Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2  tsp baking soda
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, very cold and cut into cubes
• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• Zest of 2 organic lemons
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup cream
• Juice of 2 organic lemons
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking pan with parchment and sprinkle it with flour. Measure out and combine the milk, cream, lemon juice and vanilla. Stir and let sit while you measure the dry ingredients, it will become thick and a bit separated – that’s OK!  Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Add the butter and gently cut the butter in using a pastry knife until it is somewhat mixed in and chunks of butter are still visible.  More butter chunks = flakier scone.   Add lemon zest and milk mixture to the flour mix and gently combine.  Gently fold in frozen blueberries.  Pour dough out onto a floured surface and very lightly knead only about 5 times being careful not to melt the butter or blueberries. Dough will not be completely mixed, but if it feels equally moist all around, and not overly sticky, it’s ready to shape.

Shape the dough into 2 equal balls and flatten to 3/4″ thick on the floured parchment or pan.  Using a knife slice each circle into 6 wedges and carefully pull the wedges away from the center to separate them to 1/2″ space around the outer edges.   Bake until golden about 20 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean when inserted in the middle.

Makes 12 extra large scones

Basic Pie Crust 

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup salted butter, cut into small cubes
• approximately 1/2 cup ice water

Directions

Cut up the butter into cubes, lay them on a small plate, and stick them in the freezer. The longer in advance you do this, the flakier your crust will be.  We like the butter to be fully frozen when we use it.

In a food processor, pulse the flour to mix, then add the butter and pulse about 10 times (until the mixture resembles a coarse meal with chunks of butter still visible). Add ice water, a tablespoon at a time and pulse to mix.  Combine just until the dough holds together when pinched with your fingers and there are still butter bits visible although no larger than small peas.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and gently form into a large square and cut into 16 evenly-sized pieces.  Gently and quickly so that you do not melt the butter or overwork the dough, form the 16 pieces into disks and wrap each in plastic.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Mini Apple Pies

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 8-10 mixed apples (some tart like Granny Smith, some sweet like Gala)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 egg, beaten

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Roll small disks of dough on a lightly floured surface, into an 8” circle, handle lightly and keep cool in the fridge until ready to roll each piece. Carefully fit 12 of the disks into jumbo muffin tins or wide mouth canning jars, gently lowering dough into bottom and sides of pie plate without stretching. Gently fold and pinch the dough so that it creates a cup form with a thick edge. Refrigerate.

Place lemon juice in a large bowl. Peel, core, and slice apples 1/8 inch thick, tossing them in the bowl as you work.  Add sugar, cinnamon, flour and toss to combine.  Transfer apple mixture to pie crust, pressing in firmly.

Roll out the remaining 4 disks of dough and cut into 4” strips.  Layer four strips per pie in a lattice pattern and brush with egg.  Bake until golden and bubbling, approximately 25-30 minutes, Cool before serving.

We also made the dulce the leche  ice cream and sauce, but those recipes will have to wait for another day.  In the meantime, try out our absolute favourite vanilla ice cream recipe.

Come join Love the Pie with TidyMom  sponsored by Cherokee USA, Le Creuset, Wilton,Bags by Bloom and  Harvard Common Press

Two years ago I used the white-fleshed figs when they were really ripe to make fig ginger jam.  I skinned every fig and just used the flesh for this jam with lots of texture from the seeds and chunks of candied ginger.  It turned out so well that I saved and savoured the jars knowing they would have to last.  One sad, sad day my last two jars hit the tile floor on the laundry room and smashed in a glassy figgy mess.  As I was contemplating licking it off the floor (and picking the glass off my tongue from the splatter that hit my leg), I decided I better make some more to avoid this sort of desperate craziness. 

In 2009, I used both kinds of figs together to make jam, again making Fig Ginger Jam , but this time I left on the skins.  This changed the colour and texture of the jam as I needed to pulse the jam with an immersion blender to chop up the skins this time making it thicker.  And because I had added the candied ginger in the jam before blending, there were no yummy candied ginger chunks.  The colour was not nearly as nice as the 2008 jam (which was a rich, shiny, golden colour) but it tasted just as good.

I made a second Jam in 2009 as well, Fig, Brandy and Honey Mandarine.  This had a lot more citrus and some richness from the brandy both of which went very well with the figs.

Then came August 2010:

I don’t know if it is a love for figs, the daily harvest delivery from my neighbour, or the squirrel in me but I made 7 recipes from the figs this year:

• The Original Fig Ginger Jam
• Fig Sesame Jam
• Italian Balsamic Caramelized Figs
• Fig Balsamic Vinegar
• Amaretto Figs (recipe to come)
• Caramelized Fig Torte
• Fig Ice Cream (recipe to come)

Oh, and I froze some halved figs too.  Whew.  I actually went out yesterday to see if the trees had any more ripe figs (um, crazy) and thankfully, that’s it for the year.  I can put this figgy month to bed enjoying a pantry full of riches, of the fig persuasion.

Follow the original torte recipe but top torte with quartered figs and brown sugar.  To make this torte with whole wheat flour, start with 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 regular and some add moisture (milk or caramel syrup will do very well) ensuring that the batter still pours into the pan like cake batter.

This recipe also seemed to call out for Amaretto caramel drizzled over it so I made some of that too.

Amaretto Caramel Syrup:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup Amaretto

Directions:

In a small sauce pan, mix water and sugar until mixture feels like wet sand.  Boil on high until it reaches a dark amber colour.  Stir frequently and keep an eye on it to prevent burning.  When colour is achieved, move pot to a deep stainless steel sink and very carefully but quickly pour in the amaretto.  Wear long sleeves and get your arm out of there fast – the caramel will sputter and jump as soon as the liquid is added.  Bring the pot back to the stove and whisk over medium heat until it reduces slightly.  It’s ready when it feels sticky between your fingers.

Mmmm – plate lickin’ good!

Ingredients

• 4 cups organic whole wheat pastry or all purpose flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3/4 cup cold butter
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 4 tablespoons black strap molasses
• 6 tablespoons half-and-half
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup cranberries
• 1 cup walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking pan with parchment and sprinkle it with flour. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Add the butter and with fingertips, pastry knife, or food processor gently cut the butter in until it is well combined and resembles course crumbs, some lumps are fine.  In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, cream, pumpkin and molasses.  Add to the dry mixture and gently combine.  Gently fold in walnuts and cranberries until just mixed.

Shape the dough into 2 equal balls and flatten to 3/4″ thick on the floured parchment or pan.  Using a knife slice each circle into 6 wedges and  carefully pull the wedges away from the center to separate them to 1/2″ space around the outer edges.  Optional: brush each scone with milk and sprinkle with  sugar for a sweet and crunchy top.   Bake until golden about 16  minutes, or until a tester comes out clean when inserted in the middle.

Makes 12 extra large scones

Ducks & Canadian Geese in the Winter

Back to the sourdough.  I’ve been surprised to find no fuzzy sweater, or even t-shirts, growing on the bread after long stints in the cupboard.  The loaves stay soft a whole lot longer than the store bought ones; I doubt I’ve ever had a fresh bakery loaf last more than a day or two.  So when I pulled out the loaf I made 10-days ago I expected it to be revolting.  It wasn’t.  It was firm on the outside but after filleting it like a fish and a very close eyeball and nose inspection I decided all it needed was some re-hydrating.  French toast!  I soaked that bad boy in a mixture of 2 organic eggs and a 1/4 cup of cream while I heated up a pan with a small knob of butter.  The end result made me feel for a few moments that I was back in France.  The whole grains in the bread produced a denser texture and nuttier flavour; the staleness of the bread re-hydrating with the eggs and cream making an almost custard / bread pudding-like decadent French toast.  Topped with a bit of my Fallen Applesauce and some Vermont maple syrup, I gobbled up my breakfast before even leaving the kitchen and found myself with the overwhelming urge to lick the plate.  Who knew I would be left with such a satisfied belly, sugar high, and the French CBC on the radio?  All this from a 10-day old sourdough remnant.  I suppose I will have to continue on with my weekly bread making adventure for a while longer.  Winter is coming and stale bread in my house is no longer only for the birds.

This little sourdough starter is much like a pet that you keep in the fridge.  You feed it and it grows. You have to discard some waste.  If you are neglectful it will die.  If you are nurturing it will thrive.  Just like any new pet my sourdough starter was a lot of work in the beginning.  Once I started the process of feeding it I had to keep dividing and feeding at intervals, one of which I didn’t time right so I had to wake up at 2AM to make sure I did it on time.  Seriously, my sourdough starter needed a 2AM feeding. 

Three days later (that’s right, three) I had finally produced my first loaves (twins!) and put the starter in the fridge for week of rest.  Since then I have experimented with a number of different recipes including rustic sourdough, tangy sourdough, whole grain caraway, and olive loaves.  I’ve been slowly increasing the amount of whole grain and alternative flours with no reduction in texture and lots of improvement in taste (I’m not really a fan of plain, gluey, white flour).  The yummy whole-grain spelt waffles and a braided dinner loaf made out of ground 7-grain cereal were proof of that. 

I’m proud to say that baking with my sourdough starter has been an overall success.  And my new little pet has matured into a typical family member: requiring occasional feedings and a bit of cleaning up afterwards but all the while giving back lots of entertainment and some company…to a nice soup or sandwich that is.

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup butter (very soft or melted)
• 1 cup pumpkin (canned or fresh pureed & drained pumpkin are both fine)
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 3 free-range organic eggs
• 6 tbsp black strap molasses
• 2 tsp real vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cup whole spelt flour
• 1/2 cup whole kamut flour (kamut flour adds extra nutrients to the muffins, but can be substituted by increasing the spelt)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp each of ground ginger, cloves, and nutmeg
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup dried or fresh cranberries (dried adds a sweet flavour, fresh adds a tart flavour)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 4oo°F.  In a medium sized bowl, mix together the first 6 (wet) ingredients and beat until smooth.  I use my immersion blender and that makes quick work of the blending.  In a large mixing bowl, add the flours, sugar, powder and spices and mix well.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until combined.  Add the walnuts and cranberries and fold in careful to not over mix.  Spoon batter into a greased muffin tin until the cups are heaping; this gets nice big fluffy muffins.  Bake 20-25 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.  Yields 18 large muffins or 24 medium muffins.

• 2 cups whole grain spelt flour (or whole wheat)
• 1 cups unbleached flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup cold butter
•  2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup half and half
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup FROZEN blackberries      (or other berries that are frozen fresh and can be separated frozen)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking pan with parchment and sprinkle it with flour. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Add the butter and with fingertips, gently cut the butter in until it is well combined and resembles course crumbs, some lumps are fine.  In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, cream, and vanilla.  Add to the dry mixture and gently combine.  The very last thing you’ll add is the frozen blackberries.  The more frozen the better and make sure you work the shaping step (listed next) quickly as to not have them begin to melt into the dough.  

Shape the dough into 2 equal balls and flatten to 3/4″ thick on the floured parchment or pan.  Using a knife slice each circle into 6 wedges and  carefully pull the wedges away from the center to separate them to 1/2″ space around the outer edges.  Optional: brush each scone with milk and sprinkle with  sugar for a sweet and crunchy top.   Bake until golden about 20 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean when inserted in the middle. 

Makes 12 medium-sized scones    

Ingredients: 

• 3/4 c sugar
• 1/2 c unsalted butter
• 1 c flour, sifted
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Pinch salt, optional
• 2 eggs
• 12 Italian prune plums
• Sugar and lemon juice for topping
• 1 tsp cinnamon, or to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar in a bowl.  Add flour, baking powder, salt and eggs and beat well.  Spoon the batter into an 8”, 9”, or 10” spring form pan.  Split and pit the plums and place the halves, skin side up, on top of the batter.  Sprinkle lightly with sugar and lemon, depending o the sweetness of the fruit.  Sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake about an hour.  Remove and cool; refrigerate or freeze if desired.  Or cool to lukewarm and then serve plain or with whipped cream.  Yield: 8 servings.  Note: to freeze, double wrap torte in aluminum foil place in plastic bag, and seal.  To serve, defrost and reheat briefly at 300 degrees.

For variation: 

 Strawberry Coconut Torte 

 Blueberry Lime Torte

Whole Wheat Caramelized Fig Torte with Amaretto Caramel