Welcome to TBLSPOON
Follow along as I document my adventures in baking. I hope it inspires you to try something new.
Thanks for visiting,
Sarah
Follow along as I document my adventures in baking. I hope it inspires you to try something new.
Thanks for visiting,
Sarah
All in Pies and Tarts
The crisp, buttery crust has a lemony ricotta filling topped with roasted zucchini and grape tomatoes that have been seasoned with oregano and basil, then it all gets a sprinkling of parmesan. You didn’t really think there would be no cheese did you?
Pâte sucrée is one of my favorite pastries to make, there’s something therapeutic about rolling out the dough and satisfying when the the tarts come out of the oven proudly holding their shape. Plus, it’s delicious since it's essentially a buttery shortbread with an egg mixed in to hold it together... and made even better when filled with creamy dark chocolate.
This peanut butter pie is piled high with an incredibly decadent peanut butter cheesecake filling in a chocolatey crust and topped with ALL the Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, peanut butter chips, and drizzled with dark chocolate and melted peanut butter. It’s the pie that peanut butter dreams are made of.
This savory riff on a classic tart tatin is from Erin Jeanne McDowell's cookbook The Book on Pie, and is one of the best dinners I've had in recent memory. Pounds of cherry tomatoes are cooked down with fresh herbs, balsamic vinegar, and sherry then baked in puff pastry crust until the tomatoes char and the pastry turns a crackly golden brown. It's quite literally bursting with flavor from all directions. If you have the book, it's her alternate version of the Red Onion Tart Tatin.
Peanut butter, chocolate, bananas...you really can't go wrong with this classic flavor combo. This pie comes from Erin Jeanne McDowell's wonderful new cookbook The Book on Pie and is for all the peanut butter lovers out there. I describe a lot of recipes on this site as "decadent" and this one is no exception. A deliciously thick and creamy peanut butter custard wrapped in a black cocoa "all buttah" crust then topped with sliced bananas and homemade salted peanut brittle. My husband called it a giant Reece's peanut butter cup. Not mad about that!
Soft, buttery brioche buns filled with sweet berries, cardamom sugar, and vanilla custard...a decadent brunch treat to be sure. While the brioche buns are best the day they're baked, the dough and custard can be made the day before, so all you'll need to do is assemble and bake before your guests arrive.
If you cook onions slowly over low heat, they lose their sharpness and turn melty soft and sweet. That caramelization is what makes this French beauty a classic. I followed a recipe by André Soltner of Lutèce fame that can be found in NYT Cooking. The caramelized onions are combined with cream, eggs, a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and nutmeg, then baked in a savory tart crust. The result is pure buttery, flaky, onion magic.
The combination of flavors in Claire Saffitz’s Salty Nut Tart from her cookbook “Dessert Person” is decadent and unique: so very buttery from the pine nuts and the sweet tart crust, and not too sweet. The rosemary is there but doesn't overpower, making the tart a sophisticated, but not complicated, end to a festive meal.
If you’re a fan of sweet-tart treats, this one is for you! Fresh cranberries are blended with orange juice and orange zest to create the velvety smooth filling for this festive tart from NYT Cooking. I served this for dessert on Christmas this year. It would also be a great option for Thanksgiving or New Year's celebration.
This was my first time making an apple pie! And the first time I’ve ever made a lattice crust. While I’m sure it shows in the visuals, I was pretty happy with the results for a first attempt, and more importantly, it was everything I was hoping for in terms of taste. All the traditional fall flavors of tart apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cloves encased in a buttery, flaky crust.
Sweet, buttery shortcrust pastry filled with luscious almond frangipane filling and topped with even more sliced almonds. Simple ingredients but really big on flavor.
Well, here I am, living up to my previous confession that I can’t resist a recipe with cheese baked into it. This gorgeous pie by Erin Jeanne McDowel has a healthy quantity of cheddar cheese baked into the all-butter pie crust. I mean, how could I let that go unmade? The filling is a simple combination of tangy, smoky roasted tomatoes and corn, studded with spicy scallions and fresh basil. A mouthwatering balance of flavors, and the ultimate transitional meal as we go from summer to fall.
This one is a treat for kids of all ages. Creamy peanut butter ice cream, swirled with raspberry jam in a salty, caramely, crunchy, crust.
Bosc pears are poached in white wine and warm, autumn spices – clove, cinnamon, and vanilla – until transluscent, then nestled in a thick layer of frangipane (sweet almond custard) in this perfect-for-fall tart. I’d never made anything with frangipane before and now I want to make everything with it. Creamy, nutty, delicious.
Goat cheese is the star here. Its tangy, rich flavor is complimented by the sweetness of the caramelized shallots and warmth of fresh rosemary. Grape tomatoes add an acidic balance to it all making this a to-die-for gourmet pizza. I was sad to see this one disappear from the dinner table so quickly. I’ll have to make more.
In my book, garlic-shrimp anything is amazing and this flavorful garlic shrimp pizza is no exception. Tossed with bright red onion, olive oil and a little salt and pepper, it is simplicity at its best.
The crispiest, butteriest crust, gouda cheese, and ripe heirloom tomatoes all melted together in a hot oven then topped with fresh basil. “Oh my god,” was all my husband had to say when he took a bite of this Tomato Gouda Galette. Need I say more?
