Apple Pie, Two Ways

In my two week absence, I am sad to report that I didn't do much cooking. My trip to San Francisco was a whirlwind and didn't involve as many homecooked meals as I would have liked, and in the time since I've returned I didn't really get back into the kitchen until this weekend.

Luckily, the short time I have spent in the kitchen lately yielded a couple of outraegeously delicious desserts! My number one contribution to Thanksgiving dinner at my parents' house was a beautiful, tender and tart apple pie. And since Bill was craving an apple treat post-Thanksgiving, I put a new twist on apple pie with some super yummy apple pie bars this weekend.

My apple pie was inspired by (but not quite copied from) Wolfgang Puck's Christmas Apple Pie. And when I say "inspired by," I mean that I used his crust and winged the rest. Fortunately, that crust went over really well. Also fortunately, my improvised filling went over just as well! In fact, my dad called it "stupendous." And thus, I've coined this recipe "Jen's Thanksgiving Apple Pie."

As delish (and pretty!) as my apple pie was, I have to admit that my after Thanksgiving apple pie bars were even better. I have a serious thing for crumble toppings, so as much as I enjoyed Wolfgang's shortbread-like crust, I have to give it to the oat-y, sugar-y, cinnamon-y crumbs that topped these bars (plus, the caramelized apple filling takes it to a whole other level of deliciousness!). I highly recommend that both of these apple desserts make an appearance on your holiday, table ... but if you have to pick just one, go for the bars!

Thanksgiving Apple Pie
Ingredients:
For the Crust

2 1/3 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, chilled, cut into small pieces

2 egg yolks

1 or 2 tablespoons milk

For the Filling

6 to 8 (depending on their size) Granny Smith apples

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 egg white, lightly whisked

Directions:
In food processor fitted with steel blade, combine flour and sugar. Add butter and process until texture resembles fine meal.

In a small bowl, whisk together yolks and 1 tablespoon milk. Scrape into machine and process until a ball begins to form, using additional tablespoon milk, if necessary. Remove dough from machine, and on a lightly floured surface, press into a circle. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Divide pastry into 2 parts, one a little larger than the other. On a lightly floured surface, roll smaller piece into a round, 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick. Arrange in pie plate, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. (Reserve trimmings.) Tuck overhang under, making a slightly thicker edge. Chill 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel, core, and slice apples. Place apples in a large bowl, sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir in lemon juice. Spoon filling into the prepared, chilled crust. 

On a lightly floured surface, roll out reserved dough, about 1/4-inch thick. Carefully place dough over filling and trim edges (again, reserve trimmings, adding to scraps reserved from bottom crust). Press edges together to seal pie (this doesn't haven't to look professional, but to make pretty, fluted edges, see America's Test Kitchen's tips here). Roll out trimmings and use a sharp knife or small cookie cutter to cut decorative leaves. Adhere leaves to top crust (in any pattern you like!) using a little beaten egg white. Cut 4 slits into top of pie to allow steam to escape while cooking.

Brush top crust with remaining egg white and sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake 30 minutes, turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bake 35 to 40 minutes longer, until crust is golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Apple Pie Bars
Ingredients:
For the Crust
3/4 cups butter ( 1 1/2 sticks)
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Filling
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
6 Honeycrisp apples (or any variety you like), peeled, cored, and sliced
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

For the Topping
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

To make crust, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in flour and salt until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out into a parchment-lined 9x13-inch baking dish. Press dough over bottom and up edges of dish in an even layer. Bake 20 minutes or until golden and set. Set aside.

To make filling, melt butter and brown sugar in large skillet. Add apples and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in cinnamon and nutmeg. Continue cooking until apples are caramelized and very tender and liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes longer. (Add a few tablespoons water to pan to prevent scorching, if necessary.) Remove from heat and let cool.

To make topping, mix oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press mixture into clumps.

Spread apple filling over crust. Scatter crumbs on top. Bake 1 hour, or until topping is golden, rotating dish halfway through cooking time. Cool completely (or mostly) on a wire rack before cutting into 2-inch bars.

I Swoon for Macarons: Part II

French macarons are becoming the new cupcake - a classic dessert that has suddenly been reinvented and transformed into haute couture. The only difference is that where cupcakes were transformed from classically comfortable to surprisingly fancy, French macarons have turned from classically sophisticated to much more approachable. If you're a fan of all shows Bravo (as I am), you'll appreciate this comparison: What pastry chefs have done for cupcakes is what Chris March has done for costume gala gowns, and what home bakers have done for French macarons is what Rachel Zoe has done for Chanel.

I was completely unfamiliar with French macarons until I saw Wolfgang Puck sing their praises on an episode of "The Best Thing I Ever Ate." That inspired me to seek them out at the very place Wolfgang recommended you have them - Payard Patisserie & Bistro inside Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas. I documented that mind-blowing moment here, and French macarons immediately went on my recipe wishlist.

It wasn't until I came across a French macaron cookbook at TJ Maxx this weekend (yet another indication that they're now everywhere) that I remembered they were on my to-make list. And so I was determined to do so on Sunday. (For those of you who are wondering, yes, I did make these at the same time as my deep dish pizza. I do not recommend attempting to accomplish both of these challenging recipes at once.)

Before you set out on the French-macaron-making mission that I did, there are a few very important questions you must ask yourself ... First, do you have a store nearby carrying almond flour? Second, are you willing to spend $12.49 for 16 ounces of said almond flour? So as not to compromise the recipe, I answered yes to both questions. I was lucky enough to find almond flour at Sendik's (although I was prepared to grind skinned almonds as my back up plan), and while I had a minor heart attack at the price on the shelf, I sucked it up. And I'm glad I did!

While the French macaron makeover has put these cookies within reach of the home chef, they're still challenging. I have improvements to make on my next batch, but this first attempt went surprisingly well and they were absolutely, delightfully delectable.

French Macarons with Chocolate-Hazelnut Filling
Ingredients:
1 cup confectioners' sugar

3/4 cup almond flour

2 egg whites, at room temperature

Pinch of cream of tartar

1/4 cup sugar (Martha recommends superfine, but regular granulated sugar is ok too)

1/2 cup Nutella spread

Directions:
Pulse confectioners' sugar and almond flour in a food processor until combined. Sift mixture twice.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk egg whites with a mixer on medium speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, and whisk until soft peaks form. Reduce speed to low, then add sugar. Increase speed to high, and whisk until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. Sift flour mixture over whites, and fold until mixture is smooth and shiny.

Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip, and pipe  into rounds 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. (Martha says you should drag your pastry tip to the side of rounds rather than forming peaks - I had a hard time with this!) Tap bottom of each sheet on work surface to release trapped air (I apparently didn't tap hard enough because I had a few air bubbles). Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes (I don't know why, but I did it because Martha said so). Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until macarons are crisp and firm, about 10 minutes. After each batch, increase oven temperature to 375 degrees, heat for 5 minutes, then reduce to 325 degrees (again, I don't know why, but who am I to question Martha?).

Let macarons cool on sheets for 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Sandwich 2 same-size macarons with 1 teaspoon Nutella. Enjoy the crack of the sweet, meringue-like shell, followed by the chewy inner cookie, followed by the creamy, chocolate-hazelnut-y goodness :)

I Swoon for Macaroons!

I have to apologize for my lack of posts lately. I took a little hiatus in Vegas for my birthday, but while I was there I had some delicious food! I wish I could recount the whole weekend for you, but we don't have all night. Instead I'll just tell you about one of my favorites.

I love the Food Network's "The Best Thing I Ever Ate." And several weeks ago when I saw an episode where Wolfgang Puck described coffee macarons from Payard Patisserie & Bistro in Caesar's Palace, I immediately called Nicole and told her we had to go there to try them. You can watch the segment yourself to see why I was so tempted.

We had brunch at Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill on Sunday (my birthday!) which is also in Caesar's, so we found Payard afterward. Clearly the macarons are popular because there were only two packages left behind the counter. So Nicole and I waited in a very slow-moving line behind some non-English speaking tourists, eyeing those two packages. And the tourists bought them. Just our luck. I asked if there were more and was told they wouldn't be ready until 3:00 or 4:00. Unfortunately, Nicole was leaving that afternoon so she was going to miss out. But I went back the next day and struck gold.

Payard has several varieties of macarons, only one or two of which they seem to offer on any given day. The day Nicole and I went they only had regular French macarons, but I was specifically hoping for the coffee variety Wolfgang had talked about. And what did I find when I went back on Monday? Coffee macarons! It's like it was meant to be.

There were a few people in line ahead of me again, so I kept my fingers crossed and hoped for the best. Luckily, no one else noticed them. The good news is that they were just as amazing as Wolfgang made them out to be. The bad news is that I only ate one and saved the rest for later, and ended up squashing them in my purse. So I now have two flattened macarons left over that are just as delicious, but not nearly as pretty.

In case you're wondering, these are nothing like traditional macaroons (which is why they're French macarons, with just one "o"). Don't get me wrong, I love coconut macaroons. But where those are dense and sticky (and best when dipped in chocolate!), French macarons are light and airy with a creamy filling.

When I first saw Wolfgang's segment, I wondered why he was talking about coffee macarons on "The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Nutty" because there didn't seem to be anything nutty about them. But then I learned that French macarons are made with almond flour, hence the nuttiness. I have no idea where I'm going to find almond flour, but I need to do so stat so I can try my hand at these delicious little pastries!

And speaking of Wolfgang, on Friday afternoon we ate at one of his (many!) restaurants, Postrio, at the Venetian. Lunch was delicious, but just as notable was dessert. We shared a Grand Marnier Creme Brulee, which had a layer of pastry crust, a layer of jam, and layer of creme brulee with caramelized Grand Marnier. OMG. I need to figure out how to make this.