fruit Archives - Wood & Spoon

French Apple Cake

How to Make a French Apple Cake

I was on the hunt for a gooey, custard-like cake when I stumbled upon an old French apple cake recipe. Whipped eggs, sugar, and a generous pour of melted butter baked around chunks of tart red apples- how could we go wrong? I modified a few things from the original recipe, and as luck would have it, the first cake came out perfectly. I’m talking NO NOTES.

French Apple Cake by Wood and Spoon. This is a traditional rustic French cake made with melted butter and fresh apples. This simple recipe is an easy make ahead dessert or breakfast that uses fall apples! Read more on thewoodandspoon.com .

This French apple cake is rustic in preparation, but elegant in flavor- the kind of thing you could serve for breakfast or dessert. To make it, we start with the apples. Tart, red apple slices (I used honey crisp!) toss together with lemon juice and sugar, and baked in the oven. Don’t skip this step- baking the apples intensifies the apple flavor and reduces the amount of water that will leech out into the bake. Once the apples have cooked, we begin on the cake. Eggs whip together with sugar and vanilla until thick and foamy. Simple dry ingredients of flour, leavening, and salt alternate into the mix with a melted butter. Finally, the apples toss into the batter which gets baked in a springform pan.

I recommend eating this cake while it is still warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or creme anglaise. All in all, this cake is a straight-forward crowd pleaser and the perfect ode to fall.

A Few Notes

I used honey crisp apples for this recipe, but feel free to try other similar varieties. Braeburn, Golden Delicious, or McIntosh apples would be excellent alternatives!
I like to prepare this cake in a springform pan to make for easy removal. If you don’t have a springform pan, no worries! Just bake in a standard metal 9″ round pan and use a knife to loosen the sides of the cake from the pan.
Whipping the eggs incorporates air into the batter making for a lighter, less-dense cake. Don’t skip that step!
This cake is best served on the day it is prepared, but you can also rewarm slices within a day or two of baking. Uneaten cake can be stored at room temperature and wrapped in plastic wrap.

More Apple Cakes to Try

If you’re looking for more apple inspiration, be sure to check out the following recipes:

Apple Crumb Bars
Brown Butter Apple Tart
Apple Cinnamon Rolls

French Apple Cake

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This French Apple Cake is a simple butter cake made with tart apples and is best served with a vanilla ice cream or creme anglaise!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 45
Cook Time: 25
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 9 Servings
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

Units

For the apples:

5 cups of apples in 1/4” slices, unpeeled (from about 5 apples- see notes)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

For the cake:

3 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup salted butter, melted and slightly cooled

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Instructions

Begin by preparing the apples. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, toss together the apples, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Allow the mixture to rest 15 minutes while the oven preheats. Lightly grease a large rimmed baking sheet and place the apples on it. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, tossing occasionally, or until the apples have lost most of their moisture and are soft and pliable. Baking the apples will concentrate the apple flavor and reduce added water in the cake. Once the apples have finished baking, set aside to cool.
To make the cake, prepare a 9” springform pan by greasing the bottom and sides and lining the bottom with a round of parchment paper. I like to use Pam baking spray with flour, but you can also use butter and a bit of flour tossed in. Use a hand mixer to stir the eggs until they become pale, foamy, and slightly viscous, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and sugar, stirring just to combine. In a separate bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add about half of the dry ingredients to the egg mixture, alternating with half of the melted butter, and repeat until all of the ingredients are incorporated. Fold in most of the apples, reserving a few for the top of the cake. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and arrange the reserved apples on top of the cake. Bake in the preheated oven about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the top comes out clean. Cake is best served warm with vanilla ice cream and eaten within 2 days.

Notes

I used honey crisp apples, but any kind of tart apple will do.

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Blueberry Peach Crumb Cake

2 Comments / Cakes

Desserts doubling as breakfast is the recipe of the moment, because today’s blueberry peach crumb cake is EVERYTHING. With a moist vanilla cake, fresh peaches, sweet blueberries, and a sprinkle of buttery crumb topping, this coffee cake is a seriously satisfying summer option. Let me tell you all about it!

Here in the south, blueberries are everywhere. I’ve been stuffing them into everything lately, and this peach crumb cake is my latest victim. Peaches and blueberries are a match made in heaven, pairing together with equal parts sweet and tart. I’ve combined the two before in a pie, a trifle, and even a cobbler, and now, we have a cake too! While the fruit shines (because, well, summer?), my favorite part is the crumble. Brown sugar, butter, and just enough salt dot the baked cake with butter crisp nuggets of deliciousness. Oh goodness, it is GOOD.

How to Make Blueberry Peach Crumb Cake

Making this cake is a cinch. In my opinion, the trickiest part is peeling the peaches, so we will start with that. While many people blanch peaches to loosen skin, I just do it the old fashioned way: with a paring knife. Skin about two peaches and remove the pits before dicing into bits. Next, make the crumb. Flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, and melted butter come together in a small bowl until the mixture resembles wet sandy crumbs. Finally, we whip up the cake. Melted butter, sugar, an egg, and vanilla stir together. The dry ingredients toss in next and are followed by some milk. The thick batter spreads into the bottom of a springform pan, and then we sprinkle on the fruit and the cooled crumb. The cake bakes in the oven, and I just dare you not to sit next to the oven watching.

How to Store Crumb Cake

Fair warning: this cake is MOIST. I mean, seriously moist. As the fruits bake and release moisture, the whole cake benefits and is barely sweetened by the juices. Even after a few days on the counter, somehow, this thing is delicious and fresh tasting. I recommend storing it at room temperature wrapped in plastic wrap. Keep it sealed, and it will be good for 4-5 days. To freeze, seal it in a freezer-safe dish covered in plastic wrap, and add a layer of foil if you plan to store it long-term. Voila!

I hope you all enjoy the heck out of this blueberry peach crumb cake! Happy baking to you all!

If you like this coffee cake, you should try:

Banana Crumb Cake
Lemon Berry Crumb Cake
Raspberry Rhubarb Crumb Cake
Peaches and Cream Biscuits

Blueberry Peach Crumb Cake

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4 from 2 reviews

This blueberry peach crumb cake features fresh summer fruit and a brown sugar crumb topping!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 25
Total Time: 40
Yield: 9-10 Servings
Category: Cake

Ingredients

For the crumble:

¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
¼ teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons melted butter

For the cake:

¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
¾ cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup milk
1 cup chopped peeled and pitted peaches
1 cup blueberries

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farhenheit. Lightly grease a 9” springform pan and set aside.
Begin by making the crumble. Combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in the melted butter using a spatula and set aside.
Next, prepare the cake. Combine the melted butter and sugar, stirring together with a spoon. Whisk in the egg followed by the vanilla. Finally, add the flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring with a spoon until almost combined. Whisk in the milk just until combined. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the peaches and berries over top of the batter and then crumble the streusel on top. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool before releasing the cake from the pan and serving.

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Soft Jam Shortbread Bars (and Summer Beauty Must Haves!)

1 Comment / Cookies, Cookies and Bars

Soft Jam Shortbread Bars by Wood and Spoon blog by Kate Wood. This simple soft shortbread recipe is filled with fresh summer jam. You can use whatever jam, jelly, or preserves you'd like! The thick butter shortbread bars have a simple crumble on top and they have low prep time. Read all about this adaptable summer recipe on thewoodandspoon.com for a great way to use up leftover jelly and jam!

We’re going to get all up in these soft jam shortbread bars, because… well, why not? They’re buttery, seriously soft, and 100% adaptable for whatever summer jam you have on hand. But first, we’re going to talk summer beauty! I’m going to share a few of my absolute favorite products of the season. Let’s dive in!

Summer Beauty Must-Haves

1. Beis Travel Cosmetic Case : This makeup case is near-perfect. It’s completely packable, washable, and comes in a variety of colors.
2. Tarte Waterproof Eyeliner and Shadow : This waterproof liner and shadow duo comes in a number of compatible colors that won’t smudge in the summer sun!
3. Matrix Brass Off Shampoo : Brunette girlies, rejoice! Summer brass doesn’t stand a chance with this blue shampoo.
4. Kosas Blush : This blendable powder blush brightens skin with hyaluronic acid and comes in a number of twisted shades.
5. Olaplex Hair Treatment : Pool time means hair mask time, and this one from Olaplex is great for summer-damaged hair.
6. Becca Pressed Highlighter : This award-winning highlighter from Becca is undefeated in my book. Try the shade “Champagne Pop”!
7. Merit Lip Oil : This lip oil feels SO GOOD and keeps you lips dewy without all the stick.
8. Saie Tinted Moisturuizer with SPF : I’ve tried ever tinted moisturizer under the sun, and this one is my flavor of the week.
9. Naturium Azelaic Acid : This is my seasonal go-to for combating sun spots and fine lines.
10. Loved01 Hand Wash : Sea Buckthorn smells like summer in a bottle. Enjoy it all summer long in this gentle hand wash.

Soft Jam Shortbread Bars

Ok, on to the main event: soft jam shortbread bars.

It’s common knowledge that my love of shortbread is deep. Last year, my Ted Lasso-inspired shortbread quickly became my go-to of the season. So when it came time to make use of the jars of summer jam that were stacking up in my fridge, I knew shortbread was the ticket. “What if there was a go-to dough that would welcome any jam I decided to fill it with?” I soon found out that the possibilities were deliciously endless.

Making the Bars

These soft jam shortbread bars are made with unsalted butter, powdered sugar, and brown sugar. Together, with an egg and a few humble dry ingredients, the dough comes together in a wet crumbly mixture. Just over half of the prepared dough gets patted out in a prepared pan before we spread out the jam of your choice. And literally, the world is your oyster. My first batch, I combined two remnant jars of jelly, one rhubarb and one blueberry lemon, and it created a delightful sweetened filling that paired perfectly with the shortbread. Once the jam has been spread, we crumble the remaining dough on top using wet fingers and allow it all to bake up until bubble and barely browned.

What to Serve with Jam Shortbread Bars

I’ll be honest- these bars are 100% delicious on their own. But if you’re looking for some perfect pairing, I’d encourage trying these with a bowl of vanilla ice cream, a cup of coffee, or a chilled glass of bubbly. These bars keep for days and are best sealed at room temperature. Give this recipe a try this week and let me know what you think! Oh, and tell me all about YOUR summer beauty faves- I’m dying to hear more. Happy Baking!

If You Like these Soft Jam Shortbread Bars You Should Try:

Ted Lasso Shortbread Bars
Shortbread Cookies
Brownie Shortbread Bars
Blueberry Lemon Bars
Jam Filled Scones

Soft Jam Shortbread Bars

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These soft jam shortbread bars can be filled with the jam, jelly, or preserves of your choice!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 40
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 16-24, Depending on Size Cut
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1–1/4 cup powdered sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar packed
1 large egg
1 teaspoon lemon zest, optional
1–3/4 cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
½ heaping cup of jam, preserves, or jelly of your choice

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and line an 8” square pan with foil. Lightly grease it with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl cream together the butter, powdered sugar, and brown sugar, beating on medium until smooth. Add the egg and lemon zest and stir on low to combine. Scrape the sides of the bowl, and add the flour and salt, stirring on low until the mixture barely comes together into moist clumps. Do not overmix. Reserve 1/3 cup of batter and dump the remaining mixture into the prepared pans. Use barely moistened fingertips to pat out the dough and spread the jam over the dough. Use moistened fingers to break ¼” bits of dough to sprinkle onto the jam. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes (it took mine 38 minutes) or until the edges are set and the top is barely beginning to turn brown. Allow to cool completely prior to cutting and serving.

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Small Batch Blueberry Crisp

1 Comment / Confections and Candies, Pies

Summer must be here, because we are knee-deep in blueberries. What a wonderful thing to be knee-deep in too, right? This past week, we picked blueberries with friends, and, let me just say, those babies go a looonngg way. Even after we had eaten our fill, our fingers stained purple and bellies stuffed, we still had an abundance of fruit leftover. Naturally, we had to bake it. So today, you’re getting a recipe for small batch blueberry crisp- the perfect treat to share with the humans under your roof.

A Case for Small Batch Desserts

I adore smaller-portioned desserts. As much as I love baking, there’s always the business of what to do with it all once it’s been baked. Ice creams, breads, and even cookies do fine in the freezer, but some things, (like this small batch blueberry crisp!) are best eaten immediately. So I’ve started playing more with smaller portions, baking in containers that are perfectly sized for my family of five. No leftovers to worry about and just enough for everyone.

Small Batch Blueberry Crisp

This blueberry crisp is a near-perfect recipe for fresh summer blueberries. Here, with few ingredients and simple preparation, the blueberries shine. Best served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this dessert is simultaneously refreshing and comforting.

To make it, we start with the fruit filling. We toss our blueberries with sugar, lemon zest, and cornstarch. That entire mixture pours into a one quart baking dish. Next, we put together the topping which is nothing more than butter, brown sugar, flour, oats, and cinnamon. Crumble the wet topping onto the fruit, distributing it evenly until consistent throughout. Finally, it gets a bake in the oven. Once bubbly and finished, this dessert is sweet, flavorful, and the perfect accompaniment for vanilla ice cream.

Give this small batch blueberry crisp a whirl the next time you get your hands on fresh berries! Happy Baking!

If you like this blueberry crisp you should try:

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Brown Butter Peach Berry Crumble
Skillet Fruit Pancake
Blueberry Maple Pie
Blueberry Galette

Small Batch Blueberry Crisp

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5 from 1 review

This small batch blueberry crisp feeds a small crew and features fresh berries, lemon zest, and a brown sugar oat topping!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 45
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 4-5 Servings
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

½ cup light brown sugar, packed,
½ cup old fashioned oats
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon, divided
Pinch of Salt
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
½ cup sugar
1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 cups blueberries

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a medium bowl, stir to combine to brown sugar, oats, four, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the butter just until combined and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the remaining cinnamon, sugar, and cornstarch. Toss in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and blueberries. Pour the fruit mixture into a 1-quart baking dish and top with crumbled bits of the oat mixture. Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes or until the fruit is bubbling slightly throughout the entire skillet. Allow to cool slightly before serving with scoops of ice cream or whipped cream.

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Strawberries and Cream Pie

4 Comments / Pies

It’s finally starting to feel like summer. Sure, the weather is warmer and the days are getting longer, but I can feel the energy in our house changing too. With the school year and extracurricular activities coming to a close, my heart is ready to settle into a summer pace. Today, I want to share a yummy recipe that features my favorite bit of warm weather produce: strawberries. This strawberries and cream pie is a unique way to share summer’s best fruit, so let’s dive in.

Remember that blueberry sour cream pie I made a few years ago? I absolutely LOVED that one. Including sour cream in a custardy dessert was such a new concept for me, and I loved the balance of flavors it brought to the pie. Well, it turns out that the sour cream method can extend into other desserts, too, because this strawberries and cream pie is the bomb. Although it didn’t turn out as polished looking as I would have hoped, it was one of those bakes that I couldn’t keep my hands off of it. After photographing the pie for this post, I found myself picking at the cut slices, nibbling at bits of crumb and enjoying bites of berry and cream. It was perfectly imperfect, and I was altogether thrilled.

Making the Pie

This strawberries and cream pie has a sweet and salty graham cracker crust that features finely chopped pecans, both for flavor and texture. If you’re in a rush, you can skip the homemade crust and opt for a store-bought graham cracker crust instead, but don’t hesitate to try making one from scratch if you haven’t before. Homemade crusts like this one have way more texture, and the addition of the pecans makes it really special.

The filling for this pie is beyond simple. Sour cream, milk, eggs, sugar, and flour get blended together until frothy. After being mixed, the filling is poured into the prepared crust before being topped with sliced strawberries. Here, I used fresh berries, but you could also thaw and rinse frozen sliced ones as well! After a bake in the oven, the pie is topped with even more crumble and baked a bit more until set. The final product is a pie with loads of flavor, crunch, and creamy filling to boot.

Whatever your coming summer months look like, I hope you’ll consider making this strawberries and cream pie! It’s just the thing to get you in the mood for the warmer days ahead. Happy Thursday to y’all and happy baking!

If you like this strawberries and cream pie you should try:

Blueberry Sour Cream Pie
Strawberry Icebox Pie
No-Churn Strawberry Pretzel Ice Cream
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Strawberry Slab Pie

Strawberries and Cream Pie

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This strawberries and cream pie features and creamy custard filling, a salted graham cracker pecan crust, and fresh summer berries!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 25
Cook Time: 45
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 9 Servings
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the crust:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
¾ cup finely chopped pecans
¼ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup Unsalted Butter, melted

For the pie filling:

¾ cup sour cream
¼ cup milk
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
¾ cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1–1/2 teaspoons vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped strawberries, stemmed

For the crumb topping:

1 tablespoon flour
1–1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs
1–1/2 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans

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Instructions

To prepare the pie crust:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your crust: combine the graham cracker crumbs, pecans, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and stir to combine. Press the wet crumbs into the bottom and sides of a 9” tart pan with a removable bottom. I like to press a small amount of crumbs up the length of the sides first and then press the remaining into the bottom. Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are turning gold and the bottom is set.

To prepare the pie:

Place the prepared pie crust on a sheet pan. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combined the sour cream, milk, egg, egg yolk, sugar, flour, vanilla, and salt. Beat on medium speed for 4 minutes. Pour the batter into the prepared crust and scatter the strawberries on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the top of the pie feels kind of set but is still a little jiggly in the center. In the meantime, prepare the crumb by combining the flour, sugar, graham cracker crumbs, and butter with the back of a fork. Toss in the pecans and set aside. Once the top of the pie feels kinda set, remove the pie from the oven and sprinkle on the crumb topping. Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the crumb is golden and the pie is completely set. Allow to cool prior to serving!

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Blueberry Maple Pie

3 Comments / Pies

After last week’s *lengthy* discussion on pie dough, I had no choice but to deliver you a pie this week. What say we put our newfound how-to skills to work? This blueberry maple pie is a delightfully delicious way to experiment with pie dough: the filling contains only simple, approachable ingredients, so the fruit and crust really shine. If you are looking for a great recipe to segue from summer to fall, this pie is definitely it.

Blueberry Maple Pie by Wood and Spoon blog. This is a flaky crusted summer fruit blueberry pie naturally sweetened with maple syrup and barely spiced with a hint of cinnamon. This summer dessert transition into a fall treat seamlessly with ripe produce and warm flavors. Learn how simple it is to make an old fashioned southern lattice pie on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood

In writing the description for this pie, I had to boast that is was naturally sweetened with maple syrup- not because I’m particularly invested in natural sweeteners (I’m not), but because I know that’s really important for some of you guys, right? So yes, this blueberry maple pie is naturally sweetened, but that benefits even those of us who aren’t necessarily baking for health. The maple syrup in this pie lends interesting flavor and subtle nuance, complementing both the fruit and the added lemon zest and cinnamon. Truly, it’s a win-win for everyone.

Make the Recipe

To make this blueberry maple pie, we start with perfect pie crust. My recipe utilizes all-purpose flour, butter (for flavor), and shortening (for flake), as well as sugar and salt. All of the ingredients can come together in a food processor or a large bowl of your choosing. The dough does need to chill briefly, so feel free to prep the dough the night (or week!) before. The filling here is simple: fresh berries, maple syrup, cinnamon, and the zest and juice of a single lemon. Together, they combine to make a pie filling that is juicy, sweet, and layered with flavor.

Once the pie dough has been prepared, roll it out into a standard pie plate of your choosing and fill it with the blueberry mixture. The top here can be done according to your preferences: you can take this opportunity to braid or lattice, or you can just not. Either way, this pie will bake up in the bottom third of your oven to a golden brown that is actually worth writing home about.

With summer fruit on the way out and fall flavors coming to town, this blueberry maple pie is fitting and delicious for the times. Give it a try this week and let me know what you think! Happy Saturday to you, and Happy Baking!

If you like this blueberry maple pie you should try:

Blueberry Sour Cream Pie
Peach Berry Pie
Blueberry Galette with a Cornmeal Crust
Blueberry Lemon Pop-Tarts
Berry Slab Pie

Blueberry Maple Pie

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5 from 2 reviews

This yummy summer pie is naturally sweetened with maple syrup and scented with fresh lemon zest and a sprinkle of cinnamon!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 75
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 9 Servings
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the crust:

3 ½ cups (420 gm) all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons (12 gm) sugar
3/4 teaspoon (4 gm) salt
2/3 cup (135 gm) chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
3/4 cup (1–1/2 sticks, 170 gm) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
10 tablespoons (approximately) ice water

For the filling:

4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp lemon zest (from about 1 lemon)
1–1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt

For the egg wash:

1 egg
2 teaspoons sugar

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Instructions

To prepare the crust:

Give the dry ingredients a whiz in the food processor to combine.
Pulse in the shortening and butter, just until barely evenly dispersed.
Begin adding ice water, 2 tablespoons at a time until moist clumps begin to form.
Remove dough from food processor and separate in two flat round disks. Wrap in Saran wrap and chill for at least two hours prior to use.

To prepare the pie:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. I also like to preheat a baking steel or heavy-duty sheet pan on the bottom third of the oven- this is recommended for a crisp-bottomed crust.
In a large bowl, combine the filling ingredients. Set aside while you roll out your pie dough.
On a floured surface, roll out one half of the chilled pie dough to a 1/8-1/4” thick round approximately 1” wider on all sides than the lip of your standard pie pan. Roll the dough onto a floured rolling pin and unroll into the pan. Gently work the dough into the bottom and sides of the pan. Leave about 1” of dough extending outside the perimeter of the dish and trim off any excess.
Pour the fruit mixture into the pie dish. Place in the fridge while you prepare you pie top. Latticing is optional here; if you plan to leave a plain single sheet of dough on top of the filling, be sure to vent the top with a couple of slits from your knife. Crimp the edges once finished.
In a small both, whisk together the egg and use a pastry brush to paint a thin layer of the egg wash on the top of the pie crust. Sprinkle with the sugar. Place the pie on the preheated baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes. At that time, check the crust; if the edges are looking too done, make a pie collar out of aluminum foil to gently drape the edges of the pie. degrees. Continue baking for an additional 20-30 minutes, or until the middle of the pie has bubbling juices underneath and the top of the pie crust is golden brown. Allow the pie to cool on a cooling rack completely, or overnight. Cutting into the pie too soon can cause the pie to be too runny, but if this doesn’t bother you, you can cut into it as soon as it is a manageable and safe temperature. Serve with ice cream if desired!

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Peach Berry Pie

32 Comments / Pies and Tarts

In the few short days since summer began, we have been home resting, taking in the warm air, and baking up treats like the peach berry pie I’m going to share with you all today. I’m making a new effort to slow down in these moments that I have these summer months with my husband and darling babies.

Slowing Down

Aimee seems to run everywhere these days, jumping, dancing, or racing; walking is simply not an option. She sings and answers questions with logic, and with each passing day, I realize more and more how smart she’s becoming. We play and pretend, and she’s finally even gotten to the point where she will laugh at my jokes or a silly part in a movie.

In the quieter moments, she whispers to friends who aren’t there. She giggles with her brother and tries to put shoes on his chubby feet. She pats and soothes her babydolls, tenderly mothering them, even providing them with discipline, praise, and instruction. Now, more so than ever, I see so much of myself in her. The way she coos at George. When she tells me that I look beautiful like a princess. How she cheers for Brett when he finishes his supper. She’s a little lady in the making.

But there’s also the ugly… the parts of myself I see in her that make me cringe. She can be quick to frustration. Stubborn. Full of opinions. Contrary, at times, for no apparent reason… Just grouchy, just because.

I want to give Aimee all of the sweetness. Skills and manners and a sense of identity. I want her to have any goodness that I have to share and lock away the access to the parts of me that don’t bring life. I want to keep her good.

Learning from Our Kids

At the same time, I’m beginning to figure out that this tiny person might have a few things of her own that she could teach me- things that I need more of. I want to dance without embarrassment and not feel so serious all of the time. Or make time for quiet and daydreaming and whispering to the unseen. I want to take pleasure in small things like warm slices of fresh bread and the sound of the rain.

I wonder… what would it feel like to exist without the weightiness of adulthood? To be content and confident and willing to pop right up after falling flat on my face. What would it feel like to shrug off the small stuff and to allow myself time to take in the present? To quit busying myself with busyness. To loosen my grip on the need to control, to produce.

Aimee will continue to learn from me. She’ll pick up on habits and phrases and jokes. We’ll have silly moments and she’ll learn to count to 100 and before you know it, she’ll be grown. But for the time being, I want to try to be a little more like her. I don’t think we’re too grown up to change or to be someone different, and I refuse to believe it’s too late to be a better version of myself.

Someday I’ll teach Aimee to make pies. She’ll crawl up on the edge of the counter and steal sugared berries. I’ll teach her to cut fat into flour, quickly and methodically, just like my Mimi taught me. With four hands, we’ll wrestle the dough moving the rolling pin back and forth, using the leftover bits to cut out decorative flowers or stars. I’ll have to bite my tongue from correcting her too much, because deep down inside, I know that her small mistakes are more memorable than perfection. And we’ll sit cross-legged in front of the oven, watching it bubble and spill over, before sharing oversized slices from our seats in the kitchen.

Peach Berry Pie

Today’s recipe is a simple peach berry pie. No crazy ingredients or exaggerated methods. Just unadulterated pie.

Making the Pie

To make this peach berry pie, we need a solid, double-crusted pie dough. My favorite, no-fail, ultra-buttery and flaky recipe is yours for the taking if you don’t already have a fave of your own. A few simple ingredients, including butter and salt for flavor and shortening for unmatched flakiness, make up the crust. The filling for this peach berry pie is equally simple. Sliced peaches and several handfuls of berries mix with cornstarch and sugar to create the quintessential summer pie- juicy, yet thick enough to stand up on its own.

You can adapt the filling to your berry preferences. I love to use raspberries and strawberries with the peaches, but I had some leftover blueberries in the fridge that made it into the pie as well. As long as your berries are ripe, there is no need to adjust the sugar content of the pie. I used a lattice with a simple braid to top my peach berry pie, but you can skip that design if you’d like. Just slap the second half of dough on top, crimp the edges, and pop it in the oven for a golden, double-crusted peach berry pie that is sure to make your heart sing.

There’s some really neat recipes and tutorials coming up in the next few weeks, so if you haven’t already signed up to receive blog posts straight to your inbox, you can to do that in the side bar of this site’s homepage. Have a great weekend and please give this pie a try! If you do, be sure to snap a photo of it and share it with me here or on Instagram. Cheers!

If you like this peach berry pie, be sure to try:

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Berry Almond Streusel Pie

Strawberry Pretzel Tart

Cranberry Pear Pop-Tarts

Banana Coconut Chocolate Cream Pie

Peach Berry Pie

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5 from 3 reviews

This peach berry pie is a double crusted pie with a sweet and gooey strawberry, raspberry and peach filling.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 60
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 9

Ingredients

1 double pie crust, prepared and chilled in fridge (see notes or link above)
2 pounds of peeled and sliced peaches
2 cups of mixed berries, sliced into ½” pieces (I used raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon water

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. I also like to place a layer of heavy duty aluminum foil on the bottom rack of my oven to prevent any bubbling pie filling from dirtying up my oven, but this is optional.
In a large bowl, combine the peaches and berries. In a small bowl, toss together the brown sugar, the sugar, corn starch, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the fruit and toss to combine. Set aside while you roll out your pie dough.
On a floured surface, roll out one half of the chilled pie dough to a 12” round. Lay carefully in the bottom a deep dish pie pan and gently press into the bottom of the pan. Leave about 1” of dough extending outside the perimeter of the dish and trim off any excess.
Spoon the fruitmixture into the pie dish, discarding any exorbitant excess of juices that may have formed. Arrange the top half of pie dough on top of the filling in any manner you please. If you plan to make a lattice or any detailed pie top, work quickly so that your bottom of pie dough doesn’t get soggy with juices from the fruit. If you roll out the pie dough flat on your filling, be sure to vent the top with a couple of slits from your knife. Crimp the edges once finished.
In a small both, whisk together the egg yolk and water and use a pastry brush to paint a thin layer of the egg wash on the top of the pie crust. Place the pie in the oven and bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Decrease the heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional hour and fifteen minutes/ hour and thirty minutes, or until the middle of the pie has bubbling juices underneath and the top of the pie crust is golden brown. Allow the pie to cool on a cooling rack completely, or overnight. Cutting into the pie too soon can cause the pie to be too runny, but if this doesn’t bother you, you can cut into it as soon as it is a manageable and safe temperature. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream!

Notes

I like to prepare any lattice strips or braids ahead of time and keep the in the fridge while I am prepping my filling and pie pan.
Use any berries you’d like! Just make sure any large berries are cut into manageable pieces.
If your peaches aren’t ripe enough and are tart to the taste, consider adding an additional tablespoon of sugar.

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Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

10 Comments / Pies and Tarts

Spring- the onset of blooming trees, baseball games, and berry-filled desserts like this strawberry rhubarb pie. While the rest of the world debates whether or not to wait until Memorial day to break out their shorts and white denim, I’ll be licking my sticky fingers free of this gooey, fruity pie and soaking up every last minute of sunshine and 70 degrees these days have to offer.

This past weekend was filled with quintessential spring moments (I’m looking at you, backyard picnics!), and this stir crazy mama couldn’t be happier about it. Being cooped up indoors through the winter months is tough on morale when there’s no escaping the chaos that comes with two children under two. There’s no quick stops for sno-cones, no trips to the pool, no long walks in the stroller to survive the witching hour. Thankfully, spring shows up all sunshiny and pastel-colored to revive us from our winter comas of cold and gray. All the signs of new life are enough to make anyone hopeful for the coming months.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

We’ve got some really fun plans lined up these next few weeks including some friend reunions, a bucket list trip (more on that later!!!), little George’s first birthday (ALREADY!?! HOW!?!), and Brett and I’s fourth anniversary. I’ve been gearing up for these days for months now and I can’t wait to share the details with all of you. To start this new season off on the right foot, I think we should dive in head first with this strawberry rhubarb pie.

A Little on Rhubarb

I can already hear some of you. “Rhubarb? What even is that? I can’t cook with rhubarb!” Yes, I hear you. I’ve been there. I know. But if you love the fruity sweetness of summer berries, then you will adore the way that these tart little rosy stalks of rhubarb round out the flavors of your favorite pies, galettes, and tarts. If you’re new to rhubarb, let’s take a look at the basics first:

It’s a vegetable. Ha! Can you believe it? Because it is prepared more frequently in sweet dishes, most people think it is a fruit, but alas, it’s not!
This stalky fruit (er, vegetable) looks like a cross between celery and swiss chard. With rose colored stalks and bright green ends, rhubarb is a beauty to behold. Don’t eat the leaves though! The toxins in the tops of the stalks can actually have poisonous effects.
You probably don’t want to eat rhubarb raw. It’s incredibly tart, and best eaten after the fruity floral flavors have been cooked into existence.
To prepare the stalks for use, trim off the leaves and any ruddy ends similar to how you would prepare celery. Wash the stalks well and use a vegetable peeler to remove any blemishes.

OK, now that you know everything there is to know about rhubarb, let’s talk pie of the strawberry rhubarb variety.

Making the Pie Dough

This strawberry rhubarb pie is one of my favorites to prepare. The filling is sweet and fragrant with just enough tart kick from the rhubarb to make each bite pop. I always use my favorite pie crust which is buttery and flaky enough to be eaten all on its own. Each bite of this pie is sweet, floral, and tart with buttery, slightly salty morsels of crust, making nearly every aspect of taste present in this pie. This is the pie that your friends will taste and say, “What is that flavor!?!” It’s unique yet familiar and 100% delicious.

You can make the crust for this strawberry rhubarb pie a few days ahead of time and store in the fridge wrapped in plastic wrap. I like keep an extra recipe of double pie crust wrapped in foil in my freezer so that if the mood strikes to have some pie, I’m already set with a crust. Keep your dough chilled prior to its time in the oven to ensure that you get the flakiest, most tender crust ever.

Sugar Modifications

If you find your strawberries are a bit tart or under-ripened, you may need to add an extra 1/4 cup of sugar. However, if your berries are juicy and ripe, I think you’ll find these proportions of sugar to fruit are perfect. In a pinch, you can use frozen berries and rhubarb, just let them thaw prior to using in the pie. If you need additional help on how to work with rhubarb, check out this post here.

If you haven’t gotten the spring fever yet, this strawberry rhubarb pie is sure to do the trick. Please give it a try and let me know what you think! I have adored reading stories and seeing photos of baking successes you’ve had from recipes on this site, so please keep ’em coming!

Y’all have a great week and enjoy this strawberry rhubarb pie! Cheers!

If you like this strawberry rhubarb pie, you may also like:

Berry Almond Streusel Pie

Strawberry Pretzel Tart

Vegan Coconut Lime Ice Cream Pie

Cranberry Pear Mini Pop-Tarts

Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

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This strawberry rhubarb pie has a buttery, flaky crust and a perfectly sweet and tart berry filling.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 90
Total Time: 2 hours
Yield: 9
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

1 double pie crust, prepared and chilled in fridge (see notes or link above)
1 pound of rhubarb, green part and ends trimmed, cut into ½” pieces (about 2-1/2 cups trimmed)
1-1/2 pounds of strawberries, hulled and halved into similar sized pieces (about 5 cups)
1/2 cup (100 gm) packed brown sugar
1/2 (100 gm) cup sugar
1/4 cup (30 gm) cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon water

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. I also like to place a layer of heavy duty aluminum foil on the bottom rack of my oven to prevent any bubbling pie filling from dirtying up my oven, but this is optional.
In a large bowl, combine the rhubarb and strawberries. In a small bowl, toss together the brown sugar, the sugar, corn starch, cinnamon, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the rhubarb and strawberries and toss to combine. Set aside while you roll out your pie dough.
On a floured surface, roll out one half of the chilled pie dough to a 12” round. Lay carefully in the bottom a deep dish pie pan and gently press into the bottom of the pan. Leave about 1” of dough extending outside the perimeter of the dish and trim off any excess.
Spoon the rhubarb and strawberry mixture into the pie dish, discarding any exorbitant excess of juices that may have formed. Arrange the top half of pie dough on top of the filling in any manner you please. If you plan to make a lattice or any detailed pie top, work quickly so that your bottom of pie dough doesn’t get soggy with juices from the fruit. If you roll out the pie dough flat on your filling, be sure to vent the top with a couple of slits from your knife. Crimp the edges once finished.
In a small both, whisk together the egg yolk and water and use a pastry brush to paint a thin layer of the egg wash on the top of the pie crust. Place the pie in the oven and bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Decrease the heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional hour and fifteen minutes/ hour and thirty minutes, or until the middle of the pie has bubbling juices underneath and the top of the pie crust is golden brown. Allow the pie to cool on a cooling rack completely, or overnight. Cutting into the pie too soon can cause the pie to be too runny, but if this doesn’t bother you, you can cut into it as soon as it is a manageable and safe temperature. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream!

Notes

Search “Pie Crust” in the search bar of my site, or look in the “Pie” folder archives for my favorite recipe for a double pie crust. In a pinch, you can use a store bought refrigerated crust. Pie crust can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the fridge for several days prior to use.
If your berries are under-ripe or too tart, consider adding an additional 1/4 cup of sugar.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 9
Calories: 340
Sugar: 26
Sodium: 344
Fat: 14
Saturated Fat: 3
Unsaturated Fat: 10
Trans Fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 51
Protein: 4
Cholesterol: 20

Recipe Adapted From: Epicurious

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Concord Grape Upside Down Cake

4 Comments / Cakes

Have you ever met someone that speaks your language?

No, I’m not talking English, French, or (to speak of my suffering initiative at learning a second language) Spanglish. I’m talking your heart language. Someone who gets stuff the way you do.

Humor me for a minute.

When my friend Lauren texts me a picture of the Kate Spade “Eat Cake For Breakfast” bag or says “OMG, me too!” for the millionth time in our conversation, it’s because she speaks my language. Or when my friend Kate posts this video of cats trotting on a treadmill to my Facebook wall for the millionth time… I’m sorry, but that mess gets me every time. Or when I tear up a bit during deep conversation with my mom because she’s somehow managed to put words to feelings I’m experiencing and it’s like I’m being realized for the first time… she’s speaking my language.

What I mean is that sometimes a person’s passions, thoughts, and joys align perfectly with your own, and when it happens, it’s an incredible sense of relief/satisfaction because you realize that you’re not alone, that someone sees you, and that there’s someone who identifies with who you are. If you haven’t experienced this yet, you will. Give it time. And if you have, you know exactly what I mean.

This is how I often feel about my friend Rayne. She’s newer on the lineup of people I would categorize as “Best,” but she’s essential in that I think she gets it. Rayne can speak almost every dialect of my heart language fluently and does so with seemingly little effort. This girl loves well, is tremendously thoughtful, and has helped grow in me a spiritual strength, resilience, and faithfulness just by living it out in her own life. She lives in the proverbial presidential suite of my heart and if you knew her, you’d know she wouldn’t accept anything less. Really, she’s just the best.

My prayer for you today is that you all would have a showering (excuse the pun) of Raynes in your life- if not today, someday soon. That there would be a life on this earth that you find so beautiful, rare, and exciting that you can’t help but love and celebrate them to the fullest measure. I think we all need a person that brings us that much joy, so my hope for you is that you’ll find yours.

One thing that Rayne and I don’t see eye to eye on is upside down cake. I don’t always get it but she lovvees it. A few months ago, she was trying to convince me that pineapple upside down cake was an underrated, top 5 dessert, and honestly, I think I tuned her out because ew. Just ew. Never one to turn down a challenge though, I started researching upside down cakes and finished my investigation rather surprised at the delicious outcomes.

So today, in honor of Rayne, I have two things for you:

First, a letter. For you, for your heart friend, for whoever. Download this free letter template and write to someone who speaks your language. Tell them you see them and that they mean something to you. And tell them why. It feels good to receive gratitude and it feels even better to give it. So make it rain (Rayne?) some love on someone today.

Second, a recipe for this concord grape upside down cake. If you’ve never roasted grapes, that in and of itself is worth it because the change in flavor is extraordinary. This is a messy cake and it’s not much to look at but it pairs beautifully with cheese and wine so there’s that at least. Similar to my favorite Kate Spade bag, I absolutely adore eating this at breakfast, because cake without frosting usually just reads “BREAKFAST” to me. Whenever you eat it, definitely share a slice with your friend and let them know they’re worth making weird fruity cakes for.

I’d love to hear how you celebrate the people you love. If you have any ideas, or recipes you like the share with your favorites, please tell me about them in an email or the comments section below.

Happy Tuesday and cheers to you!

Click here to view the free downloadable letter template!

Concord Grape Upside Down Cake

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This sweet concord grape upside down cake made with a warm, honey caramel and sweet roasted fruit is delicious, rustic option for breakfast, dessert, and everything in between.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 50
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 cups seedless concord grapes
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup milk
Lightly sweetened whipped cream

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Stir 6 tablespoons butter, brown sugar and honey in heavy medium skillet over low heat until butter melts and sugar and honey blend in, forming thick, smooth sauce.
Transfer to 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides.
Top with the grapes.
Mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in medium bowl.
Using electric mixer, beat remaining 6 tablespoons butter in large bowl until light.
Add sugar and beat until creamy.
Add eggs and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in extracts.
Add dry ingredients alternately with milk, mixing just until blended.
Spoon batter evenly over plums.
Bake cake until golden and tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool in pan 30 minutes.
Using knife, cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Place platter atop cake pan. Invert cake; place platter on work surface. Let stand 5 minutes. Gently lift off pan.
Serve cake warm with whipped cream.

Notes

Be sure to purchase SEEDLESS concord grapes. This is one case where seeds simply will not do! Other varieties of grapes would lack the sweet, grape-like flavor we want in this cake so be sure you purchase the right kind.

Recipe Adapted From: Bon Appetit

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