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YOU NEED TO KNOW: How to Make Pie Dough

I’ll be honest: I’ve spent the last 10 minutes debating on whether to save this post until early-Novemberish when Thanksgiving dinners and holiday soirees have us all scrambling to make photo-worthy pies filled with canned pumpkin and toasty pecans. In the end, I considered my fridge full of summer berries, Chilton County peaches, and the first of this season’s cherries and decided now was as good of time as any to teach y’all how to make and bake a beautiful (and delicious!) pie dough. If you’re looking for tips on press-in crusts or store-bought varieties, this is not the post for you, but if it’s braided double crusts and flaky pastry you’re after, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s dive in on how to make pie dough.

What Is It?

Any homemade pie crust starts with a plain pastry dough. Pie dough is typically made with three simple ingredients: flour, fat, and water. That’s it! Other ingredients can be added like eggs, sugar, and salt. These manipulate the flavor, color, and texture of your final pastry.

Flour

The right amount and type of flour can make all the difference in a homemade pie dough. Unbleached all-purpose flour is typically chosen for standard pie crusts. It must be handled appropriately to yield a crust that is both tender and flaky. Too much flour can create a tough or dry crust; not enough may flour may lead to a wet crust that shrinks upon baking. Proportions are everything to a great pie crust recipe. Even perfect pastry dough will ruin with over-manipulation. Because all-purpose flour is prone to increased gluten formation, overworked pie dough may wind up being tough and dense.

Fat

I would argue that fat is the single most important aspect of learning how to make pie dough. Fat contributes flakiness and flavor to pie dough, and different types of fat offer their own myriad of benefits. It’s widely known that shortening and lard produce the flakiest pastries thanks to its ability to coat the flour more easily than butter. Butter is often chosen for flavor, although margarine yields similar textures. Oil is a final alternative for pie makers (I made one once here!), although it’s used less frequently and often yields a grainy crust. The amount, temperature, and method of dispersing fat into the flour makes all the difference as we’ll see in a couple paragraphs.

Water

The addition of liquid to a pie dough enables leavening. As the dough heats in the oven, steam generated from the water leavens the pastry and enhances its flakiness. Water also hydrates the dough which is helpful for gluten production, although many people add vinegar, lemon juice, or even alcohol to prevent too much gluten formation. Without enough water or liquid, pie doughs are dry or too crumbly to work with, but if too much liquid is added, crusts make shrink or become too tough.

How to Make Pie Dough

First, combine the flour with salt, sugar, and any other dry ingredients. Once combined, cut the fat into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter, a food processor, or even just your hands. Continue cutting in the fat until it is evenly incorporated in pea or marble-sized pieces. Keeping the fat cold and working quickly helps to ensure that the pastry will remain flaky and prevent gluten formation. Once the fat is thoroughly integrated, stir in ice water or another cold liquid until the flour comes together into a shaggy dough.

Quite often, chilled dough is easier to handle and enhances the final baked product. Keep in mind it may need to sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to rolling to make the job easier.

Pastry Cutter vs. Food Processor, vs. Hands

99% of the time, I opt for my pastry cutter when it comes to preparing pie dough. The reason is simple: I don’t trust my fingers to do the job well but I also don’t love the clean-up involved with my food processor. A great pastry cutter can make the job quick and the clean-up simple, so, for me, it’s a win-win. Even so, don’t sleep on those other methods. If you’re new to pie dough, a food processor might help distribute the fat into the flour more evenly, but there are some benefits to working in the fat by hand too; as your fingers flatten the fat into the flour, those chunky pieces will create holes in your crust that enhance its overall flakiness. The bottom line is, this is a choose-your-own adventure kind of deal. Do what works best for you.

How Is It Used?

Once prepared and chilled, homemade pie dough makes any number of treats. Although it’s typically used for dessert pies, you’ll find it’s delicious for quiche, hand pies, and more! For today’s post, I’m going to spend time talking about the areas I get the most questions about: storing pie dough, rolling, crimping, and braiding pie dough, and baking pie dough.

Storing Pie Dough

Once prepared, most pie dough need some chill time. This isn’t a Netflix and chill kind of situation: this is a temperature situation. I like to ready my pie dough for the fridge by patting it into a flat round disk and wrapping it in plastic wrap. The wrap will protect it from drying out in the fridge. If you plan to make a slab pie or any kind of squared-off pastry, you may find it easier to chill it in a flat rectangle shape that will be easier to roll out after chilling.

If you don’t plan to use your pie dough right away, you can typically store it in the fridge up to a week in advance. Any longer, and you’re better off leaving it in the freezer. Simply wrap your plastic-wrapped dough in a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil and freeze on a flat surface. Once frozen, pie doughs keep in the freezer up to 6 months. When you’re ready to use it, just thaw out overnight in the fridge and allow it to rest at room temperature about 10 minutes or until it’s pliable for rolling.

Rolling Pie Dough

As with most pastry dough, rolling pie dough works best on a cool, lightly-floured surface. My marble counters make an excellent place for rolling, but pastry mats and other flat surfaces will work brilliantly as well. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, begin rolling from the center of the dough to the outer edges, using short, firm strokes. Every few rolls or so, gently slide your hand under the dough to ensure the work surface is thoroughly floured. If more flour is needed, roll the dough onto the floured pin and sprinkle additional flour. Most recipes call for pie doughs rolled out to 1/8″-1/4″ thickness. Check to make sure your dough is large enough by holding your pie plate over the rolled-out round of dough; the dough should be an inch wider on all sides, larger if you’re working with a deep-dish pie plate.

To transfer your pie dough to a pie plate, gently roll the pie dough onto your rolling pin and unroll into the pie plate! If this method doesn’t suit you, you can try folding the dough into quarters, picking it up, and unfolding it into the pie plate. Once in the pan, tuck the dough into the edges of the pan and begin crimping or braiding your dough as desired. If you are making a double-crust pie, you can transfer your pie dough top the same way you did the bottom crust: simply roll the dough onto your rolling pin, unroll it centered on the pie, and begin crimping your edges together as desired.

Latticed Pie

A latticed pie is one of those things many people aspire to. In fact, there are tons of Instagram accounts, Pinterest boards, and more dedicated to intricately woven pie tops. Below, you’ll see a few of my favorite simple lattices. In my own kitchen, I love to use a pizza cutter and a clear sewing ruler to keep my trimmed strips the exact size I want them to be. I don’t have the patience for much beyond this, but if you do, know the principles are the same: keep your dough cold and work quickly!

Crimping Pie Dough

Again, nothing fancy here, just a few of my favorite crimps! When in doubt, the back of a fork is your friend. Just pinch your edges together and crimp away!

Preparing Pie Dough for Baking

At some point in your baking career, you’ll stumble upon a recipe that calls for an egg wash. More often than not, this is solely for aesthetic purposes. An egg wash combines all or part of an egg with some kind of liquid (water, milk, or cream) which you then brush in a thin layer on a prepared pie dough crust prior to baking. The protein, fat, and water in the wash adds color or gloss to the finished pie crust. Below, you’ll see a sampling of a few different wash varieties. Choose whichever works best for you or go for my favorite: whole egg whisked together.

Blind/ Par-Baking

A blind baked (or par-baked) crust is one that has been partially or fully baked prior to adding the filling. Usually done only on single crust pies, blind baking can help prevent soggy bottoms and ensure that crusts are cooked thoroughly and evenly. To blind bake, start by docking (or poking holes with a fork) the bottom and sides of your chilled pie dough that has been rolled into a pan. Fit a crumpled sheet of parchment paper into the bottom and sides of the dough and fill it with pie weight, dried rice, or dried beans. The weight will prevent steam from bubbling underneath the dough and ensure that the crust remains flat in the pan.

More Help on How to Make Pie Dough

We’re nearing the end of this lengthy (but hopefully helpful?) tutorial, so I wanted to wrap things up with a few frequently asked questions. Most of these are internal questions that blaze across my brain when a failed pie attempt has me searching Google for answers or help, but some of these are questions that have been posed me to by readers like you! We’ll end on this note, but be sure to see below for my favorite double crust pie recipe. It’s been tried and true for me for years, the combination of shortening and butter yielding a flaky yet flavorful crust. Give it a try and let me know what you think! Without further ado, here’s some FAQ!

Why is my pie dough sticky?

Two possible situations: either it’s not cold enough or you added too much water. Pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes or so to see if that helps!

Why did my pie crust shrink in my pan?

Again, it’s probably a hydration issue. Next time, add a little less water and chill the pie crust prior to baking it. I even like to pop crusts in the freezer sometimes!

What kind of rolling pin is best?

This is a personal preference thing. I prefer a wooden rolling pin with traditional handles, but you may opt for a French pin or one that is made with marble or plastic! The important thing is keeping that pin floured the whole time you roll out your dough!

Can I use different flours in my pie crust?

Sure. The internet is loaded with recipes for people looking to use alternative flours. I don’t have a recipe here that I’d recommend, but I’m sure you’ll find something on the interwebs.

Is a deep-dish pie the same as a standard one?

Not typically. On this site, I always specify where a deep-dish pie pan is needed, because they always hold more volume. If you attempt to make a deep-dish pie recipe in a standard pie plate, you’ll wind up with too many ingredients and not enough room. Tread lightly.

So what kind of pie plate is best?

Again, this is a preference thing. I live and die by my William-Sonoma Goldtouch Pan, but many other people swear by glass or even ceramic. I will say that glass is helpful when you’re wanting the ensure a crisp, golden bottom- after all, you can look under the pie and see how the cooking is coming!

Do I have to flour or grease my pie plate?

Nope, not unless the recipe you’re following specifies to do so.

How can I get a crisp-bottomed pie?

Par-baking is a great option for single pie crusts, but I also love to bake my pies closer to the bottom third of the oven. Other recipes may specify to add an egg wash to the bottom of the pie.

How do I know my fruit pie is done?

I always look for bubbling fruit in the middle of the pie.

What do I do if my pie crust is too brown before the filling is bubbling?

Use a sheet of aluminum foil to gently cover the top. If it’s just the edges getting too dark, make a foil collar to rest around the edge of the pie like a crown.

Where can I learn more about your favorite pie crust?

Check out a super old post here!

What pies should I make?

For a cream pie, check out my favorite Southern Coconut Cream Pie . For a summer favorite, look no further than this Peach Berry Pie . And for something a little different, try these Raspberry Champagne Pop-Tarts.

My Favorite Pie Dough

Print Recipe

A pie crust equal parts buttery and flaky, lightly golden, and perfectly baked- this is the only recipe for a double pie crust that you’ll ever need.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 10
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 1 Double Crust
Category: Pastry

Ingredients

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

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

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 round disks. Wrap in Saran wrap and chill for at least two hours prior to use.
When ready to use, roll out to 1/4″ thickness and line the bottom of a 9″ pie pan. This is enough dough to fill a deep dish pan as well. Prior to baking, brush with an egg wash, if desired. This is done by whisking 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water and lightly brushing crust prior to use.

Notes

This recipe makes a double crust. If you want extra dough for decorating the top, I recommend doubling the recipe and saving leftover crust for a future pie! The dough freezes nicely when wrapped well.
Chilling the dough is essential. If your dough gets too warm while you are rolling it out or decorating the top, you may not get as flakey of a crust as you might desire. So work swiftly!
Patch up holes or tears in the crust with leftover dough. Even small holes on the bottom of the pie plate can make a burned and sticky mess of your pie and you’re not going to want to waste a drop of this deliciousness!
You can easily substitute the shortening for butter and visa versa, however I cannot vouch for any other substitutions. Unless you’re super anti-shortening or anti-butter, I strongly recommend this combination for a buttery, flaky crust.

YOU NEED TO KNOW: How to Stack a Layer Cake

6 Comments / Cakes, Tutorials

Have you ever spotted a beautiful cake on Instagram, television, or a website and thought to yourself, “Ugh, I wish I could learn how to do this”? Well consider me your genie in a bottle, because today I’m going to be sharing a few simple pointers to teach you how to stack a layer cake. This is not some super advanced tutorial. This is a quick guide for eager beginners or anyone wanting to polish the skills they already have under their belt. In addition, I’m DYING to answer all of your questions so that I can update this post to include the things you’re interested in learning about, so please feel free to chime in with anything you’ve found to be helpful in your learning experiences. If you’re ready and hungry, let’s dive in!

What Is A Layer Cake?

This feels like a silly question to answer, but let’s be plain as day. A layer cake is any kind of cake with stacked layers! On it’s most basic level, cake is a single layer with frosting, glaze, or some other garnish on it’s top, but a layer cake typically consist of 2 or more layers of cake stacked with schmears of frosting and/or filling. For the purpose of this post we’re going to stick with a 3-layer cake. That was simple, right?

What Do I Need to Make a Layer Cake?

There’s a few basic components required for every cake as well as a few special tools that will make stacking cakes simple for beginners. I have a few of my favorites listed that you can find above on the “Shop” page of my site.

For starters, you’ll need the following:
Cake Layers (or a single thick layer of cake that you plan to slice in half)
Frosting
Filling (if desired)
Serrated Knife
Offset Spatula (I prefer a small one)

If you’re ready to go to the next level, here’s a few more items to consider purchasing:
Cake Turntable
Cake Boards
Piping Set or Freezer-Safe Ziploc Bag
Cake Leveler

If you plan on being serious about learning how to stack a layer cake you may also consider purchasing a cake turntable. When I first started baking, I purchased an inexpensive model from Wilton that I adored for many years. Some time later, I upgraded to an Ateco model that I continue to use today. No need in purchasing anything fancy- just buy what works. A turntable is the single most useful tool for decorating cakes and can make a world of difference in the final outcome of your product.

How To Stack A Layer Cake ?

Let’s take this slow. Heck, I’m going to throw in some numbered steps so we don’t miss a single thing, okay? WE CAN DO THIS! Here we go.

1. Prepare the cake layers.

We can stack basically any cake recipe, but we always want to work with cooled layers. A cake straight from the oven will not stack well. I like to chill my layers in the freezer for a bit to make them extra easy to work with- it helps keep all the crumbs stuck to the cake instead of all over my spatula. Once cooled (or semi-frozen!) use a large, sharp serrated knife to trim the domes off of your cake. We want the layers to be flat. So if your cake looks more like a hill than an ice skating rink, trim it off. Get down at eye-level to the cake and carefully cut off the top. Remember to go slow and not take too much off! You can always trim off more but you can reattach cake if you butcher off too much.

2. Prepare the frosting and filling.

Again, we need cooled frostings and fillings. Pick your poison when it comes to frosting variety, but keep it simple if you’re new to the game. American buttercream is typically easiest to whip up. Frosting consistency is really important here. Too thick or hard and the frosting will stick to the cake and rip off little bits of it as you go. Too thin and the frosting will squish out the sides. I like a frosting that will scoop onto your finger or an offset spatula without falling off but will droop over BARELY when dolloped. No big droops!

With American buttercream, you can typically add water or milk a tablespoon at a time until the frosting thins out to the appropriate consistency. Likewise, you can typically add additional powdered sugar a bit at a time to thicken it up. If your buttercream gets too warm, throw it in the fridge to thicken it up! After all, butter and fat is hard at chilled temps.

3. Prepare your cake board.

This is optional. I love to work with a cake board because I typically am frosting a cake on my turntable. I use a piece of packing tape or a non-slip pad to get my board to stick to the turntable. Place it directly in the center and smooth a small dollop of frosting on the board. This will help to make your first layer adhere to the board. If you’re not using a cake board you can add the frosting dollop straight to the flat serving plate that you’re making it on. The cake turntable and board make a difference here, but you can do it either way.

4. Begin frosting your cake.

Place the first layer of cake on the cake board with the frosting on it. If you’re not using a filling, go ahead and dollop enough frosting to generously cover the entire cake. For most cake layers about 1″ thick, I like about 1/4″ thickness of buttercream on top. Go ahead and plop some frosting on your cake and grab your offset spatula in your dominant hand. With the spatula parallel to the cake top, begin pushing the frosting around to cover the cake, being sure to not actually touch the cake with your spatula at all.

I like to use a subtle rocking motion as opposed to digging the edge of the spatula into the buttercream or cake. Continue this process, adding buttercream as needed, until the buttercream barely hangs over the side of the cake. Then, rotate the spatula barely to dig in a slight edge and twist your turntable like a record player. Keep your hand level and the edge on your spatula tilted slightly so that you can level the frosting top. We started with leveled cakes and we need our frosting leveled too as we stack!

Alternatively, if you plan to use a filling: Fill a piping bag fitted with a large round tip or a large ziploc bag with some frosting. Pipe a “dam” border around the perimeter of the unfrosted cake. Make sure your dam walls are high enough and connected to contain all of the filling. If the filling squishes out the top or underneath, it can make frosting your cake neatly near impossible! Once the dam is complete, spoon in your filling and continue the steps as listed below.

5. Repeat this process with additional cake layers.

For the cake shown in photos, I repeated the process twice as there are three layers. As your stack your cake layers, be sure to press down gently to allow the cake to adhere and line them up as best as you can. If you find your cakes are wiggling or slipping because of loose buttercream, pop it in the fridge to allow the frosting to set up. You’ll wind up with a wonky cake if you try to frost a slippery fellow. Extra time, but worth it.

6. Crumb coat.

A crumb coat is a thin layer of frosting that traps in any cake crumbs. To start, use your offset spatula to push the frosting overhang on the top layer down onto the sides of the cake. This process takes some practice and is hard to get right the first several times. Use additional frosting from the overhang on the lower layers to cover the sides of the cake and add any additional frosting from the bowl as needed.

For our crumb coat, we just want a thin coat of frosting to trap the crumbs, so just do your best to smooth it out. Use your spatula to cover the cake entirely and scrape any extra frosting (sans crumbs!) back into your bowl. Once the cake is coated, pop it in the fridge for the frosting to firm up. The length of time here is dependent on how cold your cake layers were to begin with, so just check your cake occasionally until firm.

7. Finish frosting your cake.

Some people prefer to use a bench scraper here, but I almost always prefer my offset spatula. For a naked cake, smear just a thin layer of frosting all over the cake and smooth out the edges as able. For a more opaque layer of frosting, go ahead and dollop a hefty scoop on top and smooth it onto the top with angled offset spatula. Spread more on the sides of the cake and use a bench scraper or the spatula to smooth and decorate. This is an exercise that takes a lot of practice, so cut yourself some slack the first 15 times you do this, okay? If all else fails, go for messy, rustic frosting and claim you did it on purpose. Cool? Once finished, store the cake as indicated in your recipe or serve immediately!

A Few More Tips On How to Stack A Layer Cake :

I’ve had to learn a lot the hard way. Here’s a few pointers from mistakes I’ve made far too often:

1. Don’t add too much filling to your cake.

Jam, curd, or other running fillings cake easily spill out the top of a dam or squish underneath. Be sure your dam has adhered to the cake layer it is on top of and don’t overfill it! Let your dam be about 1/8″ higher than the filling and add your next cake layer gently.

2. Master the cake to frosting ratio.

Some recipes will produce extra thick layers of cake that are intended to be torted (or trimmed into layers). Use a large serrated knife here to slice through your cake layer and cut it into appropriately thick layers. Most of my recipes produce cakes that are 1 to 1’1/4″ thick, so about 1/4″ of frosting is appropriate here. If you wind up with thicker layers, consider torting or adding additional frosting between layers. For thinner layers, consider less frosting.

3. Don’t overwork your frosting.

This is hard to do. I get it. The more your attempt to smooth and perfect a finished frosted cake, the more likely you are to overwork or deflate your frosting. This can change the color, texture, and mouthfeel of the frosting. Do your best to not overwork and keep in mind that pristine cakes come with practice.

4. Transfer with care!

I like to slide a large offset spatula under the cake board to help shimmy it off the turntable. I usually need to do this when popping the cake in the fridge or when transferring it to its serving plate. They make cake lifters specifically for this purpose, but I don’t actually have one. I find a large offset spatula works fine. Do what feels right!

5. Make sure your frosting is the right consistency.

I can’t emphasize this enough. If you notice your frosting is difficult to work with, go ahead and fix it before you get too far into the frosting process! The messiest cakes I’ve ever made were when I didn’t take the time to address my frosting consistency. See above for quick tips.

6. Decorating layer cakes is an entirely different topic.

Admittedly, I’m not terrific at decorating cakes, so I usually like to stick with basics: flowers, sprinkles, or large piped dollops of frosting. For cake decorating inspiration, I recommend checking out Tessa Huff’s site. She decorates beautiful and attainably intricate cakes. This is a great place to start.

A Few Last Minute Tips on How to Stack a Layer Cake:

You can’t learn how to stack a layer cake if you don’t have a good baked cake. Here’s a few tips that have helped me:

1. Use room temperature ingredients.

The ingredients in most cake recipes will emulsify together better when not at extreme temperatures. So what do you do when you forget to set your ingredients out in advance? Set your eggs in a cup of warm water to quickly bring to room temperature and feel free to nuke milk in the microwave at a low temperature in 10 second intervals till it’s no longer ice cold. As for the butter: consider slicing it into tablespoon pads and resting at room temperature while you set out the rest of your ingredients, or, nuke in the microwave for 8 seconds per side of butter.

2. Use parchment paper to line the bottoms of your pan.

Yes, it can be a pain to cut out rounds of parchment, but I use it every time. Why? Because the only thing more annoying that cutting out parchment rounds is baking a beautiful cake only to have chunks of it remain stuck to the innards of your pan. If you’re feeling really aggressive, you can purchase pre-cut rounds of parchment online and they make life so much easier. Just do it.

3. Do not overmix.

If you read a recipe that says “mix just until combined”, do just that. Overmixing your batter will cause your cake to be chewy and dense… not usually what we’re going for.

4. Make sure your baking powder and soda are fresh.

If you open your cabinet and the baking soda says it expired in 2009, throw it out. I’m talking to you, Mom.

5. If you don’t keep buttermilk on hand, don’t fret!

I sometimes will use 1 tablespoon of white vinegar for every scant cup of milk when I need a quick substitute for real buttermilk. Works like a charm.

6. Don’t overbake!

Toothpicks cost like, $1 at the store. And I’m pretty sure you can steal them from hostess stands at most chain restaurants. So keep some on hand and when the cake looks just barely firm in the middle and is no longer jiggling in the pan, test it. Moist crumbs should come out. If it’s not done, set the timer for one minute and try again. And in the midst of all that checking, try not to open and close the oven too much. You’ll end up with a cake crater big enough to put your face in. On second thought, this isn’t such a terrible outcome so do whatever you want. No judgement here.

7. Allow to cool a bit in the pan before flipping out on to a cooling rack.

A Few Favorites to Start With:

Here’s a few links to my favorite cakes and frostings! Mix and match however feels right. I’ll be sharing a yummy layer cake recipe for you guys to practice with next week, so STAY TUNED. Happy baking and don’t forget to send me all of your questions!
Chocolate Cake Recipe
White Cake Recipe (Just Omit the Chocolate Chips!)
Buttermilk Cake
Cream Cheese Buttercream

Cherry Pound Cake and a Cute Breakfast Picnic

2 Comments / Cakes

Berry Pound Cake recipe by wood and spoon. a vanilla bean butter cake is swirled with Bonne Maman intense fruit spread. Similar to a jam cake, this bundt cake is perfect for slicing as dessert or breakfast and makes a great gift to treat others with. Find this simple easy one bowl recipe on thewoodandspoon.com by Kate Wood.

Happy Wednesday, friends! In a fun and tasty shoutout to these end-of-summer days, I’ve teamed up with Bonne Maman to give you the ins and outs of throwing the cutest little picnic this side of the Mississippi. If you’ve got some pals who will join in and a hankering to eat al fresco, then keep reading and whet your tastebuds for a super simple picnic and a cherry pound cake to go with it.

Location

Location for a picnic, particularly here in the South, is everything. Will people show up to your mid-day picnic if there is no shade or breeze to be found? Probably. But do you risk early departures and sweaty guests? Also a yes. Scope out a location that will be comfortable for your guests at the time of picnic and be sure to pack accordingly. For example, planning an early evening cocktail picnic? Bring bug spray or a citronella candle to ward off bugs. Going for a high-noon affair? Spring for some paper fans and pack a cooler of ice to keep beverages (and your guests!) cool.

Food

Don’t be afraid to think outside the box! I opted to throw a little breakfast picnic because I knew my crew would be awake early and eager to be outside before the heat of the day set in. Be sure to choose a theme and menu that suites the crowd you’re serving.

My number one rule of picnicking is to limit the menu to primarily semi-homemade and room temperature foods. There’s no reason to worry over the temperature of your tuna salad when your a platter of crudités would go over just as well, and you’ll save yourself tons of fuss if you opt to prepare only a select number of the menu items yourself. I like to pick up fresh fruits and bakery breads to supplement my picnic menus and limit my homemade items to one or two make-ahead treats. Cookies, bars, tea sandwiches, (or this cherry pound cake!) make great homemade options to serve your guests.

Decor

As with any party, you’ll want to set the scene, but in the case of a picnic, I prefer to keep the details simple. Here, layered quilts and blankets in complementary patterns and colors are both functional and aesthetic. Woven bags serve dual purposes, first as food carriers and then as a flower vase for a few floral stems wrapped in wet paper towels and plastic wrap. Bread boards or galvanized metal trays used as serving platters match the provincial feel of a picnic and provide a sturdy place to rest glasses or bottled drinks. Beyond a few simple items, I prefer to let fruits and vegetables spruce up the picnic with their color and natural beauty. By combining a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes, simple food can turn into beautiful, seasonal decor!

Guests and Activities

A picnic is a great way to welcome loads of friends into your social calendar. Pack a few extra blankets and encourage guests to BYOB or bring a finger food for sharing to keep the work load on any one person minimal. To transform your average picnic into a full-blown event, pack a few yard games and create a custom playlist to keep your guests engaged and having a ball. Even a few decks of cards or quick board games can help to keep the mood light and entertaining.

Cherry Pound Cake

Every picnic needs a show-stopping centerpiece and this cherry pound cake is just the thing. With a dense, buttery crumb and Bonne Maman INTENSE Cherry Fruit Spread swirled throughout, this cherry pound cake is a simple dessert that will serve and satisfy any crowd. To make it, we start by creaming together butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy. Eggs are added next along with plenty of vanilla extract. Finally, the dry ingredients are stirred in, alternating with room temperature sour cream that moistens this flavorful cake. As the thick batter is spooned into a prepared bundt pan, we swirl in the Bonne Maman INTENSE Fruit Spread. I chose to use cherry here, but any of their varieties would work splendidly. The cake bakes up thick and lightly sweetened and tastes wonderfully in slices served plain or with a bit of butter.

Bonne Maman INTENSE Fruit Spreads contain simple ingredients and a homemade taste that work well with this cherry pound cake. With more fruit and 39% less sugar than their regular preserves, the spreads offer loads of that fresh fruit flavor that summertime picnics beg for. Plus, with time-honored recipes and real ingredients, Bonne Maman products are ones I feel good about baking into the foods that I serve to people that I love. This cherry pound cake showcases the fruit spread in an effortless yet beautiful way that really ups the ante at any gathering, especially a picnic.

Whether you plan to picnic or not in the coming weeks, I hope you’ll give this cherry pound cake a try. It’s a delicious one-bowl recipe, and I can’t imagine you all not adoring it. Many thanks to Bonne Maman for sponsoring this post, and thanks to you all for supporting brands that make Wood & Spoon possible. Give this cherry pound cake a try and let me know what you think! Happy Wednesday and Happy Baking!

If you like this cherry pound cake you should try:

Stone Fruit Skillet Cobbler

Cherry Chip Cake

Marble Loaf Pound Cake

Lemon Pound Cake Loaf

Black Forest Ice Cream Cake

Cherry Pound Cake and a Cute Breakfast Picnic

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This cherry pound cake is a moist butter and vanilla cake swirled with cherry fruit spread!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 55
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Yield: 10 servings
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

1 cup (230 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups (400 gm) sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2–1/4 cups (350 gm) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
½ cup Bonne Maman INTENSE Fruit Spread (I used cherry)

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease and flour a bundt pan.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Add about half of the flour and the baking powder, soda, and salt. Stir on low until almost combined and then add the sour cream. Scrape the sides of the bowl and then stir in the remaining flour, just until combined. Use a rubber spatula to fold in any unincorporated bits. Spoon about 1//2 of the batter into the prepared pan and then spoon about ½ of the fruit spread on top. Repeat this process with the remaining batter and spread and use a knife to barely swirl the two together. Bake in the preheated oven until the cake has risen and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Allow to cool for 20 minutes in the pan and then invert the pan onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar if desired!

YOU NEED TO KNOW: How to Make Whipped Cream

18 Comments / Tutorials

How To Make Whipped Cream Tutorial by The Wood and Spoon Blog by Kate Wood. This is a step by step picture explanation of how to whip cream. Starting with heavy whipping cream and using a wire whisk, hand blender, or stand mixer, this tutorial will give you the recipe for soft, medium, and stiff peaks - even to the point of making your own butter! Learn how to make whipped topping on thewoodandspoon.com

There’s a few skills that every baker, professional and novice alike, needs to have in their repertoire. This is the second installment in the “You Need to Know” series where we explore basic baking techniques and tap into the know-how that is required to master them. In today’s edition, we are going to whip our way to the cloud-like heaven that is perfectly whipped cream, so if you need to know the ins and outs, keep reading!

What is it?

Whipped cream is cream or heavy cream that has been whipped. Throughout the process, the texture changes from a fatty liquid to a light and fluffy foam. As the cream whips, air bubbles incorporate into the fat, resulting in an airy mixture that is approximately double the volume of the original liquid. A high amount of fat is required for the whipped cream to be stable, so heavy whipping cream or one that contains at least 30% fat is typically recommended for best outcomes.

How do you make it?

You can make whipped cream in a number of ways. First, you can use a chilled bowl and wire whisk, a hand mixer, a stand mixer, or even a a glass jar with a lid! The key is to start with very cold cream. The fat in the cream will melt at warmer temperatures, resulting in a lack of stability for the emulsification. I prefer to make my whipped cream with a hand mixer fitted with the beater attachments; I find it a lot easier to monitor the progress of your whipped cream this way. Feel free to use whatever you have on hand and feel comfortable working with.

Step One: Begin whipping!

Pour the cream into a mixing bowl and whip at low speed. If you are using a stand mixer, I use the whisk attachment on speed 2 or 4. Beat the mixture steadily until you notice the cream beginning to froth and barely thicken.

Step Two: Add sweetener and flavoring!

Once your cream is frothy, it is stable enough to add sweeteners and flavoring. For a traditional sweetened whipped cream, a small portion of granulated or powdered sugar is typically used. Alternatively, you can use honey, brown sugar, or even agave nectar. The color and texture may differ slightly, but all should yield successful results. Vanilla extract, lemon zest, almond extract, or even cocoa powder can be added to your cream for flavor; just use in moderation, adding only until the desired flavor is achieved.

Step Three: Watch for peaks!

After the add-ins have been included, continue whipping and increase the speed. The cream transforms from a bubbly liquid to a thickened mixture. You might notice a trace of the beater or whisk as it spins around the bowl. Man your post at the mixer; once the cream begins to thicken, you’re only a few moments away from perfect whipped cream. Keep whipping and watching, and you’ll soon notice soft and fluffy mounds forming on the top of the cream, finally increasing in volume to thick, smooth clouds that barely billow up onto themselves in the bowl.

Once your cream gets close to doubling in volume, turn off your mixer and pull the whisk from the bowl. The cream is adequately whipped once it holds its shape on the end of the whisk without wilting over or plopping off the end of the attachment. Be sure to not over-beat the cream- you may end up with butter!

What if I over-beat it?

If you continue beating your cream beyond the point of whipped cream, you’ll notice small lumps in your bowl, forming a grainy, thick mixture. Don’t fret- as long as you haven’t breached the fine line between whipped cream and butter, you can still rescue it! Add a few extra tablespoons of cream into your bowl and slowly whisk it into the mixture. If it’s not beyond repair, the mixture will smooth right back out and you’ll be back in the game. If you happened to take it too far, that’s okay too! You’re well on your way to making fresh, homemade butter, and we all know there’s plenty of room in the kitchen for that.

What do I use it for?

Whipped cream is an excellent topping for cakes, pies, coffees, and sundaes, but is often incorporated into recipes in a number of other ways. You may fold whipped cream into trifles or cream pies, no-churn ice cream or icebox cakes. With nothing more than a bit of cream and a handful of fresh fruit, you are well on your way to preparing a simple dessert that takes little time and zero fuss. Homemade whipped cream is fantastic on its own and adds a sweet and creamy mouthfeel when incorporated into homemade desserts.

Is there anything else I need to know?

Yep, probably, so if you want to get your nerd on, be sure to check out this article. If you’re interested in more photos of the different phases of whipped cream, this post from King Arthur Flour is really helpful. And if you’re just wanting some inspiration on how to use whipped cream, be sure to check out this page of my blog that includes a number of recipes requiring a little fluff of cream.

To all of my American friends, have a great Labor Day! Be sure to reference this post next time you need a little whipped cream in your life. And don’t forget to vote for the Saveur Blog Awards! The polls are open until Wednesday, the 6th of September, and you can find me in the “Best Baking and Sweets” category. Have a great week!

Homemade Sweetened Whipped Cream

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★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

Learn how to make whipped cream, step by step with photos, in this quick and simple tutorial.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 5
Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup (240 mL) heavy whipping cream, very cold
3 tablespoons sugar

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Instructions

Pour the cream into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium-low speed until the mixture becomes frothy and foamy. Add the sugar. Increase the speed to high and whip until you notice traces of the mixer attachment in the cream. Continue whipping, watching carefully, until the mixture thickens into smooth pillowy clouds, nearly doubles in size, and barely holds its shape on the end of the whisk attachment. Use immediately.

Notes

For vanilla whipped cream: add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For chocolate whipped cream: add 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
For honey whipped cream: add 3 tablespoons good honey in place of the sugar.
For lemon whipped cream: add 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest or more, according to your preferences.

YOU NEED TO KNOW: How to Brown Butter

35 Comments / Tutorials

How to Make Brown Butter Recipe by The Wood and Spoon Blog By Kate Wood. This is a step by step photo tutorial on how to brown butter / beurre noisette. Will give the instruction and science behind browning butter and how to make the best type of browned butter for your baked goods, sweet and savory dishes. Find out what color brown butter should be and how to know if you've browned it enough! DIY here on thewoodandspoon.com

Brown butter. A sexy ingredient, if you ask me.

If you’ve been around the block a time or two, you’ve probably already become acquainted with brown butter. You know it by its nutty aroma and speckled amber hue. You’ve already been allured by the rich caramel flavors, seduced by the complexity it adds to sweet and savory dishes alike. But for the average home baker, brown butter is a mystery. What is it? Where can I find it? How do I make it?

If you fall into that second category, allow me to make the introduction. It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the magical world of brown butter.

WHAT IS BROWN BUTTER?

Brown butter, or beurre noisette, is basically regular old butter that is gently melted and cooked until it browns which results in a change of flavor, aroma, and color. Butter is made up of water, fat, and protein. When it is cooked beyond the point of melting, the water will slowly evaporate leaving the butterfat and milk protein to continue cooking. As the proteins cook, they will begin to brown, which will be evident in the changes that you’ll notice in your pan.

HOW DO YOU MAKE BROWN BUTTER?

A fine question, dear friend. I’m glad you asked. To make brown butter, all you need is a quality stick of butter, a metal pan for your stovetop (I use this one), and a whisk or a spatula to gently stir with. I prefer to use a a light bottomed pan and a whisk, so whip those out if you have them. To help explain the browning process, I’ve taken some photos and notes. Let’s get started!

Step One: Melt the butter

Place your butter in a pan over medium-low heat. I like to cube my butter into equal sized chunks, and I prefer a light-colored pan so that I can monitor the browning process easily. Use whatever you feel comfortable with. Allow the butter to melt, stirring occasionally, until the butter is entirely liquid. As the butter continues to heat, it will begin to sizzle and foam, which is a good indication that the water has begun to evaporate.

Step Two: Begin browning the butter

Once the water has completely evaporated, the protein in the butter can begin browning! This is when you need to stay glued to your pan. Once you notice that the butter isn’t sizzling as much, begin whisking it regularly to ensure that the proteins brown evenly. We don’t want to burn the butter on the bottom of the pan while the liquid skimming the top remains unaffected. So keep whisking and watching. You’ll notice little golden flecks beginning to form on the bottom of the pan which is a thumbs up that you’re getting super close.

Step Three: Brown that butter!

The butter will continue to darken and brown as it cooks. Man your post at the stove and keep that whisk moving to ensure that the milk proteins cook evenly and you don’t wind up with burnt bits of butter. You’ll notice the changing aromas as the butter continues to brown. Trust me when I tell you that it tastes as good as it smells. Keep stirring and agitating the butter until you reach your desired degree of darkness. Then, remove the pan from the stovetop and pour the butter, browned bits and all, into a separate bowl. Don’t leave it in the pan or the residual heat will continue to cook and brown your butter, likely resulting in a burnt finish.

The trickiest part of this process is knowing when to pull you pan from the heat. There are a few different degrees of brown butter. Some recipes may call for a lighter, less-browned butter, while others may encourage you to continuing cooking, even to the point of nearly burning it. So to help identify what you’re looking for, I’ve got you covered with a photo lineup of the different varieties of brown butter.

The Three Degrees of Browned Butter

First up is a super-light, golden butter. At this phase of the game, you’ll notice deep golden flecks forming at the bottom of the pan, but the overall hue is still pretty light. This degree of brown butter isn’t as rich in flavor, but may be just the ticket for a number of dishes. If a recipe you’re using calls for “lightly browned butter,” this is exactly what you’re looking for.

Next up is the OG of brown butter- the gold standard. When in doubt, go for this degree of browning. Here, the color is darker, and the flavor is richer. This butter will give off a strong nutty, almost caramel scent and those same flavors will be present in the taste as well. This is the brown butter we fold into streusel crumbs, toss in our pasta sauces, and whisk into sugar for a delightfully decadent cake glaze.

If you’re willing to take the risk and allow your butter to brown in the pan just until the point of burning, you can score the darkest butter of all. Ultra-dark butter adds scads of flavor when chilled and creamed into cookies, cakes, and more. The extra color results in an extra oomph of flavor, so you’ll land terrific tasting treats every time.

HOW CAN I USE BROWN BUTTER?

I have a very specific rule of thumb about when it is most appropriate to use brown butter. Are you ready? Ok, here it is:

USE IT ALL THE TIME BECAUSE IT’S THE BEST.

That’s it! Simple, right? Ok, I’m kind of kidding. When making things like pasta sauces, salad dressings, toppings for breads and sauces for proteins, brown butter is a perfectly acceptable substitution for regular butter and oil. However, when adding it to baked goods like cookies, cakes, and pie crusts, there’s a few things to consider. Remember how we cooked all of the water out of the butter? Well, water is a really important part of baking! We need water to add moisture, to create steam in the oven, and to do a number of other nerdy food science stuff that I won’t bore your with here. So if we substitute brown butter for regular butter, we have to remember that our final outcome will likely be affected by of the lack of H2O. To compensate, sometimes you can add a bit less dry ingredient (like flour) or a wee bit of extra water or fat. But sometimes it’s just isn’t a good sub and we just have to dry our tears and be okay with that.

So, do you have any recipes using brown butter?

I thought you’d never ask. Of course! I use brown butter in a number of recipes, a couple of which are already on this site! You can check out my raspberry rhubarb crumb cake (with a brown butter crumb), carrot cake with brown butter glaze, or the ever-delightful hummingbird muffins for some delicious and sweet recipe inspiration. I’ll also add the links to a few other personal faves below.

Chewy, Gooey Golden Rice Krispie Treats

Brown Butter and Peanut Brittle Ice Cream

Brown Butter Pecan Pie

Is there anything else I need to know?

Yes. There’s tons. But this isn’t that kind of blog. I’m giving you what I think you want to know as well as a few other science geek tidbits that I just couldn’t hold myself back from. If you have more questions about, please share them with me below in the comments section! I would love to help in any way!

This is the first in what I hope will become a fun and helpful series for you all. Baking becomes so much easier and enjoyable when you understand some basics and have a few tips and techniques up your sleeve to help achieve success in the kitchen every time. So stick around for a few more things you need to know. I can’t wait to share more! Have a great weekend and cheers to you!

If you like this tutorial, be sure to check out:

Smash Cake Tutorial

Gold Splattered Sugar Cookie Tutorial

Painted Sugar Cookies

Cake Baking Tips

How to Brown Butter

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★★★★★

5 from 6 reviews

This is a quick and simply tutorial on how to brown butter. Making brown butter has never been easier with this photographic how-to!

Author: Kate Wood
Cook Time: 10
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 cup (113 gm) unsalted butter, cut into equal-sized chunks.

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Instructions

Place butter chunks in a light-colored pan over medium-low heat. Allow the butter to melt completely, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking.
Once the butter has melted, you’ll notice it begin to sizzle and foam. Continue stirring occasionally. Once the crackling has subsided, you’ll notice small golden flecks forming on the bottom of the pan. Begin stirring constantly with a whisk or a spatula to agitate the butter and keep it cooking evenly. Continue cooking until the desired level of brownness is reached. Remove the butter from the pan to a separate bowl to discontinue the cooking process.