Poison Apple Pie

At one point in my past, I was a pirate.  No, really.  I worked as a pirate at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire in a big, red ship selling swords and merchandise.

Now if there is one thing about the PA faire, it's stinking hot in August when it opens, and freezing cold by the time it closes in late October.  My first year working there, I made a Snow White costume, and for Halloween I was Snow White and the Seven Pirates.  It was a blast!  Of course, I drank so much apple cider and ate so many apples that I think apple juice was probably coming out of my pores.  I didn't get sick that fall, so there's that!  I believe that the captain had also rigged up a beating heart for me to carry around as well...  Pirates really do know how to have fun.

Since pirates drink a ton of rum throughout the day, I created a spiked apple cider to enjoy in my off time called the Poison Apple.  Here is the drink recipe:

The Poison Apple

1/2 gallon apple cider

3 whole cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

1 star anise

1 shot of black rum for each mug!

1.  Mull the cider with the cloves, cinnamon, and anise, in a saucepan over medium heat until it's almost boiling  

2.  Reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for 20 minutes

3.  Strain the apple cider and serve in mugs with a shot of rum to warm the bones, adding a cinnamon stick to stir

On Halloween, I decided that this drink could make for a very delicious apple pie.  I used the medieval pie dough from the Beef and Bacon Pie recipe, but you could use whatever pie dough you would prefer.  I found that using a spring-form pan was perfect for baking this pie, since I could easily take the pie out and display it on the table.  I also used an apple cookie cutter to make apple shaped dough for the top of the pie. So without further ado, I give you the Poison Apple Pie, with Rum Caramel Sauce!

Poison Apple Pie with Rum Caramel Sauce

Ingredients:

1 batch pie dough, chilled (I used the medieval pie dough, but you can use your favorite)

1/2 cup of rum caramel sauce (recipe below), plus extra for serving

2 teaspoons lemon zest

Juice of two lemons

6 large granny smith apples, cored, peeled and thinly sliced

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

Turbinado sugar for topping

1. Put the lemon juice, lemon zest, and apples in a large bowl and toss gently so that the apples are covered with lemon juice
2. In a small bowl, whisk the flour, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and sugar together
3. Pour the dry mixture over the apples and toss gently to combine
4. Roll out the chilled pie dough on a lightly floured surface until you have two 12" circles
5. Carefully lay one of the circles of dough in a greased spring-form pan, making sure that it's flat on the bottom and sides, with extra to hang over the edges of the pan; trim excess edges off, leaving a bit to tuck over the top of the pie
6. Fill the pie crust with the apples, tightly packing them in
7. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the apples
8. Preheat the oven to 400°F
9. With the second circle of dough, take your cookie cutter and start cutting apple shaped pieces for the top; lay them on top of the pie, working your way in from the outside
10. Roll the excess overhang over the top of the pie, securing the edges
11. Brush the top of the pie with the beaten egg, with a very thin coating
12. Sprinkle the top of the pie with the turbinado sugar
13. Bake the pie for 20 minutes
14. Turn the temperature down to 375°F and bake for an additional 40-50 minutes
15. Allow the pie to cool before releasing the spring-form and cutting to serve

Rum Caramel Sauce

Adapted from Emeril Lagasse's recipe

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup hot water

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons of black rum

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons cold unsalted butter

1. Combine the sugar and hot water in a heavy saucepan 
2. Cook over high heat until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute
3. Continue to cook until the mixture thickens and turns a deep amber color, about 5-8 minutes, carefully swirling the pan occasionally but NEVER STIRRING
4. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the heavy cream, it will definitely start to bubble up
5. Return to the heat and reduce the heat to medium
6. Cook until the sauce is thick and creamy, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to mix in the cream
7. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum, vanilla, and butter
8. Allow to cool

Matcha Green Tea Shortbread

I made these cookies for work the other day, and they turned out far better than I expected.  Usually when I try to bake anything other than bread, my oven spits it back out at me with fire and a vengeance.

Among the many compliments I received, one of my co-workers came up to me and claimed that my cookies make him want to be a better man.  I cannot promise that these cookies can change the world, but better to try them and find out rather than risk the world being a more sad place without them!

Warning:  These cookies contain green tea, and therefore they are caffeinated!  Enjoy with caution.

Matcha Green Tea Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup salted butter at room temperature (You could use unsalted butter, but I prefer a saltier shortbread.  It's up to you!)
1 heaping tablespoon matcha green tea powder
1/2 cup sugar
Powdered Sugar for dusting

1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper
2. Measure out the flour and salt into a bowl and whisk together
3. Add the butter, matcha powder, and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer, and mix on medium-high until light, fluffy, and green
4. Set the mixer to a low speed and gradually add the flour/salt mixture until blended, scraping down the sides as needed until the dough begins to stick to itself
5. Separate the dough up in two balls
6. Roll the balls into two logs, approximately 2" in diameter
7. Wrap the logs up in the plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, or until the dough is firm enough to cut
8. Heat the oven to 325°F
9. Take the logs out of the refrigerator and unwrap them
10. Cut the logs into 1/4" rounds with a sharp knife and place them evenly on the baking sheets
11. Back the cookies for about 20 minutes, or until they are dry and firm to the touch
12. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes
13. Dust the shortbread with the powdered sugar and carefully transfer them to cooling rack

Alternatively, you could roll the cookie dough out to a 1/4" thickness on a floured surface and cut them with cookie cutters.  This recipe could make adorable adorable spring cookies as shamrocks or leaves!  For a fall themed cookie, cut them out with a maple leaf and sprinkle the cookies with turbinado sugar.  I, unfortunately, do not own any cookie cutters due to the vengeance oven mentioned earlier...


UPDATE: I eventually made these adorable (and delicious) matcha shortbread leaves! Definitely worth the effort.

Chai Cream Pie

Last night I tried this recipe from the May issue of Cooking Light Magazine. It turned out much better than I anticipated, not only because I've never made a cream pie before, but also because I'm very picky about chai-flavored desserts. I love my chai lattes. Anyway, try this recipe, you will not be disappointed!

Chai Cream Pie

8 servings

• 1/2 (14.1-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury) (I used a vanilla wafer pie crust that I made from scratch. It's not hard, but you could also use a store-bought pie crust. Honestly, I can't really imagine this pie with a doughy crust, so I leave this up to you.)
• Cooking spray
• 2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
• 8 cardamom pods, crushed (If you aren't using pods, one pod is equal to 1/6 teaspoon.)
• 8 whole cloves
• 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick, broken
• 1 (1/2-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, crushed
• 1 black tea bag
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed (I used the regular Cool Whip. Obviously, use the fat-free if you want, but sometimes it's ok to go for the good stuff ;) )
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Roll dough into a 12-inch circle; fit into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Fold edges under, and flute. Bake the pie crust according to package directions. Cool completely on a wire rack
2. Combine milk and the next 4 ingredients (through ginger) in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until the mixture reaches 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge.
3. Remove from heat and add the tea bag; cover and let stand for 15 minutes.
4. Strain the mixture through a sieve over a bowl, and discard solids. Return milk mixture to pan, and cook over medium-high heat until the milk reaches 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge.
5. Combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, and eggs in a large bowl, stirring well. Gradually add the hot milk mixture to sugar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan, and cook over medium heat 10 minutes or until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in butter.
6. Place pan in a large ice-filled bowl for 10 minutes or until filling cools, stirring occasionally.
7. Spoon mixture into crust; cover surface with plastic wrap. Chill 3 hours or until set; remove plastic wrap.
8. Top pie with whipped topping; garnish with ground cinnamon.

Chocolate-Covered Bacon

So, my friend Megan came to visit me from LA this past week, and naturally we had to make something special. She picked out this recipe from the Taste of Home Bacon Recipe Cards, an all bacon cookbook my future mother-in-law gave us for Christmas (which, how awesome is that?!). I highly recommend doing what we did and taking these to the pool with a giant batch of piña coladas. I guarantee that everyone at the pool will be giving you the evil eye. Because you have chocolate-covered bacon. And they do not.

Chocolate-Covered Bacon

Makes 1 dozen

12 thick-sliced bacon strips

12 wooden skewers, 12 inches long

6 oz white chocolate, chopped

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 Tbs shortening

Other optional toppings

1. Thread each bacon strip onto a wooden skewer, and place on a rack in a large baking pan.
2. Bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, or until desired crispiness.
3. Cool bacon completely.
4. In a microwave, or a double boiler, melt white chocolate until smooth.
5. Combine chocolate chips and shortening, and melt in the microwave or a double boiler, stirring until smooth.
6. With pastry brushes, coat the bacon on both sides with the melted chocolate.
7. Top each strip as desired and place on wax-paper lined baking sheets.
8. Refrigerate until firm.