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Peach Lattice Pie

Happy Monday, y’all! I hope you’re slaying this week with so much joy and buckets of fun. Today I’m sharing a classic recipe for peach lattice pie along with a gift guide for the Dads that we’re celebrating this upcoming Father’s Day. Let’s get started!

You know, we don’t spend enough time loving on the guys around here. It’s not uncommon for me to roll my eyes or poke fun at my husband on the pages of this blog, but the truth is that he’s a killer dude and dad. Furthermore, he deserves all the gratitude and recognition my wallet has to offer. Thus, I give you the gift guide for the Dads who have everything. No need to stress over the perfect present- I’ve done it for you.

First up: The Gift Guide!

Filson Duffel Bag– The manly choice for luggage, Filson’s rugged design is durable and time-tested, the perfect gift for a guy on the go.
World’s Best Dad Mug– Calling all “The Office” fans! You dad wants this Michael Scott-inspired mug. He needs it. He deserves it.
RIF6 Cube Mobile Projector– A 2 inch movie projector with built-in speakers and a LED display so that you can make a movie theatre out of your smartphone or computer wherever you are.
Lululemon Metal Vent Tech Shirt– This shirt contains Silverscent technology that inhibits the growth of odor-causing bacteria. No more stinky laundry here.
Toppling Timbers– LIFESIZE JENGA. Enough said.
Jack Rudy Tonic Trio– Quality small batch bar goods for your mixologist man.
DJI Spark Drone– If your dude doesn’t have a drone yet, now is the time.
Craft Beer Glasses– Italian glassware fit for even the thirstiest of beer snobs.
Espro Travel French Press and Mug– This is the on-the-go version of the double filter French press that I use at home. Get this for the guy who needs good coffee, even on the run.
Traeger Pellet Grill– My husband FLIPPED over this grill. With the versatility to grill, smoke, bake, braise, roast, and BBQ, Traeger grills provide consistent results and excellent taste, all wrapped up in a unique and aesthetically pleasing design. Check out their line of grills!

Peach Lattice Pie

At the same time, if the way to your Dad’s heart is food, I’ve got ya covered on that end too. Seriously- look no further than this peach lattice pie. With a bourbon and butter filled pie crust and a cinnamon scented peach filling, this peach lattice pie is the perfect treat to make for your guy this Father’s Day.

Making the Pie

To make this peach lattice pie, we start with the crust. Afterwards, the dry ingredients stir together before a healthy amount of butter cuts in. The seriously special part of this crust is the bourbon. Where normally we would add icy water to the butter and flour mixture, here, a smidge of bourbon is added to the water so that our crust just barely rings of those yummy caramel flavors. Next, settle crust aside to chill in the fridge while you prep your filling.

A whole pound of fruit fills this peach lattice pie. Sugar, thickener, and the smallest bit of cinnamon round out the remaining ingredients that stuff into the pie. After filling it, stir it all together and allow the fruit to get sweet and juicy while you roll out dough to line the pie plate. Afterwards, scatter the filling into the plate and lattice the pie closed. Finally, bake in the oven until the crust is golden, the fruit bubbling beneath it.

Also, a New Book to Check Out!

Additionally, I’m thrilled to be sharing this peach lattice pie from Amber Wilson’s new book, “For the Love of the South.” A fellow Southerner (she even graduated from my alma mater!), Amber captures the essence of the South with her words, recipes, and flavor combinations. Although there were a number of recipes that begged to be made, I knew this peach pie would be a surefire hit at home. I’m honored to share Amber’s work with you today, and I hope you’ll check out her book soon.

Don’t forget to love on the Dads in the coming week. Also, stay tuned for a second recipe that will be coming at the end of the week! Happy baking, y’all but don’t forget about those dads!

If you like this peach lattice pie you should check out:

Peach Berry Pie

Peach Semifreddo

Berry Almond Streusel Pie

Peach Lattice Pie

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

This peach lattice pie has an all-butter crust that is spiked with bourbon and a cinnamon and lemon zest scented filling. A fun take on a classic Southern dessert, this peach pie is hard to beat!

Author: Amber Wilson
Prep Time: 45
Cook Time: 60
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the pie dough:

2–1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons sugar
2 sticks (8 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cubed
2 tablespoons bourbon
1 cup ice water

For the filling:

1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Seeds of 1 vanilla bean
1 pound unpeeled peach wedges (from about 4 peaches)
Pinch of sea salt
1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch

For assembly:

1 egg, for brushing
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cubed
Sugar, for sprinkling

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Instructions

Make the pie dough:

In a stand mixer fitted with a flat beater attachment, combine the flour, salt, and sugar with your fingertips. Add the cold butter and mix until the dough looks like coarse sand. Turn the machine off and blend any large pieces of butter with your fingertips, making sure there are no pieces of butter larger than the size of a pea.
In a measuring cup, combine the bourbon and ice water. With the stand mixer on low speed, slowly dribble in the bourbon water one tablespoon at a time. Add just enough liquid for the dough to pull away from the sides of the bowl. (You may not need to use all of the bourbon water for the dough.) Pinch the dough between your fingertips ; it should be smooth, not sticky or crumbly. Gently press the dough together. Divide in half and gently shape each half into a flat disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days.

Make the filling:

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon and vanilla seeds and rub between your fingers to combine (this infuses the sugar). Add the peaches, sea salt, and cornstarch. Toss until the peaches are evenly coated.

Assemble and bake the pie:

On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of dough, rotating in quarter-turns, until 12-14” in diameter and 1/8” thick. Gently fit the dough into a 9” pie plate. Trim the edges of the dough with scissors, making sure to leave at least a 1” overhang.
Crack the egg into a small dish. Without breaking the yolk, use a pastry brush to gently coat the sides and bottom of the pie shell with a thin layer of egg white (reserve the remaining egg for brushing the top of the pie). Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, roll out the remaining disk of dough, rotating in quarter-turns until 1/8” thickness. Cut the dough into six 1-1/2” wide strips. Place the strips on a baking sheet in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Tumble the peaches into the chilled pie shell. Scatter the butter over the peaches. Place three strips of dough on top of the peaches horizontally. Then, one by one, place the remaining strips vertically, lifting every other horizontal strip to create a basket weave lattice. Trim the edges with scissors even with the bottom crust. Gently press to seal the edges of the pie dough so the top and bottom crusts seal together, then carefully roll the crust over itself so that the rolled edge sits on the lip of the pie plate. Crimp the edges. Beat the reserved egg and gently brush onto the edges and top of the pie. Sprinkle the top with sugar. Place the pie in the fridge for 20 minutes to set the pastry.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a piece of foil.
Place the pie on the lined baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake until the crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cover the edges of the crust with foil if it is browning too quickly. Let cool on a wire rack for an hour if you can wait. Leftovers will keep at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for 3 days.

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Derby Pie Cookies

19 Comments / Cookies and Bars

You can take the girl out of Kentucky but you can’t take the Kentucky out of the girl.

I was born in Lexington, Kentucky and spent the first few years of my life in a small town about an hour away. Over the years that followed, I regularly visited family across the state; it was there that my love affair with Southern culture began. Although my short stint in Danville hardly qualifies me to claim Kentucky as my home sweet home, I have enough roots situated beneath that bluegrass to know that good things happen in the land of bourbon and basketball. Consequently, those rolling hills have always felt like home, so I can’t wait to share today’s recipe.

Derby Treats

In just a few weeks, Southerners, socialites, and gamblers alike will join to participate in the Kentucky Derby. You had better believe I wish I was one of them. Although I’ve never been to the Derby, it’s my absolute favorite sporting event to celebrate. If you’ve not done so before, I’d challenge you to giddy-up, too. In preparation for last year’s races, I gave you derby pie bars, a gooey, nutty shortbread bar filled with booze and chocolate. As a sequel to those decadent treats, you’re getting these ridiculous-delicious derby pie cookies.

Derby Pie Cookies

These derby pie cookies are extra: extra chocolatey, extract chewy, extra boozy. They’re loaded with Derby Pie flavor but without all of the time and hassle that is required to make and bake a pie. In under thirty minutes, you can have buttery, caramel and bourbon-flavored cookies that are chock-full of nuts and dripping with morsels of chocolate. Regardless of whether or not you watch the Derby, you need these.

Making the Cookies

To make derby pie cookies, we start by melting butter. First, two sticks of liquid gold combined with brown and white sugar, bourbon, and vanilla. Next, eggs add in, followed by the dry ingredients. Lastly, the crescendo of these cookies are the hunks of dark chocolate and chopped nuts. Once integrated, oversized dough balls roll onto a baking sheet and pop in the oven until the tops of the cookies have begun to crack.

I like to finish these derby pie cookies with an extra sprinkling of salt and pecans, but you can skip this step if you’d prefer. Alternatively, you can also substitute some or all of the pecans for walnuts, although I like them with toasty pecans the best. A key ingredient to these derby pie cookies is the bourbon. Be sure to choose a quality variety that will lend a sweet, caramel flavor to the dough. (Shameless plug: Blanton’s is the favorite in our house, but Basil Hayden’s, Woodford Reserve, and Eagle Rare make regular appearances as well.) If two tablespoons of bourbon isn’t enough for you, feel free to add a third. No judgment here.

Get on your marks, get set, and GO bake these derby pie cookies ASAP.

If you like these derby pie cookies you should try:

Derby Pie Bars

Candied Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pecan Toffee Blondies

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Homemade Chocolates and Bourbon Balls

Derby Pie Cookie

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

These derby pie cookies are loaded with dark chocolate chunks, toasted pecans, and bourbon. Make these Kentucky-inspired treats for derby day!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 25
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 16

Ingredients

¾ cup (170 gm) unsalted butter, chopped
1–1/4 cup (250 gm) light brown sugar, packed
¼ cup( 50 gm) sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons good quality bourbon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (280 gm) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for sprinkling
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
4 ounces (about one cup) coarsely chopped dark chocolate

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a small saucepan, melted the butter over medium low heat just until melted. Do not allow to sizzle, boil, or bubble. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
Pour the butter into a large mixing bowl and add the brown sugar and sugar. Whisk to incorporate before adding the egg, bourbon, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine. In a separate bowl, stir the flour, baking soda, powder, and salt. Use a rubber spatula to stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Once incorporated, fold in the pecans and chocolate. If the mixture looks greasy and soft, place the dough into the fridge to chill for 10 minutes. Otherwise proceed to the next step.
Use a large cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons of dough) to scoop rounds of dough onto the baking sheet. You can smooth your dough by quickly rolling it in your hands. Place the dough rounds 2 inches apart on your baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 12 minutes or until the top of the cookies have barely begun to crack and the centers no longer look wet. Sprinkle with additional salt, if desired, and enjoy!

Notes

For large pools of chocolate on top of the cookies, include a few large chocolate chunks on top of the dough balls.
If your cookies spread too much refrigerate the dough balls for several minutes prior to baking.

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Maple Apple Cake

35 Comments / Cakes

There should have been maple apple cake. Yes, a birthday can be well-celebrated without stacked autumnal desserts, but if you only turn thirty once, shouldn’t it include the best tasting cake of the year? If you’re celebrating a birthday anytime soon, don’t make my mistake- make sure your party includes this cake.

As you get older, birthdays get kinda weird. Sometimes it feels a little uncomfortable to let people celebrate you the way they might have in your teens or early twenties. There’s usually a million other things to do and a dwindling list of friends who are available to celebrate. Sometimes there are kids involved, which makes the idea of planning any party that you can’t buy in a hyper-themed box set from Target seem like a huge waste of time. Energy, as with most other things in adulthood, is a limiting factor here too, because who actually wants to plan or order one more thing, particularly if it can’t be done from the convenience of the Amazon app on your phone?

On Celebrating

It feels right to celebrate other people. I’m the first one to volunteer a cake or a bubbly cocktail when a friend’s birthday rolls around. I have stacks of birthday cards just waiting to be personalized and delivered to the people I love. But while I adore birthdays or any other excuse for confetti and balloons, there’s a little bit of pride that gets in the way when it comes to celebrating myself. Isn’t that gross?

On one hand, I don’t want to be the self-centered fool who says, “Look at me, look at me, it’s my birthday! Buy me a crown and make me a cake, minion!” But on the other hand, I kinda like the idea of rolling up to my own birthday party feeling like Beyonce- a posse of girlfriends, popped bottles, and self-assured sass in tow. Even the most modest of people have to admit that there’s nothing like being the birthday queen. Candles and champagne, confetti and cheers make even the most conservative human feel like the million bucks they deserve to be on the annual recognition of their birth. Is there anything wrong with wanting to feel the love?

This year, I felt celebrated. My girlfriends changed a scheduled meeting into an impromptu birthday party and my family traveled north to celebrate with presents and pie. My husband treated me to several thoughtful birthday happies, and it didn’t hurt that we wound up in Chicago for my big day. Gifts and cake and cards are fine, but the best part of a birthday is being loved on by the people you love back; no amount of Beyonce can top that feeling.

Maple Apple Cake

My one regret this year is that I didn’t get to eat this maple apple cake.

I want this cake to be my birthday cake. This is the kind of dessert I want to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. As heinous it is to admit, I want to frost my entire face with the maple buttercream from this cake and casually lick it off all day long. If that makes me a disgusting human, I frankly do not care.

Here, three rounds of buttermilk cake layer with a syrupy, fresh apple filling and candied nuts. This maple apple cake is a stunner and nothing short of indulgent. The buttercream is sweet with brown sugar and maple syrup and is the perfect addition to such a fall-tasting cake. If warm flavors, fresh fruit, and the optional addition of bourbon sounds like a winning to you, you’re in luck.

Making the Cake

To prepare it, we start by baking up some cake layers. I adapted the cake recipe from this cake. First, the cake layers bake in advance and freeze is needed, making day of cake assembly fairly simple. Next, the apple filling is a make-ahead item consisting of apples, butter, and brown sugar. Finally, if your adult palate is inclined, try a bit of bourbon in the filling. The alcohol cooks off, but those warm bourbon flavors remain. Even the least discerning tastebuds will notice that this cake has a punch of something special.

On the day you assemble the cake, start by preparing frosting, leveling the cakes, and stacking. The apple filling pools between layers with a dam of frosting and gets a sprinkle of nuts. Roasted nuts can be substituted here, but certainly a cake like this deserves the pizazz of caramelized sugar. This maple apple cake keeps in the fridge for a few days, but I can guarantee it won’t last that long.

Give this maple apple cake a try and celebrate your people well this week. Happy Thursday and happy fall, ya’ll!

If you like this maple apple cake, be sure to try:

Caramel Apple Pie

Apple Crumb Cake

Apple Crisp Ice Cream

Breakfast Danish

Maple Oatmeal Biscuits

Maple Apple Cake

Print Recipe

This maple apple cake is three layers of buttermilk cake filled with a bourbon apple pie filling, candied nuts, and maple buttercream.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 60
Cook Time: 30
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 12

Ingredients

For the apple filling:

2 cups (230 gm) peeled and ¼-1/2” diced apples
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup (115 gm) brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice or good quality bourbon

For the cake:

2–1/2 cups (325 gm) cake flour
2–1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1–1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup (225 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (200 gm) sugar
¾ cup (165 gm) packed brown sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1–1/2 cups (360 mL) buttermilk
1–1/2 teaspoons vanilla

For the maple buttercream:

2 cups (450 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup (100 gm) brown sugar
4–1/2 cups (510 gm) powdered sugar
1/3 cup (205 gm) maple syrup
1 cup chopped candied pecans (optional)

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Instructions

To prepare the apple filling:

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook the butter, stirring continuously until it melts and barely begins to turn golden brown. Immediately add the apples and stir to combine. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes or until the juices have thickened slightly and the apples have barely softened. Remove the filling to a heat-safe bowl and cool completely prior to using.

To prepare the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the sides and line the bottoms of 3-8” round cake pans with parchment paper and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the cake flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula and add each egg one at a time on low speed, mixing just until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Add about 1/3 of the dry ingredients followed by the vanilla and about half of the buttermilk. Mix until combined and then repeat this process once more, finishing by adding the last third of the dry ingredients. Scrape the sides of the bowl and fold in any unincorporated bits of batter.
Distribute the batter evenly among the three pans and bake in the preheated oven 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool completely prior to assembling cake.

To prepare the maple buttercream:

Cream the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the brown sugar and cream for an additional minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the confectioner’s sugar. Mix on low speed until incorporated and then drizzle in the maple syrup. Beat on medium speed until well combined. If needed, add a bit of water to thin out frosting or add a bit more powdered sugar to thicken up. You can also briefly place the frosting in the fridge to firm up as needed.

To assemble the cake:

Use a serrated knife to level the cakes. Smooth a small amount of frosting on an 8” cake board or plate and center a single cake layer on top. Smooth a thin layer of frosting on top of the cake layer. Using a piping bag (see notes) fitted with a large round tip, pipe a dam around the outer rim of the top of the cake. The dam should be at least ¼-1/2” tall to prevent the apple filling from squirting out the sides. Spread approximately half of the apple filling inside the dam and sprinkle with about 1/3 of the nuts. Pipe a bit of frosting on top of the apple filling to help the next layer of cake stick. Stack the second cake layer on top and repeat the entire process once more. Place the final cake layer on top. Spread a thin coat of frosting (crumb coat) all over the cake and allow it to set up in the fridge prior to applying the final coat of frosting. You can skip this step if desired. Decorate the top of the cake with a few nuts and extra frosting, if desired. Cake will keep in the refrigerator covered in plastic for up to three days.

Notes

If you don’t have a piping bag, you can place 1-1/2 cups of frosting in a freezer Ziploc bag. Seal the bag and snip one of the corners off the end of the bag and use that to pipe frosting.
You can substitute different varieties of berries here, but the amount of sugar needed in the filling will differ based on which berry you choose. Adjust according to your preference.

Derby Pie Bars

33 Comments / Cookies and Bars, Pies and Tarts

In two days, I’ll be celebrating my fourth wedding anniversary. Yes, I already know what you’re thinking. You think I’m going to spend the next few paragraphs spouting about marriage, right? About love. About how my husband is the best, or how married life is hard, or about any number of silly things that I may have learned over the course of the past four years. Well, joke’s on you! Today we’re talking all about these derby pie bars.

Our Kentucky Wedding

Brett and I got married on my grandparent’s farm in Kentucky the week before The Derby. It was a small, outdoor ceremony on a private corner of the farm’s rolling green hills. I shivered through the ceremony, half nervous, half chilled from the wet air that blew on that gray day. We said “I Do,” tried not to make out in front of all of our friends and family, and headed to the reception which took place in a tobacco barn a short walk away.

Like any good Kentucky party, we served stout bourbon cocktails and danced to the music of a five piece bluegrass band. Our caterer passed small plates of Southern-inspired dishes to our guests, while others picked at the dessert table filled with bourbon balls, lemon squares, and even a humble little wedding cake that was made by yours truly. The day contained more than a few nods to our families, heritage, and even the Bluegrass state itself, but on the week before the Kentucky Derby, one dish that we really should have served is derby pie.

Derby Pie Bars

If you’re not familiar, derby pie is fudgy, chocolate and nut-filled pie that is traditionally served that first Saturday in May at Kentucky Derby. Rich and chocolaty with a subtle crunch from walnuts, the original pie is decadent and one of the few desserts that just screams “KENTUCKY” to me. These derby pie bars are adapted from the original pie but have a few twists of their own that make them a delicious Southern treat you can enjoy all year round.

Making the Bars

To prepare these derby pie bars, we start with a shortbread crust. Sugar, flour, and the rest of the dry ingredients work in with a few tablespoons of butter to create a flaky bottom layer for our bars.

Once baked, the crust gets a sprinkling of mini chocolate chips. Next we slather it with a brown sugar pecan pie filling. The filled is made with butter, brown sugar, a swig of bourbon, and more than a handful of pecans. The whole thing gets baked in the oven, drizzled in chocolate, and cut into bite-sized bars. If you love pecan pie and chocolate, these bars are for you. If you need boozy desserts for your Kentucky Derby party, these bars are for you!

Brett and I have no plans to attend the Derby this year, but I absolutely adore any treat that reminds me of our wedding day. I hope that you’ll give them next week on Derby day and think of me! Stay tuned for next week, when I’ve got not one but TWO recipes to share with you guys! It will be a mouth-watering few days in these parts.

And on the off-chance that he’s reading- Brett, I love you. You make my life better and I’m grateful to be yours. Happy Anniversary.

If you like these derby pie bars, you may also like:

Kentucky Bourbon Balls and Homemade Chocolates

Candied Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pecan Toffee Bars

Crispy Butter Pecan Cookies

Pumpkin Pecan Cake with Burnt Sugar Frosting

Derby Pie Bars

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.3 from 6 reviews

These derby pie bars are based on the favorite Kentucky pie. A shortbread crust, bourbon pecan pie filling, and a drizzle of semisweet chocolate make these bars rich, decadent, and delicious to serve a crowd.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 30
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 16
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the crust

¾ cup (90 gm) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (35 gm) corn starch
½ cup (55 gm) confectioner’s sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (113 gm) unsalted butter, cold and cut into teaspoon sized pieces

For the filling

¾ cup (170 gm) unsalted butter
¾ cup (160 gm) brown sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons good quality bourbon (optional)
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
3 cups (320 gm) coarsely chopped pecans
3/4 cup (130 gm) mini chocolate chips, divided

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Instructions

To prepare the crust

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9” square baking pan with aluminum foil with enough overhang on each side to easily remove the bars from the pan once baked. Spray with cooking spray and set aside.
In a medium sized bowl, stir together the flour, corn starch, sugar, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or the backs of two forks, cut the diced butter into the dry ingredients until it becomes a coarse meal consistency with pea-sized clumps. Press the mixture evenly into the square pan and then chill for 5-10 minutes in the fridge. Then, bake in the preheat oven for about 15 minutes, or until the crust is set and then edges have just started to turn golden. Do not overbake. Set aside the cooked crust while you prepare the filling.

To prepare the filling

Combine the butter, brown sugar, vanilla, salt, and optional bourbon in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring until the butter and sugar have dissolved. Once melted and no graininess from the sugar exists any longer, increase the heat to medium and bring to a boil, boiling for 3 minutes. After three minutes have passed, remove the pan from the heat. Add the chopped pecans and heavy cream to a medium sized bowl and stir in the butter/brown sugar mixture until evenly combined.
Sprinkle ½ cup of the mini chocolate chips over the cooked crust. Spread the warm filling over top of the chocolate chips and smooth out. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until the edges and parts of the center are bubbling and the bars have turned caramel in color. Allow the bars to cool completely prior to removing from the pan (you can speed this process up in the fridge). Remove from pan by pulling out the foil liner. Melt the remaining chocolate chips in a microwave on low heat in 15 second increments or over a double boiler. Drizzle bars with chocolate and allow to set. Cut into 16 bars and serve at room temp.

Notes

Be sure to allow bars to cool completely prior to cutting. You can place them in the fridge or freezer briefly to expedite this process.
The drizzling chocolate can seize up if it gets too hot while melting. Be sure to melt on low heat and (if microwaving) in short increments so that you get smooth chocolate.

Recipe Adapted From: Once Upon A Chef

Homemade Chocolates

10 Comments / Confections and Candies

This is a public service announcement to the men of the world. Listen closely, boys, because I’m only going to remind you of this one time. Are you ready? Here it goes:

Next Tuesday, February 14th, is Valentine’s Day. DO. NOT. BLOW IT.

On Valentine’s Day

Back in high school, performance on Valentine’s Day was everything. Giant teddy bear? Check. Heart shaped balloons and bouquets of carnations? Check, check. Brian McKnight/ KC and JoJo mix tapes and folded loves notes shoved through the vent of your locker? Might as well be the boyfriend starter kit.

Once you get to college, things escalate a bit. Dinner dates, rose bouquets, and jewelry are the new gifting norms, although, if you can land a guy who opts for concert tickets and cooking classes, YOU ARE WINNING AT EVERYTHING.

Unfortunately, after college and into adulthood, Valentine’s Day loses a bit of its luster. Babysitters are impossible to book, restaurants are too crowded, and somehow, husbands think items like dustbusters and shower curtain liners qualify as legitimate gift options (they don’t, BTW). It’s no wonder that people get fed up with Valentine’s Day. What’s there to love about overpriced retail gimmicks and packing into movie theaters with a bunch of hormonal, sweaty-palmed middle schoolers whose moms think they’re watching the newest Pixar film with their “friends” (they’re not, BTW).

A Tip to the Guys

Guys, I’m going to break it down for you as plainly as I can. Please, let me make it simple for you. Are you ready?

EVERY GIRL LIKES VALENTINE’S DAY.

Yep. You heard me right. That includes your girlfriend who boycotts Hallmark and laughs at the nervous kid wearing a tie and sport coat to his first date. It includes your wife who claims flowers are a waste of money, but gives you the silent treatment when you come home empty handed. And it evens includes the gal who begs you not to give her a gift and says you celebrate her love every other day of the year.

No matter what they tell you, every woman wants a gesture of love on Valentine’s Day, and I know this will come as a shock to you husbands out there, but it almost always has nothing to do with… *cough* you know what. (Literally, the brains of guys everywhere are spontaneously combusting right now.)

What Women Really Want

You know what we want? We want chocolate. And not just any average heart-shaped, store bought, golden box of chocolates. We want delicious, melt in your mouth homemade chocolates, made by the sweat of your brow and at the expense of your time spent with a remote in your hand. Specifically, we want these bourbon pecan, peanut butter cup, and coconut almond chocolates. There. Now you know. So let’s get to it.

Homemade Chocolates

These homemade chocolates are no bake and are made with just a few basic store bought ingredients. I decided to include a few variations of homemade chocolates so that there’s an option for almost everyone, but primarily so that the overachiever boyfriends can impress their ladies with an assortment of all three. But girls, don’t be afraid to get in there and make these for your man too! If he’s got a sweet tooth like mine does, just a few of these beauties will go a long way and he will be grateful you passed on the conversation hearts and sappy card.

Bourbon Pecan

First up is bourbon pecan. If you’ve ever had the Southern treat of “Bourbon Balls,” you can expect something quite similar here. With a dark chocolate shell, these little bourbon pecan homemade chocolates are filled with powdered sugar, toasted pecans, and premium booze. These are perfect for the bourbon lover in your life, or someone who loves their desserts extra dark and extra sweet.

Peanut Butter Cups

Peanut butter cups take homemade chocolates to the next level. Everyone loves the store-bought variety of peanut butter cups, but have you ever had one literally melt upon impact with your mouth? Prepare for that here. These peanut butter cups are RICH, filled with a fluffy peanut butter cream filling and coated with smooth milk chocolate. A crowd favorite, if you’re ever in doubt, just go in this direction.

Coconut Almond Chocolates

Finally, my favorite of these homemade chocolates, the coconut almond chocolate. Filled with sweetened coconut and a little extra sugar, these little friends are coated in a milk chocolate blend and topped with a single toasted almond. Anyone who knows anything about candy will know what a treat they’re in for when they spy these little friends. For a nut-free option, leave off the almond and top with a few flakes of toasted coconut or a sprinkle of sea salt. Perfection!

These homemade chocolates require some special equipment like a mini muffin tin and little waxed paper cups for the candies, but the assembly is quite simple. In a pinch, you can used paper mini muffin liners, although, beware that some stickage can happen. And if you’re not a fan of dark or milk chocolate, feel free to swap up the top used in the recipes! I like each chocolate as the recipe is written, but certainly you can switch it up if desired.Any man friend that takes the time to muster these up for his lady is worth his weight in ~~gold~~ chocolate and has certainly outdone himself on Valentine’s Day. You should give these homemade chocolates a try for your significant other, friends, co-workers, or secret admirer- they’re sure to overflow with heart eyes and appreciation.

On the off chance that your special someone doesn’t like chocolate, let me encourage you to just let them know they’re loved in a special way. You probably already know what types of things make their heart skip a beat, so I’d challenge you to go the extra mile to make someone feel like a million bucks next Tuesday. Happy weekend, Happy Valentine’s Day, Happy #monthofchocolate, and as always, cheers to you!

Bourbon Pecan Chocolates

Print Recipe

These homemade chocolates includes peanut butter cups, bourbon pecan candy balls, and coconut almond candies. No bake, easy to assemble, simple gift option!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 28

Ingredients

1 cup bittersweet chocolate
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1–1/2 cups powdered sugar
1–1/2 tablespoons bourbon
½ cup pecans, finely chopped, divided

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Instructions

In a double boiler or heat proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water on medium-low heat, melt the chocolate chips and shortening together. Stir frequently to ensure that the chocolate does not get too hot. If you allow the chocolate to become too hot, it could seize up, so be sure to keep the water on medium-low heat. Once melted, set off to the side while you prepare your filling.
In the meantime, cream together the butter, powdered sugar, and bourbon in a medium sized bowl. Once fluffy and smooth, stir in ¼ cup of pecans. Set in the fridge to chill briefly.
Line a mini muffin pan with waxed paper candy cups. Fill a plastic sandwich bag (or a piping bag fitted with a small round tip) with approximately half of the melted chocolate and snip the tip of it off, being sure to not cut too large of a hole or allow all of the chocolate to drip out immediately. Squeeze 1 teaspoon of chocolate in to the bottom of each of the paper candy cups and then set the plastic bag aside. Use a small instrument (I use a small clean paint brush or the end of a chopstick) to paint the chocolate up the sides of the paper candy cup, coating up at least half of the height of the paper. This prevents the filling from showing out the sides of the chocolate once the candies are assembled. If you don’t care if the filling shows, you can skip this step. Once covered, place the pan in the fridge or freezer to chill for about 5 minutes.
Once firmed up, scoop teaspoon sized rounds of the bourbon pecan filling into the bottom of each cup. You can lightly wet your finger and gently smooth out the top of the filling to make a flatter mound.
Add more chocolate to your plastic bag and then top the filling with an additional teaspoon of chocolate. Use your paint brush to smooth out the chocolate and cover the filling completely, and then gently rap your pan on the counter to smooth and settle all three layers of the candy. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining pecans. Allow them to rest in the mini muffin tin in the fridge or freezer for at least 30 minutes. Store candies in the fridge for up to two weeks. The candies may form a white film on the chocolate if stored at room temperature for extended periods of time.

Peanut Butter Cups

Print Recipe

These homemade chocolates includes peanut butter cups, bourbon pecan candy balls, and coconut almond candies. No bake, easy to assemble, simple gift option!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 24

Ingredients

1–1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips
1–1/2 tablespoons shortening
½ cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
pinch of salt
½ cup powdered sugar

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Instructions

In a double boiler or heat proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water on medium-low heat, melt the chocolate chips and shortening together. Stir frequently to ensure that the chocolate does not get too hot. If you allow the chocolate to become too hot, it could seize up, so be sure to keep the water on medium-low heat. Once melted, set off to the side while you prepare your filling.
In the meantime, cream together the peanut butter and butter in a medium sized bowl. Add the salt and powdered sugar and continue to beat until smooth and fluffy. Set in the fridge to chill briefly.
Line a mini muffin pan with waxed paper candy cups. Fill a plastic sandwich bag (or a piping bag fitted with a small round tip) with approximately half of the melted chocolate and snip the tip of it off, being sure to not cut too large of a hole or allow all of the chocolate to drip out immediately. Squeeze 1 teaspoon of chocolate in to the bottom of each of the 24 paper candy cups and then set the plastic bag aside. Use a small instrument (I use a small clean paint brush or the end of a chopstick) to paint the chocolate up the sides of the paper candy cup, coating up at least half of the height of the paper. This prevents the filling from showing out the sides of the chocolate once the candies are assembled. If you don’t care if the filling shows, you can skip this step. Once covered, place the pan in the fridge or freezer to chill for about 5 minutes.
Once firmed up, scoop teaspoon sized rounds of the peanut butter filling into the bottom of each cup. You can lightly wet your finger and gently smooth out the top of the peanut butter to make a flatter mound of filling.
Add more chocolate to your plastic bag and then top each peanut butter mound with an additional teaspoon of chocolate. Use your paint brush to smooth out the chocolate and cover the peanut butter completely, and then gently rap your pan on the counter to smooth and settle all three layers of the candy. Allow them to rest in the mini muffin tin in the fridge or freezer for at least 30 minutes. Store candies in the fridge for up to two weeks. The candies may form a white film on the chocolate if stored at room temperature for extended periods of time.

Almond Coconut Chocolates

Print Recipe

These homemade chocolates includes peanut butter cups, bourbon pecan candy balls, and coconut almond candies. No bake, easy to assemble, simple gift option!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 30

Ingredients

2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening
1–1/2 tablespoons melted butter
1–1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
3 tablespoons corn syrup
¾ cup powdered sugar
30 whole almonds, toasted

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Instructions

In a double boiler or heat proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water on medium-low heat, melt the chocolate chips and shortening together. Stir frequently to ensure that the chocolate does not get too hot. If you allow the chocolate to become too hot, it could seize up, so be sure to keep the water on medium-low heat. Once melted, set off to the side while you prepare your filling.
In the meantime, beat together the butter, coconut, corn syrup, and powdered sugar in a medium sized bowl. If you wish for a smoother, less clumpy filling, feel free to whiz the mixture in a food chopped briefly. Set the filling in the fridge to chill briefly.
Line a mini muffin pan with waxed paper candy cups. Fill a plastic sandwich bag (or a piping bag fitted with a small round tip) with approximately half of the melted chocolate and snip the tip of it off, being sure to not cut too large of a hole or allow all of the chocolate to drip out immediately. Squeeze 1 teaspoon of chocolate in to the bottom of each of the paper candy cups and then set the plastic bag aside. Use a small instrument (I use a small clean paint brush or the end of a chopstick) to paint the chocolate up the sides of the paper candy cup, coating up at least half of the height of the paper. This prevents the filling from showing out the sides of the chocolate once the candies are assembled. If you don’t care if the filling shows, you can skip this step. Once covered, place the pan in the fridge or freezer to chill for about 5 minutes.
Once firmed up, scoop teaspoon sized rounds of the filling into the bottom of each cup. I like to roll teaspoon sized balls in the palm of my hand and then flatten slightly to make flat round disks that fit inside the paper liners.
Add more chocolate to your plastic bag and then top the filling with an additional teaspoon of chocolate. Use your paint brush to smooth out the chocolate and cover the filling completely, and then gently rap your pan on the counter to smooth and settle all three layers of the candy. Place a single toasted almond on top of each candy. Allow them to rest in the mini muffin tin in the fridge or freezer for at least 30 minutes. Store candies in the fridge for up to two weeks. The candies may form a white film on the chocolate if stored at room temperature for extended periods of time.

Black Forest Ice Cream Cake

6 Comments / Cakes, Frozen Desserts

Guys. Please tell me I’m not the only one. Please, please tell me that I am not actually the sorriest person on the planet.

The other day, I was vacuuming the nursery when I came upon a stubborn bundle of fuzz that refused to be sucked into the vacuum even after rolling over it five or six (read: fifteen) times. Instead of tossing the fuzzie in the trash, I picked up the little guy with my toes and then dropped it back on the ground to attempt to vacuum it up from a different angle.

WHAT. IS. THAT.

What degree of laziness does one have to have if they are willing to relocate grunge on floor to avoid a short walk to the garbage can to throw it out?

[Throws hands in the air] I disgust myself.

But this is the kind of stuff that is all over my life right now. With a handful of balls in the air and more than a few hats that I wear on a daily basis, I find myself halfway-ing a good number of areas of my life. I work out, but I fail to eat right. I buy a birthday gift but forget to mail the card. I play with my babies, but get tired and end up relying on Mickey Mouse to drag us through the final hours of the day. I’m still trying to get the hang of balancing all of the things that I want to make time for and as a result, some things just don’t get the attention they require.

Between work and babies and all of the other things that end up receiving little nuggets of my time, this blog is often one of the many forgotten outcasts of my life. Since starting this little corner of the interwebz, I have had the intentions of working on a number of photography and web-based skills (computer hacking skills…nun-chuck skills…. bow-hunting skills), but that list of tasks has long been shuffled under a mound of other things. Finally, this past weekend, I set aside some time to tick a few things off of my list and I am thrilled to share the results with you.

I made a stop motion film!

Okay, I understand this is not a huge deal and I can totally hear every teenager on the planet whispering, “that’s so easy” under their breath. Also, there’s no need to point out the flaws because I totally see them. But for me, this took a bit of learning and I am so excited to have even attempted it. I’d officially like the thank The Academy, my Canon camera, and both of my babies (for napping at the same time last Saturday) for giving me the opportunity to shoot and stitch this little guy together.

You’ll see that the video is a stop motion film of the building of a naked black forest ice cream cake. Naked cakes are my favorite to make, so naturally, naked ice cream cakes are pretty much the center of my universe. I love them almost as much as I love my own children. Not really, but close.

This black forest ice cream cake was created using my favorite chocolate cake recipe and a frozen, ice cream-esque filling that I adapted from Ina Garten’s mocha icebox cake. While a traditional black forest cake is filled with Kirsch soaked cherries and lightly sweetened whipped cream, my version boasts boozy bourbon cherries (because the South, y’all!), hot fudge drizzles, and simple, creamy layers of ice cream. The whole thing is stacked together and left in the freezer for a rainy day.

You can totally shortcut any and all portions of this recipe and substitute store-bought favorites. Instead of homemade cake, try a box mix. Instead of making the ice cream filling, set a quart of your favorite grocery store variety on the counter to thaw out slightly before making the cake. I always have a jar of fudge sauce in my fridge and try to prepare the cakes the night before, so day-of labor is minimal at best.

I recommend that you read through the full list of instructions before starting. The process is simple in nature, but lengthy in detail so make sure you know what you’re doing before you get started. Also, I’ve included a couple of snapshots in this post to illustrate the two methods of building a naked cake. Have fun watching the short little movie, and I sincerely hope it inspires you to make a naked cake of your own. Happy Monday!

Black Forest Ice Cream Cake

Needed:

3 prepared 6″ chocolate cake layers (I bake a half batch of this recipe in 3- 6″ pans)

1 recipe of ice cream filling, unfrozen (see below)

1 recipe of bourbon soaked cherries (See below)

1/2 cup chocolate fudge sauce (I like this recipe, but store bought is fine)

Directions:

1. Line a 6″ cake ring with an acetate sheet collar (see notes). Alternatively, you can line the sides of a 6″ round cake pan with a collar of wax paper or parchment paper to use as a guide/mold for building your cake. This is not a necessary step, but certainly makes building your cake much easier. If using the cake pan, line the bottom with a small piece of parchment to ensure easy removal from pan.

2. Place one leveled cake layer in the bottom of the cake ring. Using a pastry brush, soak the first layer of cake with approximately 1/3 of the cherry syrup. Smooth 1 cup of the ice cream mixture over the top of the first cake layer. Sprinkle 1/2 of the cherries on top of the ice cream and then drizzle with 1/4 cups of hot fudge sauce. Repeat this process once.

3. Place the final cake layer on top of the built cake. Soak with the final third of cherry syrup and smooth 1-1/2 cups of the ice cream mixture on top.

4. Cover the cake loosely, and place in the freezer to set up for 4 hours or until firm.
5. Remove cake from freezer 10-15 minutes prior to serving for easy slicing. Uncut, the cake will keep in the freezer for 3 weeks.

Notes:

1. I use 3″ x 20″ wide acetate sheets to line my cake ring. As a result, I end up requiring two sheets total to cover the height of my cakes. See here for additional instructions on building cakes with acetate sheets.

2. If you prefer to not use acetate sheets and cake ring as a supportive mold, you can build the cake as I did in my video! Keep in mind that you have to work quickly as all that fluffy ice cream likes to squish out the sides.

Ice Cream Filling

Ingredients:

8 ounces of mascarpone cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon of vanilla bean
2 tablespoons of good quality bourbon, optional (I use Blanton’s)

To prepare the no churn ice cream:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the mascarpone, sugar, whipping cream, vanilla and bourbon. Whip with a whisk attachment until stiff peaks form. Set aside until ready to use in your cake.

Bourbon Soaked Cherries

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups (12 ounces) of stemmed and pitted dark cherries
2 tablespoons of good quality bourbon (I use Blanton’s)
2 tablespoons of granulated sugar

To prepare the cherries:

Roughly chop cherries into small bits. Place in a bowl and stir together with sugar and bourbon. Set aside for 30 minutes prior to use to allow the cherries, sugar, and bourbon to produce a syrup. When ready to use, strain the cherries from the syrup, reserving both for the cake. (Note: with this preparation the cherries freeze into icy bits of booze and fruit. If you’d prefer a sweeter, softer filling, you can cook the ingredients above with an additional 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch over low heat, stirring and smashing the cherries regularly until it has thickened to a jam-like consistency. Allow to cool before assembling with cake.)

bourbon

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For the filling:

For assembly:

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Make the filling:

Assemble and bake the pie:

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