Baking | Good Dinner Mrs Mellen

Category: Baking
- Blueberry Pie with Pecan Topping
  
  Posted at 9:32 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Jun 23rd
  I just love blueberries and blueberry pie. While traditional blueberry pie is mouthwatering delicious sometimes I just like to change it up so I created this sinful decadent Pecan crumb topped sour cream blueberry pie. They say a picture is worth a thousand words but even this picture can only go so far in capturing the nutty topping with blueberry juice bursting from the fruit all in a creamy custard. I want another piece just writing this! Don’t forget to top with Bryers French Vanilla ice cream.
  
  Pastry
  
  1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  
  1/4 cup sugar
  
  1 teaspoon cinnamon
  
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  
  2/3 cup butter
  
  2-3 tablespoon water
  
  1 egg, beaten
  
  Filling
  
  1 cup sour cream
  
  3 ounces cream cheese
  
  1 large egg
  
  3/4 cup light brown sugar
  
  1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla
  
  4 cups blueberries, washed and picked over
  
  Crumb Topping
  
  1/2 cup all-purpose four
  
  1/3 cup sugar
  
  1/3 cup light brown sugar
  
  1 tablespoon cinnamon
  
  1/4 teaspoon salt
  
  1/2 cup butter
  
  3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  
  1. To prepare pastry, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in large bowl. With pastry blender cut in butter to consistence of coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle water one tablespoon at a time, mix until pastry holds together. Shape pastry into ball.
  
  2. On lightly floured surface, roll out pastry into 11-inch round. Fit into 9 inch pie plate. Turn extra dough at edge into rim and flute or crimp raised edge. Just before placing blueberry filling in pie shell, brush with beaten egg.
  
  3. To prepare filling, combine sour cream, cream cheese, egg, brown sugar, flour and vanilla in bowl. Beat thoroughly until smooth. Preheat over to 450F. Fill pie shell with blueberries. Pour cream mixture over blueberries. Bake 10 minutes at 450F, reduce temperature to 350F and bake 35-40 minutes.
  
  4. Prepare crumb topping by mixing flour, sugars, cinnamon, salt, butter and nuts. Blend to form crumbly mixture.
  
  5. After baking pie, remove pie from oven, cool, then distribute crumb mixture evenly over top. Return to over and bake 10-15 minutes more.
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Baking, BLUEBERRY, desserts, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Pie | Tagged Blueberry Pie, Crumb topping, July 4th
- Koulourakia – Greek Butter Cookies
  
  Posted at 9:53 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Apr 18th
  Greek Butter Cookies just melt in your mouth. Koulourakia are usually served at Greek Easter along with other delicious baked delicacies. I like these butter cookies for their flaky buttery taste along with a hint of orange and brandy.
  
  1 cup butter, at room temperature
  
  1 cup vegetable oil
  
  2 tablespoon vegetable shortening
  
  1 1/2 cup sugar
  
  1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  
  1/2 cup orange juice
  
  3 eggs
  
  2 tablespoons brandy
  
  7 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  
  2 teaspoons baking powder
  
  1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
  
  Sesame seeds
  
  Beat butter, oil and shortening in a large bowl of electric blender until well blended.
  
  Add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time blending well. Stir baking soda into orange juice, stir. Add to butter mixture. Add eggs and brandy, mixing well.
  
  Combine flour and baking powder.
  
  Add flour 1 cup at a time to creamed mixture. Remove from mixture when dough is heavy. Knead by hand until dough is smooth.
  
  Tear off a piece of dough a little larger than a walnut. Roll between palms to form a pencil shape 6 to 7 inches long, cross dough to form a twist. Place twists one inch apart on lightly greased cookie sheet. Brush with egg wash. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  
  Bake 350 F for 20 minutes or until golden. Makes about 4 1/2 dozen cookies
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Baking, Baking, cookies, Easter Recipes, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Holiday Celebrations | Tagged Easter, Greek butter cookies, Koulourakia
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
  
  Posted at 11:25 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Dec 16th
  My love affair with making Christmas Cookies started when I was a little girl helping my mother bake cookies at Christmas. We made large quantities of my mother’s favorite recipes. To this day I have continued the tradition of baking, baking and more baking of delectable cookies. Today I made a favorite cookie of my children when they were little. Peanut Blossoms are a fun cookie topped with a chocolate kiss. Who does love a peanut butter cookie with a chocolate kiss in the center. I love the taste of peanut butter meeting chocolate. I’ve tried different versions of this cookie but always return to the Hershey’s original recipe that I made so long ago.
  
  1 3/4 cups flour
  
  1/2 cup sugar
  
  1/2 cup brown sugar
  
  1 teaspoon baking soda
  
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  
  1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
  
  1/2 cup peanut butter
  
  2 tablespoons milk
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  1 egg
  
  48 chocolate kisses, unwrapped
  
  Pre heat oven to 325 F. In large bowl mix beat shortening and peanut butter. Add sugars mixing until light and fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually beat flour mixture into peanut butter until all the ingredients until combined and dough forms. Shape a teaspoonful of dough into balls. Roll balls in additional sugar(1/2 cup). Place on cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes until golden. Remove cookies from oven and immediately top each cookie with a kiss, pressing down so the cookie cracks slightly around edges of kiss. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove from baking sheet letting cool completely.
  
  Makes 48.
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Baking, Baking, Christmas Recipes, cookies, Dessert, desserts, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen | Tagged Christmas cookies, easy, Hershey Kisses, peanut butter
- Pumpkin Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Icing
  
  Posted at 10:49 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Nov 3rd
  In New England, we celebrate Autumn with gusto like the strong winds creating falling leave whirlpools on front lawns then whisking the colorful leaves away to decompose in the woods. Fall is a glorious season inviting all to partake in the cornucopia of scents and tastes indicative of the season. I love to bake aromatic cakes, pies, and cookies filling my home with spicy fragrances; a perfect companion to falling temperatures complimenting the change from summer to fall. On a brisk fall day what could be more appropriate than a piece of spice cake with a cup of tea sitting by the fire watching the changing jewel-tone leaves float quietly to the ground.
  - For cake
    - 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for greasing the bundt pan
    - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting pan
    - 2 teaspoons baking powder
    - 1 teaspoon baking soda
    - 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
    - 1/2 teaspoon salt
    - 1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin (from a 15-ounce can; not pie filling), Libby’s Pumpkin
    - 3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
    - 1 teaspoon vanilla
    - 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
    - 3 large eggs
  - For icing
  - 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  - 1/3 cup heavy cream1/4 cup salted butter
  - 1 cup powdered sugar
  - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  - Special Equipment
    - a 10-inch nonstick bundt pan (3 quarts)
  PREPARATION
  - Make cake:
    - Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter bundt pan generously, then dust with flour, knocking out excess.
    - Whisk together flour (2 1/4 cups), baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin spice, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together pumpkin, 3/4 cup buttermilk, and vanilla in another bowl.
    - Beat butter (1 1/2 sticks) and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes, then add eggs and beat 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and add flour and pumpkin mixtures alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until batter is just smooth.
    - Spoon batter into the pan, smoothing top, then bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 15 minutes, then invert onto severing plate. Cool 10 minutes more.
  - Make icing:
  - Bring light brown sugar, heavy cream, and salted butter to a boil in a 1-quart saucepan over medium, stirring often. Boil, stirring often, 1 minute; remove from heat. Gradually whisk in powdered sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla extract until smooth.
  - Drizzle icing over warm cake, then cool cake completely. Icing will harden slightly.
  The cake can be made 3 days ahead and kept in an airtight container
  
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  Posted in Baking, Baking, Cake, Dessert, Easter Recipes, Food | Tagged fall baking, Libby's pumpkin, New England, spice cake
- Fall Apple Desserts
  
  Posted at 4:51 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Oct 21st
  In New England we are love to celebrate the fall season. Cool morning with warm sunny days, jewel tone leaves, farm roadside stands bursting with the last of summer’s bounty all signal the change in the seasons. Nature’s premier show on display for all to enjoy. Fall baking is one of my favorite past times and I especially love to make apple desserts. Going through all my post I realized I’m kind of obsessed with apples, cakes, pies, cupcakes and more. When I’m creating a new cake or pie the fall just inspires me like nature to give it my all and go wild! Here are a few of my fall favorites that I have posted over the years.
  
  Candied Apple Fudge Bundt Cake
  
  Candied Apple Fudge Bundt Cake
  
  FANTASTIC APPLE PIE
  
  Fantastic Fall Apple Pie
  
  CANDIED APPLE CRUMB CAKE
  
  Candied Apple Crumb Cake
  
  FALL APPLE PIE
  
  FALL APPLE PIE
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Baking, Baking, desserts, Food, Uncategorized | Tagged apples, cake, fall desserts, Pie
- Fantastic Fall Apple Pie
  
  Posted at 4:05 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Sep 23rd
  I have made this apple pie for over 30 years with some changes along the way. A disclaimer this pie is very rich but sometimes you just have to let go and indulge. You can’t each low fat cottage cheese and fruit every day. I just tell myself an extra hot yoga class and this piece of pie has my name on it.
  
  French Custard Apple Pie
  
  Crust
  
  1 3/4 cup flour
  
  1/4 cup sugar
  
  1 teaspoon cinnamon
  
  1/3 lb of butter
  
  2/3 teaspoon salt
  
  6-7 tablespoon apple cider or water
  
  Filling
  
  6 large Granny Smith or Macintosh apples pared and diced (you can use a combination or just one kind of apple. I like the Granny Smith because they are tart and this is a sweet pie)
  
  1 2/3 cup sour cream
  
  1 egg(2 if small)
  
  1 cup sugar
  
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  
  2 teaspoon vanilla or 1 tablespoon Brandy
  
  1/3 cup flour
  
  Topping
  
  1/3 cup brown sugar
  
  1/3 cup sugar
  
  1/2 cup flour
  
  1 tablespoon cinnamon
  
  1 cup chopped walnuts
  
  1/2 cup dried crandberries
  
  1 stick butter
  
  Crust: Combine all the ingredients expcept the apple cider in a food procussor, pulse until combined. Add one tablespoon of cider at a time and pulse after each addition. Dough will form a soft ball. Roll dough out on lightly floured surface 2 inches larger than the pie plate, fite a 10 inch pie plate. This is a solf cookie like dough what I do is lightly dust the pie plate with flour before I fit the dough. This will prevent the pie crust from sticking when you cut the pie. Fold and roll pastry under and flute.
  
  Filling: Mix filling ingredients together and fill pie shell. Bake for 450 10 minuetes, then 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Blend topping ingredients together and place on top of pie . bake for additional 15 minuets.
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Apples, Baking, Baking, Food | Tagged Apple Pie, Desserts, fall baking
- Luscious Nectarine Blueberry Pie
  
  Posted at 12:36 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Sep 22nd
  LUSCIOUS NECTARINE BLUEBERRY PIE
  
  Luscious end of the season ripe fruit makes the most delectable pies. Who can resist a delicious piece of pie with vanilla ice cream simple but oh so good! I especially love the combination of nectarine and blueberries. I made my own pie crust and the recipe follows. But for a quick and easy pie you can buy the refrigerated pie crust. I like the Pillsbury brand. Don’t be intimidated by a home made pie crust, as I’ve always said, the more you practice the better you become. If time is an issue you can make the pie crust the day before and refrigerate over night, then just roll out the dough the next day, add the filling, bake and in no time you have a wonderful home made pie.
  
  Pie Crust
  
  Makes 2 crusts
  
  3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  
  2 sticks chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 ” cubes
  
  1/4 cup vegetable shortening
  
  1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. sugar
  
  1 Tbsp. salt
  
  Process flour, butter, vegetable shortening, sugar and salt in a food processor until butter is crumbly, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl. Gradually add 3/4 cups ice water, using a folk stir mixture until dough forms a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate over night.
  
  Filling
  
  6 ripe large nectarines(halved, pitted and slice 1/2-inch thick)
  
  1 pint blueberries, washed and picked over
  
  3/4 cups sugar
  
  3 Tbsp. quick-cooking tapioca
  
  2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  
  1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
  
  Glaze;
  
  1 egg
  
  1 Tsp. milk
  
  1 Tsp. sugar(for sprinkling)
  
  Heat oven to 425 F and adjust rack to lower to middle position. In a large bowl toss nectarines, blueberries, sugar, tapioca, lemon juice and lemon zest. Set aside for 15 minutes.
  
  Divide dough into two balls, one sightly larger. On a lightly floured surface roll larger pastry ball into a circle about 2 inches larger than 9-inch pie plate. Line pie plate with pastry, trim edge leaving 1 inch overhang. Fill the pie plate with the fruit. Roll out smaller pastry ball for top curst. Place on top of fruit pie. Trim pastry edge leaving an inch overhang. Fold overhang under, then bring up over pie plate rim, pinch to form fluted edges. Brush top with some of the egg glaze. Make a few decorative slits in the top and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 and bake for 40 minutes. Then brush again with remaining egg glaze, sprinkle sugar and bake for about 5 minutes more until golden brown. Cool on wire rack before serving.
  
  I serve with my favorite vanilla ice cream Breyers!
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Baking, Food, Pie | Tagged BLUEBERRY, BREYERS ICE CREAM, NECTARINE, PIES, Pillsbury Pie crust, VANILLA ICE CREAM
- Candied Apple Crumb Cake
  
  Posted at 3:56 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Sep 18th
  Fall at it’s best with fresh picked apples baked in a rich pound cake with crumb topping and caramel drizzled on top. Richly flavored with just a hint of orange juice, cinnamon and crisp tart apples. I used Granny Smith Apples in this cake for their tart flavor along with a firm consistency after baking. In this cake I want to bit into the apple with each bite as if I just had reach up picking the apple right off the tree. As gorgeous as this cake looks it is quite easy to make. Delicious, dazzling, easy to duplicate, what could be better.
  
  Candied Apple Crumb Cake
  
  Cake
  
  4 cups flour
  
  2 cups sugar
  
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  
  4 teaspoons baking powder
  
  1 cup oil
  
  1 cup orange juice
  
  3 large eggs (4 if small)
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla
  
  Apple Filling
  
  4 Granny Smith Apples peeled and slice
  
  1/2 cup sugar
  
  2 teaspoon cinnamon
  
  Crumb Topping
  
  1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
  
  1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  
  1 cup flour
  
  1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  
  1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  
  Caramel Sauce
  
  1 cup granulated sugar
  
  ½ cup heavy cream
  
  2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  
  1 teaspoon fleur de sel (or another sea salt)
  
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease tube cake pan and set aside. Sift together flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Place in a large mixing bowel making a well.
  
  2. Combine oil, orange juice, eggs and vanilla. Pour into center of well and beat for three minutes.
  
  3. Combine sugar and cinnamon in small bowel and set aside.
  
  4. Pour third of batter into prepared pan, add half sliced apples and half cinnamon-sugar. Cover with half the remaining batter. Top with remaining apples then cinnamon-sugar. Add remaining batter on top.
  
  5. Combine ingredients for crumb topping blending until thoroughly combined. A pastry blender works best to make the crumb topping but you can cut butter in with two knives.
  
  6. Sprinkle over cake. Bake 1 hour 30 minutes or until tester comes out clean.
  
  7. Cool for 1 hour before removing from tube pan.
  
  8. Make caramel sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium high heat combine the sugar with 1/4 cup cold water and stir to combine. Cook, without stirring, until the sugar has turned a deep amber color about 10 minutes. Meanwhile warm the cream in a small saucepan. When the caramel is ready, slowly, whisk in a warm cream and continue simmering for another 2-3 minutes until the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat, then whisk in the butter,, and then salt. Slowly drizzle over cake.
  
  Serve with Vanilla ice cream or just plain.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Apples, Baking, Cake, Dessert, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen | Tagged apples, cake, caramel, fall baking
- Perfect Peach Crumble with Vanilla Ice Cream
  
  Posted at 10:13 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Aug 25th
  August is peach month with beautiful ripe peaches coming to market in New England. Peaches
  
  are a favorite with my family from sliced peaches topped with yogurt and granola to elaborate
  
  peach pies, tarts, cakes, cobblers and crumbles. So many choices with to bake with delicious
  
  summer fruit to delight family and friends. A crumble differs from a cobbler, a biscuit topping
  
  while a crumble a topping of lose ingredients combined and place on top of the fruit. Don’t forget
  
  to serve with rich vanilla ice cream.
  
  Perfect Peach Crumble with Vanilla Ice Cream
  
  For the peach filling:
  
  1/4 cup brown sugar
  
  1/4 cup white sugar
  
  1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  
  1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  
  8 cups peaches, thinly sliced
  
  1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
  
  1 lemon, juiced
  
  For the crumb topping:
  
  3/4 cup brown sugar
  
  1/4 cup sugar
  
  3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  
  3/4 cup oats
  
  1/4 cup slivered almonds
  
  1/2 cup dried cranberries
  
  1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  
  1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  
       1 egg, slightly beaten
  
       1 stick unsalted butter, melted
  
  Vanilla ice cream* or whipped cream, for serving
  
  Directions
  
  Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. To make the peach filling: In a large bowl, stir together sugars, flour, cinnamon and salt. Add peaches and gently toss to coat. Mix together cornstarch slurry and lemon juice and stir into peaches to incorporate. Butter a 12 by 8-inch oval dish and add peach mixture.
  
  To make the crumb topping: In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients. Top peaches  crumb topping. Poor melted butter over crumb topping. Place in oven, bake uncovered for 35 – 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream
  
  * I love Breyer’s Ice Cream!
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Baking, Dessert, desserts, entertaining, Farm Fresh Produce, Food, peaches, summertime recipes | Tagged Breyer's Ice Cram, Peach Crumble
- Traditional Pecan Pie
  
  Posted at 10:33 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Dec 23rd
  My family just loves a traditional Pecan Pie. For years I’ve wanted them to try different flavors like, chocolate and more but no, no, no, they tell me. So I am going to share how I make my traditional Pecan Pie. It’s easy and delicious!
  
  Traditional Pecan Pie
  
  Pie Crust
  
  1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  
  1/4 teaspoon salt
  
  1/3 cup shortening
  
  4 – 5 tablespoons cold water
  
  1. Stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening until pieces are pea-size.
  
  2. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to the side of the bowl. Repeat moistening dough, using 1 tablespoon of the water at a time, until all the dough is moistened. Form dough into a ball.
  
  3. On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten dough. Roll dough from center to edges into a circle about 12 inches in diameter.
  
  4. To transfer pastry, wrap it around the rolling pin. Unroll pastry into a 9-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into pie plate, being careful not to stretch pastry.
  
  5. Rim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry. Crimp edge as desired. Do not prick pastry. Or you can use a pre-made pie crust(I like Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust)
  
  Filling
  
  1/2 cup dark corn syrup
  
  1/2 cup light corn syrup
  
  3 eggs
  
  1 cup sugar
  
  2 Tbs. butter, melted
  
  1 tsp vanilla extract
  
  1 1/2 cups pecans halves
  
  Pre-heat oven to 350 F.Whisk the first five ingredients thoroughly. Pour into pie crust. I like to place the pecan halves in a circular design.
  
  Bake on center rack of oven for 55 to 60 minutes. Do not over bake.
  
  TIP: Pie is done when center reaches 200 F. Tap center surface of pie lightly; it should spring back when done.
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Baking, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Pie | Tagged Desserts, easy, Pecan pie, Pie
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