Test Kitchen Thursday - Pie Crust

OK - sorry this recipe is a little late this week - kind of a crazy week around here!  I'm going to focus on the pie crust rather than the whole pie.  This past weekend I was sifting through some of my mom's Cook's Illustrated Magazines and found their Fool Proof Pie Crust.  Knew it must be tried at some point.  What better time than just before Thanksgiving.  The other reason being my sister asked for my pumpkin pie recipe this week which reminded me I needed to bake a pie for Friday's church supper!  Of course, I signed up for cherry pie so I could just dump in the Cherry Pie Filling I preserved this spring - what a time saver!

Back to the pie crust - here's the recipe (or go HERE to find it on-line)

2 1/2 Cups unbleached all purpose flour (or pastry flour blend is good too)

1 t table salt

2 T sugar

12 T cold unsalted butter (cut into 1/4" slices)

1/2 C chilled solid vegetable shortening - cut into 4 pieces (like the butter flavor shortening for buttery taste)

1/4 C vodka - cold (taste will completely bake out)

1/4 C cold water

 

Process 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about two 1-second pulses.  Add butter and shortening; process until homogenous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds (dough will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour).  Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade.  Add remaining 1 cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up (4 to 6 quick pulses).  Empty mixture into medium bowl.

 

Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture.  With spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks down together.  Divide dough into 2 equal balls and flatten each into 4" disk.  Cover each with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

 

Remove 1 disk at a time from refrigerator and roll out on generously floured (up to 1/4 cup) work surface to 12 inch circle about 1/8 inch thick.  Roll dough loosely around rolling pin and unroll into pie plate, leaving at least 1 inch overhang.  Ease dough into plate by gently lifting edge of dough with 1 hand while pressing into plate bottom with other hand (do not stretch dough).  Refridgerate again until dough is firm about 45 minutes.  Flute edges.  Pour in filling and bake.

Seriously, for two people who don't drink we have a large supply of hard liquor.  I can now add vodka to the list.  Well, I could have used my husband's 20 year old vodka he brought back from the Soviet Union but decided that might not be a wise choice.  In case you're wondering our stash also includes rum (will be using that soon for stollen), cherry brandy (for the cherry pie filling), cherry liqueur (for the black forest cakes) and some Sam Adam's for when we want some yummy beer bread.  Good thing it lasts a long time since I use it in such small amounts!

Alright, back to pie crusts:

I put the vodka, water and shortening in the freezer to chill.  To chill the shortening I measured it out onto wax paper and divided it into the 4 pieces called for in the recipe.  I wrapped the wax paper up over each section and sat in freezer.  Good thing I cleaned out all my freezer's this week - I had plenty of room to set things flat today!

Of course, I had my little helpers!  Grant enjoyed watching the food processor spin!  This was the first time trying out the food processor for mixing pie crust - it worked quite well.

I should also add I did change the recipe somewhat and used whole wheat pastry flour rather than all purpose flour.  Still made a good looking crust.

After adding the liquids I ended up with two nice balls.  I forgot to weigh them to ensure they were equal but it ended up working out OK.

Here's the rolled crust.  Look at the little lumps of fat throughout!  I have to say this was the easiest crust I have ever rolled out.  Either I'm getting a lot better with my pastry (which trust me, I need all the help and practice I can get) or the recipe is really that good.  I covered it with plastic wrap and set it back in the fridge.

Here is my favorite part!  When I was a little girl I remember my mom rolling pie crusts.  It was exciting to see the rolling pin sock (is that what it's called?) and her canvas with the circle sizes marked come out of the drawer.  After she made the big pie she would re-roll the dough and fill a mini pie tin just for me.  Sometimes I was able to help roll and fill the tin.

And when the pies came out there was a perfect little pie for me.  Strange - now I'm the mom making little mini pies for my boys (ignore the singed crust).  And boy were they excited when they found out this little pie was just for them!

Test Kitchen Thursday - Caramel Apple Muffins

I don't know what possesses me - this time of year I always break down and buy one of those beautiful magazine cookbooks for the holidays that you see at the checkout lane.  Impulse buys - I know.  However, some of the best recipes I use regularly have come from some of those (that makes it worth it right?).  Quite frankly I blame my mother (she knows what I mean).  You should see her magazine cookbook stash (I love it).

Back to my compulsion - most often (but not always) they are of the Taste of Home persuasion.  I must add I called mom right away after picking up the new 2010 Taste of Home Fall Baking Cookbook and she had it too!  Apple doesn't fall from the tree :)

I decided I had to try the Caramel Apple Muffins.  You can find the recipe on Taste of Home's website HERE.

I did make a couple of changes.  Rather than chopping up the 12 sticky caramels I used a cup of Kraft's Caramel Bits.  They did tend to sink to the bottom and may not have been as ooey gooey as the original but as far as ease of preparation they are a winner in my book (and still ooey gooey).

It also called for only 1/2 cup of apple.  My big Granny Smith yielded a lot more than a 1/2 cup but I put the whole thing in anyway (well, what was left after the boys sampled some - still more than 1/2 cup left).  So, if you want to stick to the 1/2 cup use a small apple or plan to eat half your apple as a snack while baking!

They were quite yummy!  Now I should work on some of the other yummy looking recipes in my cookbook.

Cheers!

Test Kitchen Thursday - Auntie's Roll Out Sugar Cookies

This week I'm featuring a recipe I have worked very hard on - for number of years.  Had to get this one right because it means so much to my husband and his family.  This is my husband's Great Aunt's (from her mom - his Great Grandma) Christmas Cookie recipe.  Unfortunately I don't have the greatest photos since I didn't actually decorate these - they went to Clark's preschool for their Fall Party today!

Auntie's Sugar Cookie Recipe:

Yield: approximately 5 dozen (depends on the size of cutter you use - warning: these cookies grow in the oven)

2 C     Sugar
1 C     Butter, unsalted (softened)
1 C     Sour Buttermilk (I found this odd at first but yes it helps -- add a little lemon juice if you don't have sour buttermilk on hand - on the flip side great way to use up old buttermilk in the fridge)
2         Eggs
1/2 t    Salt
1 t       soda
2 t       baking powder
1 t       vanilla
1 t       lemon flavoring
5 C     flour

Whisk together the flour, salt, soda and baking powder together; set aside.  Cream the butter and sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Mix in sour buttermilk, vanilla and lemon flavoring. Add in the flour mixture.  This makes an extremely SOFT dough - you may want to add just a little more flour but don't overdo it.  The original recipe says to roll right away but I find giving it an hour or more in the fridge helps the rolling process.  Roll 3/8 inch and cut as desired.  Place cookies on parchment paper lined cookie sheets.  Bake for 8 - 10 minutes at 350 degrees F.  Do not over bake!  The cookies should barely be  colored on the bottom.

While we waited for the dough to set we sorted all the Halloween cookie cutters!  We sorted by shape, and by color, and by size.  So many sorting options!  Now for my family's Christmas cookies there are traditional shapes that must be cut but for other times of year anything goes.  However, for the Fall Party at preschool we needed to make pumpkins.

Required Christmas shapes include (all frosted with white frosting):
Santa (with red sugar)
Wreath (with green sugar and 9 red hots - 3 berry bunches)
Star (with yellow sugar)
Bell (with blue sugar and silver nonperil for clapper)
Tree (with green sugar and red hot on top)

My addition to the list:
Snowflake (with large crystal sugar)
Rudolf (with red hot for nose)

After nap time we rolled the cookies out.  I tested using only 4 1/2 cups of flour like the original recipe and remembered why I don't do that.  The cookies will roll but be prepared to utilize LOTS of flour on the counter.  Even using the 5 cups you will still need to well prepare the counter with flour.  When rolling I usually use the bands you can put on the ends of the rolling pin to roll out to the perfect thickness every time. It really helps with even baking!

Here are some photos of the pre-school party today - there were lots of dinosaurs (including Clark in blue).

Three dinosaurs and three batmen - seemed to be the popular costumes today!

Frosting the cookies and adding M&M faces.

I thought this was an adorable picture.

Also, many thanks to Aunt Em for the Halloween treats that arrived in the mail today!

Test Kitchen Thursday - Key Lime Spritz

Switching gears - turning from fall this week to thinking about Christmas Cookies!  Since it seems that November and December somehow fly right past I find the end of October/early November a good time to think about baking cookies.  There are LOTS of cookies (and fudge and even some candies) that freeze or store well.  These spritz cookies (due to high butter content) will store successfully in the freezer for 3 months (recommended time - but I have kept mine for up to 6 months+ and they still taste good).

Here is the recipe:

Key Lime Spritz Cookies

Yield: ~ 84 cookies                           

Ingredients:                                                               

1 C                  butter, softened

¾ C                 granulated sugar

¼ t                   baking powder

1                      egg

1 t                    finely shredded key lime peel (set aside)

2 t                    key lime juice (can use regular lime juice)

2 ½ C              all purpose flour

Icing:

¾ C                powdered sugar

1 ½ t               lime juice

2 – 3 t             milk (to make drizzling consistency)       

In a bowl beat butter for 30 seconds.  Add granulated sugar and baking powder.  Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl.  Beat in egg and juice until combined.  Beat in as much flour as you can.  Stir in any remaining flour and the lime peel.

Preheat oven to 400 degree F.  Place unchilled dough into cookie press fitted with template.  Force dough through the press, forming desired shapes, 1” apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets (parchment paper makes a world of difference).

Bake for 6 – 8 minutes or until edges are firm but not brown.  Transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool.

If desired, frost with lime icing; let stand 20 minutes or until set.  

Note: this is not one of my original recipes - it was either Taste of Home or BHG from the 2009 annual Christmas book that I get but I couldn't find the exact reference before posting - I will look it up and put in the proper credit.

If you plan to freeze them - don't frost them!  Frost them after you thaw them.  These little cookies don't last long around my house so I try to hide them in the freezer.

I remember spritz cookies fondly - grandma made them every year for Christmas (and other times of year too).  Grandma liked simple, fast cookies - make a batch, put on pan, bake, eat.  She also stored them in the freezer at her house to quickly pull out as needed.  I am actually not a fan of butter cookies but make an exception for Spritz (I don't think I would be considered truly German by my family if I didn't like Spritz cookies).

Hmmm - speaking of German recipes I need to think about my 2010 stollen recipe - it is supposed to "cure" for six weeks.  Great - now I need to go find a calendar - pencil in some stollen time . . .

Prost!

Test Kitchen Thursday - Apple Cider Spice Doughnuts

Before starting this post I have to tell you that after being near tears (well maybe not tears - but very frustrated) with this recipe yesterday I almost scrapped it.  But I remembered when I started this blog I promised to show the flops and failures right along with the successes.  I may be a perfectionist but I am far from perfect!

You can find the recipe at Our Best Bites. Let me point out first - they taste amazing!  But here is how mine looked:

More like apple fritters (or just a big mess) than donuts.  Sigh.  Next time I'm going to remember I have the oddball looking contraption from grandma that dad tells me is for donut dough and try that instead because I obviously cannot cut donuts.  Seriously follow the link above to the original recipe for the cutest donuts you have ever seen!

The boys enjoyed drinking the leftover apple cider - yummy!  Grant's first time with cup and straw (no lid) made mommy a bit nervous though.

As always my boys are always willing to help.  In fact, this has become a new Wednesday afternoon scheduled activity that they look forward too.  They help mommy with a new recipe right after lunch and before nap time.  If all goes well there is a little pre-nap treat :)

So, after pulling them out of the freezer I was able to cut them and they looked really good.

 But, they would not pull off the clear wrap and ended up like this:

So, I just divided the dough and put lumps in the hot oil to make these:

I am not sure - maybe I needed to leave them in the freezer longer, or maybe I should have lightly greased the plastic wrap before putting the dough on.  Not sure - we'll chalk this one up to operator malfunction.  The boys sure liked them - in fact they ate their pieces so fast I didn't even get a picture!

Enjoy!

Test Kitchen Thursday - Caramel Corn (Honey Bun Popcorn) with Pecans

Today I decided to have some fun with the boys and try this yummy Caramel Corn recipe found at: www.ourbestbites.com (since this is a web published recipe I'll just give you the link).  This recipe gets 4 thumbs up at our household.  Plus, it was loads of fun to do with the boys.  I highly encourage you to cook with your kids even at very young ages!  Recently someone told me how sorry they were for my boys' wifes someday since it might be hard to compete with their mom's cooking.  I say - bah!  What lucky women to have husbands that enjoy cooking and baking!  Think about it.  And for those wonderful hubbies out there that love to be in the kitchen (which mine is one) and yes, grilling counts too (if they do the prep work) - thank you!

So, I took lots of awesome photos to show you but my camera decided to die today (sniff).  I may have some photoless blogs for awhile as we wait for a new one to be ordered and delivered.  These shots remind me of some photos from the 70's.

 Clark measuring out the pecans.

 Grant and Clark both had extra pop corn as their afternoon snack.  Grant loves to play with measuring equipment.

Stirring the brown sugar.  After we had the caramel to the soft stage boil and we added the vanilla and baking soda much fun was had by all - bubbly, foamy brown goo!

 The product before placing in the oven!

 Of course we had to sample!

I had to quickly put it in the over before it was devoured.

That was our test kitchen today!  If you have a caramel corn craving this variation is well worth the time (it actually doesn't take much effort).

Happy Munching!

Birthday Special Recipe Edition - Pumpkin Bars

Tomorrow is my birthday so I thought I would do something special for all of you!  When I used to work in offices or warehouses or well anywhere other than home - the birthday treats I would take were my pumpkin bars.  I've never found a pumpkin bar recipe to touch these (no, not trying to be cocky - just honest).  There have been times I haven't even eaten a bar I made because the pan has been emptied before I had a chance.

So, for my birthday I decided to whip up some of these fabulous bars (they are super easy)!  OK - moment of truth these are only 2nd best to my ultimate favorite birthday recipe - but I can't pull off number 1.  That would be my mom's chocolate fudge cake with glorious fudge frosting!  Oh man - it is the best cake ever!  Mom rocks!

Back to Pumpkin Bars:

Pan: 1 - 15 x 18 x 1" sheet pan
This recipe originally came out of a small recipe book grandma gave me when Alan and I were first married.  The original recipe was by Marsha Gordon in -A Collection; Favorite Recipes of the Cerro Gordo Medical Auxiliary.  I have made modifications to the recipe to make it more my own but credit is owed to Ms. Gordon for an excellent recipe!

Ingredients:
4       eggs
2 C   sugar
1 C   canola oil
16 oz pumpkin [1 (15.5 oz) can if using canned pumpkin - be sure it's canned pumpkin not pumpkin pie]
2 C   flour
1/2 t  salt
1 t     baking soda
2 t     baking powder
2 t     cinnamon
1/2 t   nutmeg (optional) - if you like your pumpkin bars with more spice add the nutmeg and cloves
1/4 t  cloves (optional)

Frosting Ingredients:
8 oz pkg  cream cheese
1/2 C       butter
1 t            vanilla
2 C          sifted powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare pan - I spray with baking spray (with flour added in). In large metal or glass bowl; beat eggs gently.  Add sugar, oil and pumpkin.  Mix well and set aside.  In medium bowl sift together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, & cinnamon.  Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well. Pour into prepared pan.  Bake in oven for 20 - 30 minutes (until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean).

Allow pan to cool on wire rack.  Meanwhile - prepare frosting.  Allow cream cheese and butter to come to room temperature.  Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth.  Add 1 cup sifted sugar and vanilla - beat until smooth.  Add 2nd cup of sifted sugar and beat until smooth.  It should be a nice creamy frosting.

Once bars are cool spread frosting on bars.  These are also cute decorated with little candy or frosting pumpkins.  If I'm really in the mood for being fancy I have piped pumpkins and swirling vines all across the top.

Here are some photos of my boys enjoying their treat at supper time!  They both helped mix and add ingredients so they get credit for baking today too!

 Love the photos of Grant shoveling the bar in the mouth.  The frosting eye brow only adds to the humor!

ENJOY!

Please note: I happily share my recipes with you but please use them only for your own personal use.  It is not just myself but often my family that has worked (for sometimes years) on these recipes and at the very least we would like credit for our creations.

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Thursday Test Kitchen - Grandma Buns

This Thursday (today) I decided to go with Grandma Buns.  Why are they called Grandma Buns - because they were my Grandma Clark's recipe.  They are the roll that ALL members of her family desire.  She served them for special occasions and yet also for just everyday.  What I loved is that she experimented with her recipe all the time - even though she made them for what seemed to me - forever!  She tried different techniques, different flours, other ingredients, etc.  However, the traditional recipe is still the very best.  I will never forget that at her funeral our talented neighbor Maggie took the recipe and made Grandma Buns for us all.

I always admired that grandma enjoyed experimenting.  I suppose that is where I get some of my experimental baking from (grandma and my mom).  My husband looked at me questioningly when I said I was going to do Grandma Buns for my test kitchen day.  Shouldn't you try a new recipe for something called test kitchen?  My response - yes!

So here is my experiment.  Trying the buns in the bread machine and experimenting with King Arthur Flour's White Whole Wheat Flour (rather than All Purpose Flour).

Here is my modified recipe:

Yield: 36 (2 - 15 x 18 sheet pans)

Ingredients:

½ C     sugar

¼ C     butter

¼ C     lard

2 C      hot water

2          eggs

2 t        salt

~6-7 C   King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour

4 t        instant yeast

Place sugar, butter, lard and salt in bread machine bowl (note: you need a LARGE bread machine to handle this amount - otherwise cut recipe in half).  Add hot water (put water in microwave on high for 1 minute to heat).  Let butter and lard soak and warm up.  

Make sure mixture is only nice and warm before adding any flour.  Add eggs and salt.  Add flour (start with 6 Cups).  Make small well in flour and add yeast.  Make sure when using a bread machine pan to NOT let the salt touch the yeast!  Turn on dough setting.  Let machine start mixing.  

With this much flour I usually need to help it stir somewhat.  If the dough is sticky add more flour as needed.    When bread machine cycle is finished gently knock down and place on greased counter.  Cover and let sit an additional 10 minutes.  Roll into buns.  The easiest way to make even rolls - weigh the entire piece of dough, divide by 36 to determine ounces per roll.  I usually weigh a couple of pieces to the proper ounce and then eyeball from there - or you can weigh each one.

My rolls were not exactly perfect this time
around - Clark decided he was old
enough to practice rolling buns!

Place buns in 2 –15” x 18” x 1” pans  (you can use just about any pan but grandma usually did them on a cookie sheet with a 1" edge).  Let rise again until puffy and touching (~30 - 40 minutes).  You can at this point also add an egg wash (1 egg to 1 T water mixed slightly and brushed gently over the top).

Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.

These came out wonderful.  You can't even tell that I used whole wheat flour (l really like the white whole wheat flour).  These rolls freeze exceptionally well - that is if any last long enough to freeze!

ENJOY!

Please note: I happily share my recipes with you but please use them only for your own personal use.  It is not just myself but often my family that has worked (for sometimes years) on these recipes and at the very least we would like credit for our creations.

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Test Kitchen Thursday

Last week I found a recipe on an on-line blog for Pumpkin Bread.  Sounded like a good time of year to practice and find the right pumpkin bread recipe for the 2011 ISF.  After thinking about it I decided I would make Thursdays my recipe posting day.  My goal is to bake earlier in the week and have the post ready first thing Thursday morning.  This fell through this week though.  Yesterday when I tried the recipe it was horrible!  There were a couple red flags but I said to myself, "no, I will follow the recipe exactly as written."  Big mistake.  I think the person posting the recipe just made a couple typo errors in the ingredient measurements.  If you ever see something in one of my recipes that looks horribly wrong - please let me know!   So, I couldn't give you that recipe.  I'm really not kidding we fed the loaf to the chickens.

Back to the drawing board I put together my own recipe today.  I'm not claiming it's an original if you find one just like it out there, I am saying I put it together without referencing a recipe book or on-line source.  This one was so much better.  I may tweak it to get a little more pumpkin taste but it was really good.

Here is my Pumpkin Bread Recipe -- make and enjoy!  If you have any suggestions for improvement send them my way.

Andrea's Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

2 C        King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour
1 t          baking soda
1/2 t       baking powder
3/4 t       salt
1 t          cinnamon (I usually make it a heaping teaspoon of Vietnamese cinnamon- I like cinnamon.)
1 t          nutmeg
1/2 t       cloves
1/4 t       ginger (omit if you're not a ginger fan).

1 t          vanilla (I use Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla from the King Arthur catalog)
4            eggs (from my little laying hens)
1 C        granulated sugar
1/2 C     brown sugar

1/2 C     sour cream (I actually used light sour cream - worked well; do NOT use fat free)
1 C        pumpkin (I used the pumpkin we froze last year - you can use canned pumpkin)
3/4 C     canola oil

1 C     roasted sunflower kernels

Prepare 2 - 8 x 4" loaf pans.  When preparing pans for quick breads be sure you only grease and flour the bottom portion - up about 1 inch.  Luckily my pans are so old and worn there is actually a discolored line right at this mark.  According to ISF judges this year I learned they prefer the grease with shortening and flour method rather than using baking spray or other methods.  Butter scorches so stay away from greasing with butter.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix/whisk the dry ingredients together.  Set aside.  Beat together the vanilla, eggs, and sugars.  Mix the pumpkin, sour cream and oil into the egg/sugar mixture.  Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.  Mix well (but do not over beat).  For quick breads I have gone away from using my stand mixer.  I mix everything by hand which for me has resulted in better breads.  My theory is I was over beating in the mixer.  Nothing against my stand mixer - I adore her but she is a very powerful machine.  Allow to set 8 - 10 minutes before putting in oven. Note: this suggestion is for quick breads made with whole wheat flour (don't do this with all-purpose flour breads).  This sit time allows the moisture to work with the whole wheat.

Add the sunflower kernels to the top of each loaf just before placing in oven.  Bake for 50 - 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Always check at least 10 minutes earlier than recipe suggests since all ovens cook differently.

After removing from oven allow to cool on wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Since I wasn't sure how much it would make I started with a 9x5 pan.  Only fill pans 3/4 full.  Once I reached the 3/4 mark I had just a little left over.  It fit perfectly in a mini loaf pan.  The mini loaf was so cute (and yummy).  The next time I make this bread I will use a full can of pumpkin (or equivalent amount of our frozen pumpkin) so there wouldn't be waste if someone uses canned pumpkin.  Not sure what to do with the flour/dry ingredient amount though.

Garden grown pumpkin

My little helper.

Ready to bake! (after putting on the sunflower kernels)

Baby loaf.

Enjoy!