Cheesecake can be lightened two ways: by changing the crust from leaden grahams and butter to a classic, flaky pie shell, and by swapping some of the cream cheese for ricotta. These modifications, combined with the fact that a pie is not so dramatically big and tall, create a lovely, tangy, fluffy wedge upon which to drip and drizzle any fruit compote or coulis that you desire. More
It's not often that I go semi-homemade, but when I do, odds are good that Oreos and vanilla ice cream will be involved. Given the popularity of cookies n' cream, I'm sure I'm not alone. It's become such a ubiquitous combination that people request it by name, right up there with chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. When it's a cookies n' cream lover's birthday, what do you do to celebrate? You make them a pie of ice cream and Oreos of course! More
You'll love the creamy texture and simple vanilla flavor that's unadulterated by the cornstarch used in so many other pudding recipes. And, of course, there's the delightful little squish of the tapioca, like so many bubbles of happiness. More
Nobody seems to be able to tell me why Boston Cream Pie, which is so obviously not a pie, has that name. Yet despite the troublesome moniker, Boston Cream Pie (and its counterpart, the Boston Cream doughnut), with its layers of sponge cake, vanilla pudding, and a slick of sweet dark chocolate glaze, is awesome, or "wicked awesome" as the locals might say. So it stands to reason, wouldn't making an actual pie version be all the more awesome? More
Do you remember your first-ever taste of toffee? I remember mine distinctly. It was on visiting day at summer camp, and the toffee was a Heath bar, smuggled in by my father against very strict "no food in bunk" rules. I suppose that the rule was only partially broken, because as soon as it was opened, it was devoured. Such flavors! Such texture! One taste of buttery, nutty, coffee, chocolate, sweet, salty, crunchy goodness and I became an addict. More
Contrary to calendars and thermometers, for me it's not really spring until the first blush of rhubarb graces New York City. Of course, half the fun is the anticipation; the weeks spent watching and waiting for it to appear. Once it arrives, rhubarb-mania ensues. You'll find me folding it into batters, slow cooking it into compotes, juicing it for sorbets, and canning it for jam. Before all of that, however, I pay homage to the splendid simplistic beauty of rhubarb by baking it into a pie which, above all other expressions, is the best form that rhubarb can possibly take. More
Next time you have a sudden urge to bake, remember this: as long as you have butter, sugar, flour, and salt, you can make one of the most beloved, classic cookies known to mankind. And while the ingredients in shortbread may be few and simple, connoisseurs of the stuff will tell you—not all shortbreads are created equal. More
This salted chocolate caramel tart has a strong pedigree. It was originally conceived by Claudia Fleming as a tartlette on the tasting menu at Gramercy Tavern, who passed it down to one of Marlow's pastry chefs, who put it on the menu and found that she couldn't take it off. More
Éclairs have gotten a bad rap lately, having suffered abuse at the hands of many subpar French-themed cafes that sell them despite being long past their prime. No more, I say. It's time for dessert lovers to do right by the éclair and make a batch at home. More
There are many reasons that I enjoy my job as a pie columnist, but probably the most fun is the opportunity to experiment with new ideas for pie flavors. My favorite muse for new pies, beyond things like seasonality or special occasions, are the flavor combinations made popular by classic plated desserts. More
Whether you choose to make it because you've got something you need to use up (eggs, milk, stale bread), or just because you love it, bread pudding delivers a whole lot dessert satisfaction with just a small amount of effort. More
Mango mousse pie is one of my favorite choices for Easter, delivering a less filling note that's light and still decadent—the perfect finish to a heavy meal. More
Coconut macaroons may not be adorable, but, for coconut lovers, they're unadulterated coconut bliss. More
If you've got a super, ooey, gooey, sticky sweet tooth, then this classic pie from the South is for you. More
Perfect, dainty madeleines are just the thing when you know you're craving something sweet but can't decide between a cookie or a slice of cake. More
This week's pie is a tribute to Do-Si-Dos, the Girl Scout cookie made by sandwiching peanut butter cream between two crumbly, oat-y cookies. More
Professional cake makers have a little secret up their sleeves that they don't want you to know about. Next time you're enjoying a piece of wedding cake and wondering how the baker achieves such perfectly uniform layers of cake, here is one possible answer: The cake layers are actually punched out from single sheets of cake. Some layers may even be pieced together from the scraps left over from punching out other circles or squares. More
I love pineapple in most any form, but if I had to pick, I'd say roasted pineapple is my favorite preparation. This week's pie, which is actually a tart, is designed to highlight the sweet, concentrated flavor of roasted pineapple by layering it with a cool, subtle vanilla cream, a crumbly coconut crust, and a layer of crackly brûléed sugar on top. It's basically an awesome, tropical crème brûlée, reminiscent of a pina colada, in tart form. More
Pâte sucrée (pronounced pat-sue-cray) is the sweet, crumbly dough that gives tarts a sturdy, tender base for custards, creams, and fruits. When it's made well, pâte sucrée has the crumbly texture of a buttery sable cookie. It tastes like shortbread, but is able to support even the heaviest filling without falling to pieces. More
Now that it's March, we can start counting the weeks before the first blush of rhubarb hits our markets. It's a time of great anticipation, but also of intense longing and impatience with Mother Nature's scarce offering. Above all, it presents us with the need to get creative with baking ideas. For example, a few weeks ago, I shared a pie made with frozen berries in an attempt to break up the doldrums a bit. Today, I'm jazzed to be sharing another one that thinks outside the seasonal box by marrying apples with tangy and sweet dried fruits. More
There's a time and a place for biscotti, and when the moment's right it's great to know how to make a batch. They are the perfect pairing for coffee or tea&mdash when you want a little something sweet but you're not quite in the mood for a sugary cookie or other dessert. Biscotti are both easy to package without breaking and extremely shelf stable, making them a thoughtful and pretty homemade gift or cookie jar staple. More
I can't so much as type the word s'more without my mind wandering off to a happy place. That's because s'mores aren't just about the sweet satisfaction of devouring chocolate, graham, and molten, charred marshmallow—they're about the ritual that gets you there and the fun you were having at the time. And while it's impossible to re-create the smoky nostalgia of a true s'mores experience, I submit a riff on s'mores, in pie form, that will take you most of the way there. More
Pastry cream is the unsung hero of the dessert world. You may know it best as the filling in your cream puff, the "cream" in a Boston Cream pie, or the "pudding" in banana cream pie. It's especially worshiped by French pastry chefs; I challenge you to order something from a pâtisserie that doesn't contain it. Simply put, pastry cream makes good desserts better with its creamy, oozy richness, by adding flavor and smooth texture to anything it touches. More
When it comes to citrus in meringue pies, why do lemons always get the limelight? I put other flavors to the test and discovered that using oranges instead puts a great new spin on the old classic. Oranges make for a less acidic custard filling that plays equally well with a creamy, light meringue, without all the pucker of their yellow cousins. More
Pound cake is one of the best dessert delivery systems out there. When I look at pound cake, I see a blank canvas that's begging to be painted with macerated fruits, drizzled with chocolaty syrups, piled with dollops of whipped cream. It has the perfect texture for soaking up juices and sauces, and unlike some other cakes, it doesn't go to mush. More
@SaqibSaab the key is to keep the whisk attachment moving at the highest possible speed as you slowly drizzle in the sugar and gelatin mixture. The egg whites should already be frothy, and as you whip them at high speed, this will help you avoid "cooking" the eggs.
All. My apologies for the omission. There are 3 large eggs, room temp.
@merryworld I'm a Mainer and a Sox fan
@lexophile send it my way!
@emgordo Yes, Samascott Orchards has it today at the Union Square Market, as per Twitter!
@kriklaf you are absolutely right - there is a typo in the recipe. There should only be 5 ounces of flour (approximately 1 1/3 cup), 2 ounces of cocoa (approx 1/4 cup) and a pinch of salt. My sincere apologies for this error.
@jean0 Yes, putting it in the fridge can cause it to harden, try leaving it out to come to room temperature before serving.
Same here! And speaking of rhubarb, guess what's up next week for Pie of the Week...
@mcscajun Thanks for reminding us of where "fridge" comes from. I use that word all the time in my columns here at SE - the origin may be retro, but who the heck uses the word "refrigerator" conversationally?
@scalfin it would definitely work as a sweeter version of matzoh brei, baked instead of fried. The only difference is that the ratio of custard to matzoh would be smaller (the bread soaks up way more of the liquid than the matzoh). Would be delicious with egg matzoh especially!
@bloo totally agree with you here. Unfortunately, when the column is called "Sweet Techniques", I gotta go with the theme. I'm a huge fan of savory bread puddings, and the ratios of eggs and liquid are generally similar, made savory with the additon of cheese, herbs, meat, etc.
@Safetydan totally not lost - in the accompanying article, I positioned it as something of an end goal for members of the tribe. x2 because the best bread of all for making the stuff happens to be challah!
@shermanhelms nope, it's accurate as written. It does make the cookies a bit sweeter, but not overwhelmingly so. It also adds some richness and just a hit of dulce de leche flavor.
I'm definitely going to cover variations on the traditional in the future.
@NWcajun
@Alm25
I'm partial to the buttermilk as well - it adds a much needed tang!
@Carrie Vasios these are an old fave of mine - nice to see them here!
For all with concerns about stencil abilities, the alternative is using a large, round cutter. It's still cheaper and more space saving to buy a set of large rings than to buy all those cake pans.
Glad to see the spirited conversation here today - we bakers only become better by sharing our best practices.
@atmast 13x18, or half of a full, professional sheet tray (26x18). Thanks for asking for that clarification!
@scalfin I like using the method that you mention for smaller cakes (6 inches or smaller) for larger ones, the baking time usually takes longer because of the cake's thickness, which can cause the sides to dry out as the center bakes. You also must still contend with leveling using this method.
@sarar many folks do use a chilled butter method, similar to what you'd use for pate brisee - pie crust. I learned this method in culinary school and worked with chefs who preferred it too, because it makes a very tender crust.
@Saria They seem to be somewhat interchangeable. I like calling the dough sucrée, because the name means "sugar" and this is definitely a sugary dough. "Sablé" literally translates "sand" for the crumbly nature of the dough - it can be either sweet or savory.
@simon this would be gorgeous with blood oranges! That's a post for next year I guess.
@gargupie Subbing in cake flour will cause the cake to be more delicate and flatter in appearance than a cake made with AP. It's definitely possible, but expect the cake to be different in appearance and much more difficult to cut and manage.
@cookiequiz it's a method meant to minimize aggravation. A very small amount of butter goes a long way for holding the parchment in place and greasing the ends. I hate it when I'm portioning thick batter and the parchment gets all lose and out of place. Also, having a cake stick is the worst after all that work, and I like using the parchment because it makes removal so easy.
@eliza422 Crack your eggs into a container set on top of a scale, so you can understand where you're at as you add more eggs. If an additional egg is going to bring the total over 16 ounces, crack that last egg and beat it in a separate bowl, then add to the bowl on the scale until it totals 16 ounces.
Completely awesome! You're a rock star!
@sourdough
@rodneyLA
Thanks to you both for reading. Feedback really helps me/the editors decide what to cover next.
If I was offered one kind of pie on my deathbed, this is the one I would choose—a bold statement from a cook who writes a column entitled "Pie of the Week". I promise that all the pitting will be worth it. More
Cobbler is the perfect summer alternative to pie. The dough, unlike pie crust, requires no cut butter, no chilling, no chanting incantations at the door of the oven. It takes just minutes to put together, the dough can made and chilled in advance, and it's ready to eat right out of the oven. In fact, that's the best way to eat it. They're amazing atop a juicy cobbler, or hot out of the oven with a schmeer of salted butter and preserves. Once you're familiar with the technique, check out my grandmother's (Maine approved) blueberry cobbler recipe. More
Pâte à choux (pronounced pat-ah-choo) is the paste-like dough used for making the crispy shells of cream puffs, éclairs, gougères, and profiteroles. Choux relies solely upon steam trapped inside the dough to make it rise, creating large, cavernous pockets for delicious fillings. Since steam is the critical element, the technique used for making pâte à choux is designed to develop elasticity in the dough (to expand and create pockets) while maximizing moisture (to generate steam when baking). Come learn how to make them! More
@stylefriendly both cookie and cream parts should be used