0 New, Better Pie Crust

 I made this pie like a week ago, technically it was still July.. that's how long it's taken me to blog this..... Anyway with all this health craze going around and my less than healthy kitchen habits I decided it was time to put in some effort. It turns out that gluten doesn't have to develop, its still there but you can make it n ot develop.. Here is my finished pie(s):

Beautiful, is it not? Honestly I didn't get to taste the cherry pie, which I'm okay with because I also made an apple pie.. or two.. with this crust and I can assure you it is quite possibly the best pie crust I have ever eaten. Also, you may note that the above photo is professionally done.. you can thank James O'Hayer for that his site is >HERE< annnd.. Here is what all is in it:

So.. you may have heard about these wonderful things called mason jars? yes? Okay so they are my new angle on the organization home-front, that and I needed something air-tight because I don't get around to baking as often as I'd like to. The big gallon size jar has flour in it, the half gallon is sugar. I forgot to throw the baking powder into the picture, you'll have to just pretend it's there, it doesn't have a mason jar yet. 

Start with a cup of flour in the mixer (I did 2 because I was making more than one pie) add 1/2 t sugar (I did a full t)

Then add 1/4 t Baking powder (again I did 1/2)

Shake in some salt if you're using unsalted butter (1/4 t) and mix it all together

You'll need 5 T butter (I used 10)

Cut it up in little pieces (make sure its super cold for this part you may even want to throw it in the freezer for a few minutes)

Mix the chunks in

Okay for real this time..

Thats better. If you don't have a pastry cutter you'll have to get creative and improvise

Like I did... No, I don't have a pastry cutter, don't worry I'm on that

In a bowl/cup mix 3-5 T ice water with a squirt of lemon juice, slowly add it in a T at a time while mixing

Your mess will be pretty dry looking, don't worry about that. Too much water will make it tough.

Time to get dirty

Don't be afraid to really get in there.. you knead to LOL! Sorry, I had to. 

Once you get it all figured out and it looks like a mass of dough rather than a crumbly mess (which it will, have patience) get it wrapped up and throw it into the fridge for an hour or so. 

I used double remember, because I planned on making two double crust pies, so you may not need to rip your ball in half like I did... but you will need to roll it out so flour up your rolling pin and get going, heads up its a bit of a pain to work with its very.. elasticky? That's not a word but its fitting. Its a lot like bread dough rather than being like cookie dough. 

Lay it into your pie plate

Spread your filling of choice in it (I'll blog the cherry filling later)

I rolled out the other half of the ball (I made two balls, one for this pie and another for the double crust apple and had enough for a second smaller one crust apple pie)

I went with a lattice crust because I feel like you need it with a bright colored filling

Brush with egg wash

Egg wash is basically just an egg mixed up with some water, all it really does is make your crust brown a lot prettier

Bake at 400F for 40mins and voila! Yummy goodness. 

We had a photo shoot with these pies, I may have mentioned that already

They were pretty awesome I'm not going to lie

I hope you all love this AMAZING crust as much as we did, and if nothing else you need to try it because its the best ever.. and here is why:

 **The acid in lemon juice prevents gluten from developing. Baking powder gives the crust a little lift, making it more flaky, and just a little bit of sugar makes the crust brown nicely. Too much sugar will make your crust tough. 

^^That came directly from the book I got the recipe out of, the book can be found >HERE<

Happy Baking! 

Enjoy! =]

0 Pop Tart

Okay, it has been a LONG time, I am aware of this and I do apologize. On to what we came here to see.. My latest project of course! Okay, so every one knows what these are.. >HERE< if you don't recognize that you live under a rock. Here is my version =]

They didn't turn out wonderful, I'm not going to lie. It was my oops though and  it would've been fine if I had paid more attention. Here's what I used

Homemade jam from my friend Monica's garden/kitchen, and some leftover pie crust that i made a while back and had in the freezer for just such an occasion.

 I rolled out the dough

Cut out a shape, any shape really I just like stars..

YAY!

spread out the jam nice and thin across the shape

then roll out and cut another shape..

Line them up nice and neat like

I used a fork to crimp the edges

And poke some holes

Bake at 400F 15mins should be good but check it, I kind of forgot about it for like an hour.. (okay really I have no idea how long it was , it could have been 20mins-1hr) 

It totally oozed out everywhere and got all hard and candied, even the jam inside the crust was completely candied

Oops. Oh well. I'll try again some other time, I hope you have better luck. If this had worked out I had planned on topping it with a thin frosting. 

Happy Baking!

Enjoy! =]

2 Simple Easy Frosting

The simple, easy, go-to frosting for absolutely anything. 

I literally use this frosting for everything from cookies to cakes/cupcakes you name it, if you can put frosting on it you can use this. It's ready in about 10 seconds and is amazing every time. Basically it is this:

Powdered sugar, vanilla, milk and butter. That's it. of course you can add other things to it if need be, but we will get to that. 

Just mix together a tablespoon or two of softened butter, a cup of powdered sugar, a splash of milk(1-2T as needed) and some vanilla(to taste). The vanilla is optional, you can use just milk butter and powdered sugar to make an overly sweet paste that can be used for anything. You can add butter flavor for a really amazing but somewhat different taste. Some almond flavor makes it amazing. Coconut flavor can be added for a little beach-y taste. Food coloring is ALWAYS an option and comes in any color you can imagine these days, I even found some neon colors not too long ago...

And again anything from cookies..

To cakes..

To cupcakes..

Literally anything can be made better with frosting. Because this frosting is so simple and easy and has so many possible variations I'll go ahead and add that you can vary the texture of it and make it as runny or firm as you need it to be..

Of course the temperature of whatever you're frosting also plays its own role, hot things will make for runny frosting and cold things will make for much less dripage. 

Happy Baking!

Enjoy! =]

0 Sugar Cookies

I made these yesterday, I had an unexpected day off and figured that meant it was time to bake something, it feels like its been forever. I know it has been a LOOONG time since I've blogged any new baked stuffs but that's because most of the things I've baked recently have been things that I've blogged before like tiny pie. But I made sugar cookies. Here they are:

I should have flipped this picture but i didn't. Sorry. Anyway here's what goes into them:

Okay so 2 things, 1) check out the awesome jar I got for flour =] and 2) I didn't source this recipe because its a basic sugar cookie recipe and there are hundreds out there that all look the same, this one is no different. 

1 C softened butter

2/3 C sugar

Cream together. (you can add a shake or two of salt here but I never do)

1 egg

Beat the egg in really well

Add 1 T vanilla

2 1/2 C flour (sifted.. but I don't do that either usually)

Yes, this is good cookie dough..

It will need some attention, go ahead and knead it a little

I like to put down foil to make clean up a little easier, you will need to throw down some flour and flour your rolling pin

I decided this was a huge ball and needed to be worked in two parts

So roll it on out, get a big flat shape about 1/4in thick

No Hank, no crumbs for you 

This is after a little while in the fridge, its easier to work with cold, its more solid that way

I went with starts because 4th of July is Monday but you can use whatever shape you want 

Into the oven they go =]

They go in for 8-10 mins at 350F mine took the full 10mins

you'll want to take them out as soon as the edges start showing a little color

Can you see it?

They're decent but they're much better with frosting (which I will blog later)

The family really liked these, I made them yesterday and honestly I don't think there's any left. The frosting is simple I'll blog it tomorrow maybe, don't hold me to it but I've got the pictures all taken and edited and ready to go I just need to actually do it. 

Happy Baking!

Enjoy! =]