Warm, sun, rain moving in and Boston Cream Pie/cupcakes!

*BOSTON CREAM PIE (and cupcakes)

Filling:

1/2 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg plus 3 egg yolks, at room temperature

2 cups whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Make the filling: In a medium saucepan off-heat, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in the whole egg and the 3 yolks, and then stir in the milk. Turn the heat on to medium high and cook the mixture, uncovered, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens, 12 to 15 minutes. It will feel very thick.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate while you make the cake. Be sure to place the plastic wrap directly onto the custard to prevent a skin from forming.

Make the Cake: 

Prepare any white or yellow cake mix as directed.  For a whole pie, spread batter into 2 round cake pans.  For cupcakes, line a muffin tin with paper or foil liners.  Bake as directed on package.

Make the Ganache Topping:

1 cup heavy cream

1 ½ cups chocolate chips

To make the chocolate ganache, in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the cream to a boil, then immediately remove from the heat. Add the chocolate chips to the cream and stir until completely melted.

Now you Assemble them:

To assemble, place one cake layer on a plate.  Spread the custard filling over the cake, then top with the second layer of cake. Spread the ganache over the top of the cake, allowing it to drizzle down the sides.

For cupcakes, make a deep hole in each cupcake with a cupcake corer or a spoon.  Spoon custard into a zip lock bag, pushing it into a corner.  Snip off the corner and squeeze the custard into the hole in each cupcake.  Spoon the chocolate ganache over each top.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Store covered in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

 

 

*APPLE PIE SLICES

Crust:

2 cups flour

¾ cup shortening

1 tsp salt

1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

½ cup milk

Filling:

5 cups sliced, peeled apples (6-7 good sized apples)

1 cup sugar (more if apples are tart); can use ¾ cup sugar and ¼ cup vanilla sugar

2 TB flour

½ tsp cinnamon

1 TB butter

1 egg white, lightly beaten

Icing:

1 TB butter, melted

¾ powdered sugar

¼ tsp vanilla

2-3 tsp milk

Preheat oven to 375⁰. 

In a large bowl, combine the flour, shortening, and salt.  Mix with hands until it resembles coarse crumbs.  In a small bowl, combine the egg yolk and milk.  Add to the dough and mix.  Divide the dough in two pieces, and wrap one piece in plastic and refrigerate.

Pat or roll the other piece of dough into an ungreased 9"x13" baking dish. 

 

Place the peeled and sliced apples on top of the crust.

 

In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, flour, and cinnamon.  Sprinkle the mixture over the apples.  Dot with butter.

Gently roll out the remaining crust on a lightly floured surface, large enough to fit the pan.  Place over the apples, and brush with the beaten egg white.  Bake at 375⁰ for 45 minutes.  Cool and frost with icing, or just sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

To make the icing, combine the butter, sugar, and vanilla and mix, adding enough milk to make it the consistency you want.

 

*Pears and Honey Crisp

• Filling
• 3 cups 1/4" diced pears (see note)
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon whole wheat pastry flour or oat flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• Heavy cream, for topping
• Topping
• 1/2 cup oat flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon honey, warmed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375˚.
2. Combine the pears with the honey, flour, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a 2qt baking dish. Toss until the pears are well coated.
3. In a food processor, combine the oat flour and rolled oats. Pulse in the butter and honey until clumps form. Sprinkle the oat topping over the pear mixture.
4. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, until the topping is golden and the fruit is tender. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Serve a scoop of the crisp with a pour of heavy cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

 

 

*SKILLET APPLE PIE

Serves 6 to 8

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting work surface

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon table salt

2 tablespoons vegetable shortening, chilled

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4inch pieces

3–4 tablespoons ice water

1/2 cup apple cider (see note)

1/3 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 1/2 pounds sweet apples and tart apples (about 5 medium), peeled, cored, halved, and cut into ½ inch thick wedges (see note)

1 egg white, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons sugar

If your skillet is not heatproof, precook the apples and stir in the cider mixture as instructed, then transfer the apples to a 13by9inch baking dish. Roll out the dough to a 13by9inch rectangle and bake it as instructed. If you do not have apple cider, reduced apple juice may be used as a substitute—simmer 1 cup apple juice in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 10 minutes). Serve the pie warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice

cream or whipped cream. Use a combination of sweet, crisp apples such as Golden Delicious and firm, tart apples such as Cortland or Empire.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. CRUST: Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in food processor until combined. Add shortening and process until mixture has texture of coarse sand, about ten 1second

pulses. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture and process until mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse crumbs, with butter bits no larger than small peas, about ten 1second

pulses. Transfer mix