homestyle apple plum crisp

Apple crisp (or crumble, whatever you want to call it) is one of those good ‘ol classic desserts that always hits the spot. I love it come fall and winter, served warm with spicy notes of cinnamon and streusel topping. It’s super tasty alone, but even better topped with some vanilla bean gelato! Some apples, like Honeycrisp, Pink Lady & Fuji, are better for eating thanks to their crisp, sweet bite. Others, like Macintosh & Braeburn, are better for cooking, and get nicely stewed in a crisp. I like using a variety of apples for layers of flavor and texture that can’t be beat! This time I also decided to throw in some gorgeous, seasonal plums that I had on hand. Perfect combo! Don’t forget about crisps and crumbles during spring and summer- by switching up the fruit, you can enjoy a delicious bowl of goodness year-round!

Homestyle Apple Plum Crisp:

Fruit Filling:

  • 2 pounds apples (I like any combo of Macintosh, Granny Smith, Cortland, Braeburn & Fuji)

  • 1 pound plums

  • 1 lemon, zested & juiced

  • 1/3 cup cane sugar

  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg

  • 2 tbsp cornstarch

Crumble Topping:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats

  • 1 cup pecans, chopped

  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt

  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

  • vanilla bean ice cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 F, and butter a large baking dish (9x13 or 2 qt oval). Peel, core & cut apples into 1/4-inch slices, and place into a large bowl. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cornstarch, and mix to combine. Pour apples into baking dish.

For the topping, add the flour, oats, pecans, cinnamon, salt, and sugars in a large bowl and stir well with a wooden spoon. Work the butter into the mixture with your fingertips until evenly distributed (you may also use a stand mixer if you prefer). Spread the streusel topping mixture evenly over the apples. Bake the crisp in the dish on a baking sheet on the center oven rack until the topping is crunchy and the apples are bubbling, about 55-60 minutes. Best served warm, topped with vanilla bean ice cream.

*Adapted from Sit & Stay Awhile Apple Crisp by Joy the Baker and Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp by Ina Garten.

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mini speculoos pumpkin tarts with candied pepitas

I love all things seasonal, and therefore I love all things pumpkin! I will admit, however, that pumpkin pie can be a bit mundane at times.  I love to spruce it up by adding more textures and flavors, both in the crust as well as toppings. Speculoos (aka Biscoff) cookies make for a much more exciting crust than traditional dough in my opinion- I’m obsessed with their spicy flavor! I also prefer a high crust to filling ratio, so it’s not like you’re just eating a bowl of custard. Candied ginger adds a nice zingy complement to the creamy pumpkin filling, and candied pepitas top these babies off with the perfect crunch! By making them in individual tart shells (mine are technically crème brûlée dishes), everyone gets their own mini pie, and you don’t have to worry about the crust crumbling when trying to remove it from the dish. Just grab a spoon and dig in! I got to bake these with one of my fave bloggers, Camille Styles, when she was in town from my home state of Texas. We had such a blast and now I’m super pumped for all things holiday! If you’re still looking for the perfect Thanksgiving dessert, these tarts would be the perfect addition to your dinner table! Be sure to check out the feature on her blog as well! Enjoy :)

Mini Speculoos Pumpkin Tarts with Candied Pepitas:

Crust:

  • 12 oz. Speculoos or Biscoff cookies

  • 1 tbsp brown sugar

  • 1/2 tsp salt   

  • 1/2 cup butter, melted  

Pie: 

  • 1 can pumpkin puree

  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed

  • 1/4 cup cane sugar

  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

  • 1 tsp ground ginger

  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

  • 1/8 tsp ground allspice

  • 1/4 tsp salt

  • 1 can coconut milk

  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature

  • 1/2 cup candied pepitas (pumpkin seeds), for topping

  • 1/2 cup candied ginger, for topping

  • whipped cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 350°. Process cookies in food processor until fully crumbled. Add coconut oil and pulse until well combined, then spread the mixture evenly among the tart shells, making sure to push some up the sides as well. It should be nice and thick! Place tarts shells on a baking sheet, then bake for about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine pumpkin, both sugars, spices, and salt, and cook for about 5 minutes until thick and smooth. Remove from heat, and add coconut milk and eggs, whisking until fully incorporated. Allow mixture to cool for a few minutes. Pour pumpkin mixture into prepared tart shells. Bake at 350° for about 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from baking sheet and cool completely on wire rack. Top with candied pepitas and ginger, and serve with whipped cream. Enjoy immediately or chilled.

*To make this dairy-free, sub coconut oil for the butter in the crust, and serve with whipped coconut cream.

All photos by Kristen Kilpatrick for Camille Styles. Check out the feature and recipe on her site as well!

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lodge bread co.

I'll just come right out and say it- I'm obsessed with Lodge Bread Company. This bakery and café in west LA focuses on whole grain sourdough bread baking, freshly milled flours, and wood-fired pizzas, and truly impresses in all ways, if you ask me. Every day, Lodge Bread churns out some seriously delish and hearty bread, unique pastries, and both Neapolitan & pan pizzas, not to mention some tasty wood-fired veggie dishes as well. It's truly everything I want in a meal- carbs and sweets! I'd been eyeing the (gigantic!) sourdough cinnamon roll ever since I first saw it on Instagram, and finally indulged on my most recent visit. It's not overly sweet, thanks to a lighter, whipped frosting and that hearty whole grain sourdough, but utterly delicious with the perfect amount of cinnamon flavor! Next on my must-try list is the babka!

I've now gotten to try a good variety of things from the menu, and have yet to be disappointed. Upon first entering the bakery, after checking out the bakers handling the dough with such care , you'll find the beautiful array of pastries baked fresh that day. I highly recommend trying a couple (or five). Other than the cinnamon roll, the pine nut blondie and the carrot olive oil cake are to die for! The wood-fired cauliflower with pickled raisins & chermoula is just bursting with flavor, as are the roasted beets with chicories, cara cara oranges, labne & pepitas. You can't come to Lodge without ordering pizza. Trust me, just do it. My pan pizza was thick and chewy, almost like a slightly crusty sourdough focaccia, piled high with roasted veggies. Our sweet pea pie was the perfect seasonal treat, topped with snap peas, pea tendrils, green garlic & ricotta! I'm now drooling again just thinking about this meal, so looks like a return trip is in my very near future!

dark ginger rye cake with yogurt & honey

 
 

I'm typically in charge of dessert for my family's holiday dinner, a task I take on with joy. There's always plenty of cookies around from the cookie exchanges my mom attends, so I wanted to do something a bit different. After a bit of browsing and research, I came across this Dark Ginger Rye Cake with Yogurt and Honey by Andrew Tarlow in Bon Appetit. I absolutely love the warming and comforting flavors of molasses, ginger, and cinnamon, and was intrigued by the addition of rye flour. I made a couple of changes, INCLUDING Using a dollop of honeyed yogurt as the topping adds the perfect balance, and keeps things from getting too sweet. Because of that, this moist cake works equally as well as a breakfast or brunch cake. I love the rustic nature of the cake, so feel free to break it into pieces rather than slicing if you prefer. Regardless of when or how it's served, it's sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Get the recipe here! 

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chewy molasses ginger cookies

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These are a winter favorite in my house! Or I guess just with me, as my husband isn't a big fan of molasses (his loss). Either way, I love the warming, comforting flavors of molasses, cinnamon, and ginger. Like most cookies, I tend to under-bake them just a tad, since they will continue to cook after being removed from the oven. These just scream "holidays" to me, and are also a crowd-pleasing treat to bake for any cookie exchange you might be attending this season! Enjoy!

Chewy Molasses Ginger Cookies:

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed

  • 1 large egg

  • 1/4 cup molasses

  • 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

  • 2 tsp baking soda

  • 1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

  • 1 tsp ground ginger

  • 1/2 tsp ground cardamom

  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves

  • 1/8 tsp ground all spice

  • 1/4 tsp salt

  • 1/4 cup turbinado sugar, for coating

  • optional mix-in: 1/2 cup candied ginger, dark chocolate, pumpkin purée

Preheat oven to 375 F. Cream butter and both sugars together in bowl of stand mixer until fluffy. Add in egg and molasses, and mix well. Gradually add all dry ingredients, mixing to combine. Fold in optional mix-ins, if desired. Chill dough for at least one hour. Put remaining sugar in a small bowl. Roll dough into balls, dip into sugar, and place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to let cool completely. Makes about 32 cookies, just under 1 oz. each.

*Can be made vegan by substituting a flax "egg" for egg, and coconut oil for butter.

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meyer's bageri

 

Meyer's Bageri is a cute little Danish bakery in Williamsburg that turns out some truly delectable baked goods. Danish culinary entrepreneur Claus Meyer is behind it, along with new restaurant Agern and Great Northern Food Hall in Grand Central Terminal. Although the bakery started as just a pop-up, their popularity soon became clear, and Meyer's returned as a full-time brick and mortar a few months later. They offer several traditional Danish pastries like kanelsnurre (cinnamon swirl buns), spandauer (round puff pastries with fillings), and tebirkes (poppy seed danishes), and also bake hearty loaves of bread daily. Ølandbrød, a native speciality made from heirloom whole wheat flour which they will mill in house, is a definite must-try. 

I'm a huge cinnamon-lover, so my order always involves kanelsnurre. The morning buns, marbled with rye and topped with sunflower seeds, are chewy and delicious as well, and even better topped with avocado or hummus. On another trip I got to try the beet & cassis muffin and raspberry pop tart. These creative takes on classics blew me away- the muffin was slightly earthy and not too sweet, with a moist crumb and crunchy streusel topping, while the pop tart had a perfectly flaky crust. I'm excited to return soon to devour the new, seasonal danish: pumpkin spice spandauer with brown butter glaze and pepita brittle! Yum!