Apple Lambic Floats

I’ve discovered a new way to serve one of my favorite seasonal drinks, apple lambic beer—a Belgian-brewed white ale that is fortified with fresh apple cider. With fennel crystal rimmed mugs and scoops of caramel ice cream, this spiked float is a bit inspired by caramel apples, but with an aromatic and adult twist.

The fennel crystals come from Fresh Origins; they’re fragrant, colorful, and have a great crunchy texture; they also come in other flavors like mint, hibiscus, and rose.

Don’t drink alcohol? These fennel crystals would also work well with star anise steeped apple cider. Or what about hot chocolate served in mint or rose rimmed mugs with a dollop of fresh whipped cream? I’ll have to save those ideas for a chillier evening. What would you make with flower and herb crystals?

Peanut Butter & Concord Grape Jam Thumbprint Cookies

A classic American fall fruit is the Concord grape. These hardy, aromatic grapes are only available fresh during September and October. Commonly used in jellies, jams, juices and delectable sweets, they are also delicious eaten out of hand – just remember to watch out for seeds! The skin of a Concord grape is typically dark blue or purple. It is a slip-skin variety, meaning that the skin is easily separated from the flesh of the fruit.  

A popular pairing with Concord grape jam is peanut butter. I decided to do a little twist on this American favorite to create a peanut butter cookie with Concord grape jelly - because what goes together better than peanut butter and jelly?

Peanut Butter & Concord Grape Jam Thumbprint Cookies

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup smooth peanut butter

4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup Concord grape jam (See Recipe Below)

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat peanut butter and butter on medium speed until smooth. Add sugars, and beat until light and fluffy. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add egg and vanilla, and beat until incorporated. Reduce speed to low. Add dry ingredients, and mix until combined.

Using a tablespoon, scoop dough and form into balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar and arrange on the baking sheets, spacing two inches apart. Bake until cookies are puffy, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and make indentations in centers by pressing with your thumb. Return to oven and bake until edges are golden brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks, and let cool completely. Just before serving, scoop 1 teaspoon Concord grape jelly into the center of the cookies.

For the Concord Grape Jam

1 lb. Concord grapes, stemmed          

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Separate grape skins from grape pulp. In a food processor, puree skins with 1 tablespoon sugar until smooth. Transfer mixture to a medium size pot. Stir in lemon juice, grape pulp, and remaining ¼ cup sugar and boil over moderate heat. Stir frequently until pulp is broken down, about 20 minutes. Strain jam through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Return jam to pot and cook at a slow simmer until mixture thickens. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of warm jam into each cookie thumbprint.

Note: Any jam, preserves or ganache can be substituted for the cookie filling.

Poached Seckel Pears

Arguably one of the greatest dessert pears, Seckel Pears are super sweet and have hints of cinnamon flavor.  Amongst the smallest in the pear family, they are about the size of an egg.  Seckel pears are round bodied and have olive green or maroon skin. 

One of my favorite ways to serve pears is poached, as warm pears are the perfect compliment to crisp fall weather. Poaching pears (or any fall fruit, really) is a simple way to make a satisfying dessert.

Ingredients

1 cup walnuts

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1 cup white wine

4 cups water

¾ cup sugar

1 ½ teaspoon ground cardamom

Zest of 1 lemon

1 whole vanilla bean, split and scraped

1 pound Seckel Pears, peeled leaving the stem intact

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine walnuts, ground ginger and 1 tablespoon sugar. Spread the sugared walnuts on the baking sheet and toast until light golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Let the walnuts cool completely before using.

In a large covered pot, bring white wine, water, sugar, ground cardamom, lemon zest, vanilla bean and pulp to a boil and reduce to a simmer.

Peel the pears, leaving the stem intact. Place the pears into the poaching liquid. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot and let the pears gently simmer for 10 minutes or until tender.

Using a slotted spoon, gently transfer pears to a serving dish and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight. Increase the heat to high and reduce poaching liquid to approximately 1 cup of liquid. Using a fine mesh sieve, strain the poaching liquid into a heatproof container and refrigerate.

Serve the pears with freshly whipped unsweetened cream, poaching syrup and garnish with crunchy sugared walnuts.

Gingersnap Spiced Asian Pear and Mascarpone Pie

With all my talk of Bartlett pears last week, I decided to dedicate the entire month to this fall fruit. This week, I baked with Asian pears, also known as apple pears.

Asian pears are crispier, crunchier, and a bit grainier than European pears—but equally delicious to bake with. They are lightly sweet, very juicy, and have hints of pineapple in their flavor and aroma. They also hold their shape when baked, which is why I decided to use them for this pie recipe, which calls for a roasted pear topping.

Gingersnap Pie Dough

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
½ teaspoon sea salt ½ teaspoon granulated sugar 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 stick unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes

2 to 4 tablespoons water, ice-cold

Just like classic pie dough, pulse flour, salt, sugars, and spices in a food processor until combined. Add butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly, but holds together when squeezed (add more water if needed).

Shape dough into a 1-inch thick disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 14-inch circle. Line a 9-inch pie plate, trimming dough to have a 1-inch overhang. Tuck the overhang of dough under itself to form a rim, and crimp decoratively to seal. Freeze pie shell until ready to use.

Pear and Mascarpone Filling

10-12 ripe Asian pears, peeled, halved, and with seeds removed

1 ½ cups sugar

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 teaspoon vanilla, divided

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

8 ounces mascarpone

Preheat oven to 350°F. Fully bake piecrust using the blind bake method. Let cool to room temperature before filling.

In a large bowl, toss pears, sugar, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, and cinnamon until evenly coated. Arrange pears, cut side down in a baking dish and roast until juices are bubbling and slightly thickened, about 30 to 40 minutes (cooking time will depend on ripeness of pears). Let cool slightly.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer pears to a bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Pour the remaining juices in the baking dish into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer until thickened and reduced to about 1/2 cup; set glaze aside.

Combine sugar, honey, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, salt and mascarpone in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer beat on high speed until mixture holds firm peaks (do not overbeat or mascarpone may curdle).

Spread mascarpone cream evenly over bottom of crust. Arrange a single layer of chilled pear halves tightly, but not overlapping, over mascarpone mixture. Starting at the edges of the piecrust, arrange remaining pear halves on top of the base layer, overlapping tightly and forming a spiral to cover. Using a pastry brush spread the glaze over pears.

Cut pie into slices and serve with scoop of your favorite vanilla ice cream!