Cannoli Cups

Happy New Year! It has been a long time since I blogged. As part of my new year's resolution, I have decided to get back into the blogging world again.  If you have stumbled upon my site, I hope you stick around for what's to come. If you visited once before, I'm glad to see you found your way back again!

To commemorate my return to blogging, I decided to post these cannoli cups. Now I know it's a Christmas-themed recipe and well Christmas is over. And I know we are all trying to forget all those calories we consumed in the last few weeks. I should be posting quinoa-kale-salady recipes, but I had to share these. Even if you don't make them until next Christmas-trust me- you won't regret it.  These cannoli cups give you all the pleasure of eating a cannoli in bite size form. See it's sort of New Year's resolution friendly, right?


The original recipe I found on Pillsbury.com.  The recipe actually comes from a fellow recipe blogger, Arlene Cummings, from her site, "Cooking With Sugar! How cool is that! After reading some reviews, I took some of the advice and decided to strain the ricotta cheese overnight. Other claimed their filling never set up and Arlene suggested straining the ricotta before making the filling. Because I was making these for a get together with co-workers the last thing I wanted was soupy filling. The ricotta cheese I used was actually quite thick, so it might not have been necessary. I would recommend straining if your ricotta cheese is liquidy.

I changed the filling recipe slightly by adding some almond extract. I am in love with almond extract. I think the little bit of almond extract was the ticket to making the filling taste like these cannolis in the North End of Boston. Mmm, Mike's pastry...if you have never been..well go. And if you can't go. Well, then make these.

P.s. Like  my new camera?! Yup, that's right I have upgraded for my phone camera to a real camera. Ok, it is nothing fancy. But it's a start right?

Cannoli Cups 
note:  I actually made these over the course of three days. I first made the pastry cups and stored at room temperature. The second day I strained the ricotta cheese. And on the third day, I made the filling and piped it into the cups. Fill only when you are ready to serve! The second day they were definitely a little soggier, but still delicious.

Filling
1 container (15 oz) part skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Cups
1 package of store-bough pie crust
3 Tablespoons turbinado sugar (I didn't have any raw sugar, so I used granulated sugar!)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Topping
1/4 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
Sprinkles (optional)

1. In large bowl, beat all filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Place filling in 1-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag; refrigerate while making cups.

2. Heat oven to 425°F. On lightly floured work surface, unroll pie crusts. Sprinkle each crust with turbinado sugar and cinnamon. Lightly roll rolling pin over sugar and cinnamon to press into pastry. With 2 1/2- to 3-inch round cutter, cut out pastry rounds. Lightly press each pastry round into ungreased mini muffin cup.

3. Bake about 10 minutes or until pastry cups are golden brown. Cool completely in pans, about 15 minutes. Remove from muffin cups to cooling racks.

4. Just before serving, remove filling from refrigerator. Cut 1 bottom corner off bag; pipe scant tablespoon filling into cooled pastry cups. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and sprinkles. Serve immediately. Store any remaining pastry cups at room temperature and filling in refrigerator.

Cherry Crostata

It has been a few days now since my last post..ok a couple weeks if I'm being honest. I was on vacation in New Hampshire, relaxing by a lake, eating, drinking, and being merry. There is something about being unplugged from the world for awhile that is truly refreshing. It gets you back to center. Know what I mean? I highly recommend it. 

This crostata was also quite rewarding. My culinary counterpart has been asking for a cherry pie for awhile now. A co-worker had told me about the cherry pitter she got and how much fun it was. Seriously, she wasn't kidding. A cherry pitter can relieve alot of tension. I highly recommend it. My pitter pits four cherries at once, making the job ridiculously easy and mess-free. 

I decided to turn those plump, juicy, pitted cherries into a crostata. If you're scratching your head at the word crostata, don't be. Basically it's Italian for open-faced, free-form pie. It's a great introduction to pie-making if you're the word "pie crust" has you hiding behind your biggest kitchen bowl. It's a rustic looking dessert, which is another way of saying it doesn't have to look pretty! *Sigh*. 

This recipe came from a newly purchased cookbook, Pie, by Ken Haedrich. I LOVE this book. If you love making pie, want to know more about making pie, or have that huge fear (I'm speaking to those that still haven't come out from that big bowl you have been hiding under) then get this book.


I decided to use the all butter pie crust recipe again. I had used the all butter crust recipe for the Nectarine Pie I had made recently and again another fabulous crust came out of it.  I still want to try to make a crust with shortening and butter, just to compare. The all butter crust, though, for those of you squeamish of shortening still produces a light and flaky crust.

This crostata was a fairly simple dessert to throw together. So come out from under that bowl, roll up your sleeves, and get to pitting those cherries. Life can be stressful, and definitely is not perfect and neither should be your pies.


To print recipe, click here. 


All Butter Pie Crust Recipe
Single crust


**I have been making my crusts by hand, which can be more forgiving and also produce a flakier crust.


1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1/4 cup cold water


Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.  Toss well, by hand, to mix.  Scatter butter over the dry ingredients and toss to mix.  Using a pastry blender, 2 knives, or fingertips, cut or rub the butter into the flour until it is broken into pieces the size of split peas.  Sprinkle half of the water over the dry mixture.  Toss well with a fork to dampen the mixture.  Add the remaining water in two stages and continue to toss and mix, pulling the mixture up from the bottom of the bowl.


Test the dough by squeezing some of it between your fingers, if it seems a little dry and not quite packable, drizzle a teaspoon or so of cold water over the dough and work it in with your fingertips.  Using your hands, pack the dough into a ball. Knead once or twice, then flatten the ball into 3/4-inch-thick disks on a floured work surface.  Wrap the disks and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight before rolling.


Cherry Pie Filling


3 to 4 cups of cherries, pitted
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/3 cup sugar (you may need more depending on the sweetness of your cherries)
1/4 tsp. almond extract
juice of 1/2 orange
2 Tbs. of cornstarch
3 Tbs. of butter, cut into small chunks
1 Egg, beaten (mixed with a couple Tablespoons of water) 
Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling


Combine the first 5 ingredients in a bowl. Roll out your dough to a 12-inch circle. Put the ingredients in the center of your pie crust. Bring up the sides of your pie dough around the filling, leaving the center of the crostata exposed. Scatter the butter pieces on top of the filling. Brush the crust with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes or until filling is bubbling and crust edges are golden brown.

Nectarine Pie with Almond crumb topping

Is there anything homier and more comforting than pie? Seriously think about it for a second. I think you will agree there is not. And pie is something I think seems to have a place all year round. I adore pie in the wintertime with all the holidays. Nothing is more satisfying than a slice of pie after my Thanksgiving meal. I honestly cannot have any other kind of dessert afterwards. In the summer time, I get excited about peach pie, and berry pies galore. Pie always has a place on my table.


Enjoying pie and making pie though two very different topics. Pie dough and me have not always been a perfect union. I have tackled different culinary/pastry techniques and for some reason pie dough is the one that always befuddles me. Sometimes its too sticky, then it won't roll out, it's too soft, too crunchy, not enough flakiness- you get my point. I have the answer though! Use. Your. Hands. Put that food processor away. Take the jewelry off. Roll up your sleeves. Get to know your dough. It is so much more forgiving. Oh and one more point. Use butter. There are many debates about using half shortening/half butter to achieve the perfect flavor/flakiness ration. Shortening, though, is well- it's icky. Seriously, what is that stuff? Trust me, use all butter, and your hands and you will get that great flavor to flake ratio. Using the food processor, can result is overworking your dough, causing that gluten stuff to act up resulting in a tough dough. Your hands, can't work as fast and therefore you stand a better fighting chance of not overworking your dough. Besides, it's just plain fun to get in there and get messy. My last major tip. Use very, very, cold butter.  I like to cupt up my butter into small chunks and then re-freeze it aftewards. Just the warmth of the knife can soften it too much. For a great step by step tutorial, check out smitten kitchen's post on how to make perfect pie dough.

For this pie, I decided to use nectarines. This was just a perfect juicy summer pie.  It's the simpler cousin of peaches. I didn't have to blanche my nectarines like I would normally with peaches (put them in boiling water for a minute in order to remove the skins). I just simply sliced them and they were good to go- which made this pie pretty fast to throw together! The almond crumb topping with this pie was a perfect balance with the nectarines. The almond taste was subtly in the background, not too overpowering.  After this pie, I definitely want to try and make more pies by hand. So be ready for that. Pie, pie, and more pie!


You could definitely skip the making pie dough part if summer is calling your name. Use a store-bought pie crust and this pie is ready in no time. Fill up your sangria glass (I'm not judging) and get ready to the enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Nectarine Pie with Almond Crumb Topping
Adapted from William-Sonoma "Home Baked Comfort", and "Pie" by Ken Haedrich


Pie Dough, single crust


1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp sugar (if making a savory dish, omit)
7 tbsp very cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
5 tbsp ice water, more if necessary


makes enough for one 9-inch pie


In the bowl of your food processor or by hand using a pastry cutter stir together the flour, salt, and sugar, if using.  Sprinkle the butter over the top and pulse for a few seconds. If by hand, cut the butter in using your pastry cutter until it slightly broken up into the flour but is still visible in pieces. Evenly sprinkle the ice water over the flour mixture, then process just until the mixture starts to come together. Dump the dough into a large zip lock bag and press into a flat disk. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes or up to 1 day, or freeze up to 1 month.

Filling

6 cups pitted and sliced ripe nectarines, unpeeled

Scant 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Almond Crumb Topping

3/4 cup whole or slivered almonds
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1. Refrigerate pastry for crust until firm enough to roll, about 1 hour.

2. On a sheet of lightly floured wax paper, roll half the pastry into a 13-inch circle with a floured rolling pin. Invert the pastry over a 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie pan, center, and peel off the paper. Tuck the pastry into the pan, with out stretching it, and sculpt the edge into an upstanding ridge. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400F.

3. In a large bowl, combine the nectarines, 1/2 cup of the sugar, the lemon juice, and lemon zest. Set aside for 10 minutes to juice. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and the cornstarch in a small bowl, then stir the mixture into the fruit. Stir in the almond extract. Scrape the filling in to the chilled pie shell, smoothing the fruit with a spoon. Place the pie on the center oven rack and bake for 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, make the topping. Combine the almonds and the sugar in a food processor, pulsing in short bursts to chop the almonds well. Add the flour and the salt and pulse briefly to mix. Scatter the butter over the dry ingredients and pulse until the mixture looks like fine crumbs. Dump the crumbs into a large bowl and rub between your fingers to make large, buttery crumbs. Refrigerate until ready to use.

5. Remove the pie from the oven and reduce the temperature to 375F. Carefully dump the crumbs in the center of the pie, spreading them evenly and tamping them lightly with your hands. Return the pie to the oven, placing it so that the part that faced the back of the oven now faces forward. Just in case, slide a large aluminum-foil-lined baking sheet onto the rack below to catch any spills. Continue to bake until the juices bubble thickly around the edge, 30 to 40 minutes.

6. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool for at least 2 hours before serving.