apple pie biscuits

what better way to kick off some fall baking than with joy the baker's baking bootcamp challenge. last time's bootcamp recipe was triple berry cinnamon swirl bread; this time is apple pie biscuits. i'm sensing a trend--seasonal fruit and cinnamon baked in bready goodness.

i started by cooking the apples with the butter, cinnamon, and sugar. after just a few minutes the apples smelled wonderfully sweet and warm (aack, am i starting to like warm fruit??).

while the apples cooled i made the biscuit dough with a couple modifications: first i made self-rising flour with all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt; second i mocked up a buttermilk substitution using whole milk and kefir. smooshing the butter into the flour was slightly messy but in the best most satisfying way, and the rest of the dough came together really easily. i dusted and rolled the ball of dough and prepared it to be filled with the cooled apples. flouring the rolling pin and surface was key, but i was still careful not to add too much flour so the dough wouldn't get tough. once i had rolled out a large rectangle, i poured the apples onto half of the dough, carefully folded over the other half, and sealed in the apples. the next step had me a little worried--cutting up the biscuits (and keeping the contents from spewing out). luckily, with a last light smoosh, the biscuits cut cleanly and only a couple tiny pieces of apple escaped. a quick egg wash, sprinkle of cinnamon sugar and salt, and into the oven.

the biscuits baked to a golden brown with a pretty sugar crust. i would have preferred a flakier, lighter biscuit, and i think my buttermilk substitution may have been the culprit. minor texture complaint aside (most likely fixable with proper buttermilk), the biscuits were a definite shout-out to apple pie and are totally high-fiving fall.

p.s. i submitted my picture on instagram @neeppeechy (#bakingbootcamp) so fingers crossed that i win!

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:: apple pie biscuits ::
(recipe from joy the baker)

for the apples:
1 fuji apple, peeled, cored and sliced very thin
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

for the biscuits:
2 cups self-rising flour
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2/3 to 3/4 cup cold buttermilk

for the topping:
1 large egg, beaten
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of salt

1. place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 425F. line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. to make the apples, place butter in a medium skilled over medium heat to melt. add the apples, cinnamon, and brown sugar. toss with a wooden spoon until all of the apples are coated and the sugar is melted over the apples, about 2 to 4 minutes. the mixture will be warm and glossy, but the apples won't be cooked through. remove from the heat and set aside.

3. to make the biscuit dough, place flour in a medium bowl and add cold butter cubes. use your fingers to quickly break the butter down into the flour. some of the butter bits will be the size of oats, some the size of small peas. stir in the granulated sugar.

4. create a well in the center of the butter and flour mixture and add 2/3 cup buttermilk. stir the mixture together until it is well moistened and holds together well. biscuit dough should be soft and moist. add the remaining buttermilk as needed. if you're using your own homemade self-rising flour or gluten-free self-rising flour, you'll want to add the full 3/4 cup of buttermilk.

5. use all-purpose flour to generously dust a clear work surface. spoon dough onto the floured surface and use your hands to gather it into a ball and gently pat it into a small rectangle. if you're using gluten-free self-rising flour, the dough will crack a bit as you shape it into a rectangle, and again as you fold it over the apples. that's ok; just keep patting it back together.

6. use a rolling pin to gently roll the dough into a rectangle 1/2-inch thick, about 7-inches x 10-inches. arrange cooled apples in a single layer over half of the rolled out biscuit dough. fold the bare side of the dough over the apples and gently press the edges to seal in the apples. use the palms of your hand to pat the dough into a 6 x 8-inch rectangle if the edges are looking a bit rounded.

7. use a sharp knife to slice the dough into 12 squares. use a spatula to place each biscuit onto the prepared baking sheet, about 2-inches apart.

8. in a small bowl, whisk together sugar for topping, cinnamon, and salt.

9. brush each biscuit top with beaten egg and sprinkle generously with the cinnamon sugar mixture.

10. bake for 12 to 14 minutes until the biscuits are risen and golden brown. remove from the oven and serve warm or cool completely before storing in an airtight container. biscuits are best enjoyed within two days of baking.

it's fall!!!

i closed out the summer with berry smoothies, a batch of asian-flavored popsicles [red bean and vietnamese coffee], and some quick bites that didn't involve the stove or oven [tuna salad on english cucumber slices and early-season figs with goat cheese on mini brioche toasts].

heat is not our friend when it's 90 degrees out and humid, but now that the (in)famous pumpkin spice latte is back it's time to embrace the shift in seasons and reconnect in the kitchen.

i've actually never had a pumpkin spice latte--or ANY seasonal starbucks stuff for that matter--but that's not to say i don't enjoy seeing all the pumpkin and pumpkin-spiced things filling up the shelves and popping up on websites. i like the images they evoke: golden hued leaves and fallen acorns, bundling up and getting cozy on the couch, sipping cups of tea or apple cider or maybe a hot toddy ;)

fall baking provides comfort rather than guilt (bye bye, swimsuit season!). i'm excited to go through my collection of recipes and play with all the flavors of the season: pumpkin, apples, nuts and spices, maple~ and i can't forget the savory side of fall which means lots of root vegetables and lots of roasting. so put away the ice cream maker and bring out the dutch oven!

big news and bbq

sorry for the lack of updates, but july was a total whirlwind of events: bling, brides, babies, and bareilles.

after a fairly mellow 4th of july, i went up to montreal with sean for what i thought was some low-key hang time. little did i know i was in for a BIG surprise. after a couple days of chilling in the apartment, we planned a day trip to mont-tremblant (during the summer the ski slopes give way to some pretty good hiking trails). we couldn't have asked for a nicer day, sun shining and puffy white clouds in the blue, blue sky. we took the gondola up to the summit and chose an easy trail for our hike. i, of course, stopped way too many times along the way to take pictures of nature. i mean, how can i resist all those wildflowers? AND mini wild strawberries, butterflies, mossy trees, and amazing views! (i also couldn't help making mini bouquets out of the wildflowers--foreshadowing?)

we took a couple small breaks for snacks and water, and on our last one sean completely surprised me by PROPOSING! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!! the whole thing is still kind of a blur but in the best way~ seriously, best. hike. ever. :)

that evening we celebrated with a nice dinner at le grain de sel:
* a glass of rosé for me, a glass of red for sean
* assorted spreads and toppings for bread
* amuse of onion confit crostini
* watercress salad with radishes and baby turnips
* mushroom ravioli
* beef tartare with housemade slaw and chips
* dessert: paris brest

we didn't have much time to keep the celebrating to ourselves since the next three weekends were booked solid with two weddings, a baby shower, and the sara bareilles concert.

[12 july] first up was tim and stacey's mountaintop, fancy farm-style wedding in massachusetts: major happy tears during the ceremony AND speeches, panorama photo fun, bbq, and bonfires. th116 + llc = <3

[19 july] the following saturday was vida's baby shower in white plains. it was a beautifully planned party with adorable decorations that showcased the pastel circus theme. and let's not forget all the cute babies in attendance; i finally got to meet little dylan!

[20 july] that sunday started with boozy brunch with the ladies of book club (minus the book) at macondo in the lower east side: unlimited mimosas, guacamole, huevos rancheros, and crema de panela. later that evening jade and i went to the sara bareilles concert. this was part of her little black dress tour, and WOW can she put on a show! i had no idea what a great live performer she is. totally worth riding a super slow F train back to brooklyn at midnight.

[27 july] the last weekend of this jam-packed july was dean and rachel's wedding in maine: an outdoor ceremony overlooking a lake, brunch cocktails, huge rainstorm just as we went inside for the reception (talk about good timing!), and lots of parental boogying.

heading into august and the final weeks of summer, we still had/have a few opportunities to celebrate our engagement. sean made a quick visit the first weekend, and we planned a dinner with both our families...a peecharelli dinner, if you will. since we'd all be coming from different locations, we decided to do dinner in the city and picked crispo in the west village. they set us up with our own dining alcove which kept things more intimate and let abby have her own corner to play--totally great. bottles of wine, apps to share (pass the arancini, please!), pastas, veal, seafood, desserts...YUM! not to mention wonderful company. a good time had by all (i hope :P)

the next weekend was my mom's annual bbq! as with every year, she takes care of the meats (chicken satay and korean short ribs) while i focus on side dishes and desserts. this year i chose to do:

* israeli couscous with scallions, sugar snaps, persian cucumbers, and feta

* chopped spinach and strawberry salad with romaine, celery, sugar snaps, bacon (just a little), toasted pecans, and goat cheese

* balsamic marinated grilled zucchini

* ricotta crostini

  - grilled corn and zucchini ribbons

  - basil pesto and baby heirloom tomatoes

* sweet and spicy pork and pineapple kebabs (a total hit!)

i knew leslie would be bringing a cake, so i kept the desserts basic:

* lemon bars (two batches)

* peanut butter rice krispies

* "brookies" (brownie + chocolate chip cookie mash up inspired by baked's brookster)

even though sean wasn't able to join us, there were lots of congratulations and wedding talk all around and even a cake shout out!

the whole day was wonderful. the weather was ideal for barbecuing--sunny but cool--kavin manned the grill and i the kitchen, both with the help of our aunt.
there was an abundance of delicious food: betty brought a thousand bags of assorted chips; aurora brought the hot dogs; auntie nid brought some authentic pad thai; ellen carved her intricate fruit bowl. all this food meant all day eating...and what we couldn't finish were leftovers for the rest of the week, hah. i think we made a pretty sizable dent and only had a light selection of leftovers. two things that weren't left, though, were the pork and pineapple kebabs and the brookies. both were new recipes from serious eats (clearly my favorite recipe source) and did not disappoint. the kebabs were incredibly flavorful, seasoned with an excellent spice rub and slathered with a sweet and spicy glaze, and the pairing of grilled pineapple brought out a caramel, smokey flavor. mmm mmm. as for the brookies, how could you go wrong with baking a chocolate chip cookie into a brownie? come on! double whammy of baked goodness. you better believe i'm making these again; same goes for the kebabs, but those might have to wait 'til the next barbecue seeing as i'd need a grill... so for now i'll just focus on the sweets ;)

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:: sweet and spicy pork and pineapple kebabs ::
(recipe from serious eats)
serves 4-6

NOTE: i doubled this for the bbq but probably could have at least tripled. kavin did the grilling, and he mentioned the first few were in too much direct heat which caused them to char, so keep an eye out on the grill heat.

for the brined pork chops:
2 quarts ice cold water
1/3 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 pounds (1 1/2-inch thick) center-cut pork chops

for the rub:
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (*i subbed fresh minced garlic)
1/2 teaspoon onion powder (*i didn't have any but seemed fine without)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

for the glaze:
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon finely chopped chipotle chiles in adobo

1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
wooden skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes prior to use

for the brined pork chops: in a large bowl, whisk together water, salt, and sugar until solids are dissolved. place pork chops in brine and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.

for the rub: in a small bowl, mix together paprika, salt, black pepper, sugar, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. set aside.

to make the glaze: in a small saucepan, whisk together apricot preserves, honey, mustard, soy sauce, vinegar, and chipotle chiles. bring to a boil over medium-high heat. reduce heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, 5-10 minutes. remove from heat and set aside.

remove pork chops from brine and pat dry with paper towels. cut pork into 1 1/2-inch cubes, trimming any large pieces of excess fat. coat pork cubes liberally with spice rub.

thread pork onto skewers, alternating with pineapple cubes. (*i would suggest having the tip of the skewer be pork since it'll be closer to the heat.)

grill skewers over direct heat until pork is well seared on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. move skewers to cool side of grill and brush with glaze all over. cover grill and continue to cook until center of pork registers 140-145°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes longer. transfer skewers to a serving tray and let rest for 5 minutes. serve immediately.

:: brookies ::
(recipe from serious eats)
makes about 2 dozen mini muffin sized cookies

for chocolate chip cookies
1 cup plus two tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1/2 cup chocolate chips

for brownies
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350F. butter and flour muffin tin.

make cookie dough: in a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. set aside.

in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter, sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy, about 4 minutes. beat in vanilla and egg. beat in dry ingredients until just combined. stir in chocolate chips. cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge while you make the brownie batter.

make brownie batter: melt butter and chocolate and let cool slightly.

in a medium bowl, combine melted butter mixture and sugar and whisk to combine. whisk in egg, followed by flour and salt.

to assemble: drop brownie batter by the about 1/2 teaspoon into the mini muffin tin.

top each with a teaspoon of chocolate chip dough (you might have some left over).

place tin in oven and bake at 350F until cookies are golden, about 15 minutes. let cool and remove from tin.

it's healthy because it's fruit

i do not like warm fruit.

poached pears in a wine sauce? pass. thai-style fried bananas? nope. warm apple pie a la mode? sure, but make it a double scoop of ice cream and skip the pie. no crumbles or crostatas either. if the fruit is warm, count me out. (pineapple might be my only exception.) i am semi-okay with baked but cooled fruit desserts so long as it doesn't taste "warm."

so, given my dislike for baked fruit desserts it might be surprising that i even attempted joy the baker's triple berry cinnamon swirl bread.
this recipe was part of her summer baking bootcamp, where she invites readers to bake and post pics of the featured recipe. i didn't actually make it in time for the "deadline" but felt the need to try something new. plus, joy's pictures and post made everything look so approachable and delicious. i already had all the ingredients in my kitchen so it was kind of a no-brainer. the instructions were easy to follow, aside from my sloppy bread braid (everything sort of slid out and made a small mess), and the finished bread looked pretty enough... but, alas, my feelings for warm fruit prevailed. in fact, i think tasting cooked berries made them stronger. ::sigh:: i tried~ 
[NOTE: this has no bearing on the actual recipe from joy the baker--that was solid. give it a go if you like (warm) berries and cinnamon bread.]

okay, enough about what i don't like, let's talk about summertime frozen treats: popsicles and ice cream! i put my birthday gifts to the test and made some zoku pops and a batch of ample hills ice cream.

for the zoku pops, i played around with two flavor combos using white peaches. the first was strawberry and peach with a hint of lime. i wanted to keep the fruit pure so i just blended each and didn't add any sweeteners. the strawberry layer was fresh and tart, but the peach flavor was so faint it was almost nonexistent.

i still had a couple peaches left and decided to try cooking them down to reduce the water content and bring out the flavor. i added a bit of sugar and left the skin on the peaches which resulted in a rosy pink purée with a concentrated white peach flavor that was lightly sweet and floral. it's ironic how heat actually improved the fruit in this case--go figure. i mixed some of the purée into plain greek yogurt and layered it with pure purée. the layers were a little messy (haven't quite mastered filling the zoku pop maker...), and the greek yogurt froze harder and icier than expected, but overall the pops were just what i wanted: peachy and juicy.

with all the great fruit available during the summer it's hard to pass up basketfuls of bright red strawberries. the sweet smell of the berries is enough to entice me. as with most berries, i have a habit of stockpiling and then panicking when i can't eat them fast enough. fortunately my latest berry hoarding turned into deliciously creamy ice cream that reminded me of a really good strawberry milkshake. (mmm, milkshakes~)
this was the first recipe i tried from the ample hills cookbook and also the first strawberry ice cream recipe i've tried. it's funny how long it took me to make strawberry ice cream considering it was my childhood favorite--probably because haagen-dazs has sort of perfected the flavor. i was pretty pleased with how this came out, and because there weren't any eggs used there was no cooking involved (always nice when it's 90 degrees out with 85% humidity o.O). the only thing to note is that you have to prep the berries for 6-8 hours before combining them with the milk and cream. next time i would consider adding some strawberry chunks to really amp up the fruit flavor. plus, i like the occasional burst of frozen berry; it's like a mini treasure hunt, digging around for that surprise bite. but for now, i guess i'll have to make do with spoonfuls treasure-less but ultra creamy frozen strawberry deliciousness.

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:: ample hills creamery strawberries & cream ::
(recipe from ample hillls creamery)

1 pound (455g)fresh or frozen strawberries
1 1/4 cups (250g) organic cane sugar
1 1/2 cups (360ml) whole milk
3/4 cup (90g) skim milk powder
2 cups (480ml) heavy cream

1. place the strawberries in a medium bowl and sprinkle 1/2 cup (100g) of the sugar over them, tossing to coat them evenly. cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 6 to 8 hours. unwrap the bowl; you'll notice that the strawberries are now sitting in a pool of red, sugary water. drain the strawberries in a colander in the sink.
2. combine the milk, skim milk powder, remaining 3/4 cup (150g) sugar, and strawberries in a blender. puree until smooth.
3. pour the mixture into a bowl and add the cream. stir to combine. transfer the base to an ice cream maker and churn it according to the manufacturer's instructions.
4. transfer the ice cream to a storage container. serve immediately or harden in your freezer for 8 to 12 hours for a more scoopable ice cream.

brownies for my bro

a very happy father's day to my big brother!

kavin is by far the best guy i know. always there for any of us, supportive and encouraging with a sprinkling of tough love. incredibly generous with his time and full of heart, becoming a father has only made him better. it makes me smile to see him and abby together--love simply radiates.

kavin, i love you and wish you THE best father's day (and lots more to come)!

how about we have some good ol' fashioned brownies to celebrate~

in the past couple years i've been a little 'adventurous' in my baking, trying recipes that feature unusual spices and flavors or adding a little twist on the traditional. kavin, along with the rest of my family, has lovingly been my taste tester. he's had to put up with quite a lot of sweets with cardamom, earl grey, lavender, etc. so i think it's time to bring back the basics. brownies. no hidden black beans or avocado mixed in. no random swirl of caramel (although that might not be a bad idea...). not even walnuts. just chocolate fudgy brownies.

i chose this recipe for its simplicity and because joy the baker is my go-to for most things baked. these brownies were super easy to make and left my apartment smelling like chocolate. (jealous?)

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::joy the baker's chocolate fudge brownies::
(recipe from joy the baker cookbook)
makes one 8-inch pan

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. grease and flour an 8-inch-square baking dish and set aside.

in a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. set aside.

bring about 2 inches of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. in a medium, heatproof bowl, add butter and unsweetened chocolate. place the bowl over, but not touching, the simmering water and allow to melt. stir to incorporate. once melted, remove the bowl from the simmering pot. whisk in brown and granulated sugars. whisk in eggs, yolk, and vanilla. add the flour mixture, all at once, to the chocolate mixture. fold together with a spatula until well incorporated. fold in chocolate chips.

pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. bake until a skewer inserted in the center of the brownie comes out clean. remove from the oven and cool completely before frosting.
brownies last, well wrapped, at room temperature for up to 5 days.

*note: the original recipe is for frosted brownies, but i left mine unfrosted