Pumpkin Pie (Dairy-Free)

A few inches of snow cover the sidewalks and a mug of warm black tea is an evening necessity. The fewer hours of daylight make the nights grow long. I check the clock frequently, wondering why time appears to be passing faster than the hands on the clock read. At long last, winter is upon us. The feeling is still fresh, a seasonal novelty. For now, it suits me just fine.

Even though Thanksgiving is only a week away, I could swear that it was nearly Christmas. I fear I am the latest victim of "Christmas creep," the idea that the early exploitation and over-commercialization of Christmas makes it feel as if it is just around the corner instead of an entire month away. With sugar cookies on the brain and a Netflix queue of holiday movies, I knew I needed to do something drastic, lest I grow tired of the holiday season before it had even begun.

And so, I pushed aside thoughts of the holidays, pulled the flour out of the cupboard, and made myself an old-fashioned pumpkin pie. There is nothing more reminiscent of Thanksgiving than a large slice dolloped with whipped cream. I may not be able to stop the "creep," but I do have the power to claim back Thanksgiving as my own.

This pumpkin pie is dairy-free, although you would never guess it. I have been dreaming of this pie long before the leaves fell from the trees, but I waited until the time was right to take it for a spin. I substituted the butter in the crust with dairy-free margarine for a flaky texture (Earth Balance is my personal brand of choice). Instead of heavy cream, I used full-fat coconut milk. I worried that the milk would lend a subtle coconut flavor to the final product, but it is completely masked by the pumpkin and spices. This pie truly tastes exactly like its dairy-filled counterpart, which is an accomplishment of its own.

I shared this pie with my coworkers for a Tuesday lunch dessert. Even unadorned, the entire pie disappeared in short time. One coworker shared that this was the best pumpkin pie she has had since her grandmother had passed away many years ago. To me, there is no higher compliment this pie can receive.

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This dairy-free pumpkin pie will be a hit whether or not its "secret" is revealed. The filling sets up well, but still manages to retain a light texture. The pie is spiced primarily with cinnamon and ginger, which complement the pumpkin nicely. Serve warm or chilled with a dollop of coconut whipped cream.

One Year Ago: Stovetop Popcorn and Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Pear Caramel
Two Years Ago: Pumpkin Rolls, Butternut Squash Cake with Cream Cheese Icing, Baked Apples, and Molasses Cookies with Ginger Cream Cheese Filling
Three Years Ago: Pumpkin Spice Latte Cheesecake, Spicy Pumpkin Taco Dip, Apple Cinnamon Cake, and Grandma's Applesauce
Four Years Ago: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, Fig & Balsamic Jam, Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal, and Sweet Potato Fries

Pumpkin Pie (Dairy-Free)

1 recipe for single pie crust dough
2 1/2 cups (670 grams) pumpkin puree
1/2 cup (100 grams) brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup (60 ml) maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups (315 ml) full-fat coconut milk
Coconut whipped cream, optional

On a lightly floured surface, roll out pie crust dough into a 14-inch round. Wrap dough lightly around rolling pin and transfer to a deep 9-inch pie pan. Gently press dough into the bottom and sides of the pan. Trim the dough to allow a 1-inch overhang. Pinch dough between thumb and forefinger to make a decorative edge around the rim. Refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C).

Using a fork, prick a couple dozen holes into the bottom of the crust to prevent the dough from rising. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until crust is lightly browned. Remove from oven.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, brown sugar, maple syrup, spices, salt, and eggs until uniform. Gradually mix in the vanilla extract and coconut milk. 

Pour the pumpkin filling into the prepared pie crust (depending on the size of your pie pan, you may have a small amount extra). Bake for 75 to 80 minutes, or until the middle barely jiggles when shaken and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the edges darken too quickly, line the outer crust with aluminum foil to prevent further browning. Remove from the oven and cool at room temperature to finish cooking the center of the pie.

Serve warm or chilled with a dollop of coconut whipped cream.

Rustic Apple Tart

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The nearest apple orchard is a half hour drive on a gravel road. Cars come away wearing jackets of dust and teeth chatter from the bumpy ride, but the bushels of fresh apples make the journey worthwhileAfter pulling up at the orchard a few weeks ago, eyeing the rows of apples trees lining the nearby hills, I was told by an exasperated owner that there were no apples to be had. It had been a bad year for the fruit and the orchard was bare before the season even hit its stride. I laughed at the ironyhow could an apple orchard be out of its namesake?and was handed a small box for raspberries and shuffled off to the greenhouse to do some picking.

I came away with a pint of raspberries, a carving pumpkin, and arms scratched up from the thorns. My bushels of apples would have to wait.

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The neighbors at my childhood home have an apple tree in their backyard that hangs over the fence. It is a difficult tree, producing ping pong-sized apples on the good years, and little to nothing on the bad. When my sister and I were much younger, we would pick the small apples from the low hanging branches as treats before dinner, burying our cores beneath the leaves to hide the evidence. I cannot imagine the neighbors or my parents becoming upset over our secretive afternoon snacks, but it was a game we played with ourselves.

I visited my home this past weekend and was welcomed by a tree full of large apples. The tree had finally thrived. The neighbors asked me to take some off their hands so I picked a couple boxes full. This year, it seemed the apples had come to me.

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Apple desserts, joined by warm spices, compose a chord in the flavors of autumn. Each year, I hunt for new ways to create and enjoy them. Still thinking longingly of the Plum Almond Galette from last July, I made this apple dessert in a similar vein. It feels like it fits somewhere between a pie and a tart, with a flaky crust and spiced filling to round out the textures. It is a relatively quick dessert to assemble, when compared against the complexity of assembling of a pie or the time spent blind baking a tart crust.

When drowned in warm caramel, it just feels right.

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The Rustic Apple Tart comes together using a pie crust (homemade or storebought) and thinly sliced apples. A cinnamon spiced almond filling rests below the apples to round out the flavors and absorb juices while baking. Though the tart can stand alone, do yourself a favor and serve it with warm caramel and whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

One Year Ago: Butternut Squash Biscuits
Two Years Ago: Caramel Apple Granola, Chewy Vanilla Bean Cinnamon Bars, Chai Spiced Rice Pudding, and Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Three Years Ago:Ants on a Log, Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread, Pumpkin Granola, and Chocolate Cherry Bread
Four Years Ago:Apple Tart with Almond Cream, Pumpkin Alfredo, and Baked Apple Chips

Rustic Apple Tart

1/4 cup (25 grams) almond flour*/**
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Single crust pie dough 
3-4 large apples (6-8 small), peeled, cored and sliced thinly
Milk or cream, for brushing
Caramel sauce, for drizzling (optional)

In a small bowl, whisk together the flours, 4 tablespoons granulated sugar, and spices. Set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie dough to roughly a 14-inch circle. Spread the flour mixture out evenly over the pie dough, leaving a 2-inch border around the outside. Place the sliced apples over the filling, arranging them in overlapping patterns. Fold up the pie dough over the filling, pleating the dough every two or so inches. Brush the visible pie dough with milk and sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar evenly over the dough and apples. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to firm up the crust before baking.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the apples have visibly softened. Serve with a topping of whipped cream or side of vanilla ice cream, with a drizzling of warm caramel.

*To make a quick almond flour, process whole almonds in a food processor until it resembles a fine sand. It may take only a handful of seconds. Be careful not to overprocess or the almonds will release too much oil and begin to turn into almond butter.

**The almond flour may also be substituted for oat flour.

Plum Almond Galette

It's been a week since I've returned from my holiday in France. I'm still sorting through the photographs, setting aside a picture here or there to share with you. The jet lag has passed and the normalcy of life is returning, piece by piece. I adore travel and the ability to explore the intricacies of different cultures that it affords. For this reason, I am a bit sad to come home when a trip ends. Though my own bed feels wonderful, I have a hard time letting go of the idea that rocky beaches of the French Riviera and the pastries of Paris are half a world away.

During the summer months, I have a tendency to go a bit overboard when in-season fruits and vegetables show up at the market. After the Midwest's endless winters, my eagerness appears in the form of an abundance of stone fruits and melons. With more plums than I could eat in a week on my kitchen counter, I needed to find a way to use them before they were forgotten in favor of other fruits.

And thus, this galette was born.

I often prefer galettes to pie. Galettes feel simpler to me, a natural extension of a Sunday afternoon or a weeknight dessert. They use a single round of pie dough instead of two, but still hold a wealth of fruit within the pleated walls. A pie is more fussy to me, time consuming and brought down by a certain pressure to make them appear perfect. There is no such thing as a perfect galette, as their nature is to appear freeform and rustic. It is this truth that appeals to me most, this lack of an ideal, as well as the ease in which they can be thrown together.

There is a time and a place for pie, certainly, but the galette is my everyday version of this pastry and therefore the type I am most likely to prepare when the fruit is generous.

This Plum Almond Galette is a sweet, flaky pastry with a bold fruit flavor. Plums are layered over the top of an almond base, which not only absorbs any stray plum juices, but provides a flavor foil against the bright plum. A few sprigs of thyme are scattered over the top, which lends the tart a subtle, complimentary flavor without standing out too boldly. This galette can be dressed up with whipped cream or ice cream or left plain and simple. Served warm or chilled, this is a wonderful way to use up any excess fruit in your kitchen.

One Year Ago: Cookie Dough CakeNutella Espresso Rolls, and Brownie Cookies
Two Years Ago: Cherry Cream Cheese Muffins, Blueberry Breakfast Quinoa, and Vegan Brownies
Three Years Ago: Chocolate Almond Oat Bars, Tropical Vacation Cocktail, and Portrait of a Town
Four Years Ago: Roasted Cherry Coconut Ice Cream

Plum Almond Galette

1/3 cup (38 grams) whole almonds
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
Recipe for single crust pie dough 
3 large plums, pitted and sliced thinly
Milk or cream, for brushing
Fresh thyme (optional)

In a food processor, process the almonds, flour, and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar together until it resembles a coarse flour. Set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie dough to roughly a 14-inch circle. Spread the almond flour out evenly over the pie dough, leaving a 2-inch border around the outside. Place the sliced plums over the almond filling, arranging them in overlapping patterns. Fold up the pie dough over the filling, pleating the dough every two or so inches. Brush the visible pie dough with milk and sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar evenly over the dough and the filling. Arrange a few sprigs of fresh thyme over the top. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to firm up the crust.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the plums have visibly softened. Cool slightly before serving. Serve with a topping of whipped cream or side of vanilla ice cream.