Author Archives: Laura T.

Potato and Leek Tart

Posted on by

0

For the past two years, New Haven’s PieOn9 contest has promised a block party sweetened with all-you-can eat pie and ice cream (and a cash bar). Pruitt and I entered last year with a tray of blueberry kouign-amann and a blueberry pie. Okay okay, kouign-amann isn’t pie; we really just wanted to play with butter. As was expected for summer, almost every other pie on the tasting table was blueberry, peach, or late-season strawberries. I lost count of how many slices I devoured but I assure you they were all delicious. While our pies didn’t win the contest, we earned a dinner of pie, ice cream, and booze.

blueberry desserts

Last year’s PieOn9 entries

This summer’s PieOn9 drew an even larger crowd. Over 130 pies were submitted and inhaled within one hour! I entered the contest again, this time for the Best Savory Pie category. Pssst, I also hoped something salty would stand out from the blueberries. Turns out it did!  Shoutout to CitySeed for organizing PieOn9, which benefits their farmers’ markets and programs in New Haven.

twins!

It’s a winner!

This Potato and Leek tart is similar to our Mushroom and Gruyere Cheese version. I halved the dough recipe and assembled it in a tart pan instead of freeform like a galette. The crust is also thinner to make sure it cooks all the way through while in a pan. Like our other tart, there’s A LOT of wiggle room in the filling. Don’t like leeks? Substitute another veg! Love cheese? Keep adding to that cheese mountain in your bowl.

Continue reading →

Mushroom Gruyere Tart

Posted on by

1

Tarts can be savory, too!  Tart dough is very versatile and surprisingly easy to prep, which makes it a perfect component for a weekday meal or anytime you want something buttery and flaky (umm, always?).  This recipe uses a standard pie dough ratio (3:2:1 ratio of flour, fat, and water) but can be transformed into a sweet dough by adding powdered sugar to the dry ingredients.  If a food processor isn’t handy, a pastry cutter, fork, or even your hands can be used to mix the dough, as long as the butter stays cold.

Mushroom gruyere crust

The nutty flavors of mushrooms and gruyere cheese pair well with the flaky crust in this recipe.  Other fillings that work well are leeks, sliced potatoes, Parmesan cheese, and basil, to name a few.  Like the mushrooms, you may need to cook down some of your fillings to remove some excess moisture.  Seriously, who likes a soggy crust?  Give your own combination a try and tell us how it goes!

Mushroom gruyere above

Continue reading →

One-bowl Chocolate Chip Cranberry Walnut Cookies

Posted on by

0

chocchipsfocus

How long does it take to make cookies, start to finish?  Pruitt and I decided to challenge ourselves one night.  Our motivation: a half-baked order of cookies (pun intended) from a late-night cookie vendor that will go unnamed.  Instead of a dozen warm cookies, raw cookie dough conformed to the takeout box.  Not even we can avoid the temptation of door-to-door cookie delivery but we had been (figuratively) burned.  We were determined to prove we could finish a tasty batch faster than the delivery time.

We came up with this recipe on the spot, primarily to use up the cranberries in my pantry.  Unlike other cookie recipes, it’s not necessary to bring your butter to room temperature before whipping, though slicing the butter will make it easier to beat in the sugar.  Also, did I mention this is a SINGLE-BOWL RECIPE?!  It’s a great go-to cookie recipe since it’s easy to adjust or double.  If your mix-ins aren’t very sweet (e.g. toasted nuts, shell-covered chocolates, etc.), you can increase the amount of sugar.

So how long did it take us?  About 20-25 minutes for warm cookies, which beats subpar cookie delivery any day.

Do you have a go-to cookie recipe?  Tell us in the comments!

Continue reading →

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

Posted on by

0

It’s almost too late for pumpkins but Thanksgiving isn’t Thanksgiving to me without pumpkin. My usual contribution to my large family’s Thanksgiving feasts back in LA was pumpkin pie, and it’s been on the menu since hosting dinner with friends. This year, Pruitt and I decided on macaron ice cream sandwiches filled with pumpkin ice cream. I think of it as our modified version of pumpkin pie, perfect for those already tackling a 22-lb turkey, five sides, and pecan pie.

 

pumpkin pie ice cream 2

This recipe is adapted from Jeni Britton Bauer’s Roasted Pumpkin 5-Spice Ice Cream recipe, included in Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home.  As Pruitt mentioned in a previous post, Jeni’s recipes call for cream cheese instead of egg yolks, which results in creamier (not icy) ice cream. The honey and pumpkin (and additional cream cheese) also give the ice cream a velvety texture. The spices can be adjusted as necessary.  I started off with 1/8 teaspoon of each and had to increase significantly to get a bolder spice taste.  The hardest part is stirring the milk mixture while it heats up. I usually have music playing or chat/switch off with Pruitt while we wait for it to boil.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Continue reading →