Black Friday Baker

Whether Black Friday or Cyber Monday, word on the street is that we should be gearing up to spend lots and lots of money on lots and lots of stuff.  Although queuing up at department stores opening at midnight is not my idea of a good time, finding cool gifts for the special people in my life is always fun.  Shopping for myself isn't too shabby, either.

In that spirit, I present to you...

The Literate Baker's Top Ten Gift Ideas for the Baker in Your Life

10.  Silicone baking mat.  Since I first became aware of these things, I've wanted one.  The fact that I've managed just fine without one has not dissuaded me in the least.

Non-stick-arama.

9.  Top-view measuring cups.  Both Oxo and Pampered Chef make them; there are probably others.  I love mine and use them for all things liquid, whether baking or bar tending.

8.  Absurd vintage kitchen stuff.  I could spend days on Etsy.  I am at times delighted, at times dumbfounded by what people make and sell, but I'm always entertained.

7.  Absurd baking-themed other stuff.  See also #8.

My favoritist charm necklace.

6.  Kick-ass rolling pin.  Rolling pins don't need explanation.  They just are.

5. Fancy-pants ingredients.  We all know how I feel about my fleur de sel.  Artisanal chocolate?  Awesome.  And if someone gave me a big boxful of almond paste?  They'd be on my sweet list the whole year.

4. Awesome apron.  Being of a femme persuasion, I'm partial to frilly, but there are endless options.  I love the one I got for Christmas last year from Flirty Aprons; they make all kinds.

Pretty.

3.  Atypical cookie cutters.  Seriously, you can find just about every shape, size, and iteration these days.  I mean, who would have ever thought that Williams-Sonoma would hook up with Star Wars?

I have these.

And clearly need these.

2.  Silicone scoopy-scrapey-stirry things.  Whether you call it a spatula or a spoonula, it's ridiculously useful for many a kitchen task.  And since they're silicone, they don't get all wonky if you happen to leave them in a hot pot.

1.  Mixer to die for.  I know.  It's such a cliche.  Yet, there is no tool or toy in my kitchen that is more loved or more used than my stand mixer.  It isn't even the uber-fanciest of the stand mixers and I heart it.  It will change the way you make baked goods.  Really.  I mean, I'm looking to upgrade to the 20-quart Hobart, but that's just me.

Prettier than the apron.

Hope this helps you find the perfect something for the baker in your life.  Remember, gifts are about making a person feel special, so whether you spend $2 or $2000, keep it personal and always...

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Not Your Mama's Pecan Pie

 Well, at least not my mama's.  Although, technically, I don't know if my mama has ever made a pecan pie.  My grandma made a mean one, but this isn't hers, either.  This is my friend Annie's pecan pie.  (I think it might really be Tyler Florence's Bourbon and Chocolate Pecan Pie, since I first tasted it when she was a producer on one of his shows.)

Regardless of whose pie it is, it's my pie of choice for the Thanksgiving table this year.

We interrupt this regularly scheduled blog post to bring you... The Conundrum of Two Recipes!

Has this ever happened to you?  You want to bake something and you find two similar, yet different, recipes for it?  Which do you use?  Do you try to combine them into a hybrid?  Do you make both?

Well, dear readers, in my attempts to gather and accurately credit the source for the above-mentioned pie, I managed to get myself into this very situation.  On one hand, I have the Tyler Florence recipe, courtesy of foodnetwork.com.  It looks like this:

Pie Pastry:
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/4 cup finely ground pecans
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small chunks
2 tablespoons ice water, plus more if needed

Filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup dark corn syrup or sugar cane syrup (such as Steen's)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons bourbon
1/4 teaspoon salt
11/2 cups pecan halves

Directions

1. To make the pastry: combine the flour, ground pecans, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour in the ice water and work it in to bind the dough until it holds together without being too wet or sticky. Squeeze a small amount together, if it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle. Carefully roll the dough up onto the pin (this may take a little practice) and lay it inside a 9-inch pie pan. Press the dough into the pan so it fits tightly and trim the excess around the rim. Place the pie pan on a sturdy cookie sheet so it will be easy to move in and out of the oven.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
4. To make the filling: melt the butter and chocolate in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, remove from heat and let cool. Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl until frothy and then blend in the sugar. Stir in the syrup, vanilla, bourbon, salt, and the melted butter mixture until well blended.
5. Arrange the pecans on the bottom of the pie crust and carefully pour the egg mixture over them. Bake until the filling is set and slightly puffed, about 45 minutes. Test for doneness by sticking a thin knife in the center of the pie, if it comes out pretty clean, you're good to go. Transfer the pie to rack and cool completely before cutting.

 On the other hand, I have the recipe me friend Annie me last night after I sent her a facebook message asking her about it.  It looks like this:

Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie
NOM NOM NOM

Ingredients:

- Refrigerated pie crust
- 4 eggs
- 1 C light corn syrup
- 6 T melted butter
- ⅓ C sugar
- ¼ C packed light brown sugar
- 3 T bourbon
- 1 T flour
- 1 T vanilla extract
- 1 C coarsely chopped pecans
- 1 C (6 oz) semi-sweet chocolate morsels

Instructions:

- Fit pie crust into 9-inch pie plate; fold edges under & crimp
- Whisk eggs, corn syrup, and everything else except the pecans and chocolate together until smooth; then stir in pecans and chocolate; pour into pie crust
- Bake on lower oven rack at 350 for 1 hour or until set

What is a baker to do?  Any thoughts?  Votes?  (No, really, feel free to vote.)  Well, Thanksgiving is a mere two days away, so I'd better decide quickly.  I am, after all, trying to be a more decisive person.  Ack.  If only deciding between recipes weren't a part of my life's mission of trying to...

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A Salty Sweet Tart

Caramel.  Pecans.  Cherries.  Almonds.  Chocolate.  Forget raindrops on roses, these are a few of my favorite things.  And when you put them all together?  Well, dear readers, you've got yourself  a ticket to Indulgenceville.

Served a little warm, because who wants to wait?

What you actually have is a slightly modified version of the Caramel-Cranberry Nut Tart from the October/November 2001 issue of Cooking Pleasures, the fabulous magazine that comes with membership in the Cooking Club of America.  And before you ask, yes, I mean the 2001 issue--I keep them all and after a couple of years, they seem brand new!

Here's the recipe:

Crust:
1 cup flour
1 T sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. water

Filling:
1 cup sugar
3 T light corn syrup
1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
3/4 cup slivered almond, toasted
3/4 cup dried cranberries

Garnish:
2 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1. In medium bowl, stir together flour, 1 T sugar, and salt; add 1/2 cup butter.  With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  In small bowl, combine water and vanilla; add to flour-butter mixture, stirring until dough holds shape when pressed together.

2. Press pastry dough evenly in bottom and up sides of 9-inch tart pan.  Place in freezer at least 30 minutes.

3. Heat oven to 375F.  Bake crust, uncovered, 15 minutes.  Check crust; if beginning to bubble, gently prick bubbles.  Bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

4. Remove crust from oven; cool until ready to fill.

5. In heavy medium saucepan, stir together 1 cup sugar and corn syrup.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  As sugar begins to melt, swirl saucepan gently to combine sugar and syrup.  Continue to cook until mixture begins to caramelize.

Watch carefully; if necessary, remove saucepan from heat occasionally to stop cooking.   When caramel reaches rich golden brown color, remove from heat.  Carefully add 1/2 cup butter and cream.  Return to heat; stir until mixture is smooth and butter is melted.

6. Pour caramel into large bowl.  Stir in pecans, almonds, and cranberries.  Pour into baked crust, evenly distributing nuts and berries.  Sprinkle chocolate over top.  Refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.  Serve chilled as caramel will soften at room temperature.

TIP: To toast pecans and almonds, spread on baking sheet; bake at 375F for 5 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown.

Literate Baker notes:  I used dried cherries in place of the cranberries, because I love them even more.  I also used milk chocolate because I was sharing this with a milk chocolate lover and because I had leftover chocolate bars from Halloween.  Oh, and I also threw 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt into the caramel, because that's how I roll. 

This tart is crazy rich.  It is saved from being too sweet by the buttery crust and, in my opinion, a touch of salt in the caramel.  Unlike pies at tarts with a more liquid filling, it keeps very nicely in the fridge for days.  I mean, if it lasts that long.  The possibilities for mixing and matching nuts and fruits and chocolate make this definitely one to keep, and one to...

Keep it sweet.

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