TWD - Flaky Peach Turnovers

First, let me apologize for the picture quality this week; it rained all day, except for 10 minutes after these were in my belly. Then, there wasn't a cloud in the sky, naturally. Welcome to the Maritimes, folks! I don't have the knowledge of light boxes and so forth, so this is what you get.

The pictures might not be the prettiest, but this week's Tuesdays With Dorie recipe tasted much better than it (well, mine) looked! Chosen by Julie of Someone's in the Kitchen, it originally called for apples, but I subbed peaches instead (I hate baked apples). They were really easy to make, for the most part; I think the hardest part most people had was making the dough, which can be pretty crumbly. The hardest part I had was forming the little turnovers, mainly because I am inept at making pies. Oh Mother, how ashamed you must be!

Anyway, here's some things I learned:

1) All the butter makes the dough hard to roll out, especially when it's fresh out of the fridge! Work those biceps, baby, but make sure you roll it out thin enough. I didn't, and mine ended up being a little doughy as a result.

2) The dough is very soft when it warms up, so form those turnovers quickly! Some of mine look pretty rustic. You see, "rustic" is the word food bloggers use for "raggedy-ass". Regardless, they still taste good.

3) I'd put more filling in next time; mine were a little thin.

All in all, it's an easy recipe to make, especially if you're proficient at pie making. Not sure if I'll make them again, but I'm definitely glad I tried it.

Fuzzy Navel Banana Bread, Apricot style

Yesterday morning, I saw Streaming Gourmet's Fuzzy Navel Tea Bread, and I knew I had to make that, and make that soon! When I got home from a long, loong, looooooong day at work I discovered that I had not properly shut the freezer the night before (aka CRAP!!!!), and among other things, my frozen bananas had thawed. So it looked like the time to make this bread was now!

And am I ever glad I did. Check out her site for the recipe, it's definitely a keeper for me! Amy takes a classic banana bread recipe and jazzes it up with peaches and oranges, and the result is one of the best banana breads I've eaten. The texture is moist and dense without being heavy, and the flavours all blend together beautifully; they all mix together with a nice fruity undertone, and no one taste overwhelms the other. I don't like super bananay- banana breads, so this was perfect for me.

Things I learned:

1) I didn't have peaches, so I used the apricots I had bought for another project (sorry TWD - no brioche tart this week). I used 4 medium sized ones, and it worked like a charm. Can't wait to try it with peaches, though; I love peaches!

2) Lately, when I make a muffin or quick bread, I blend all the wet ingredients together with my stick blender. I like the uniform, smooth texture it gives, but if you prefer larger chunks of fruit by all means use the more traditional method. In fact, when I give it a go with peaches, I will likely do a peach puree and add some finely diced peaches as well.

3) This bread is great fresh out of the oven, when chilled, and toasted and spread with butter. Mmmmm. It's very versatile.

One final note: this time of year, if you are doing ANYTHING with fruit, dump all the scraps and outside and bleach the hell out of your countertops and sink drains as soon as you're done, otherwise the fruit flies will have a field day. I HATE FRUIT FLIES! I will destroy them all, you'll see!

Strawberry Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

I know strawberries are long over in many places, but in this part of the world they are just coming into their glory. I look forward to fresh strawberries more than any other food; they just speak summer to me. And of all the strawberries in the world, I can say without any bias whatsoever that Prince Edward Island strawberries are the best in the whole wide world. They are sweeter, tastier, truer than any other berry you'll ever eat.


I mean just look at that berry. And that's not even a prime season berry, folks!

I know of few better ways to celebrate the lovely strawberry than with homemade strawberry ice cream. With such gorgeous berries, you really want to showcase their flavour in a simple manner; don't chop them up into something where they're just a background taste, make them the star of the show!

If you've never made ice cream before, please start; it's easy, cheap, and better than anything you'll ever buy. (See my post on Honey Peach Ice Cream for basic tips.) I prefer using a custard base rather than using cornstarch to thicken the base; I just think it gives a creamier, smoother taste. And really, if you're using 1.5 cups of cream in one recipe, are you really worried about the extra calories from egg yolks? Go big or go home, that's what I say!

Make your custard base first, and while it's chilling, cut up your berries. You need to let them sit for a couple of hours so they get all juicy. Stir the accumulated juices into the custard base, pour into the ice cream maker, and churn baby churn. About 5 minutes before it's done, add the chopped berries.


And see? Here's your result. No, it's not bright pink, because it's all real, fresh ingredients. And those black specks? That's real vanilla bean, baby. (Make sure you put the spent bean in a jar with sugar: in a few weeks, voila, you now have vanilla sugar to boot.) I'd tell you that I didn't eat big spoonfuls right out of the machine, but, well, that would turn this blog into a BLOG OF LIES!

So make this ice cream. Would a girl like me lie to a person like you? Nah!

Strawberry Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 whole vanilla bean
2 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vodka (optional)

1. Combine the milk and cream in a medium saucepan. Split the vanilla bean in half and scrape out the seeds, adding both to the milk-cream mixture. Bring the mixture to a slow boil over medium heat, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Meanwhile, combine eggs, egg yolks, and sugar in a medium bowl. Beat mixture until it is thick, smooth, and pale yellow in colour.

3. Next, prep your strawberries. Thinly slice 2 cups of fresh berries and combine with 1/3 cup of sugar and 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice. Let macerate for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

4. After 30 minutes, remove the vanilla bean from the milk (add to a cup of sugar if you like, and in a month you'll have vanilla sugar!). Pour out a cup of hot liquid and slowly add to the egg mixture while whisking continuously. This will temper the eggs and keep your custard from becoming scrambled eggs.

5. Add tempered mixture back to the main pot, whisking all the while. Cook, stirring continuously, over medium low heat until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

6. Strain mixture through a seive (this will catch any lumps that may have formed) into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and chill completely, overnight preferably, but at least two hours.

7. Add strawberry juices and vodka to the custard mixture, and pour into your ice cream machine. During the last five minutes, add reserved berries. Add mixture to an airtight container, and let cure for at least 2 hours.


I just had to throw this failed picture in here for amusement's sake. It reminds me of the red room Jane Eyre's benefactors threw her in for punishment...only with ice cream instead of a ghost! Go Jane!

TWD - Honey Peach Ice Cream

Okay, so this post is more like Wednesday With Dorie. Although I made the ice cream a few days ago, I got caught up in life and couldn't post until today. Apologies! Anyway, on with the show.

This week's recipe was chosen by Tommi of Brown Interior. Oh Tommi, you picked a perfect week for ice cream...we're starting to actually get a summer this week, so this was a most welcome dessert!

I just started making ice cream last year, and I love it. You can make it without a machine, but if you have one it's much easier than you'd think - and far tastier than anything store bought. Better than Hagen Daas, even. Homemade ice cream has so little ingredients - just milk, cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and maybe some fruit (or chocolate, YAY). That's it. Is it any wonder it tastes so good? And the flavours so pure? And my ass is so big?

This ice cream is custard based, which is some people find tricky to make. Custard ice cream has egg yolks in its base, which is what thickens the ice cream. Other ice cream recipes use cornstarch to thicken, so if you are scared of the egg yolk thing, start off with a simpler recipe.

First, I beat the eggs with sugar until they were pale yellow and thick.


Aren't they pretty? They look good enough to eat right here, but I'm betting they wouldn't taste that great. Next time I have a kid around, I'll get them to experiment for me. Kids are great for that - just tell them it has sugar in it, and they'll eat just about anything. Save your tastebuds, fatten a child!

Next, you simmer your peaches in 1/4 cup of honey until they are soft, and then blend them together. Set it aside until your custard is done.

Now, for the custard base! Seriously, this is simple. Heat some cream and milk to boiling, and then slowly drizzle about a third into the sugar/egg mix, whisking all the while. Give it a good whisk, then add the rest of the hot liquid while stirring. Return the mixture to the stove, and stir continuously until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. It took me under 5 minutes to reach this stage, although I have cooked custards longer to get to that point.


Once your custard is done, remove from the heat and strain it into a clean heat proof bowl. Add the peach puree, and chill for a few hours at least. The peach puree swirl made patterns in the custard...quite mesmerizing, really. Maybe I will start a business reading fortunes in ice cream swirls.

When chilled, pour the whole mixture into your ice cream maker, and let it churn its little heart out. And then try not to eat the whole thing immediately. I actually made it last a few days this time. VICTORY IS MINE!

Things I learned:

1) This ice cream calls for chopped peaches added during the freezing process. Some people didn't like frozen bits of peaches, but I loved it. Then again, I cut up peaches and freeze it just to eat on a hot day.

2) If you are new to making custards, make sure you strain the mixture through a seive at the end. The worst thing that can happen when making a custard is that the eggs cook a bit; if that happens, the seive will catch any solid bits, and you'll have a lovely smooth ice cream.

3) The peach and honey flavour was subtle, but I quite liked it. I REALLY like peaches, however, so next time I might up the cooked peaches or possibly add some peach juice.

4) Real ice cream freezes like a brick; the stuff you buy in the store has additives to make it scoopable. If you want a softer ice cream, put 1-2 tsp of vodka in your custard. I did that, and it had a perfect consistancy. Drawback? I could grab my container out of the freezer and eat it at will. And my will is weak.


See? Yeah....this was supper. Good thing I'm not setting an example for anyone.

TWD - Parisian Apple Tartlets

This week's Tuesdays With Dorie recipe is Parisian Apple Tartlets, chosen by Jessica of My Baking Heart. I think it's the simplest dessert I've ever baked; all you do is cut a round of puff pastry, top it with sliced fruit, brown sugar, and butter, then bake for about 25 minutes. Even someone who's never baked in their life can make this with ease (and look like you've been baking for years!).

The hardest part in making this wee little pie is finding the puff pastry. You can make your own, but Jesus, even I have a limit. Dorie recommends using all-butter puff pastry, rather than the kinds that use all shortening, for obvious reasons: taste! I know some of my fellow bloggers paid as much as $10 for their all-butter pastry; I bought President's Choice pastry at the Superstore for $3.29. God love ya, Superstore....you really are worth switching stores.

SO. Anyway. Cut 4 inch rounds out of the pastry, and fill it with your toppings. I got 2 rounds and 2 rectangles; I've never worked with puff pastry before, and wasn't sure if you're supposed to roll it out and such, so I just cut rectangles out of the remainder.

Also, I'm lazy. I should make a hotkey for that sentence.


See how easy that is? I made one peach for myself, because I hate mushy apples. Sacrilidge, perhaps. But it's my damn blog. The round apple tartlet is done to Dorie's specifications; the others have cinnamon and nutmeg added.


And here is my tartlet. God I love baked peaches. Even so, I'm not sure if I would make this again, but that's mainly because I don't care much for pies. My parents loved the apple ones, though - hence no pictures. They gobbled them up before I could snap a shot. They're like that. I tried to explain that I needed pics for my blog, but after "what's a blog??" I just gave up.

Things I learned:

1) Be careful when you add the butter; make sure it's in the centre of the fruit, or it might run under the tart as it melts and cause the bottom to burn. Burnt cheese is great; burnt butter? Not so much.

2) I quartered the apple half the way I thought it looked in Dorie's book, but I found that one took the longest to bake by far. I'd recommend you cut your fruit in 1 inch chunks so they cook quicker (and that way, the pastry won't overbake, either). Not as pretty, but it's effective.

3) Adding a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg really amps up the flavour; Mom liked this combo best. She said tasted more strongly of apples, so if you want a pure apple flavour leave out the spices.

And the last thing I learned? Well, any pie/tartlet/cake/spoon/bare fingers/etc. is ALWAYS better with real whipped cream.


Next week's TWD: Coconut Pineapple Daquoise. No, I have no idea what that is either...tune in and see! And I'll have real food again soon, I promise.