Mascarpone Cream Filling

Several years ago I posted a recipe for a Maryann Cake with Mascarpone and Berries. It is one of my favorite desserts. I am re-posting the recipe just for the Mascarpone Cream Filling because it can be used with other types of cake - pound cake, shortcake, with fruit and no cake, or even just eaten by the spoonful - it's that delicious! It tastes so good with summer fruit like berries and would even be good with cut up peaches. I absolutely love mascarpone (even just plain) so this cream filling always hits the spot for me. 

I used my hand mixer with the wire whisk attachment to whip the heavy cream, and used a mini spatula to mix everything else together. I just bought new spatulas and I love them - they are Tovolo Flex-Core All Silicone Spatulas and Spoonulas. I found these while looking for a jar spatula after my OXO one disappeared, but I didn't like how the new OXO ones are made. I love that these spatulas are all one piece and are a dark color (I got them in blue) so they won't get stained like some of my white ones have. I ended up buying all of them except for the deep spoon, which I'll probably get as well. I'll mostly be using these for baking, but they can be used for cooking too and will be perfect for using in my Le Creuset enameled cast iron pieces.

Mascarpone Cream Filling

Recipe courtesy Williams-Sonoma

Mascarpone is a soft fresh Italian cheese made from cream, with a texture reminiscent of sour cream. Delicate in flavor, this rich cheese pairs deliciously with fresh fruit.

FRUIT TOPPING:
2 cups mixed berries, such as blueberries, raspberries and sliced strawberries
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

FILLING:
½ cup chilled heavy cream, beaten to soft peaks

6 ounces mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream, at room temperature
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional)

Prepare the fruit topping: In a nonreactive bowl, combine the berries and 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar and stir until well blended. Set aside.

Beat the heavy cream to soft peaks.

In a small bowl, using a rubber spatula, gently combine the mascarpone, sour cream, vanilla and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Fold in the whipped cream.

Serve the mascarpone mixture on top of pound cake or short cake. Arrange the berries on top of the mascarpone mixture.

Serves 12 to 16.

Whipped Heavy Cream

Finished Mascarpone Filling

Fruit Topping

On top of pound cake

Cranberry-Orange Muffins

I needed a recipe to use the rest of the cranberries that were leftover from my apple cranberry pie. My sister suggested making cranberry-orange muffins. I found two recipes that were pretty similar, except one had a streusel topping. I was in a bit of a hurry, so I decided to save that one for another day and make the recipe I found on Williams-Sonoma's website. These muffins took no time to make. I cut the cranberries in half, zested the orange, and chopped the walnuts. Everything else was just a matter of measuring and mixing. You do not need to use a mixer for this recipe, which makes it even easier. I always use baking cups to line my muffin pans and fill the cups with batter using an ice cream scoop. I thought these muffins were pretty good. If you don't mind the tart taste of cranberries, you will like them too! This is a great recipe to use in the fall or winter.

Cranberry-Orange Muffins

Recipe Courtesy Williams-Sonoma

Harvested from bogs when cold weather arrives and available throughout the winter months, tart, fresh cranberries are a signature fresh fruit of autumn and early winter. They are packaged in 12-oz. plastic bags that contain 3 cups of berries. Cranberries can be enjoyed throughout the year by freezing them in airtight freezer bags; they keep up to 1 year in perfect condition. The combination of tart cranberries sweetened with oranges, another fruit of winter, is one of the classic flavor pairings in baking.

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

Grated zest of 1 orange

1 egg

4 Tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted, or walnut oil

½ cup milk

½ cup strained fresh orange juice

1½ cups fresh or unthawed frozen cranberries, halved

½ cup pecans or walnuts, chopped

Preheat an oven to 375°. Grease 12 standard muffin cups with butter or butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray, or line with baking cups.

In a bowl, stir together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and orange zest.

In another bowl, whisk together the egg, melted butter, milk and orange juice until blended. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, stirring just until evenly moistened. The batter will be slightly lumpy. Using a large silicone spatula, fold in the cranberries and nuts just until evenly distributed, no more than a few strokes. Do not overmix. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them level with the rim.

Bake the muffins until golden, dry and springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the muffins cool for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins from the pan and serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 12 muffins.

Fresh cranberries

Orange zest

Chopped walnuts

Halved cranberries

Stir together dry ingredients & orange zest

Whisk together wet ingredients

Mix dry & wet ingredients together with a spoon

Fold in walnuts & cranberries with a spatula

Fill muffin pan

Fresh out of the oven!

Photos by JoJo

Apple Cranberry Pie

It's the beginning of November and I hadn't gotten a chance to make an apple pie until today. I had some Fuji apples from a local orchard, but picked up some Granny Smith and Honey Crisp apples too, as well as some cranberries. I used a Williams-Sonoma flaky pastry dough recipe for my crust. Not only was the crust delicious, but the recipe makes enough for a top and bottom crust and then another bottom crust, so tomorrow I'll be using that for a banana cream pie!

While my pie dough was in the refrigerator, I prepared the apple filling. The apple cranberry pie recipe below was given to me by my friend Bianca last year. This is the second time I've made it, but last time I used a store-bought pie crust. This time, I was using a pie dish that is a little deeper than most pie dishes, so I made a recipe and a half of filling (6 apples, 1.5 cups cranberries, etc.). It ended up being a little much, but still fit into the dish fine.

I used a vegetable peeler to peel the apples. Then I used an apple slicer to core and slice the apples. I cut the slices in half (although I should have cut them in threes, as the apples didn't bake as much as I would have liked). I cut the cranberries in half. I mixed the apple slices and cranberries together with flour, cinnamon and sugar and set aside while I rolled out the pie dough. After putting the top dough on, I sealed the edges and poked holes in the crust. I put it in the oven (with a cookie sheet on the lower rack just in case any juices came out of the pie) and enjoyed the lovely smell of fresh apple pie that filled up the house. After letting it cool a bit, I sliced two pieces to bring to my sister and brother-in-law. I noticed that the apples were a little harder than I wanted. Next time I will slice them a little thinner. In the end the pie still tasted great, especially with some vanilla ice cream! This is an easy and delicious fall dessert recipe, and I'm glad I finally had the chance to make it!

Flaky Pastry Dough

Recipe courtesy Williams-Sonoma

A food processor makes this flaky pastry dough in a snap. The recipe yields enough dough for three pies or galettes.

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

24 Tablespoons (3 sticks) plus 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes

¾ cup ice water

In a food processor, combine the flour and salt and pulse briefly to mix. Scatter the butter over the top and pulse just until the mixture forms coarse crumbs about the size of peas. Drizzle the ice water over the flour mixture and pulse just until the dough starts to come together.

Transfer the dough to a work surface, divide into 3 equal pieces and press each into a flat disk. Wrap disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour before rolling out.

Roll out one disk into a 12-inch round and line the pan or dish. Press any scraps trimmed from the first round into the bottom of the second disk. Roll out the second dough disk into a round at least 12 inches in diameter and about 1/8 inch thick and refrigerate until ready to use.

Makes three 9-inch pies.

Note: Pie dough may be made ahead and frozen for up to 2 months. To freeze, place the dough round on a 12-inch cardboard circle and wrap it well with plastic wrap. Alternatively, use the round to line a pie pan or dish, flute the edge and wrap well.

Apple Cranberry Pie

9-inch pie crust

1 Tablespoon flour

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 large granny smith apples – peeled, cored and sliced

1 cup chopped cranberries

½ cup sugar

Place all ingredients in mixing bowl and toss. Add apple mixture to crust and add top crust. Use a fork to crimp edges of top and bottom crusts together crust and poke holes in top crust.

Bake at 400° for 40 to 50 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream.

Flour & salt

Add cold cut up butter

Pulse until it forms a coarse grainy mixture

Add ice water and pulse until dough forms

Form into 3 disks and refrigerate for an hour

Use a mixture of apples for best results - I used Fuji, Honey Crisp and Granny Smith

Add fresh cranberries for a little bit of a tart flavor

Slice cranberries in half

Peel, core, and slice apples

Add cinnamon, flour and sugar to apple/cranberry mixture

Roll out pie dough

Fill pie dough with apple/cranberry mixture

Add top dough, crimp edges, and poke holes in top

Finally, put it in the oven!

Nothing smells better than a fresh apple pie!

Photos by JoJo

Berry Fruit Pie

August has been a busy month and unfortunately I haven't had much time to try new recipes, but now I have a great summer dessert recipe to share. All summer long I've been wanting to make a pie and finally got the chance to today. I had some leftover strawberries, blueberries and raspberries from a dessert I made yesterday so I made a mixed berry pie. If you like berries you will love this! It is very juicy but I don't mind that - I just spoon a little of the berry juice over my ice cream. This is a simple pie to make because aside from the strawberries, you don't have to peel and cut the fruits as with other pies (apple, peach, etc.). I had some trouble forming with my pie dough but the crust came out tasting great. My lovely new pie dish is a little deep so I used more filling and it was the perfect amount.

Berry Fruit Pie

Pastry for Double-Crust Pie

1 recipe filling for Blackberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, or Mixed Berries (below)

2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Milk (optional)

Sugar (optional)

Prepare and roll out pastry for Double-Crust Pie. Line a 9-inch pie plate with half of the pastry.

In a large bowl, combine the sugar and flour for desired berries, according to the amounts given below. Stir in berries and lemon peel or cinnamon. Gently toss berries until coated. (If using frozen fruit, let mixture stand for 45 minutes or until fruit is partially thawed, but still icy.)

Transfer berry mixture to the pastry-lined pie plate. Trim bottom pastry edge of pie plate. Cut slits in remaining pastry or make a lattice top; place on filling and seal. Crimp edges as desired.

If desired, brush top crust with milk and sprinkle with additional sugar. To prevent overbrowning, cover edge of pie with foil. Bake in a 375° oven for 25 minutes (or 50 minutes for frozen fruit). Remove foil. Bake pie for 25 to 30 minutes more or until filling is bubbly and top is golden.

Cool on a wire rack. Serve with ice cream.

Makes 8 servings.

VARIATIONS:

Blackberry: 5 cups fresh or frozen blackberries, ¾ to 1 cup sugar, and 1/3 cup all-purpose flour.

Blueberry: 5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, 2/3 to ¾ cup sugar, and 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour.

Raspberry: 5 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries, ¾ to 1 cup sugar, and 1/3 cup all-purpose flour.

Mixed Berry: 2 cups halved fresh strawberries or whole unsweetened frozen strawberries, 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, 1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries or raspberries, ½ to 2/3 cup sugar, and 1/3 cup all-purpose flour.

Ruffled Pie Dish

Baking Mat for the dough

Strawberries, raspberries and blueberries

Chilled butter and Crisco added to flour mixture

Pulse until it's a coarse mixture

Add ice water and pulse more

Form into two discs and refrigerate

Berries mixed with sugar, flour and lemon zest

Dough wouldn't quite cooperate

Add the filling

Top dough wouldn't cooperate either

Bake a total of about 50 minutes

Enjoy!

Photos by JoJo