coconut sugar – Wait…are those…cookies?!

March 12, 2023

Fancy-sounding french pastries for casual weekends

Woah woah look at me go! Another post in less than a month! On a ROLL.

I have wanted to make a gâteau basque for ages, but kept forgetting to actually make one when it came time to bake something. I’m so glad I fixed that…. these are delicious. Called a cake but in reality more like a cookie/tart/jammy pastry, it’s essentially two layers of pastry dough sandwiching a jam or pastry cream filling. They are from the southwestern Basque region in France and gained popularity in the 18th century.

I did modify mine somewhat, so it’s not completely traditional – mostly because I wanted to use things I had at home and avoid a trip to the market, but also because I like to keep things refined sugar free when at all possible.

So, that being said, this is not exactly a traditional gâteau basque, but it IS delicious. I filled mine with fig preserves (more fruit than anything else) instead of the more traditional black cherry jam or pastry cream. I love pastry cream but was feeling lazy so that is for next time (believe me, there will be a next time).

I also happened to have that jar of fig preserves kicking around so this seemed like a good place to use it. This also means that I made what is essentially a giant fig newton! I’m not mad about it though, I loved those growing up and this tastes like an exceptionally better version. While I’m on the metaphors here, it could also be likened to a large, fancy pop tart?

The pastry is crumbly but sturdy, as these are made to be eaten by hand. I added a little almond flour to mine, another departure from tradition, but I like the consistency. This is another one of those pastries that sounds ver ver fancy but is so easy to make, especially in a stand mixer (which I did use, and would recommend if you have one).

Extremely excellent with coffee. I also tried it with ice cream – you know, for SCIENCE – and can confirm that is also an exceptional way to eat it. Especially in lieu of pastry cream.

Let’s see, what else is new… In non baking news, I’ve been trying to make one new savory dinner thing a week, to get myself out of my usual dinner cooking rut. It’s mostly working I think, I have discovered a few new things that are very good, including adding chile crisp to my stir fry sauce and also doing a chile crisp baked tofu.

In recent plant news, Bert the Bird has been going ape and has put out several new leaves! Always an exciting event in my household.

Hopefully everyone is recovering from the time change… go and make yourself something delicious to make up for that lost hour. Happy March!

Gâteau Basque

Lightly sweet, crumbly, shortbready pastry sandwiching a jammy filling. Perfect to eat out of hand with a cup of coffee. Yield: one 8″ pastry; serves several. Whole grain, refined sugar free. Lightly adapted from Dorie Greenspan/NYT Cooking, here.

What you need:

1.75 c whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 c almond flour, packed
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 c +2 tbsp unsalted butter (1¼ sticks), at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
1/4c coconut sugar
scant 1/4c cane sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup fig butter/fig preserves
1 egg, beaten with a splash of cold water, for glazing

What you do:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, almond flour, baking powder and salt. Working with a mixer (use a paddle attachment if you have one), beat together the butter and both sugars on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, and beat for another 2 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla; the mixture should be smooth. Add the flour mixture all at once, then pulse the mixer to begin incorporating it. Mix on low until blended. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather into a ball, then divide in half.

Shape each piece into a disk — the dough will be sticky — and put each between sheets of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll each piece into a round just a bit wider than 8″. Keeping the dough sandwiched between the parchment, refrigerate for at least 3 hours (or for up to 3 days).

When you’re ready to bake, center a rack in the oven, and heat to 350 degrees. Generously butter an 8-inch-by-2-inch round cake pan. Remove the dough from the fridge, and leave on the counter until pliable, about 10 minutes. Peel away the paper.

Fit one round into the pan; if it breaks (mine definitely did), just press the pieces together. This isn’t really an exercise in perfection – mine was very uneven. Either fold the extra dough over and onto the base or trim it. Spread about ¾ cup of the jam over the base, leaving a 1-inch border bare and adding more jam, if needed.

Top with the second piece of dough, lightly pressing down around the edges and, if you can, tucking the dough under a bit. Again, it doesn’t have to be perfect; the dough is soft, and as Dorie says, the layers fuse in the oven like magic.

Brush the top with the egg wash, and use the tines of a fork to etch a crosshatch pattern.

Bake the cake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Transfer to a rack, and let rest for 5 minutes, then carefully run a table knife around the edge of the cake. Unmold onto the rack, and then quickly and carefully turn the cake over onto another rack, crosshatch side up, so that it can cool to room temperature. Wrapped well, the cake will keep for 2 days at room temperature.

January 16, 2021

On a roll

Hi friends!

It’s beautiful in the City today – I took a hike out to the bluffs overlooking the golden gate above Marshall beach and played hide and seek with Goldie and Karl. It was a supremely lovely way to spend a few solo hours.

Karl seems to have followed me home too, he’s lurking just over the Lone Mountain ridge where it drops down into the inner Richmond. I LOVE fog. Just in case there was the slightest bit of doubt that I don’t love the crap out of this city… fear not.

Also today I made these apple, date & walnut cinnarolls! Highly recommend if you’re like me and love a good cinnamon roll but not the usual gut bomb nature of them. Not to say that these are health food pe se, but they have a much lighter profile than standard cinnamon rolls – without sacrificing any of the things we love about them.

These are whole grain & refined sugar free (could easily be vegan/dairy free; see recipe notes) – they’re cute and fluffy and “frosted” (let’s use that term loosely) with straight coconut butter.

I love them for breakfast or dessert and all the snacks in between – arguably they make a great snack since they’ve got all the things: protein, whole grain carbs, healthy fats etc etc…. but I leave that up to you.

Happy weekend, friends! I hope it’s treating you well.

Apple, Walnut & Date Cinnarolls

Whole grain & refined sugar free; easily dairy/vegan – see notes below. Yield: ~10 rolls. Adapted from this recipe.

For the dough:
1.5 c + 1.5-2.5c whole wheat pastry flour, divided
1/2 c + 1/4c almond flour, divided
2 1/4 teaspoon (.25oz packet) rapid rise or instant yeast
1 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup warm oat/almond/milk of choice (approximately 110º F – I used whole milk)
1/2 cup warm water (approximately 110º F)
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract

For the filling:
3 small apples, peeled & diced
6-7 medjool dates, diced
1/4 c chopped walnuts
1 tsp cinnamon, divided
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 c butter (use coconut oil or plant-based butter for vegan/dairy free), melted
3 tbsp coconut sugar

For the frosting:
1/4 c coconut butter, melted

In a small saucepan over medium heat, saute apples and dates in butter or coconut oil for 1-2 minutes. Add a splash of water and cover, simmering until the apples are just soft. Stir in 1/2 tsp cinnamon, walnuts, and vanilla, and remove from heat. Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together 1.5 c whole wheat flour and 1/2 c almond flour, plus yeast and salt. Add in warm milk, water, olive oil, and extracts, and stir until smooth. Knead in the remaining whole wheat & almond flours a little at a time (you may not use all the whole wheat listed; I usually don’t) – I add it about 1/2 c at a time; you want to be careful not to add too much, or the dough will be tough. It will gradually get less sticky and form a soft dough; a photo of mine is below. You’ll be able to pick it up without much stickiness but it should still feel soft. You might use more or less of the additional flour – go with your gut! Cover and set aside for 5 minutes.

Once the dough has rested, grease a dish of choice – I use a 9″ pie dish but I’ve also done this in a 9×9 square pan – basically, you just want these guys to sit snuggly up against one another. Roll out the dough into a rectangle and brush with melted butter. Sprinkle evenly with the coconut sugar, followed by the remaining cinnamon. Spread the sauteed apples/dates/walnuts evenly over the dough, right up to the edges. Starting at the long edge, roll the dough up tightly into a log. I like to cut it with dental floss – it cuts SUPER cleanly and doesn’t squash the rolls, but you can use a knife or a bench scraper if you like those instead. If you’re using floss, scootch the floss underneath the roll, cross the ends and pull tight to cut through the roll. Set the cut rolls into the prepared pan, cover and let rise somewhere warm for 30 min.

Once they’ve sat for 30 min, preheat the oven to 350, and bake for 25-30 minutes until lightly browned. Remove and let cool a bit before frosting – which is literally as easy as drizzling melted coconut butter on them. Slice and serve!

Leftovers keep well covered on the counter or in the fridge overnight; reheat before serving.

April 6, 2019

Wait, cookies?!

fullsizeoutput_2402

I guess it’s about time I put up another cookie post, given the name of this blog… besides which, one of these is the reigning favorite cookie in this household, so it deserves another turn in the spotlight I think.

fullsizeoutput_23f8

The other – the tahini one – is a new-to-me recipe, adapted, because ofc I can’t leave any recipes alone and I *always* add vanilla and cut the sweetener!

fullsizeoutput_23f6

Since ‘come to the dark side, I have cookies’ is such a thing too, I got to play with my Death Star plate, courtesy of Chelsea! This thing cracks me up.

fullsizeoutput_2401

fullsizeoutput_23fb

^moody, rainy day cookies

fullsizeoutput_23ff

The hills are so GREEN!!! I just can’t get enough of them – I grew up in California and have spent nearly all of my adult life here (actually, I’m a fifth generation Californian, wooooo baby) and even so, I am just in awe of how beautiful the green is. All I want to do is go run around the ridges! So I did just that, last weekend between the rains. It was a little muddy in spots but totally worth it.

3D00E233-3005-46F1-97F8-074B2408C10F

fullsizeoutput_23d2

fullsizeoutput_23c8

fullsizeoutput_23df

I’m keeping it short today – busy but awesome weekend with fave human, old & new friends, and relaxation.

Happy April!

fullsizeoutput_23fa

Favorite Oaty Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

A Wait are those Cookies original – the reigning favorite for C and I! We’re obsessed, sorry not sorry! Yield: around 12, if you make them large, or 16 if they’re smaller. These keep fabulously in the fridge – I love them straight out of the fridge, but you can totally leave them on the counter too. Refined sugar free & dairy free w/ a gluten free & vegan option.

1 c almond flour
1 c rolled oats
1/2 c shredded coconut
1 c whole wheat pastry flour (or 1/2 c brown rice flour for gluten free)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
Flax egg or regular egg* (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water; let gel for 5 min)
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 c melted coconut oil
1/4 c maple
Chopped dark chocolate

*I have made these both ways and actually prefer the flax egg – that way, they’re also vegan if you require that!

These are incredibly forgiving. Preheat the oven to 350. Toss all the dry ingredients in a big bowl & stir. Add coconut, maple, vanilla & flax egg, and stir that… then add chocolate & form into little balls. Flatten them slightly, and bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for ~12 min. They will bake longer if using brown rice flour – start checking at 12, but they can go for up to 20. They should have a slight give when you push on the tops, but not too soft.
Remove and let cool for a few on the cookie sheet, then move to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store them in the fridge if you like them extra chewy!

Variation: add a scant tbsp of finely chopped rosemary

Salted Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Gluten free, refined sugar free, dairy free. Yield: 10-12 smallish cookies. Nutty and not too sweet! Adapted from Tasting Table, here. I used chocolate chips because that’s what I had on hand – feel free to chop a chocolate bar instead, I’m sure it would be divine!

1 large egg
1/2 cup tahini
1/2 cup blanched almond flour
1/4 cup coconut sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
roughly chopped chocolate or chippies
~1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt

These are cookies, so they’re easy! Preheat the oven to 350, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, stir everything together except for the sea salt, making sure you don’t end up with clumps of anything in particular. The dough will be really sticky – totally fine. Stir in the chocolate chips. Roll the dough into balls, flatten slightly, and sprinkle with a bit of sea salt. Bake for ~10 minutes, until the tops are just slightly firm and lightly brown. Remove and let cool for a few, then move to a cooling rack to cool completely – they’re fragile when warm. Store in the fridge.

fullsizeoutput_23f5

April 5, 2018

Time to get our rhubarb on!

fullsizeoutput_1548

Hello hello!

fullsizeoutput_1544

I have one of my favorite spring combinations for you today – rhubarb and blood orange! I dug myself out from a very busy work week for a midweek baking reprieve (who cares if I have to bake at 6am as long as I can bake?!), which was lovely and relaxing.

fullsizeoutput_1532

Both rhubarb and blood oranges seem to have relatively short-ish seasons when I can readily find them in the market, and they really only overlap for a hot minute, so I had to take advantage while I could.

fullsizeoutput_1542

So glad I did – we both love tart things so this was right up our collective alley. Highly recommended if you’re a fan of rhubarb and citrus, or if you just generally love pretty and colorful desserts!

fullsizeoutput_154e

fullsizeoutput_154f

We thought this looked rather like a polynesian color scheme – I just LOVE the colors! So bright and spring-y. If I hadn’t made banana cake for Easter, this would have been a solid bet.

fullsizeoutput_1537

And of course it goes without saying that it does double duty for both dessert and breakfast – enter the obligatory eggs & kale picture! I have to say, it made a magnificent addition to breakfast. Then again, I also love it with ice cream for dessert, so it’s hard to pick favorites.

fullsizeoutput_1554

It comes together in a relative snap – both the crust and the frangipane are made in the food processor, and I almost always make them the day before so that all I have to do day-of is fruit slicing and assembly + baking. Pro tip: you don’t even have to clean the food processor between making the dough and the frangipane, because they use nearly the same ingredients! Win win because really – who wants to clean a food processor more than you have to?

In other news, my yard is flowering – See photo evidence below! :)

fullsizeoutput_1541

Happy Spring! Go get that spring produce before it becomes hard to find!

fullsizeoutput_1552

Rhubarb and Blood Orange Galette with Blood Orange and Almond Frangipane

Grain free, gluten free, and refined sugar free. Yield: 1 galette. Serves: 2-8. A Wait are Those Cookies original!

For the galette dough:

1.5 c almond flour (not meal; you want the finer flour variety)
1/2 c tapioca flour
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
6 tbsp salted butter, chopped (or ghee)
1 egg
1 tbsp vanilla extract

In a food processor or high-power blender (I used a food processor), pulse almond flour, tapioca starch, salt, and butter to combine until it looks like coarse meal. Add in egg and vanilla extract and pulse just until combined. Turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap, shape into a disk and chill in the fridge for at least an hour, or up to overnight.

For the galette filling:

2 blood oranges, sliced
4-5 stalks of rhubarb, cut into chunks
a bit of coconut sugar for sprinkling
beaten egg, for egg wash

For the blood orange frangipane

zest of two blood oranges
scant 1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 c almond butter (mine was roasted unsalted)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract

Blend everything in a food processor or high powered blender until smooth. Can be made ahead and stored overnight in the fridge if needed.

Once the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 375. Roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment paper, keeping the circle to about 1/4″ thickness. Peel off the top piece of parchment, and slide the rolled out dough on its parchment onto a baking sheet. Top with the frangipane, spreading it carefully in order to not rip or crack the dough. Add rhubarb and sliced oranges, in whatever pattern you like! Sprinkle with a little coconut sugar. Begin folding up the sides, creasing them together as you go – if the dough is cracking, that’s okay (you can crimp the cracks back together; remember: galettes are forgiving and rustic!); you can use the bottom piece of parchment to help fold up the sides. Brush the edges of the dough with the beaten egg and sprinkle a little coconut sugar around the sides. Bake for 35-40 minutes until edges are golden brown — mine came out just fine at 35 minutes, so check accordingly.

Let cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then carefully slide the whole galette onto a cooling rack to let it cool completely. Serve with your fave ice cream or whatever of choice! Keeps well covered in foil overnight in the fridge – I leave it at room temperature until serving.

fullsizeoutput_1534

fullsizeoutput_154e

February 15, 2018

Happiness is jewel-hued citrus

fullsizeoutput_1325

We bucked the Valentine’s Day trend with something that ISN’T chocolate! Isn’t that a novel idea?! Also, that chocolate banana cake last week kind of put us (temporarily) over the chocolate edge, so a little break didn’t come amiss.

fullsizeoutput_1329

Besides that, the citrus situation right now is beyond awesome – blood oranges are beautiful! I love them – they’re remind me of mother nature’s version of stained glass.

fullsizeoutput_1343

This galette was so satisfying to make, purely from indulging in the beautiful, jewel-toned citrus slices and their range of colors. I probably took an excessive amount of photos but I just couldn’t help it. Too pretty!

fullsizeoutput_1351

I used a combination of blood orange, cara cara orange, and a small grapefruit, but you could really use whatever floats your boat! No hard and fast rules for this one, other than it’s generally delicious and makes a great breakfast.

fullsizeoutput_1367

Grain free, gluten free, refined sugar free and pretty much paleo (depending on your personal paleo rules ofc). Super sturdy: you can fly wedges around like star destroyers, ha! I couldn’t decide whether I preferred this for dessert with ice cream or for breakfast – it really shines both ways.

fullsizeoutput_1342

fullsizeoutput_1326

Let’s see what else is new. I did some hiking over the weekend on the ridges and had some beautiful weather.

fullsizeoutput_135c

If you get a three day weekend this weekend, maybe treat yourself to some galette! Ours didn’t last long… there was really only about one (large) slice left after the dessert & breakfast shenanigans. Not sorry!

fullsizeoutput_134e

Happy February! Go forth, enjoy the citrus season!

fullsizeoutput_1364

fullsizeoutput_1337

Citrus Galette with Walnut Frangipane

Grain & gluten free, refined sugar free, paleoish. The crust is one I’ve used many many times on here – it’s my go-to galette crust when I want to stay gluten and grain free. Use whatever combination of citrus you like – I ended up with one small grapefruit, 3 blood oranges and two cara cara oranges, plus some meyer lemon zest. The walnut frangipane is a snap in the food processor (actually, you don’t even need to clean out the food processor all that much between dough and frangipane, so that’s a win) and adds a nutty sweetness to complement the citrus. Perfect for winter dessert or breakfast, or both! Yield: 1 galette, serves 2-6.

fullsizeoutput_1319

For the galette dough

1.5 c almond flour (not meal; you want the finer flour variety)
1/2 c tapioca flour
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
6 tbsp salted butter, chopped (or ghee)
1 egg
1 tbsp vanilla extract

For the galette filling

3 blood oranges
2 cara cara oranges
1 small grapefruit
zest of 1 meyer lemon
*Use whatever floats your boat and fits your dough here! There are no hard and fast rules for this galette.

For the frangipane

scant 1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/4 c almond butter (mine was roasted unsalted)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Blend everything in a food processor or high powered blender until smooth. Can be made ahead and stored overnight in the fridge if needed.

For finishing

1 egg, beaten
1-2 tbsp coconut sugar, for sprinkling

Once the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 375. Roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment paper, keeping the circle to about 1/4″ thickness. Peel off the top piece of parchment, and slide the rolled out dough on its parchment onto a baking sheet. Top with the frangipane, spreading it carefully in order to not rip or crack the dough. Add sliced citrus, in whatever pattern you like! Begin folding up the sides, creasing them together as you go – if the dough is cracking, that’s okay (you can crimp the cracks back together; remember: galettes are forgiving and rustic!); you can use the bottom piece of parchment to help fold up the sides. Brush the edges of the dough with the beaten egg and sprinkle the whole thing with a little coconut sugar. Bake for 35-40 minutes until edges are golden brown — mine came out just fine at 35 minutes, so check accordingly.

Let cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then carefully slide the whole galette onto a cooling rack to let it cool completely. Serve with your fave ice cream or whatever of choice! Keeps well covered in foil on the counter; mine didn’t last longer than about 2 days so I can vouch for it at least that long!

fullsizeoutput_1359

fullsizeoutput_1321

fullsizeoutput_134c

January 27, 2018

Galettes: perfect breakfast food

Hello hello!

fullsizeoutput_1299

I have galette for you today, which I must say makes excellent breakfast. You can also fly wedges around like they’re star destroyers, not like I did that or anything, ahem.

fullsizeoutput_129d

This comes together really quickly – the caramel can be made up to a week in advance, and the dough does best if left to hang in the fridge overnight, so all that really needs to happen day-of is apple slicing & assembly.

fullsizeoutput_129c

It also makes your kitchen smell amazing – I can attest (the benefits of living in a studio apartment: when you bake something, the entire apartment smells delicious).

fullsizeoutput_1294

Let’s see, what else has been going on… I’ve made a lot of cookies lately, so perhaps I will eventually post that recipe here. More drawing, of course!

fullsizeoutput_129f

This galette is perfect for a light dessert with ice cream – it’s naturally not overly sweet (who am I kidding; nothing I make ever is!), and the apples make a nice contrast to the spices in the caramel. Grain free, gluten free and refined sugar free, so everyone can get in on the fun! Mostly paleo too, and could even be more so with the use of ghee in the crust.

fullsizeoutput_1295

fullsizeoutput_128c

Our professional opinion is that while it is undeniably delicious for dessert, it really shines for breakfast – it’s a perfect breakfast-pastry consistency and who doesn’t like wedges of this alongside coffee? Right. Exactly.

fullsizeoutput_12a1

My advice is to make and eat galette with those you love – it tastes better that way! And of course save some for breakfast ;)

fullsizeoutput_128e

Apple Chai Caramel Galette

Grain free, gluten free, refined sugar free, paleo. Probably could be lactose free no problem – just swap the butter in the crust for ghee or coconut oil. Lightly sweet, chai spiced caramel and tart apples – perfect for dessert with some ice cream or straight wedges for breakfast. Yield: 1 galette, serves 2-6 :)

For the caramel:
1 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon sea salt, to taste
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1.5 tablespoons ghee (butter or coconut oil would also work)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Add the coconut milk, coconut sugar, pure maple syrup, and spices to a medium saucepan and whisk over medium-high heat. Bring mixture to a full boil, then reduce the heat slightly to allow the mixture to continue to cook at a managed boil. Whisk frequently/constantly to avoid the coconut milk from separating or clumping up. Cook and whisk until caramel has thickened slightly and has reduced to one half – one third of its original volume, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the salt, ghee, and vanilla extract. Let cool to room temperature – it will thicken a bit more as it cools (though mine is still on the runnier side of all things caramel – the longer it sits in the fridge, the thicker it gets).
Store in a glass jar and refrigerate until ready to use. Caramel can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. I usually make it ahead and let it hang in the fridge for a few days, which lessens prep work day-of anyway.

For the galette dough:

1.5 c almond flour (not meal; you want the finer flour variety)
1/2 c tapioca flour
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
6 tbsp salted butter, chopped (or ghee)
1 egg
1 tbsp vanilla extract

For the filling:
3-4 baking apples (I used granny smith), sliced
2 tbsp chai caramel, from above
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 tsp tapioca starch
2 tsp coconut sugar

For assembly:
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp coconut sugar
extra caramel, for serving & drizzling!

Once the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 375. In a large bowl, toss apples with 2 tbsp chai caramel, lemon juice, cinnamon, vanilla, tapioca starch and coconut sugar. Set aside.

Roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment paper, keeping the circle to about 1/4″ thickness. Peel off the top piece of parchment, and slide the rolled out dough on its parchment onto a baking sheet.

Add sliced apples, in whatever pattern you like! Begin folding up the sides, creasing them together as you go – if the dough is cracking, that’s okay (you can crimp the cracks back together; remember: galettes are forgiving and rustic!); you can use the bottom piece of parchment to help fold up the sides. Brush the edges of the dough with the beaten egg and sprinkle a little coconut sugar around the sides. Dot with butter. Bake for 35-40 minutes until edges are golden brown — mine came out just fine at 37 minutes, so check accordingly. Let cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then carefully slide the whole galette onto a cooling rack to let it cool completely (it’s fine to leave it on the parchment paper on the cooling rack, I don’t find that it makes it soggy). Serve with extra caramel drizzle & your fave ice cream or whatever of choice! Keeps well covered in foil on the counter for a day or in the fridge overnight; mine didn’t last longer than about 2 days so I can vouch for it at least that long!

fullsizeoutput_1298

October 17, 2017October 17, 2017

Pie in the sky(line)!

I’ve discovered in the last year that I really love making fancy pies! That’s probably fairly obvious to anyone who reads this on a semi-regular basis — I’m still dreaming of one day starting a pie/dessert business – we shall see!

21875573_10155821747858982_132222487_o

This is a start at least – to benefit the Lamplighters at their annual Champagne Gala auction, I made pie! Excited to report that it went for $45 — not too shabby! Besides, it was such a joy to make and to help benefit a group I love — everyone is just winning all around :)

This one is an ode to my beloved Bay Area – despite all its issues (traffic and ridiculous cost of living, to name a couple), there is nowhere I would rather live. Besides, since the Lamps are based in SF, it was a fitting auction contribution.

The recipe is the same I’ve made before; namely the Death Star pie (here) – I find wild blueberries are optimal for decorative pies, since the small berries don’t create distortions in the top crust like chunkier things do (think blackberries, rhubarb, and apples). Plus, they look like night sky, AND they’re delicious – what’s not to like. This pie was refined sugar free and whole wheat.

I’m excited for so many top crust ideas – since I draw my own templates, the options are endless! Watch this space for further pie shenanigans ;)

September 7, 2017

Sometimes dessert is just messy and comical

BEWARE THE BLOB!

I had to laugh when I took this out of the oven. I’m not sure if it was due to the humidity or what, but when I made cream biscuits this time, instead of staying all nice and biscuit-y shaped, they all just decided to merge and become… the BLOB!

You can kind of see the divisions between the biscuits (there are technically 8 of them), but I still cracked myself up when I took it out. Not to mention the very red berry juice making its escape over the sides…

Add to that the explosion of berry juice that occurred in my oven – thank heavens for precautionary foil; I only had one really (quite large) entrepreneurial drip escape its confines and end up on the oven floor – this is one of those desserts that definitely tastes better than it looks! Although if you’re going for comic value… well…

Also not helped by some odd overcast light this morning when I was trying to photograph before running off to the office.. sorry for the slightly off photos. If I promise it’s delicious, will you believe me?! I wouldn’t virtually feed you subpar food, promise.

Regardless of what it looks like, this cobbler is a great excuse for using up the last of summer berries – no more white shoes for you! It’s after Labor Day! Not that I really ever follow that rule, or even own white dress shoes…

A few things from late-summer life lately:

Anyway. You really don’t need an excuse to make cobbler, so what are you waiting for? Go create a blob of your very own! But… don’t say I didn’t warn you…. BEWARE THE BLOB!

Hehe.

Summer Berry Cobbler with Meyer Lemon Cream Biscuits

Lightly sweet and (barely) naturally sweetened, and perfect for showcasing the last of summer’s berries. Strawberries, blackberries and raspberries play perfectly with meyer lemon, present both in the filling and in the cream biscuits. Whole grain and refined sugar free. Adapted from the rhubarb ginger mint cobbler I made awhile back, here. Yield: 1 9″ cobbler; serves… several. Or two. Your call!

For the filling:

4 c strawberries, quartered (unless they’re really small, in which case halved is fine)*
~1 c mixed blackberries & raspberries**
zest of 1 meyer lemon
juice of 1 meyer lemon
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c arrowroot starch

*Basically, you want as much fruit as you need to fill your pan of choice. This about does it for me in my 9″ pie plate; I need a larger dish though since mine totally overflowed this time… whoops

**I bake straight from frozen (usually I buy mine when on sale & freeze them for later); fresh would also be fine

For the cobbler topping:

1 c whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 c whole grain spelt flour
zest of 2 meyer lemons
2 tbsp meyer lemon juice
2 tsp coconut sugar + a little extra for brushing the biscuit tops
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 c heavy cream (I prefer Straus because… it’s the best!), divided + a little extra for brushing the biscuit tops

Preheat the oven to 375, and grab a 9″ pie dish (or an 8 by 8 pan would be fine too I’m sure; so would a cast iron skillet if you’d rather) Just make sure whatever you use is deep enough! Not that I speak from experience…. Stick some foil on the rack below the rack on which you’ll bake the cobbler, just in case of drips.

In a large bowl, toss together strawberries, raspberries & blackberries, maple syrup, arrowroot, lemon juice & zest, and vanilla. Let sit for at least 5 minutes — easiest to do this while you put together the cream biscuit for the cobbler topping.

For the cream biscuits: in a large bowl, stir together whole wheat and spelt flours, lemon zest, coconut sugar, baking powder and sea salt. Stir in the heavy cream and lemon juice until combined – the dough will be sticky & rather wet (but DELICIOUS). Spoon large dollops of dough onto the top of the cobbler – I used a large spoon and got about 8 biscuits; you can make them smaller if you like! Brush with a bit of extra cream and sprinkle with coconut sugar. Mine obviously all became one big blob, but whatever. Delicious.

Bake for 45-55 minutes, until the cobbler is beginning to go golden around the edges, and the fruit is bubbling (or the juices runneth over…). A thermometer (if you have one) is useful here – the internal temp of the centermost biscuit should be 200F. Let cool before serving – awesome either warm out of the oven, or room temp later – with ice cream either way, obviously. AND it’s even better for breakfast the next day; leftovers keep well, covered in the fridge.

July 6, 2017July 6, 2017

Messy, delicious pre-camp cobbler

It’s that time of year again! I leave tomorrow for my home away from home: camp, under the tall pines and in the crisp Sierra air.

I have this strange tradition of always making some kind of fruit dessert before I leave – something about the combination of mindful baking that takes my mind off the trillion things I have to do before I leave, plus the freshness of the fruit that I miss while I’m at camp. I have no idea when this started, but for the last 5 years or so, it seems that I always make something the day before I leave. So! Cobbler. Here ya go. At least it was a change from the shortcakes – I looked back into the archives & apparently I made shortcakes the last three years. I suppose there’s something to be said for consistency?!

And after I finish the trillion things it feels like I need to do today…. CAMP! YAY! It really is my home away from home – an awesome family who I only see about twice a year, beautiful surroundings and a soul-soothing break from technology.

But in the meantime, before I go… I’ll eat cobbler. One of the more homely desserts out there – a blobby, delicious mess – but sometimes, dessert needs to be less than perfectly aesthetic and perfectly delicious.

Cobbler is obviously dessert alongside a generous scoop of ice cream, but no doubt also will be breakfast, because everyone knows that cobbler is one of the most perfect breakfast foods (right up there with pie) – especially since this one is whole grain and full of fruit! That’s breakfast, right there.

I really wanted to use leaves from my ginger mint plant – it’s actually a thing! It’s mint, that tastes gingery! Literally amazing. But sadly, a resident caterpillar thought it was amazing too, and ate all the leaves yesterday, RUDE. Which meant I had to punt and use regular spearmint, but it’s still delicious, I promise. And the caterpillar has been kicked out of his comfy digs on my plant, so hopefully the ginger mint (whose name is Watson, by the way) will make a speedy recovery.

In other news… let’s see. More progress on the SF series, and a few different days of fun on the Bay!

Happy July! See ya on the flip side of my wilderness sojourn.

Rhubarb Raspberry Ginger-Mint Cobbler

Heavy on the fruit, lightly sweet with a kick from the ginger and a hint of mint – perfect for summer since (unlike pie dough) there’s no fussing with cold butter or unwieldy dough in a hot kitchen. Cobbler is one of the easiest summer desserts – start to finish, it really only takes about an hour. This one is supremely easy, whole grain, and refined sugar free. Yield: 1 9″ pie dish; serves…. 2? Hahahaha I kid. Sort of. You could feed anywhere from 2-6 people, but I argue for two with breakfast leftovers ;) A Wait are those Cookies original; topping lightly adapted from the Kitchn, here.

For the fruit filling:

4-5 c rhubarb, chopped*
1 c raspberries*
1/4 c maple syrup
1/4 c arrowroot starch
juice of 1 meyer lemon (or regular)
1/4 c candied ginger, chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh spearmint
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the cobbler topping:

1 c whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 c whole grain spelt flour
2 tbsp coconut sugar + a little extra for brushing the biscuit tops
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 c heavy cream (I prefer Straus because… it’s the best!), divided + a little extra for brushing the biscuit tops

*I bake straight from frozen; fresh would also be fine. I also don’t measure fruit for this – I just use enough so that my pie plate is heapingly full

Preheat the oven to 375, and grab a 9″ pie dish (or an 8 by 8 pan would be fine too I’m sure; so would a cast iron skillet if you’d rather). Stick some foil on the rack below the rack you’ll bake the cobbler on, just in case of drips.

In a large bowl, toss together rhubarb, raspberries, maple syrup, arrowroot, lemon juice, candied ginger, chopped mint, and vanilla. Let sit for at least 5 minutes — easiest to do this while you put together the cream biscuit for the cobbler topping.

For the cream biscuits: in a large bowl, stir together whole wheat and spelt flours, coconut sugar, baking powder and sea salt. Stir in the heavy cream, until the combined – the dough will be sticky & rather wet (but DELICIOUS). Spoon large dollops of dough onto the top of the cobbler – I used a large spoon and got about 5 biscuits; you can make them smaller if you like! Brush with a bit of extra cream and sprinkle with coconut sugar.

Bake for 45-55 minutes, until the cobbler is beginning to go golden around the edges, and the fruit is bubbling. A thermometer (if you have one) is useful here – the internal temp of the centermost biscuit should be 200F. Let cool before serving – awesome either warm out of the oven, or room temp later – with ice cream either way, obviously. AND it’s even better for breakfast the next day; leftovers keep well, covered in the fridge.

June 1, 2017October 4, 2017

You must construct additional pie-lons to defeat the Swarm!

I just can’t stop with the Starcraft pie situation over here…

We are the Swarm… Numberless, Merciless {when it comes to pie}

Besides, I like Zerg best so I couldn’t very well not do a Zerg pie… and of course it had to be dark purple, obviously.

Besides that, I know I’ve broken my unofficial rule of not repeating myself in two subsequent posts, but…. it’s PIE. So… it’s fine. And it’s my blog anyway so why do I have these stupid rules for myself?! As a very wise man once said, who would refuse pie?! Exactly.

I’ve never put mint in pie prior to this, but I like it! It’s very unusual – the berries are still the dominant flavor, but the mint keeps popping in there to keep you on your toes. It adds an unexpected bit of freshness to the berries, and it smells SO good. I don’t think I breathed while I was doing the top crust…

Let’s see, what else is new…

Opera night lions! Opening night at Rigoletto was fantastic, of course.

And a balanced breakfast, because pie definitely counts as a fruit serving.

Patting myself on the back over here for the structural stability of this pie – appropriate amount of thickener = appropriate amount of juices! Plus, no soggy bottom crust. Mission accomplished.

It’s June – the beginning of the summer fruit season — make pie, be happy! But… beware the swarm…

Wild Blueberry, Blackberry & Mint {Zerg} Pie on Whole Wheat Crust

A Wait are those Cookies original! Yield: 1 9″ pie, serves 2 (ha) – 6. Refined sugar free and whole wheat, plus lots of antioxidants! Mint adds an unexpected freshness to an otherwise basic berry pie.

For the pie crust:

2.25 c whole wheat pastry flour
3 tbsp coconut sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
1/3 c unsalted butter
1/3 c vegetable shortening
5-6 tbsp ice water

For the filling:

2.5 c wild blueberries*
2 c blackberries*
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
1/4 c maple syrup
1/3 c whole wheat flour
2 tsp vanilla extract
zest and juice of 1 meyer lemon (or regular)

*I baked straight from frozen; fresh would also be fine; use enough berries to fill your pie plate

For finishing: 1-2 tbsp butter, 1 egg for egg wash

To make the crust: in a large bowl, whisk together pastry flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in shortening and butter either with your fingers or a pastry cutter until a coarse mixture forms and the butter chunks are the size of peas. Make a well in the center of the dough and add in the ice water one tablespoon at a time – mix as little as possible when incorporating the water to avoid overworking the dough. Once it will stick together, you’re good to go. Divide it into two even pieces, wrap in plastic wrap or a ziploc and chill for at least 10 minutes or up to overnight.

While the dough is chilling, put together the filling. In a large bowl, toss together blueberries, blackberries, mint, maple, whole wheat flour, vanilla, and lemon juice + zest. Let sit for at least 10 minutes — easiest to do this while you roll out the pie dough.

Once the dough is chilled, roll it out between two pieces of parchment or on marble, whatever you have – I like parchment for easy removal. Aim for about 1/8″ thickness, and lay the bottom crust into a lightly greased pie dish. Shape it with your fingers, evening out the top as per your pie plate or design you want — this crust will make a double crusted pie, so keep that in mind. Toss in filling goodness and dot with butter.

If you want to get fancy and get all Zerg-pie Starcraft nerdy (you must construct additional pylons!)…

Cut out templates (thick paper or thin cardboard work nicely) for the Zerg crest. Have egg wash and coconut sugar handy (I use a beaten egg + 1 tbsp water). Use the templates to cut out the top crust shape, then use a chopstick or a knife to make the surface lines. Brush everything with egg wash to make it stick. Sprinkle coconut sugar where contrast is desired. Once finished, carefully lay top crust over the filling. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes, then 350 for 35-40 until the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven when done and let sit to cool for at least an hour, preferably more so that the filling will set. Serve warm or at room temp, and store any leftovers overnight on the counter, loosely covered, or in the fridge for longer (assuming it lasts that long). Pie can be made a day in advance if needed and reheated briefly in a 375 oven to crisp the crust and warm the filling – 10/15 minutes. The pie filling will firm up if stored in the fridge overnight, making slicing easier.