (save the white for later)
1/2 teaspoons lemon zest (optional)

1. In the bowl of a food processor or with a pastry blender, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is the size of small peas. Add the yolk and zest and pulse until the mixture begins to clump a bit.

2. Lightly butter your tart pan or pans and gently press the crumbly dough into the pan. Make sure to evenly coat the bottom and the sides while being careful to not compact the dough too much. Alternately, you can pat the dough into a circle, wrap it in plastic, and chill it for 2 hours. After 2 hours, roll the dough in between two lightly floured pieces of parchment paper into a 12'' circle and gently lay it into the pan, making sure to press the dough gently into the sides and bottom of the pan.  You may have a bit of extra dough, save it just in case you have to repair any cracks later on. Freeze the tart shell(s) for 30min.

3. Preheat your oven to 375º and bake the tart shell(s) on a baking sheet (no need for pie weights) until it is lightly golden 20-25 minutes. Remove the foil repair any cracks that may have formed with your leftover dough, bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool the shell on a rack while you prepare the rest of the tart.

Cranberry Cream
adapted from Tartine's Lemon Cream

3/4 cup 100% unsweetened cranberry juice (see below for how to make your own, it's easy, I promise)
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk (save the white for later)
2/3 cup sugar
pinch salt
6 ounces unsalted butter

1. Add a few inches of water into a saucepan over medium heat and bring it to a simmer.
2. In a large bowl that will sit securely on the rim of the saucepan without touching the water underneath, combine the cranberry juice, eggs, egg yolks, sugar and salt. Whisk to combine.
3. Cook the mixture, whisking constantly until it is very thick and reaches 180º on a thermometer. If you do not have a candy thermometer, cook the mixture until it is very thick and a whisk leaves a trail through the curd. Remove from the heat and let cool until it reaches about 140º.
4. Cut the butter into tablespoon sized pieces and when the mixture has cooled slightly pour it into a blender. With the blender running, add the butter one tablespoon at a time, blending after each addition. The cream will thicken slightly and turn a lovely shade of light corally-pink. You can also do this with an immersion blender. Chill the cream in the refrigerator until ready to assemble the tarts.

DIY 100% cranberry juice
yield about 1 cup

In a medium saucepan combine 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries with 3/4 cup water. Cook over medium heat until the cranberries are soft and their skins have burst. Press the mixture firmly through a sieve and discard the skins and seeds.

If you aren't up for making your own cranberry juice you can find it at Trader Joe's and most natural food stores.

Swiss Meringue
If you don't like regular meringue, you might like it made this way. It is smooth and marshmallowy in texture. These tarts would be excellent without the meringue cap, but I think the addition of pillowy soft Swiss meringue is the perfect compliment to the tart cranberry cream.

2 egg whites (ideally, the 2 egg whites you saved earlier)
1/2 cup sugar
pinch salt

1. Add a few inches of water into a saucepan over medium heat and bring it to a simmer.
2. In a large bowl that will sit securely on the rim of the saucepan without touching the water underneath, combine the egg whites, sugar and salt. Cook, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is very warm to the touch.
3. Remove from the heat and whisk the mixture with an electric mixer on high until stiff and glossy.

To Assemble

Fill each pre-baked tart shell with a few tablespoons of cranberry cream, top with a few tablespoons of meringue then use a spatula to create a swirly, peaked pattern. Gently brown the meringue under your broiler, or with one of those fun kitchen torches. Be Careful! It only needs to be under the broiler for about 45 seconds so keep an eye on it the whole time. Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator for a few hours. These tarts are best on the day they are made.

Thanksgiving

I've never hosted Thanksgiving dinner so I can't give you any tips on how to roast the juiciest bird or make the fluffiest mashed potatoes (I like them chunky anyway), but I do know how to make some killer Thanksgiving pies. I like to keep it pretty traditional for turkey day and I also like to give people options, so I think I'll end up making some classic pumpkin pies with lots of whipped cream and simple apple tarts with creme fraiche to feed the crowd I'll be dining with this year. I might even get wild and throw some quince or cranberries into my apple tarts, but I think I'll take the temperature of my dinner companions before going for it. I'd love to hear your plans in the comments!

If you are still pondering your own Thanksgiving menu, here are a few recipes from the archives that would be great additions to your holiday spread. Don't forget, you can make pie crust days in advance and freeze it, well wrapped. Just make sure to give the crusts at least 8 hours to defrost in the refrigerator before you roll them out to make your pies.

Apple and Quince Gingerbread
Apple, Quince and Cranberry Pie
Buttermilk Biscuits
Caramelized Pumpkin Puddings (GF)
Classic Apple Pie
Cranberry Quince Preserves (GF)
Persimmon Bread
Quince Custard Cake
Quince Frangipane Tartlets
Quince Upside Down Cake
Skillet Cornbread with Jalapeño Honey Butter (GF)
Squash Harvest Bread
Whole Wheat Cheese Straws

All of these photos are from Thanksgiving 2011 at the beautiful home of a friend in Connecticut. We'll be there again this year and I can't wait!

Special thanks to the reader who gave me the tip about finding winter luxury pumpkins in NYC. I bought three from Tamarack Hollow Farm last Wednesday at the Union Square Greenmarket and I can't wait to roast them and turn them into pie!

Apple and Quince Gingerbread

I hope you're not sick of quince because here's another quince cake to add to your recipe box. You may remember this ginger and quince cake from way back when, but don't worry, this cake has a whole different thing going on. In this preparation the quince are mixed with some sliced apples and a bit of butter and sugar then caramelized before being tucked into a smooth, gingery cake batter. The result is a golden cake with a crisp top that is full of warm spices and it's just perfect for a cozy fall day with a cup of something to warm you.

p.s. I'll be out celebrating Jen Causey's book launch tomorrow night! Will I see any of you guys there?

Apple and Quince Gingerbread
yield 1, 9'' cake
adapted from food52

2 large apples
1 large quince
4 ounces plus 1 ounce butter
4 tablespoons coarse sugar (turbinado or light demerara)
6.5 ounce all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3.75 ounces brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger root
2 tablespoons molasses
3 tablespoons rum or bourbon
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk
10 walnut halves (optional)

Preheat oven to 350º. Butter and flour a 9'' cake pan.

1. Core and peel the apples and quince then cut into thin slices. Melt 1 ounce of butter in a skillet and stir in the apple and quince slices until coated with butter, then add 2 tablespoons coarse sugar. Saute over medium heat stirring occasionally until the fruit has softened and caramelized slightly. Set aside to cool while you prepare the cake batter.
2. In a medium bowl sift the flour, baking soda, salt and spices.
3. In a stand mixer cream the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time. Then beat in the zests, grated ginger, molasses, rum or bourbon and vanilla extract.
4. Slowly stir in the flour mixture followed by the buttermilk until the batter is smooth.
5. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan, top with the sautéed apples and quince, then pour the rest of the batter on top and smooth with a spatula. Arrange the walnut halves on top (if using) then sprinkle with the remaining coarse sugar.
6. Bake the cake for 45-50 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. This cake is best the day that it's made, but will last for a few days in an airtight container.

Apple, Cranberry, and Quince Pie

First things first, if you live in the United States please VOTE today! Make your voice heard and exercise your rights people. It feels good and you might even get a fun sticker to wear. Then, maybe make a pie to calm your nerves while you wait for the election returns to roll in tonight. You could also just bookmark this one for Thanksgiving and go to your neighborhood watering hole for a pint instead. I won't judge.

Apple, Cranberry and Quince Pie
The combination of sweet apples, tart cranberries, and floral quince is a new favorite of mine and this pie would be a perfect addition to any holiday table. If you can't find quince, just replace it with another apple, but I encourage you to seek it out and give it a try!

For the Crust

This crust comes to you from Brandi Henderson of I made that! and The Pantry at Delancey
where she teaches a class called "How to be a Pie Ninja" and she is not messing around. This
crust is made with  a technique called fraisage which creates long sheets of buttery flakes
throughout the dough instead of little pockets of butter.

12 ounces pastry flour
8 ounces cold butter
4 ounces ice water
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Mix the flour and salt together, then pour the whole lot on a large cutting board or countertop.
2. With a bench scraper, cut in half of the butter until it is the size of lima beans, then cut in the
other half of the butter until it is the size of quarters. Add the apple cider vinegar to the water.
3. Using your fingers, flick the water on to the butter flour mixture and gently fold it in with your
bench scraper. You have added enough water when you can pick up a handful of the dough
and squeeze it together without it falling apart.
4. Then, you smear the butter into the dough. With the heel of your hand push a section of the
dough down and away from you. Scrape your sheet off of the board and place it in a bowl to
the side. Repeat until you have worked through all of the dough, pushing it down and away
from you in sections. Once you've gone through all of the dough gently remove it from the bowl,
press it together, then split it in half, and wrap each half in plastic wrap and form into a disk.
Chill the dough for at least one hour before using. I like to chill mine overnight.

For the Filling

4 large apples (about 2.5 lbs) I like mutsus, jonathans, golden delicious, and cortlands
1 large quince
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/2-3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
zest and juice of one small lemon
zest and juice of half of an orange
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter

Peel and core the the apples then cut them into 1/2'' chunks. Peel and core the quince and cut it into 1/4'' pieces. Place the apples, quince and cranberries in a large bowl then add lemon
and orange juices and zests, stir gently to combine. Add the rest of the filling ingredients (except
the butter) and stir gently to combine.

For the Topping

1 egg, beaten
A few teaspoons of coarse sugar like turbinado or light demerara

To Assemble and Bake

Preheat oven to 400º

1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of the dough into a 12’’ circle 1/4''-1/8'' thick
and place it into a 9 or 10 inch pie pan. Place in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the pie.
2. Roll out the other piece of dough into a 12'' circle about 1/4''-1/8'' thick and place it in the
fridge to chill while you prepare the filling.
3. Fill the prepared pie shell with the apple mixture, dot with the 2 tablespoons butter, and top
with the second crust, trim the edges so there is about 1/2’’ of overhang then crimp the edges
and cut a few vents in the top. If you'd like to make a lattice top (like the pie pictured), here is a really great step-by-step slideshow from Bon Appetit.com.
4. If the crust seems soft or warm, slide the whole pie into the fridge or freezer for about 15min
before you bake it. When you are ready to bake brush the top of the pie with a beaten egg and
sprinkle with a healthy dose of coarse sugar.
5. Put the pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips and bake for 15 minutes on the lowest rack
of your oven, then lower the oven temp to 350º and bake for 40-50 minutes or until the crust is
deep golden brown and the fruit juices bubble. For extra shine, glaze the pie with another coat
of egg wash 10 minutes before you take it out of the oven, but keep a close eye on it to prevent burning.

Quince Custard Cake

Every year my parents send me a box of gnarly quince from a friend's tree. You can see last year's box here along with a recipe for some killer tartlets. They are hard and smooth, with hardly any fuzz and a sweet floral fragrance. I like to keep them out in a bowl on my coffee table for a few days because they smell so, so good. I also like to keep them around to remind me that my family is thinking about me even when they are climbing trees and foraging for fruit.



I have declared my love for quince again and again on this blog and I have a few new quince recipes up my sleeve this year. The first is for this amazing custard cake that I bookmarked ages ago. I know custard cake sounds a little complicated (and maybe a little weird), but if you have the time and patience to poach the quince, this cake comes together so easily. You can even mix it all in one bowl if you are feeling rebellious and don't want to whisk together your dry ingredients first (but I didn't tell you that was ok, ok?).



The result is crispy on the outside, dense and custardy on the inside and packed full of my favorite fall fruit, lightly poached with simple flavors. It's one of those desserts that is delicious served with a bit of creme fraiche or whipped cream and equally good as an afternoon snack with a cup of tea, and who am I kidding, it's great for breakfast too.

On a very different note, I'm sure many of you have heard about the devastating hurricane that blew through the Northeast this week. My household, was very, very lucky and we are so thankful that we were hardly affected at all, but others have not fared as well. If you are in NYC please consider signing up to volunteer by emailing [email protected] with your name, email address and borough. Also, support local businesses as much as possible. Even one day without sales can be devastating for them, especially restaurants and other food businesses. If you are far away, keep the coast in your thoughts and consider donating to the Red Cross or other relief organizations. Here is a list of other ways you can help relief efforts from the Wall Street Journal. Here is another great list of ways to help, divided by borough from Opening Ceremony via Brian Ferry. Be safe and take care of each other out there.

Update 11/5: Jenna at Sweet Fine Day compiled a list of NYC based organizations providing direct relief to people affected by the hurricane & The Occupy Sandy Relief Facebook Page is another excellent source of information if you want to help or volunteer directly. They've also set up an amazon registry if you are far away and would like to donate goods that will get to the folks who need them most. Occupy Sandy Relief Registry

Quince Custard Cake
adapted from Brandi Henderson

3.75 ounces all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
6 ounces sugar
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons quince poaching liquid
4 ounces butter, melted
1 lb poached quince, drained well and chopped (about 3 medium quince, poaching instructions below)
1 tablespoon crunchy sugar like turbinado or light demerara
a few tablespoons of confectioner's sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350º. Butter an 8'' or 9'' round pan or springform pan and line it with parchment paper.

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, and vanilla bean seeds until foamy. Whisk in the poaching liquid and melted butter.
3. Gently fold in the flour mixture, followed by the chopped quince. Pour the mixture into the pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with crunchy sugar. Slide into the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely before removing from the pan. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with whipped cream or creme fraiche if desired.

Poached Quince

This recipe makes enough for the cake, plus some extra for snacking or maybe use the extra to make this Buckle.

5 cups water or half water and half white wine
2 cups sugar
1/2 lemon, cut into 1/4'' wedges
1 strip orange zest
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped or 1t vanilla extract
4 medium quince, peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges each

Over medium heat, combine the sugar and water (or water and wine) in a medium saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the lemon, vanilla bean seeds and pod and quince and stir gently to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook the quince gently until they are soft and fork tender, but not mushy. This can take from 20-40 minutes depending on how ripe your quince are and how thickly they are sliced

Store the quince in their syrup until you are ready to use them and save the syrup for soda or cocktails. Serve the extra with yogurt or ice cream, or enjoy them as they are.



p.s. Sorry to the folks that received this post twice, blogger and I got into a fight.

Picking Apples and Making Pie

I am writing this post as Hurricane Sandy is making her way up the eastern seaboard. We are stocked with food and fortified with wine. I have baked a double batch of banana bread, located the magazines, playing cards and Scrabble game along with more practical items like flashlights just in case we lose power. The cat is napping quietly in her favorite desk chair as if tonight is a night just like any other which I am taking as a good sign. We are hunkered down and ready for the storm and I'm sure you're wondering what all of this has to do with pie and I'm sorry to say, nothing really. It's just that it's on my mind and it seems odd to write about anything else right now. So you'll have to excuse the fact that I have no real segue planned here to take you all back to the orchard where I picked the gorgeous apples that filled this classic apple pie.



On a bright sunny day last week I teamed up with an old friend and a new one to make the drive up to Fishkill Farms to pick some of New York state's finest apples. The season was winding down and there wasn't a huge variety of fruit left on the trees, but the mutsus and golden delicious that we picked were incredibly delicious and perfect for the pie that Nicole and I planned to bake. The killer picnic we packed and the warm cinnamon sugar coated donuts with cold, crisp cider at the farm stand weren't too shabby either.
 

The sun was bright that day, almost too bright for the 400 speed film I had in my camera so I don't have too many photos of the farm to share, but check out La Buena Vida for Nicole's gorgeous photos of the day and another shot of the pie we made (thanks for letting me make a mess in your kitchen, N!), and maybe Ellie will cut together a bit of the Super8 footage she shot too. Let's all just hope that she doesn't share my very ungraceful cartwheeling through the orchards...

Stay safe during this wild storm east coasters!

Apple Pie

For the Crust

This crust comes to you from Brandi Henderson of I made that! and The Pantry at Delancey
where she teaches a class called "How to be a Pie Ninja" and she is not messing around. This
crust is made with  a technique called fraisage which creates long sheets of buttery flakes
throughout the dough instead of little pockets of butter.

12 ounces pastry flour
8 ounces cold butter
4 ounces ice water
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Mix the flour and salt together, then pour the whole lot on a large cutting board or countertop.
2. With a bench scraper, cut in half of the butter until it is the size of lima beans, then cut in the
other half of the butter until it is the size of quarters. Add the apple cider vinegar to the water.
3. Using your fingers, flick the water on to the butter flour mixture and gently fold it in with your
bench scraper. You have added enough water when you can pick up a handful of the dough
and squeeze it together without it falling apart.
4. Then, you smear the butter into the dough. With the heel of your hand push a section of the
dough down and away from you. Scrape your sheet off of the board and place it in a bowl to
the side. Repeat until you have worked through all of the dough, pushing it down and away
from you in sections. Once you've gone through all of the dough gently remove it from the bowl,
press it together, then split it in half, and wrap each half in plastic wrap and form into a disk.
Chill the dough for at least one hour before using. I like to chill mine overnight.

For the Filling

4-5 large apples (about 3 lbs) I like mutsus, jonathans, golden delicious, and cortlands
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
zest and juice of one small lemon
zest and juice of half of an orange
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter

Peel the apples and cut them into 1/2'' chunks. Place the apples in a large bowl then add lemon
and orange juices and zests, stir gently to combine. Add the rest of the filling ingredients (except
the butter) and stir gently to combine.

For the Topping

1 egg, beaten
A few teaspoons of coarse sugar like turbinado or light demerara

To Assemble and Bake

Preheat oven to 400º

1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of the dough into a 12’’ circle 1/4''-1/8'' thick
and place it into a 9 or 10 inch pie pan. Place in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the pie.
2. Roll out the other piece of dough into a 12'' circle about 1/4''-1/8'' thick and place it in the
fridge to chill while you prepare the filling.
3. Fill the prepared pie shell with the apple mixture, dot with the 2 tablespoons butter, and top
with the second crust, trim the edges so there is about 1/2’’ of overhang then crimp the edges
and cut a few vents in the top. If you'd like to make a lattice top, here is a really great step-by-step slideshow from Bon Appetit.com.
4. If the crust seems soft or warm, slide the whole pie into the fridge or freezer for about 15min
before you bake it. When you are ready to bake brush the top of the pie with a beaten egg and
sprinkle with a healthy dose of coarse sugar.
5. Put the pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips and bake for 15 minutes on the lowest rack
of your oven, then lower the oven temp to 350º and bake for 40-50 minutes or until the crust is
deep golden brown and the apple juices bubble. For extra shine, glaze the pie with another coat
of egg wash 10 minutes before you take it out of the oven, but keep a close eye on it to prevent burning.

Caramelized Pumpkin Puddings

I generally use roasted butternut squash for any holiday baking that calls for pumpkin purée. Personally, I think sugar pumpkins are pretty flavorless and not really worth the effort, but that was before I met the winter luxury (a pretty sexy name for a squash if you ask me). They are an heirloom variety that I had never seen before a trip up to Maine to assist a shoot that was covering the Common Ground County Fair last month. There was a beautiful farmer's market at the entrance to the fair with quite a few varieties of heirloom squash that I hadn't seen before and I couldn't resist bringing a few back to New York with me (big surprise). My hands down favorite was the winter luxury, a curious little pumpkin covered with netting like a melon that I admired my on my mantle for about a week before I gave in and decided to make something with it. When I cut it open the flesh was beautifully orange and when roasted it was smooth with hints of caramel and toffee. It was so naturally sweet and tasty that I ate the leftover puree plain as I stood over the stove whisking this very pudding. The pudding below is a perfect foil for the winter luxury's smooth texture and flavor, but if you aren't up to roasting your own pumpkin, canned will do just fine just don't skip the caramelization step.

p.s. Does anyone in have a winter luxury supplier in New York? I haven't been able to find them at my local farmer's market and I would love to find a few more before Thanksgiving.

Caramelized Pumpkin Puddings with Brown Sugar Cream and Seeded Brittle
yield 6-8 individual parfaits
If you'd like to roast your own pumpkin for this recipe here is a great tutorial from Aimee at Simple Bites. The caramelization technique below comes from Meta Given by way of Food52 and it is a winner.

Caramelized Pumpkin Pudding

1 1/2 cups roasted pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
3 large egg yolks
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
pinch salt
1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. Spoon the pumpkin puree into a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for about 10 minutes or until the puree looks slightly dry and caramelized. Keep warm while you prepare the pudding.
2. In a bowl or measuring cup, whisk the milk, cream and egg yolks. In medium saucepan whisk together the sugar, salt and cornstarch then whisk in the milk mixture, followed by the vanilla bean seeds and pod.
3. Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly until it has thickened and is bubbling gently, 8-12 minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the warm pumpkin puree, spices and butter. Remove the vanilla bean pod and save it for another use. Pour the pudding into a dish and cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until completely cool.

Brown Sugar Cream

1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, bourbon or rum

Combine the cream, brown sugar, and extract or booze in a large mixing bowl and whip until medium peaks form.

Seeded Brittle 

I used this recipe and added in 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds with the pepitas.

To Assemble

Whisk the chilled pudding until smooth, then layer it with the whipped cream in pretty glasses. Top with a few shards of brittle right before the puddings are served.

Apple Butter Doughnut Muffins

I'm gearing up for a bit of fall preserving over here, but before I start putting up apples and pears I thought I should take care of the stragglers left over in the "pantry" from last year. I had one lonely jar of apple butter left on the shelf and I wanted to make a recipe that would use the whole thing in one go, so I turned to a fall favorite muffin recipe and made a few simple swaps. The results are these gently spiced, sugar coated beauties and some open space to fill with some new jars. Not to shabby, for leftovers.

Apple Butter Doughnut Muffins
yield 12 muffins
adapted from Everyday Food
The results of this recipe rest heavily on the apple butter you choose to use in this recipe. The apple butter I make at home is lightly sweetened and spiced so the amounts of additional sugar and spice in this recipe reflect that. If your apple butter is heavily spiced you may want to hold off on adding additional spices, but do make sure there is a bit of nutmeg in there. The nutmeg is the key to the donutty flavor. I imagine they would also bake up quite nicely in a doughnut pan.

12 3/4 ounces all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice
5 ounces softened butter
3 3/4 ounces brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces buttermilk
8 ounces prepared apple butter
1 small apple, peeled and diced into 1/4'' cubes

For the Topping/Coating

3.5 ounces granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 ounces melted butter
1 ounce confectioner's sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350º and butter and flour a 12 cup muffin tin

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices. In another small bowl whisk together the buttermilk and apple butter.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in an electric mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, then add the vanilla extract.
3. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions alternating with the apple butter mixture. Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in the diced apple by hand. The mixture will be very thick.
4. Scoop 1/3 cup batter into each muffin cup and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
5. While the muffins are baking prepare the topping by mixing the cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, working with one at a time, brush the muffins with butter and toss to coat in the cinnamon sugar mixture. When completely cool, dust with confectioner's sugar (optional). These muffins taste best the day that they are made.

A few bits and bobs

It's a gorgeous Fall day today in NYC and I am about to head outside to enjoy it, but before I go I thought I would share a few things I am loving and/or looking forward to this season, culinary and otherwise. Have a great weekend everyone!

The best Halloween movie of all time
Some killer cakes on Instagram (via Bon Appetit) featuring a few by yours truly
I'm going to a pie party soon, but can't decide on a recipe. Maybe I'll make a riff on this one.
A baby walrus with a baby walrus moustache
The new home collection from Zara is crazy good
I can't wait to head upstate to go apple picking with this gal
Watch the adorable Dorie Greenspan pack for Paris 
Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi's new book Jerusalem looks amazing, this recipe sounds incredibly delicious
I've been dreaming of this roast pumpkin with cheese fondue, thanks to Jen Causey.
I wish Laura lived closer so she could make me this salad
I love this interview with Mandy Patinkin about The Princess Bride, one of my all time favorites
and
Arrested Development's new season will be "bird heavy". Start practicing your chicken dance now.

Concord Grape Pie

Eaten out of hand, concord grapes have a very strong flavor. They taste like the grapiest grape you've ever eaten with hit of muskiness, like Welch's grape juice x 100. The bunches of fruit are deep purple (no, not the band) with a thin layer of white bloom that makes them glow in an otherworldly way when the sun shines on them, and they are almost always covered with bees at the farmer's market. I trust that those bees know what's good so I always pick up a basket or two this time of year.



Sometimes I make jam or jelly with them, but due to the ridiculous number of jars stacked up in my closet I decided that a baked good would be a better use of my grapes this time around. A quick search led me to a ton of pie recipes and as soon as I found out that the "Queen of Grape Pies" was a resident of upstate New York I knew that my grapes were destined to be the filling of a buttery crust.



I'll admit that I did not have faith in this pie. I thought the grape flavor would be too concentrated and too strong to enjoy by the slice. I brought it to a dinner party and warned everyone with very concerned face, "I'm not sure about this one guys. It might be totally weird. No really, it might taste funky and not a good way like this cheese we are eating right now."



Ruining a great party with a so-so dessert is one of my biggest dinner party fears so when we sliced it up after the meal I very gingerly took the first bite. I know it's totally dorky, but I was so relieved to declare it delicious! Thank goodness.

Concord Grape Pie

For the pie pictured in these photos I used a crust recipe from Cooks Illustrated, just to test my loyalty to my favorite pie crust. The Cooks Illustrated recipe is tender and delicious (it uses a bit of shortening), but since I like my other recipe just a bit more I've included it below. As always, feel free to sub in your favorite pie crust here. You'll need a double crust recipe.

For the Crust
This crust comes to you from Brandi Henderson of I made that! and The Pantry at Delancey where she teaches a class called "How to be a Pie Ninja" and she is not messing around. Brandi uses a technique called fraisage which creates long sheets of buttery flakes throughout the dough instead of little pockets of butter. 

12 oz pastry flour 
8 oz cold butter 
4 oz ice water 
1t apple cider vinegar 
1/2t salt 

1. Mix the flour and salt together, then pour the whole lot on a large cutting board or countertop.
2. With a bench scraper, cut in half of the butter until it is the size of lima beans, then cut in the other half of the butter until it is the size of quarters. Add the apple cider vinegar to the water.
3. Using your fingers, flick the water on to the butter flour mixture and gently fold it in with your bench scraper. You have added enough water when you can pick up a handful of the dough and squeeze it together without it falling apart.
4. Then, you smear the butter into the dough. With the heel of your hand push a section of the dough down and away from you. Congratulations, you have just created a sheet of butter which is going to turn into delicious flaky crust. Scrape your sheet off of the board and place it in a bowl to the side. Repeat until you have worked through all of the dough, pushing it down and away from you in sections. Once you've gone through all of the dough gently remove it from the bowl, press it together, then split it in half, and wrap each half in plastic wrap and form into a disk. Chill the dough for at least one hour before using. I like to chill mine overnight. 

If this sounds confusing, check out the link above for a really helpful photo tutorial.

For the Filling
adapted from Martha Stewart and Saveur
The filling for this pie requires a bit of work, but it's the kind of work that takes more time than effort and don't worry, you won't have to individually seed the grapes. The tiniest hint of cinnamon in this recipe mellows and softens the strong grape flavor nicely.

2 lbs concord grapes (about 2 quarts)
3.5 ounces sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1-1.25 ounces cornstarch
pinch salt

1. Wash the grapes and using your fingers, pinch the grapes to slip off their skins. Reserve the skins in a large bowl. Place the pulp in a medium saucepan and cook for 8-10 minutes over medium heat or until the seeds start to separate from the pulp.
2. Strain the pulp mixture into the bowl with the skins, pressing the solids with the back of a spoon. Discard the seeds and set the mixture aside to cool completely.
3. In a small bowl whisk the sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch and salt together then add it to the grape mixture. Use the larger amount of cornstarch if your grapes seem very liquid.

For the Topping

1 egg, beaten
A few teaspoons of coarse sugar like turbinado or light demerara

To Assemble and Bake

Preheat oven to 450º

1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of the dough into a 12'' circle about 1/8'' thick and place it into a 9 or 10 inch pie pan. Place in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the pie.
2. Roll out the other piece of dough into a 12'' circle about 1/8'' thick and place it in the fridge to chill while you prepare the filling.
3. Fill the prepared pie shell with the grape mixture and top with the second crust, crimp the edges and cut a few vents. If you've got some extra time (and dough) on your hands you can also top the pie with a few small circles of dough arranged to resemble a bunch of grapes. 
4. If the crust seems soft or warm, slide the whole pie into the fridge or freezer for about 15min before you bake it. When you are ready to bake brush the top of the pie with a beaten egg and sprinkle with a healthy dose of coarse sugar.
5. Put the pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips and bake for 15 minutes on the lowest rack of your oven, then lower the oven temp to 350º and bake for 40-50 minutes or until the crust is deep golden brown and the grape juices bubble. Cool the pie completely before serving. 

One For the Road

Well, it's been drizzly all week and I roasted my first pumpkin of the year so I think it's safe to say that fall is here. I'm just the tiniest bit sad to see summer go, but I am far more excited to see what this season of change has in store. So, here's the last of my summery photos and one last (ok two) recipe(s) for the road. Yes, I know, it's probably too late to make blackberry jam this year, but maybe bookmark these recipes for next summer? I'll be back soon with something a bit more autumnal.

Classic Blackberry Jam
yield about 6, half pints
This jam is simple and unadorned, just blackberries, sugar and lemon and it tastes like a Northwest summer. I will cherish every bite of every jar.

3 1/2 pounds fresh blackberries, rinsed
1 3/4 pounds sugar
3 ounces lemon juice

1. Add the blackberries, sugar, and lemon juice to a large, wide, non-reactive pot. Use a potato masher to gently mash the fruit.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat, stirring occasionally. As the jam comes to a boil, skim the foam that rises to the top of the pot and discard.
3. Raise the heat to high and boil for 10-20 minutes or until set, being careful not to let the bottom scorch. Begin checking for doneness at 10 minutes. I generally use the wrinkle test to check for doneness with this type of jam. If you prefer seedless jam, quickly transfer the cooked mixture to a mesh strainer and force as much as the jam through as possible, discard the seeds and proceed with canning.
4. Pour the jam into sterilized jars, then process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Blackberry Fig Jam with Lime
yield 6-8 half pints
Green figs can be very sweet and tart blackberries temper their flavor nicely in this jam.

2 1/2 pounds fresh blackberries, rinsed
1 1/2 pounds green figs, stem ends removed and chopped coarsely
1 1/2 pounds sugar
4 ounces lime juice
1t lime zest

1. Add the blackberries, chopped figs, sugar, and lime juice to a large, wide, non-reactive pot. Use a potato masher to gently mash the fruit.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat, stirring occasionally. As the jam comes to a boil, skim the foam that rises to the top of the pot and discard.
3. Raise the heat to high and boil for 15-25 minutes or until set, being careful not to let the bottom scorch. Begin checking for doneness at 15 minutes. I generally use the wrinkle test to check for doneness with this type of jam.
4. Stir in the lime zest, pour the jam into sterilized jars, then process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Yeasted Vegan Biscuits and Some Rambling

I have lived in New York for a pretty solid chunk of time now and I am grateful that I get to live in such an amazing place, but most days there is a part of me that misses the Pacific Northwest. A big part. It’s tough to feel so deeply connected to more than one city and the constant pull between coasts has been at the front of my mind all summer. So when I was home in Seattle a few weeks ago I made a promise to myself to just absorb and to try my darndest to bring as much of that Pacific Northwest energy back with me as I could.



When I was packing up and getting ready to leave Seattle, I found myself squirreling away little bits of home to bring back to New York with me: a tea towel, a few mugs and bowls I made when I lived in Portland, some jars of jam made from the fruit I picked with my parents, a set of beautiful gold rimmed tea glasses, and some tablecloths that I've always loved. The faded cotton tablecloths I grabbed are remnants of the life my parents and brother lived in Iran years and years ago. They have been witness to countless meals and conversations. They have spent time with members of my family that I will never get to meet. One of them even made the trip to college with me where I hung it on my dorm room wall alongside a print of Starry Night (I know, I know) and a concert poster or two.



There is something to be said for the comfort and safety of familiar objects because just having these tablecloths in our east coast home makes me feel a bit more connected to the life I left when I moved to New York and it makes being here just a bit better.

Biscuits for breakfast are mighty comforting too.

Oh, and one last thing, check out the side bar for an updated about me page.

Yeasted Vegan Biscuits
adapted from Steve's Honey Angel Biscuits
yield 8-10 biscuits
Steve was my jam swap partner this year and he hooked me up with four delicious jars of jam (I don't want to brag but the flavors were peach melba, white fig with grapefruit, olliaberry, and white peach) and a recipe for his favorite jam vehicles (a category of baking that I have a high appreciation for): corn muffins and angel biscuits. I tweaked his biscuit recipe a bit to accomodate what I had on hand and realized when all was said and done that they were vegan, and the most tender biscuits I'd ever had to boot. For a more traditional version, swap the almond milk and lemon juice for an equal amount of buttermilk and 2 ounces of butter and 2 ounces of shortening.

1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 tablespoons warm water
10.75 ounces all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3.5 ounces non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening (I like Spectrum)
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400º

1. Combine the yeast and warm water in a small bowl and stir to combine. Let stand for 5 minutes to give the yeast time to bloom.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt. Then cut the shortening in with a pastry blender until the mixture is crumbly but there are still small chunks of shortening visible.
3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients in. Stir gently until combined. Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and knead a few times. Pat the dough into a rectangle about 3/4'' tall and and fold it in thirds.
4. Pat or roll the folded dough to a 1'' thickness and cut it into 8 rounds with a 2'' biscuit cutter. Alternately, you can use a pastry (or pizza) wheel to cut the dough into squares. Place the cut biscuits into an ungreased cast iron skillet or on a baking sheet, just barely touching. Gently gather any scraps into biscuit shapes and bake those too, don't waste a bit of this delicious dough. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until light golden and cooked through.

Gingered Blackberry Cobbler and a Few Favorites

Here are a few things I've enjoyed from around the internets this week and a bonus recipe for a sweet and spicy blackberry cobbler that I made towards the end of my Seattle trip. When life hands you blackberries and you've already made 10 jars of jam and a crisp and you don't have time to let pie dough chill, make cobbler! It is one of those multi-purpose desserts that's not too sweet, making it perfect for breakfast the next day.

- Shae's beautiful post about the terroir of Alaskan blueberries and the jam she made. If you've ever had them, you already know that Northwest blackberries have a distinct terroir of their own.
- Kimberley's lovely words about running and returning
- Some tips on bread management from the always inspiring Rachel
 - A killer circus birthday party with warm cotton candy, a striped cake, and a hot dog bar from Ashley
- I wish I had known about this cocktail from Erin when I had my bounty of blackberries. Campari has been my drink of choice all summer. I guess I'll need a new drink soon, any ideas?
- This series of intimate performances from the Newport Folk Festival, in the ruins of a fort no less
- Lil Bub because if you haven't, you should

Have a great weekend.

Gingered Blackberry Cobbler
adapted from Cook's Illustrated
yield, 1 10'' pan

For the Filling

32 ounces fresh blackberries, rinsed
3 1/2 ounces sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1-1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger (watch out, it's spicy!)
1 teaspoon lemon zest (meyer lemon if available)
juice from 1/2 lemon

For the Topping

5 ounces all purpose flour
2 ounces oat flour (or finely ground oats or use all purpose flour)
4 tablespoons sugar plus 1 tablespoon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 ounces butter, melted
1/2 cup plain yogurt (full fat if possible)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375º

For the Filling

Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, grated ginger, lemon zest and juice. Add in the blackberries and mix gently to combine. Transfer the mixture to a 9'' or 10'' pie pan and place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Slide into the oven and bake until the filling is hot and bubbling around the edges, about 25 minutes.

For the Topping

1. While the berries are baking, whisk together the flour, oat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the melted butter, yogurt and vanilla extract.
2. One minute before the berries come out of the oven, combine the wet and dry ingredients. Stir gently until thoroughly mixed.
3. Carefully remove the berries from the oven and increase the temperature to 425º. Divide the topping into 8 equal pieces and place them gently on top of the berries about 1/2'' apart, they should not touch. Sprinkle the remaining sugar on top of the biscuits.
4. Slide the whole shebang back into the oven and bake until the filling is bubbling and the biscuits are golden brown, 15-18 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

Blackberry Rhubarb Crisp

I pick blackberries from the school yard and rhubarb from the side yard. I remember to wear long sleeves and long pants to protect myself from the blackberry brambles, but my hair keeps getting tangled up in the thorns. Later I find a picture of my teenaged self picking blackberries with my best pal, both of us wearing overalls with bandanas tied around our heads*. I cut thin stalks of rhubarb from a forgotten plant and free them from their massive leaves. They are red almost all of the way through. I turn them into summertime crisps. I mix and stir the crumb topping with my hands. I bake them in borrowed ramekins and old jelly jars and they spill all over the baking sheet in the oven. We eat them on my brother's birthday with earl grey ice cream on top, after the babies have been put to bed.

Blackberry Rhubarb Crisp
yield 8-10 individual crisps or, 1 9x13 pan 
A few notes on this recipe: If making individual crisps, you'll want heatproof dishes (ramekins, canning jars, etc) that can hold about 6 ounces. The rhubarb gives the filling a wonderful tartness, which is just about perfect with some ice cream on top. I like a fairly equal fruit to crumb topping, so this recipe makes a generous amount. If you don't want to use it all at once it can be frozen for up to 2 weeks. Don't thaw before using, just break up the crumbs and sprinkle them over your dessert before you bake it.

For the Filling

1 1/2 pounds blackberries
3/4 pounds rhubarb, chopped into 1/4''-1/2'' pieces
1 ounce flour
4 1/4 ounces sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest (meyer lemon if available)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Crumb Topping

6 ounces softened butter
4 1/2 ounces rolled oats
4 1/2 ounces whole wheat flour (or sub half all purpose)
4 1/4 ounces brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375º

1. In a large bowl, gently toss the blackberries, chopped rhubarb, flour, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla extract together. Set aside while you prepare the topping.
2. In a medium bowl combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Add in the butter and use your hands to work it into the mixture until it holds together in medium clumps.
3. If making individual crisps, divide the filling mixture evenly between 8-10 ramekins, then top with a generous amount of crumb topping. If making 1, 9x13 crisp pour all of the fruit into the dish and evenly sprinkle the crumb over the top.
4. Place the ramekins or baking dish on top of a rimmed baking sheet (to catch any juices) and slide into the oven. Bake until the fruit is bubbling and the the topping is golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream on top.


*No doubt an attempt to channel Angela Chase