professional tips to make your baking fabulous
Puddings in England are any dessert – except for cookies which are called biscuits! Confusing, I know. So, these “puddings” are actually little date cakes with a caramel like glaze. These sticky date puddings are perfect with a cup of tea on cold winter evening. A perfect British dessert for trimming the tree!
Ready for something other than mashed potatoes? Try these delicious potato galettes as an alternative to standard potato side dishes. They are simple to make and, best of all, can be made in advance and heated when you are ready to serve them!
These pumpkin walnut muffins are so moist and delicious they can be made the night before and warmed lightly in the morning. Perfect when the oven is full of turkey or you are opening presents!
This rich, decadent caramel walnut tart is a wonderful addition to your holiday repertoire. Â It can be made well in advance to free you up for other activities like carving the turkey or trimming the tree!
If you are looking for a dessert other than pie for your Thanksgiving table this is a superb choice. The batter can be made in advance and then the steamed pumpkin puddings can bake while you are enjoying the turkey. A simple caramel sauce, whipped cream, and a bit of our cranberry jam makes for a lovely presentation that takes no time to assemble.
The Recipe
by volume                          by weight
1 can squash puree (15 oz) Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 420 grams squash puree
1/2 cup sugar                     99 grams sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt                 2 grams salt
1 teaspoon ginger                6 grams ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg             2 grams nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon          2 grams cinnamon
2 large eggs                      136 grams eggs
1½ cups half and half             360 grams half and half
9″ unbaked pie shell
Directions
Heat the oven to 350F. Mix all the dry ingredients together and whisk to combine. Mix this with the squash puree until thoroughly combined. Add the eggs and mix completely. Finally, add the half and half and mix just to combine. Put the filling in a large measuring cup or pitcher to make it easy to pour. Place the unbaked pie shell on a sheet pan in the oven. Pour the filling into the pie shell and bake for approximately 45 minutes. The pie is done when the middle is set and no longer jiggles. This may take a few more minutes or it may be done a bit earlier depending on your oven. Just be sure the pie is removed from the oven as soon as it is set so the filling doesn’t crack.
The Recipe
by volume                            by weight
3 large eggs                        204 grams egg
1/2 cup sugar                       99 grams sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt                   1 gram salt
1 cup corn syrup                    340 grams corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla                2 grams vanilla
1½ cups pecan halves or pieces   110 grams pecan halves or pieces
9″ unbaked pie shell
Directions
Heat the oven to 350F. Beat the eggs, sugar, salt, corn syrup, and vanilla together until thoroughly combined. Don’t beat too vigorously or air will be incorporated into the filling and a foam will form on top. If this happens, let the mixture sit until the foam dissipates. If you don’t, the top of the pie will form a crust when baked that makes it more difficult to cut cleanly. Put the filling in a large measuring cup or pitcher with a spout so it will pour easily.
Sprinkle the pecans into the unbaked pie shell. Place the pie shell on a baking sheet and in the oven. Fill the pie in the oven so you don’t have to move the pie once it’s filled. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the middle of the pie is completely set. The baking time is highly dependent on the temperature of your oven. If the pie is not set in the middle, continue to bake until it is. Otherwise, the center of the pie will be runny! It may be necessary to turn the oven temperature down or even cover the top of the pie with foil to keep it from browning too much.
The Recipe
by volume                            by weight
1 can pumpkin puree (15oz) Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 420 grams pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon cornstarch            27 grams cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon             3 grams cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger                2 grams ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg               2 grams nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt                   2 grams salt
1½ teaspoons melted butter       7 grams melted butter
1½ cups half and half               360 grams half and half
1 cup sugar                         198 grams sugar
2 tablespoons molasses           30 grams molasses
2 large eggs                        136 grams egg
9″ unbaked pie shell
Directions
Heat oven to 350F. Combine all of the dry ingredients and whisk together to combine. Â Add to the pumpkin puree and mix until incorporated. Stir in the melted butter and molasses. Add the eggs and mix until thoroughly combined. Finally, stir in the half and half just to incorporate. Put the filling in a large measuring cup or pitcher to make it easy to pour.
Place the unbaked pie shell on a baking sheet and in the oven. Pour the filling into the pie shell and bake for 50 minutes. The pie should just be set in the middle. If this happens a bit sooner than 50 minutes, take the pie out of the oven. Overbaking will cause a crack to form in the middle of the pie. If it takes a few minutes longer, that’s ok too. Just make sure the pie comes out of the oven as soon as it’s set in the middle.
The Recipe
by volume                            by weight
2/3 cup sugar                       132 grams sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch                  48 grams cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt                    2 grams salt
3 cups milk                          720 grams milk
4 large egg yolks                    72 grams egg yolk
3 tablespoons butter               42 grams butter
1 tablespoon vanilla                 12 grams vanilla
1½ cups shredded coconut        90 grams shredded coconut
9″ fully baked pie shell
Directions
Whisk half of the sugar with the cornstarch and salt to combine. Add the egg yolks and whisk to thoroughly incorporate.
Heat the milk with the remaining sugar until it almost reaches a boil. Pour half of the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking and then add the egg mixture back to the milk still in the pan. Return to the stove and bring to a boil while whisking constantly. Boil and whisk for 1 minute.
Remove from the heat and add the butter, vanilla, and coconut. Pour the hot filling into a completely baked 9″ pie shell. Press plastic wrap on the surface of the pie to prevent a thick skin from forming. Cool completely.
When ready to serve the pie, cover the top with lightly sweetened whipped cream and decorate with additional toasted coconut if desired. Keep refrigerated.
The Recipe
by volume                               by weight
9 tablespoons soft butter             126 grams soft butter
1½ cups sugar                         297 grams sugar
3 large egg yolks                       54 grams egg yolk
4 tablespoons all purpose flour        30 grams all purpose flour
4 teaspoons lemon juice               17 grams lemon juice
1 teaspoon nutmeg                    4 grams nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt                        4 grams salt
1½ cups buttermilk                    360 grams buttermilk
3 large egg whites                     150 grams egg whites
9″ fully baked pie shell
Directions
Heat the oven to 350F. Mix the butter and sugar together until combined. Add the egg yolk and mix until incorporated. Add the flour, lemon juice, nutmeg, and salt and mix just to combine. Add the buttermilk in a steady stream and whisk to fully homogenize the mixture. Whip the egg whites to soft peaks and fold into the buttermilk mixture. Pour the filling into a fully baked pie shell and bake for 45 minutes until the middle of the pie is just set.
