Baking for Dummies Read online

  Per serving: Calories 270 (From Fat 121); Fat 13g (Saturated 5g); Cholesterol 64mg; Sodium 171mg; Carbohydrate 35g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 4g.

  Banana Cream Pie

  This pie is such a treat, especially because bananas are always in season. You make the vanilla pudding for this pie, which makes it special. If you’re looking for a shortcut, you can substitute instant vanilla pudding, add some sliced bananas to it, chill it in a prebaked piecrust, and top it with whipped cream.

  Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus 1 1/2 hours for chilling

  Baking time: 20 minutes (for the piecrust)

  Yield: One 9-inch pie

  1/4 cup cornstarch

  2/3 cup sugar

  1/4 teaspoon salt

  2 cups milk, warmed

  3 egg yolks

  2 tablespoons butter

  1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

  3 ripe bananas, sliced

  1 prebaked 9-inch pie shell (either recipe in this chapter)

  Whipped cream (optional)

  1In the top part of a double boiler, mix the cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook the mixture over simmering water until it thickens, stirring constantly with a whisk, about 10 minutes.

  2In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks. Slowly add a ladleful (only about 1/4 cup) of the hot mixture to the egg yolks and mix well. Stir the egg yolks back into the milk mixture in the double boiler. Cook for 5 minutes. Cool slightly, stir in the butter and vanilla until the butter melts, and add the banana slices.

  3Pour into the cooled baked pie shell and chill until set, about 1 1/2 hours. Top with whipped cream.

  Per serving: Calories 250 (From Fat 99); Fat 11g (Saturated 3g); Cholesterol 64mg; Sodium 170mg; Carbohydrate 35g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 4g.

  Double-crust pies

  Double crusts let you show off the beautiful fillings of your delicious pies. Although they’re a little more work than single-crust pies, they’re worth the effort. If you need a primer on double-crust pies, be sure to look back a few pages to the section “Getting Double-Crust Pie Ideas” for some thoughts on how to decorate your top or crust. Use either recipe for double-crust pie at the beginning of this chapter for these recipes.

  Sour Cherry-Berry Pie

  Sweet and tart is how this pie tastes. This pie would look really special with either an easy lattice or traditional lattice top, as shown on the front cover.

  Preparation time: 55 minutes if you make the piecrust; 20 minutes if you use refrigerated dough

  Baking time: 50 to 60 minutes

  Yield: One 9-inch double-crust pie

  Pastry for a 2-crust pie (or 2 sheets refrigerated pie dough)

  5 cups fresh or frozen sour cherries (about 2 pounds), pitted

  2 cups fresh raspberries or blackberries, or frozen, thawed, and drained berries

  3/4 cup sugar

  2 tablespoons instant tapioca

  2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (1/2 lemon)

  1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

  1/2 teaspoon almond extract

  2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 dots

  2 to 4 tablespoons water or milk

  Coarse or raw sugar (optional)

  1Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Prepare the pastry for a 9-inch pie plate. Line the pie plate with half the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang.

  2In a mixing bowl, combine the cherries, raspberries, sugar, tapioca, lemon juice, vanilla, and almond extract. Place in the pie shell. Dot the top of the pie with the butter.

  3Roll out the top pastry and carefully lay it over the cherry filling. (If you have tiny cookie cutters, you can cut out 3 to 4 small shapes to vent the pie before you transfer the crust to the filling, then you won’t need to cut the slits in Step 4.) Fold the edges of the bottom pastry over the top pastry and crimp the edges of the pastry.

  4Cut 6 to 8 slits in the top crust for vents if you didn’t use the cookie cutters. Brush the top crust with the water and sprinkle with the coarse sugar, if desired.

  5Place a piece of aluminum foil on a baking sheet. Place the pie on the foil and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the juice from the fruit is bubbling through the slits in the piecrust. Cool the pie on a wire rack before serving.

  Per serving: Calories 362 (From Fat 172); Fat 19g (Saturated 8g); Cholesterol 44mg; Sodium 9mg; Carbohydrate 45g (Dietary Fiber 3g); Protein 4g.

  Cran-Apple and Pear Pie

  Pears add such a nice sweetness to this pie; you’ll find yourself turning to it time and again. Because some peeling and chopping are involved, I call for refrigerated pie dough to make this recipe simple. If you’re feeling adventurous, go ahead and make enough dough for a two-crust pie and roll the crust out to fit a 9-inch pie plate. Cardamom adds a wonderful spicy-sweetness reminiscent of oranges if used in this pie, but nutmeg works just as well.

  Preparation time: 20 minutes

  Baking time: 60 minutes

  Yield: One 9-inch double-crust pie

  2 refrigerated piecrusts

  3 apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

  2 small ripe Bosc or Bartlett pears, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

  1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

  3/4 cup sugar

  2 tablespoons flour or instant tapioca

  1/4 cup orange juice

  1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

  1/2 teaspoon nutmeg or cardamom

  1/4 teaspoon salt

  2 tablespoons milk or water

  1Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Unwrap one of the refrigerated piecrusts. Fix the seam (press the ends together) if separation has occurred. Place the dough in a 9-inch pie plate.

  2In a large bowl, combine the apples, pears, cranberries, sugar, flour, orange juice, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt and mix thoroughly. Pile the fruit mixture in the pie plate.

  3Unwrap the second pastry and fix the seam, if necessary. With a small cookie cutter or a knife, cut out 3 small shapes to vent the pie. Cover the fruit mixture with the pastry dough. Press the edges of the doughs together and flute the crust. Brush the top of the pie with milk or water.

  4Bake for 30 minutes; then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake until the crust is browned and the fruit is tender, about 30 minutes more.

  Tip: If you shop at your local farmers’ market, choose a variety of local apples to make this delicious pie. The only apple I don’t recommend for pie-making is Red Delicious.

  Per serving: Calories 253 (From Fat 86); Fat 10g (Saturated 4g); Cholesterol 7mg; Sodium 181mg; Carbohydrate 41g (Dietary Fiber 2g); Protein 0g.

  Making To-Die-For Tarts

  Dessert is what guests remember most about the meal you serve them. Tarts are always festive and impressive, and they’re perfect for gatherings large and small. This section includes tart recipes that use simple ingredients but convey utterly delectable results. I think you’ll enjoy them.

  Tart Lemon Tart

  You must use freshly squeezed lemon juice for this tart in order for it to be as lip-puckering good as it is. If you like lemon, you’ll love this tart. Remember to zest the lemon before you squeeze it for the juice.

  Specialty tools: 8-inch springform pan

  Preparation time: 15 to 20 minutes

  Baking time: 20 minutes

  Yield: One 8-inch tart

  1 1/4 cups graham cracker or butter cookie crumbs

  2 tablespoons butter, melted

  1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

  3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4 lemons)

  1 cup sugar

  4 eggs

  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  Zest of 1 lemon

  1Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

  2Combine the graham cracker crumbs and the 2 tablespoons melted butter in a small bowl and mix to moisten the crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan. Press evenly to cover.

  3In a 1-quart saucepan, combine the 1/2 cup
butter, lemon juice, and sugar. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the butter melts and mixes in with the sugar, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the eggs (one at a time), vanilla, and lemon zest. Continue stirring until the mixture just begins to thicken, 2 to 3 minutes. (Don’t let it thicken too much — it should coat the back of a spoon.)

  4Remove the mixture from the heat and gently pour it into the prepared pan. Place the springform pan on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until just set (it will not be golden brown). Cool the tart and then refrigerate it for a few hours until you’re ready to serve it.

  Per serving: Calories 232 (From Fat 113); Fat 13g (Saturated 7g); Cholesterol 97mg; Sodium 98mg; Carbohydrate 28g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 3g.

  Wonderful Pear Tart

  If you try just one recipe in this book, try this one. It’s my absolute favorite tart — plus it’s incredibly easy to put together. When you press the batter into the pan, it may not seem like a lot, but as it bakes, it rises nicely. Every time I make this tart, I get rave reviews. I bet you will, too.

  Specialty tools: 8-inch springform pan

  Preparation time: 10 minutes

  Baking time: 60 minutes

  Yield: One 8-inch tart

  3/4 cup sugar

  1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

  1 cup flour

  1 teaspoon baking powder

  2 eggs

  2 to 3 pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch slices

  Juice of 1/2 lemon

  1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste

  1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste

  1Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

  2In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream the 3/4 cup sugar and butter until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the flour, baking powder, and eggs and mix well.

  3Spoon the batter (it will be thick) into an 8-inch springform pan and spread it around to cover the bottom evenly. Arrange the pear slices on top of the batter in a decorative fashion.

  4Drizzle the lemon juice on top, sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar, and bake for 1 hour. Cool the tart and remove the springform pan before serving.

  Vary It! You don’t have to have pears on hand — tart baking apples, peeled peaches, and fresh apricots (just cut the apricots in half and pit, but don’t peel, them) also work well.

  Per serving: Calories 188 (From Fat 79); Fat 9g (Saturated 5g); Cholesterol 56mg; Sodium 44mg; Carbohydrate 26g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 2g.

  Troubleshooting Common Pie Problems

  Despite your best efforts, you’re not alone if your piecrusts sometimes just don’t live up to your expectations. Table 10-1 provides a quick explanation of what may have happened and why, as well as how to prevent it from happening next time.

  Table 10-1Figuring Out What Went Wrong with Your Crust Problem Possible Cause Solution

  Pale color Undercooked Increase the baking time

  in 3-minute increments.

  Baked in a shiny pan Choose a pan with a dull

  finish or a glass pie plate.

  Bottom crust Baked at too low Increase the temperature

  is soggy a temperature by 25 degrees.

  Did not seal with egg Seal the bottom before

  white or melted butter filling next time.

  Tough, not tender Overmixed Handle the dough less

  next time.

  Too much flour Use less flour when

  rolling out the dough.

  Too tender Too much shortening Decrease the shortening

  by 1/2 tablespoon.

  Too little water Increase the water by 1

  teaspoon.

  Not flaky Overworked Handle the dough less

  next time

  Cut in the butter Make sure that the dough

  too much resembles coarse meal.

  Chapter 11

  Crisps, Cobblers, and Other Delights

  In This Chapter

  Discovering delicious ideas for fresh fruit

  Introducing mouth-watering puddings and custards

  Preparing family favorites in minutes

  Recipes in This Chapter

  Apple Crisp

  Blueberry Crunch

  Delicious Baked Apples

  Peach Cobbler

  Pumpkin Custard

  Rich Chocolate Pudding

  Crisp, cobblers, custard, and crunches (some people call these crumbles) — they may sound funny, but they’re favorites for many Americans. They’re down-home desserts from a slower-paced era, when baking was done on a daily basis and dessert was always a finish to every meal.

  Crisps, crunches, and cobblers are perfect for every beginner baker. The essence is the same for most of them: fresh fruit on the bottom and a sweet dough or crumbly topping on top. Messing them up is next to impossible because they were born of being “tossed together.”

  Puddings and custards are high on the list of favorite comfort foods and easy to make, too. By using basic ingredients, such as eggs, milk, vanilla, and chocolate, you end up with an extraordinary dessert.

  Baking with Fruit

  With fruit fillings baked warm and bubbly under a flavorful topper, these desserts build on the season’s freshest fruits. Although no one is quite sure where the names originated from, they have survived in many families as recipes passed through the generations.

  What I love most about these desserts is that they’re easy to make, they take advantage of whatever fruit is in season, and they’re much easier to put together than pies. Use peaches instead of apples, raspberries instead of blueberries. Get creative and use a little of each. Don’t be afraid. They’re the most forgiving of desserts. There are no mistakes — that’s my favorite tip. There’s just no way you can really do these recipes wrong. Like most fruit desserts, these are best if eaten the same day, topped with sweetened whipped cream (see Chapter 9 for the recipe) or vanilla ice cream.

  Apple Crisp

  This recipe can be made with fresh apples (try a mix-and-match variety) or with just about any kind of pie filling you would like: apple, peach, blueberry, cherry. Make this dish a la mode and top it with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

  Preparation time: 10 minutes

  Baking time: 40 to 45 minutes

  Yield: 6 servings

  4 medium apples (Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, McIntosh, or a mixture) or 1 can (21 ounces) apple pie filling

  1/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

  3/4 cup flour

  6 tablespoons butter, cut into 6 pieces

  1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

  1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

  Pinch of salt

  1Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

  2Peel and slice the apples (you should have about 4 cups) and arrange them in the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish or pour the pie filling into the baking dish.

  3In a small bowl or the bowl of a food processor, mix together the brown sugar, flour, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt with a fork or pulse it a few times until it is crumbly (don’t overprocess). Sprinkle the crumbly top over the filling. Bake until the top is lightly browned, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm.

  Per serving: Calories 246 (From Fat 107); Fat 12g (Saturated 7g); Cholesterol 31mg; Sodium 30mg; Carbohydrate 35g Dietary Fiber 2g); Protein 2g.

  Blueberry Crunch

  The oats and nuts make the topping crunchy. This is great served warm and topped with either whipped cream or ice cream.

  Preparation time: 15 minutes

  Baking time: 30 minutes

  Yield: 4 to 6 servings

  3 cups rinsed, fresh blueberries or 1 package (16 ounces) frozen (not packed in syrup)

  2 tablespoons lemon juice

  2/3 cup brown sugar, lightly packed

  1/2 cup flour

  1/2 cup rolled oats

  1/3 cup butter, softened and cut into 6 pieces

  1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

  1 teaspoon cinnamon

 
1/2 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract

  1/4 teaspoon salt

  1Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

  2Pour the blueberries in the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan. Toss the berries with the lemon juice.

  3In a small bowl or in the bowl of a food processor, combine the brown sugar, flour, oats, butter, walnuts, cinnamon, almond or vanilla extract, and salt and then mix just to combine or pulse 5 times in the food processor. Sprinkle the mixture over the blueberries.

  4Bake until the topping is light brown and the blueberries are bubbly, about 30 minutes. Serve warm.

  Per serving: Calories 322 (From Fat 14); Fat 14g (Saturated 7g); Cholesterol 27mg; Sodium 113mg; Carbohydrate 48g (Dietary Fiber 4g); Protein 4g.

  Delicious Baked Apples

  Warm and sweet, with a hint of honey, baked apples are a great treat to make in the fall when apples are in season, the evenings are getting cooler, and you want a hot, satisfying dessert. Look around your market for local apple varieties to try with this recipe.

  Preparation time: 20 minutes

  Baking time: 45 to 60 minutes

  Yield: 4 servings

  4 baking apples (McIntosh, Rome Beauty, Golden Delicious, or Granny Smith)

  Half of a lemon

  1/2 cup raisins

  2 tablespoons honey

  3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

  1/2 cup butterscotch topping

  1Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

  2Core the apples (don’t cut them in half) using an apple corer. Remove the peel from the upper 1/3 of the apple. Rub the peeled part of the apple with the lemon and squeeze a few drops of lemon juice inside each cut apple. In a small bowl, combine the raisins, honey, and 2 tablespoons of the chopped nuts. Stuff each apple with the raisin mixture. Place the apples in a 9-inch square baking dish. Pour a little bit of water in the bottom of the pan, about 1/4 inch deep.