Tag: pie

Sweet

Key Lime Pie

(refresh August 2024) Let me start by saying that I don’t like key lime pie. Don’t get me wrong, I love pie… just not key lime pie. Cold, custard-y pies have never been my thing. So when a good friend of mine went on a key lime pie baking binge one summer, I wasn’t thrilled. This pie changed my mind. It is as light and airy as crisp, springtime air, with a tangy, vibrant flavor reminiscent of the place where Key Limes originate – The Florida Keys. It also isn’t sickeningly sweet like so many restaurant-grade key lime pies. The luxuriously silky whipped cream topping allows you to control a bit of the sweetness as well. In short, this pie is spring and summer, Florida, and sunshine in dessert form, and it has been made, at this point, over a dozen times. And, yes, you can make it with your run-of-the-mill Persian limes if you can’t find Key Limes.

what you need

Crust

1 1/2 cups finely ground Graham crackers

2 tablespoons sugar

7 tablespoons butter, melted

salt

Filling

1 1/2 tablespoons lime zest

3 large egg yolks

14 oz sweetened condensed milk

2/3 cup fresh lime juice (from ~10-12 Key Limes or 3-5 Persian limes)

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon sugar

how to make it

Make crust. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine Grahams, sugar, and salt in bowl and mix. Mix in butter until all Grahams are thoroughly coated and press crust with fingers into the bottom of a glass or ceramic pie dish. I like to add a dash of cinnamon to my crusts. Bake crust for ~10 minutes until the Grahams begin to darken in color.

Make filling. Beat zest and egg yolks together until the yolks begin to thicken, ~5-7 minutes. Add condensed milk and continue to beat until thick, ~3 minutes. Stir in lime juice until completely combined. Pour mixture into pre-baked pie crust and bake for another ~10 minutes, or until filling is set. Place pie in fridge to cool completely before topping, ~1-2 hours.

Make topping. Whip cream with desired amount of sugar. Pile and spread cream on top of pie. It is not necessary to spread cream all the way to the edges; just do what you feel. Chill pie an additional 2-3 hours to ensure it is completely cool before slicing. Top with Graham cracker crumb sprinkles, lime zest curls, and/or lime wedges.

#saltlife

I am from Melbourne Beach, Florida. From a long, skinny barrier island that runs some 100 miles down the East Coast of the state, beginning at Cape Canaveral and the home of NASA and ending level with Lake Okeechobee. Only accessible via bridge (albeit short ones), Melbourne Beach is a magical place in Florida insofar as it is one of the last places in Florida to have escaped abrasively flamboyant tourism. Disney World does not reach there, and it is still entirely possible to find a beach without another person on it and kayak a river in the company of manatees and dolphins. One of the best things about Melbourne Beach (aside from perennial sunshine) is the width of the island itself, at times no more than 1/4 mile wide, meaning you can get from a brackish fishing oasis to the Atlantic Ocean in 5 minutes on foot. Floridians can be a little cultish when it comes to Florida identity. When you live in a place where more than 85% of the population are tourists, it really means something to be a Local.

So let’s talk about some Melbourne Beach gemstones.

Longdoggers. Longdoggers is the quintessential Melbourne establishment. The original sits right on A1A beachside, but with 6 different locations, you’re never far from killer waffle fries and house-brewed Hatteras Red beer (brewed just across the bridge at Intracoastal Brewing). Longdoggers sells a variety of LOCAL t-shirts and actually lives into that brand, sponsoring many of the local surf competitions and recreational sports teams. It also sponsors local beach cleanups and has a strong commitment to reducing the environmental impact of its establishment. As they say, “we live here.”

Sunrises. Obviously, on this side of FL, the sunrises are better than the sunsets. I’ll keep it simple. Don’t miss them. Head to the beach, consider a sunrise beach run, then over to The Blueberry Muffin for… a blueberry muffin.

German Food. Oddly enough, some of the best German food I have had outside of Germany is served in a house on the riverfront in south Melbourne Beach. Cafe Coconut Cove is local, secluded, authentic, and pretty romantic.

South Beaches. I’ve noticed that the Satellite Beach and Indialantic beaches have become more and more crowded in recent years, with expanded parking and lower speed limits on A1A due to crowds. For a more secluded beach experience, head south. Beaches such as Ponce de Leon beach will have a fraction of the folks.

Kayaking. There are about 100 places to kayak and paddleboard in Melbourne, but, again, for a more authentic and remote experience, consider heading south. To rent a kayak and head out among the dolphins, you’re looking for Honest John’s Fish Camp.

Fresh Fish. The freshest fish in Melbourne is obviously caught yourself, but if a fishing charter isn’t on the agenda, there are several places to get fresh catch. (If a fishing charter is on your list, Captain Nathaniel Lemmon’s river fishing charters are solid). Clayton’s in Rockledge or The Green Turtle on Eau Gallie both have fresh selections.

Causeway Runs. There are three main causeways leading to the Melbourne Beach: 192, Eau Gallie, and Pineda. 192 will provide the easiest run as it is the shortest of all three bridges. Pineda would be the best run as it is the tallest and crosses two rivers: both the Indian River and the Banana River. But there is no sidewalk. Epic fail Melbourne, FL city planners. Eau Gallie causeway is your ticket. At medium height and with ample sidewalk, it provides wonderful views running from mainland to beachside, then on down Riverside Drive.

Rocket Launches. Melbourne is a unique place to watch a rocket launch. If you’re up near Pineda on the beachside or at one of the Patrick Air Force Base beaches, the sonic boom will ripple the water around your waist. SpaceX is sending something up once every couple of weeks these days and also continuing to practice its re-entry and water landings, which can be fun to watch.

Tags baking, dessert, Florida, graham, key lime, lime, pie, Piemaker, salt life, sweet

Sweet

Sweet Potato Pie

The first time I had sweet potato pie was in college at the University of Florida. I went to the Wednesday afternoon farmer’s market and spent $4 on a miniature pie from a local pie shop. At the time, the idea of a sweet potato pie struck me as odd, as a baked potato pie might, but I took a chance. What hit my mouth was an exquisite, sweet, smooth rendition of sweet potatoes like I had never tasted them before. And suddenly, just like that, I was a sweet potato pie fan (not convert, mind you, because my locally-sourced pumpkin pie is an all-time fav). Naturally, given that we’re in spooky season, I asked The Piemaker to tackle this one since I had pumpkin covered. And man, did he deliver. We made the CSA happy as well with its falltime mandate to consume 4 lbs of sweet potatoes per patron per week given the surplus. So if you’ve never tried sweet potato pie, I challenge you to give it a chance. If you’ve never made a pie from the actual vegetable/fruit and usually buy canned filling, I challenge you to give that a chance. In any event, this is a great place to start. Happy Fall! 🍂

what you need

Dough

**this is the Serious Eats pie dough recipe and we will be using it again

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tablespoons of sugar

1 teaspoon of salt

2 1/2 sticks salted butter, cut into pats

6 tablespoons (ish) ice cold water

Filling

1 pound sweet potatoes

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temp

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup whole milk

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

pinch of clove

heavy whipping cream

🍁

how to make it

Dough

Place about two thirds of the flour, all of the sugar, and the salt into a food processor and pulse twice to mix. Then spread the butter pats evenly across the surface and pulse until the dough just begins to come together. Sprinkle the remaining flour on the surface and pulse again until just incorporated.

Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with the water 1-2 tablespoons at a time. Using a rubber spatula, work the water into the dough so it begins to hold together. Do not overwork your dough.

Once incorporated, divide into two disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for ~2 hours. Remove from fridge, roll out on floured surface, and place in pie dish. For this pie, we did not par bake this crust.

Filling

Preheat the oven to 400 and bake sweet potatoes wrapped in foil for 45-60 minutes depending on size. You should poke your sweet potatoes with a fork and be sure to place them on a sheet pan because they tend to leak sweet stickiness all over your oven.

Allow sweet potatoes to cool completely and then puree the flesh in the food processor, lowering the oven temperature to 350. Add remaining ingredients to the food processor and puree until smooth and combined. Check for flavor.

Pour filling into the crust and bake for 50-60 minutes until a knife comes out clean.

We are partial to homemade whipped cream for topping, sometimes adding cinnamon or maple syrup for extra flavor. A torched meringue, however, would really take this up a notch.

Key Lime Pie

This pie is spring and summer, Florida, and sunshine in dessert form. It is as light and airy as crisp, springtime air, with a tangy, vibrant flavor reminiscent of the place where Key Limes originate – The Florida Keys. It also isn’t sickeningly sweet like so many restaurant-grade key lime pies.

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August 9, 2024 1 Comment

Pecan Pie

This is the dessert for the Whiskey Pairing Dinner generously provided by The Piemaker. I’ve never been a huge pecan pie fan (nor was I a big Key Lime Pie fan) until The Piemaker came into my life. This pecan pie is as ‘from scratch’ as it comes, with hints of bourbon and maple folded into the filling, served with a luxurious maple cinnamon cream. This is a decadent dessert – decadent is an understatement. But if you’re looking to level up your Holiday meal game, this is the place to start. We definitely felt the need to eat one and a half slices… 😃

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November 15, 2021 3 Comments

Tags baking, Christmas, dessert, holiday, holiday 2021, pastry, pie, pie crust, Piemaker, sweet, sweet potato, Thanksgiving

Sweet

Pecan Pie

(Bourbon Maple) Pecan Pie

From the @whiskey_CA_mmelier Collaboration Dinner

This is the dessert for the Whiskey Pairing Dinner generously provided by The Piemaker. I’ve never been a huge pecan pie fan (nor was I a big Key Lime Pie fan) until The Piemaker came into my life. This pecan pie is as ‘from scratch’ as it comes, with hints of bourbon and maple folded into the filling, served with a luxurious maple cinnamon cream. This is a decadent dessert – decadent is an understatement. But if you’re looking to level up your Holiday meal game, this is the place to start. We definitely felt the need to eat one and a half slices….. Pairing. For dessert, @whiskey_CA_mmelier wanted a really luxurious and unique bourbon to complement the salty pecans, salty crust, and sweet filling. We narrowed it down to two, both from Calumet Farm. The 15 year was treating us all well but the general consensus ended up being the Small Batch.

🥧

what you need

Dough

**this is the Serious Eats pie dough recipe and we will be using it again

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tablespoons of sugar

1 teaspoon of salt

2 1/2 sticks salted butter, cut into pats

6 tablespoons (ish) ice cold water

Filling

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 cup light corn syrup

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup salted butter

3 cups pecans; coarsely chop 2 cups and leave the third cup whole

To Serve. Pour half a cup of heavy whipping cream into a mix bowl and mix with a hand mixer on high until loose peaks form. Add 1 tablespoon of maple syrup and a dash of cinnamon powder, and mix for another ~30 seconds until well combined. This is your maple cinnamon cream for serving.

Pairing. Calumet Farm Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky.

how to make it

Dough.

Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with the water 1-2 tablespoons at a time. Using a rubber spatula, work the water into the dough so it begins to hold together. Do not overwork your dough.

Once incorporated, divide into two disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for ~2 hours. Remove from fridge, roll out, and place in pie pan. *Note: you want this crust slightly salty as the pecan pie filling is quite sweet, so if you don’t use salted butter, be sure to add a little extra salt.

Pie.

Heat oven to 400. Par bake the pie crust for 15 minutes in heated oven using pie weights (or dried beans in my case) to weigh it down. Remove from oven and lower temperature to 350.

Whisk together sugar, maple syrup, corn syrup, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla. Add eggs and whisk thoroughly until combined. Brown butter in saucepan over medium-high heat (until it turns brown… stirring so as not to burn). Gradually pour butter into the egg mixture (slowly… so as not to scramble your egg!). Mix in the two cups of chopped pecans.

Spoon pecan mixture into pie crust. Now you’re going to use that last cup of whole pecans to get super fancy, placing them around the top of the pie so the end product looks as pictured.

Bake for 20 minutes in the oven, then remove from oven and cover with tinfoil so the crusts do not burn. Another 30 minutes in the oven and the middle should be set. Let cool and serve at room temperature with the fresh maple cinnamon cream!

brussels sprout recipe whiskey pairing whisky one and a half slices

Spicy Brussels

Brussels Sprouts are one of our favorite falltime veggies, especially when they’re made crispy. There are so many unique toppings for sprouts (sprouts!) that they’ll never get boring. Here they are paired with a round, fruit-forward Orkney Island Scotch Whiskey to really accentuate their sweetness.

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November 14, 2021 2 Comments

Sazerac

This is the opening cocktail for the Whiskey Pairing Dinner. The Rye Sazerac is one of the oldest, prohibition-era cocktails. It’s classic, elegant, and simple. With rye whiskey, lemon, absinthe, and bitters, a Sazerac is as refined as a cocktail can be. Here we present this simple cocktail recipe as a forward to the rest of a classic meal. The absinthe on the nose provides an interesting twist to a classically whiskey-based cocktail. We used Sazerac Rye as the base.

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November 13, 2021 3 Comments

Pot Roast

This is the main course for the Whiskey Pairing Dinner and, my, what a deep, flavorful pot roast this is! Let me start by saying that I sourced a 4.6 pound chuck roast from the Spring House Farm Store to feed the four of us and had no regrets. A simple pot roast is easy enough to pull off especially if you have a slow cooker, but this really takes the flavor profile up a notch to make this velvety, sinful, fall-off-your-fork roast with plenty of fall veggies.

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November 14, 2021 3 Comments

Tags baking, Christmas, Collab 1, collaboration, dessert, fall, holiday, holiday 2021, pecan, pecans, pie, pie crust, Piemaker, sweet, Thanksgiving

Sweet

Flaky Cobbler

skillet berry fruit cobbler easy oneandahalfslices

Flaky Stone Fruit Cobbler

We find ourselves mid-way through summer with a plethora of beautiful fruits like blueberries, blackberries, peaches, and plums. The stone fruits – peaches, nectarines, apricots, and plums – are delicate fruits with high water content that break down quickly in heat, making them ideal for pies, cobblers, and the like. With two boxes full of fresh peaches and plums from the CSA, I started hunting for a cobbler recipe to accompany fresh sausages and grilled summer squash for a Fourth of July meal. While I would usually favor a biscuit-based cobbler recipe, this one looked interesting and warranted my investigation. It did not disappoint. Sweet and flaky up top, juicy beneath, and great with fresh whipped cream or a dollop of vanilla gelato. This is a super quick and simple cobbler you can churn out on demand – and trust me… it will be on demand. Recipe credit to the Smitten Kitchen.

what you need

🍑2-2.5 pounds fruit (stone fruits like peaches and plums, berries, or even apples)

🍋Juice from half a lemon (plus zest)

🧈4 tablespoons butter

🍥1/2-3/4 cup sugar

🍞1 1/4 cup flour

🧂1 teaspoon baking powder

🧂1 teaspoon cinnamon

🧂1/2 teaspoon salt (can omit if using salted butter)

🥛1/2 cup whole milk

🧊1/4 cup hot water

🍦Vanilla ice cream or gelato, and cinnamon for serving (I like Talenti Tahitian Vanilla)

how to make it

Heat oven to 350 and ready a 9″ cast iron skillet. Slice the stone fruits and arrange them in the skillet. Squeeze lemon juice, and sprinkle lemon zest and cinnamon over top of fruits.

In separate bowl, beat butter and sugar together. Add flour, baking powder, and salt until all well combined. Add milk and beat until fluffy.

Dollop the batter over the fruit and then spread it out so it forms a lid. Sprinkle with a bit of sugar and then pour hot water over the top. Bake for an hour or until the lid is golden brown, then let sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Serve with a dollop of vanilla ice cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Tags apricot, berries, berry, blackberries, blackberry, blueberries, blueberry, cobbler, crust, dessert, ice cream, peach, pie, plum, stone fruit, sugar, summer, sweet