You need butterscotch pie. You just need one slice. It will make your day.

My kids were skeptical when I made this. I field questions like: What is butterscotch? Is it served with ice cream? 

Butterscotch pie is a pudding-type pie (like Chocolate Cream Pie) and no, it is not served with ice cream. The kids were still on the fence about it. Until they tried it. And then they wanted more. The pie was gone in 24 hours. 

It was my 40th birthday recently (I tell everyone that I'm actually 28, so please keep my real age a secret) and I decided that instead of cake, I wanted birthday pie. Because I would rather eat pie than cake any day of the week. I have a serious weakness for pie. I could have made any kind of pie, but I chose this one because it reminds me of home. Grandma Clinger is not my grandmother. She's my stepsister and stepbrother's grandmother. But I remember Grandma Clinger and I remember her making this pie for my stepdad, since was his favorite. I guess reaching 40 (um, 28) made me a little sentimental this year.

Plus, I also have a serious weakness for family recipes, especially ones from grandmothers. So... I made butterscotch pie. It was a rainy day when I made it and my meringue did not get as lofty as I had hoped. But honestly, the family didn't care. They ate it anyway. 

Grandma Clinger's Butterscotch Pie
Yield: 1 9-inch pie

Single Pie Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1/4 cup cold water

Pie:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 cups whole milk (2% would work too)
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 eggs, separated*
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 cup sugar

Make the Crust:
Put the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse for 30 seconds. Add the butter and pulse for 20-30 seconds until it resembles coarse crumbs. With the motor running, add the water through the top. Pulse until the dough starts to come together. Place the dough onto the counter and press into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This can be made up to 2 days ahead of time.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. 

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12-inch circle. Gently place the dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim off the excess edges to leave a 1 inch overhang. Tuck the edges under and decoratively crimp the crust. Poke the bottom of the crust with a fork. Place a large piece of foil in the pie crust. Fill with dried beans, rice, or pie weights, making sure it reaches the sids of the crust (this helps prevent it from shrinking down). Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and remove the foil and dried beans/rice/pie weights. Reduce oven temperature to 375ºF. Bake the crust for an additional 15 minutes. Cool pie crust completely on a wire rack. 

Make the Pie Filling:
In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the brown sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly until it becomes a thick syrup. Be careful not to burn it. In a small bowl, stir together a 1/4 cup milk and the cornstarch to make a slurry. Stir in the rest of the milk. Pour the milk mixture into the brown sugar syrup. Cook for 5 minutes over medium low heat. 

Place the egg yolks in a bowl and whisk slightly to break them up. To temper the egg yolks, whisk in a 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks. Pour the egg yolk mixture into the pan with the rest of the milk. Cook the mixture over medium heat until thick, about 2-5 minutes. It should look like pudding. The mixture is thickened when it starts to bubble/boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Pour the filling into the pie crust. Cover the surface of the filling with wax paper. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes; then refrigerate it for at least 2 hours before making the meringue. 

This cake contains lentils. Yes. Lentils. But... you won't know there are lentils in the cake. They provide a little structure and moisture to the cake since it calls for whole wheat flour while hanging out in the background. Trust me, you cannot taste the lentils. My son, who happens to shun most vegetables (except for tomato sauce), devoured this cake. 

I would venture to say that this cake just might be healthy. But I won't say that, should my kids be reading this. I'll just say that it tastes delicious. Served with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream and fresh berries and you have a lovely little dessert that is the perfect end to a meal. 

Heck, you can even double the recipe, make a chocolate frosting, and have yourself a chocolate layer cake perfect for birthdays.  

In case you are wondering, I have a gluten free version of this cake. I just have not made it yet. Will get on that soon.

One thing to note: I spent a few years developing lentil recipes. You can soak the lentils overnight if you want to in order to release more nutrients. 

Chocolate Lentil Cake
Yield: 1 9-inch cake 

Lentil puree:
1/2 cup yellow or red lentils
1 1/2 cups water

Cake:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup olive oil
2 large eggs
3/4 cup lentil puree
2/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Lentil puree:
Place the lentils and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until the lentils are tender, about 25 minutes. Drain. Reserve a couple tablespoons of liquid. Place the lentils in a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Add a little of the reserved liquid if the puree seems too dry. Allow to cool slightly before making the cake. The puree will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 day or can be frozen for later use. 

Chocolate Cake
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch cake pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Lightly grease the paper. 

In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar, honey, and olive oil. Add the eggs, lentil puree, water, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, espresso powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing well. Whisk until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 

Remove from the oven and cool completely on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan. Cool. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with sweetened whipped cream and fresh berries. ​

Long ago and far away, I cooked at a small restaurant in Ohio. Even though I worked the line, I was also in charge of the desserts we served. So for one New Year's Eve, we served this dessert. I can't remember how many I made but I remember being covered in Oreos and white chocolate mousse for most of the day. 

This one of those desserts that is just... insanely good. I have not made it in many years (the photos posted are old) but I would be willing to make this for any dinner party or gathering. People will love it. 

The torte needs at least 6 hours to chill before serving. Just a fair warning. 

White Chocolate Mousse Torte with Oreo Cookie Crust

Crust:

• 24 Oreo Cookies
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup whipping cream
• 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

Filling:

• 1 pound white chocolate, chopped
• 3 cups whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:

• Chopped oreo cookies
• Whipped cream sweetened with powdered sugar

For the crust:
Butter a 10-inch springform pan. Finely grind the Oreos in a food processor. Add melted butter and blend until combined. Press the cookie mixture onto the bottom of the springform pan. Bring the cream to a simmer in saucepan. Reduce heat to low. Add the semi-sweet chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Pour chocolate ganache over Oreo crust. Chill.

For the filling:
Combine the white chocolate and 1 cup cream in a bowl placed on top of simmering water. Stir until melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Cool to barely lukewarm. Sprinkle the gelatin over 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Let stand for 10 minutes to soften. Place on stove over low heat; stir  until gelatin dissolves. Pour the gelatin into a mixing bowl. Add the remaining 2 cups of cream and vanilla. Beat cream-gelatin mixture until soft peaks form. Beat in white chocolate mixture. Pour filling into crust. Refrigerate until filling is set, 6 hours or overnight.

Topping:
Run a small knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the sides. Release the pan sides. Pipe the whipped cream on the top and sprinkle with crushed Oreo cookies.

​Serve. 

I grew up with these cupcakes. They aren't your traditional cupcakes with a huge swirl of fluorescent frosting sitting on top. No, these are simple cupcakes. Very easy to make. Very. You might even invite your kids into the kitchen to assist you in baking. 

My Grandma C made these cupcakes all the time and every time I make them, I'm reminded of her. I left the instructions as she would have made them. So, when it says, do not mix until the last item is added, that means, do not mix until that point. Got it? Grandma said so, ok? And be sure to share, because she would have wanted you to. 


Chocolate Cupcakes

• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup shortening (or butter, at room temp)
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup sour milk (to make sour milk -- add a 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar to the milk) OR use buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup hot water

Preheat oven to 350º. Line muffin tins with paper liners. Set aside. 

Put ingredients in bowl in order given. Do not mix until last item has been added. Fill cup cake papers 1/2 full. Bake 10-15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack before frosting. 

Cooked Caramel Frosting 

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Bring brown sugar and butter to a boil. Add milk and boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Cool mixture to room temperature (if it's too hot, the frosting won't set up). Whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla. Stir until thoroughly combine. More powdered sugar may be needed to achieve desired consistency. Frost the cupcakes.

Oh my goodness. You know you want some cobbler. I mean, who doesn't? 

Cobbler can be made with most fruits or berries. However, peaches, blueberries, and cherries tend to be the most popular ones used. The topping for cobbler is what sets it apart from other fruit desserts. It's a biscuit like batter that is spread on top and baked until golden brown. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream and you will have some happy campers at your house. 

This recipe is an updated version of my great-grandmothers. I know. It seems sacrilege to update great-grandma's recipe but it needed it. In fact, I have a set of her recipes that I'm throwing together in a book (stay tuned for further details). 

One note about this recipe:
Choose a large baking dish. While the cherries themselves might fit into a medium size baking dish, once you put the batter on top, there will be some displacement and the filling will start to spill over. So, use a larger baking dish to prevent the spillage. 

Cherry Cobbler
Serves 6-8

Filling:

• 8 cups (~2 1/2 pounds) frozen sweet cherries* 
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Topping:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350ºF. 

Make the filling:
In a saucepan, heat the frozen cherries over medium heat until cherries release their juice, about 5 minutes. In a bowl, stir together the sugar and cornstarch; add to the cherries and mix well. Cook until the mixture boils. Add the vanilla. Turn off the heat and pour mixture into a large baking dish.

Make the topping:
In a bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the milk; milk until a stiff batter forms. Carefully spoon the mixture over the hot filling. 

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the topping is cooked through and golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and cool. Serve with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream. 

*If you use tart cherries, increase the sugar to 1 1/2 cups. 

A galette is the French term for rustic pie or freeform pastry. These can be made with any fruit filling. For instance, I once catered a party and made 7 mixed berry galettes. I wanted to serve a lovely dessert but I don't own 7 pie plates and making galettes was relatively simple and easy to assemble.

Since it's apple season and there are a plethora of apples being sold at farmers markets or at your local apple orchard, I figured an Apple Galette was in store for us. 

When making any apple dessert, I always use 2-3 different varieties of apples. Why? For flavor and texture. Some apples are tart, while others are sweet and juicy. I like a combination. My favorite varieties to bake with are Gala, Fuji, Macintosh, Braeburn, and Honey Crisp. There are several other varieties to choose from, however. Jonathan makes the best applesauce, but I rarely ever use it in pie. Red Delicious are only good for eating and even then they have a tendency to taste rather bland.

At any rate, go for a mix of apples. Your pie or galette will be even better. 

 Apple Galette
Yield: 1 9-10 inch galette
 
Pie Pastry

• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1/4 cup cold water

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the white whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and pulse for 15-30 seconds to create a coarse looking mixture. With the food processor running, add the water until the mixture forms into a ball. Mound the pastry dough into a ball and flatten slightly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using. Can be made up to 2 days ahead of time.
​
Galette

• 5-6 medium sized apples, peeled, seeded, and sliced thin  (about 2 1/2 pounds)
• zest of 1 orange (about 1 teaspoon)
• 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/3 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream

 
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a medium sized bowl combine the apples, honey, orange zest, and orange juice. In a small bowl, mix together the 1/2 cup sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch. Add to the apple mixture and stir to combine. Set aside.
 
On a lightly floured surface, roll pie pastry to a 12-inch diameter circle. Transfer pie crust to a baking sheet. Place the apple mixture in the center of the pie crust, leaving a 2-inch border around the edge of the crust. Dot the filling with the butter. Fold in the sides of the crust, overlapping as you go around the circle. Brush the crust with the cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until crust is golden brown and apples are soft. 
 
Serve with ice cream or sweetened whipped cream. 

I’ll take pie over cake any day of the week. A good pie has a flaky crust for a foundation and a sweet filling, but not too sweet.

Now, my favorite pies are ones that are made simply – utilizing the freshness and ripeness of the fruit. Apple and cherry pies are by far my favorite, but I won’t turn down peach pie made with fresh, ripe peaches.

I bought peaches at a local farmer’s market. They were fresh and ripe, ready for pie. Instead of using cinnamon, I decided to use cardamom. It offers a spicy, yet warm flavor to the pie. If you prefer, you can substitute cinnamon or leave it out completely. It’s up to you, but I encourage you to try cardamom.

If you have never made a pie crust before, now’s the time to learn! The recipe is a basic all-butter pie pastry. It’s a classic recipe that can be used for any pie or tart. 


Pie Pastry 
makes a double pastry

• 2 1/2 cups flour
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 teaspoon sugar
  
• 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  
• 1/4-1/2 cup cold water
  

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, salt, and sugar. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. With the motor running, drizzle the water through the feed tube. Add enough water until the mixture starts to clump together. If the mixture seems too dry, add a little water. If you added too much water, add some flour. The mixture should be somewhat dry and hold together. It should not be crumbly or sticky. 

Divide the dough into 2 discs. Wrap each in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Can be made 1-2 days ahead or 1 month ahead if kept in the freezer. 

and now for the main event:


Peach Pie
Yield: 1 10-inch pie
Serves 8-10

• 3 pounds peaches
  
• 2/3 cup sugar
  
• ¼ cup cornstarch
  
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
  
• ½ teaspoon salt
  
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  
• 1 tablespoon cream
  
• sugar for sprinkling
  

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

Peel the peaches by the same blanching method as the tomatoes. Bring a pot of water up ta simmer (near boiling). Mark an “X” in the bottom of each peach and the place the peaches in the hot, simmering water for 30-60 seconds. Remove each peach and place in ice water. The skins should peel off easily, especially if they’re ripe. Cut the pit of each peach and slice into pieces.

In a bowl, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Add the sliced peaches, lemon juice, ginger, cardamom, and salt. Mix well and set aside.

On a floured surface, roll out one pie crust to a 12-inch diameter. Tuck the dough into the pie plate. Be careful not to stretch it; tuck it in. Stretching the pastry causes it to shrink. Pour the filling into the pie shell. Dot the filling with the butter.

Roll out the second pie crust and and place over the filling. Cut off any excess pie pastry leaving about an inch lip around the pie. Fold the edges under and crimp decoratively around the edge. Mark the top of the pie crust with 4 slits. Brush the crust with the heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar. Place the pie on a baking sheet (in case it boils over).

Bake for 10 minutes and then lower the temperature to 375ºF. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Tent the pie if the edges get too brown. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack. Chill for 3-4 hours before serving. Serve a la mode.




I made this recipe a few years ago and since then I made a couple adjustments to the recipe, including adding a crust. It's one of those desserts that is extremely rich and decadent. If you want your chocolate fix, then this is the recipe for you. 

Serve small slices because a regular slice is, well, just too much. Serve this at a dinner party or where you will have lots of guests because this is definitely a dessert best shared. I have ¾ of a torte left in the fridge and I'm wondering if we will be able to finish it. Heck, the peach pie I made lasted a good 5 days and it was far less rich. (That recipe will be posted soon, too.)

I used a 10-inch springform pan. You can use a 9-inch pan but your cake will be thicker and will need an extra 5-10 minutes to bake.

I do not consider this recipe too difficult in terms of technique. There are plenty of pictures to get you through some of the steps should you have issues.

Mocha Chocolate Torte with Hazelnut Crust
Yield: one 10-inch torte
Servings: 12

Crust:

• ¾ cup hazelnuts
  
• 9-10 graham crackers (full sheet)
  
• 1 tablespoon sugar 
  
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  

Torte:

• 3/4 cup water
  
• 3/4 cup sugar
  
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
  
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed
  
• 1 pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
  
• 1 tablespoon Kahula liqueur
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
  
• 6 large eggs
  

Ganache:

• 1 cup heavy cream
  
• 8 ounces bitterweet chocolate, chopped
  

Preheat oven to 375ºF.  Wrap 2 layers of foil around the outside of a 10-inch spring form pan, bringing the foil up to the rim.  Set aside.

Spread the hazelnuts on a sheet pan and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a kitchen towel and rub off the brown paper skin (it's ok if not all of it rubs off). Place the hazelnuts in a food processor with the graham crackers, and sugar. Pulse until finely ground. Add the melted butter. Pulse until mixture starts to clump together. Press the mixture into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan. Set aside. 

Reduce oven temperature to 350ºF. 

In a small sauce pan, combine the water and sugar. Cook over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, about 4-5 minutes. Set aside. 

In a double boiler set over simmering heat, combine the cream, butter, and chocolate. Whisk until melted and smooth. Add the sugar syrup, along with the espresso powder, Kahula, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Remove the bowl from over the water. In a small bowl, beat the eggs. Slowly add the eggs to the chocolate mixture, whisking to combine well. Pour batter into the spring form pan. Place the spring form pan in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come half-way up the side of the pan. 

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the center of the torte no longer giggles in the center. Remove from the water bath, remove the foil, and cool on a rack. Cool completely.

Ganache:
As the torte is cooling, heat the cream until near boiling (little bubbles will form around the sides). Place the chocolate in a bowl and pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Pour the ganache over the torte. Refrigerate the torte for at least 2 hours before serving. Before serving, run a knife around the edges of the pan and release the sides of the spring form pan. Serve. 

Torte will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. 

You know you want some. 

Ice cream, that is. 

While ice cream is welcome any time of the year, there is something special about eating ice cream in the summer. Maybe it's the heat and humidity. Maybe it's the chance to be outside while eating an ice cream cone as it melts down your hand. Who knows. All I know is that right now we are simmering in the heat of summer and cherries are in season. It is the perfect time of year to make ice cream.

Out of all the stone fruits (nectarines, peaches, etc), cherries are by far my favorite. I look forward each season to all the awesome things you can make with cherries -- cherry pie, cherry cobbler, clafoutis, cherry crisp. 

And cherry ice cream. 

We live in Cincinnati. If you know about Cincinnati, you know that Graeter's Ice Cream stores are peppered all over town just waiting for you to spend your hard earned cash on creamy, delicious ice cream. They have a few good flavors and they succeed in satisfying the sweet tooth and the cravings you have. In fact, their best flavor in the Black Cherry Chocolate Chip ice cream. It's worth stopping at a Graeters near you to have a taste. 

But, let's say, you don't have Graeter's near you. Or let's say, you are like me and want to make as much from scratch as possible (crazy, I know... maybe it's a sickness). Or perhaps you have a bunch of sweet cherries laying around begging to be used up. 

Well, then, I have a recipe for you... 

As with anything you make from scratch, there is a satisfaction factor. You know, where you stand back and say, "Yep. I made this. And it's awesome." This ice cream has a high satisfaction score. And one more thing ... this recipe should ideally be started the day before you intend to churn your ice cream. This gives the ice cream base time to get cold and develop in flavor. 

Yield: 1 quart
Special Equipment: Ice Cream Maker

Ice Cream Base:
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups half and half
8 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract

Cherries:
1 1/4 cups fresh sweet cherries, pitted
1 tablespoon sugar

Chocolate:
1/4-1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks


Make the Ice Cream Base:
In a 2-quarts saucepan, bring the cream and half and half to an almost boil over medium heat (little bubbles will form along the sides of the pan). Watch it or will boil over. 

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until combined. Add about 1/2 of the hot cream mixture to the yolks and whisk until combined. Pour the mixture into the pan with the rest of the cream. While stirring constantly, cook the mixture over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes or until it thickens slightly and reaches 170ºF. Pour into a bowl. Place bowl in an ice bath and stir until the mixture cools to about 50ºF. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. 

Cover and refrigerate mixture until cold, about 4 hours or overnight. 

Cherries: 
Combine the pitted cherries and the sugar in a bowl. Refrigerate for at least a 1/2 hour or until ready to use. 

Churn the ice cream:
When you are ready to churn the ice cream, mix together the cherries, chocolate chunks, and ice cream base. Pour into the bowl of the ice cream maker. 

When churning is complete (according to the machine's directions), scoop the ice cream in to a container and freeze for at least 4 hours before serving. (If you can wait that long... I know it's hard.)

Serve. 

Enjoy. And be sure to share.