Individual Pavlovas with Chocolate Swirls and Blackberry Compote

There’s lots of times when chocolate makes fruit feel totally unnecessary. This isn’t one of them because pavlova is already sweet. And once I folded semisweet chocolate into it, it needed something dark and tart next to it. Blackberry has a way of keeping chocolate from getting too pleased with itself.

I barely stirred the chocolate through the finished meringue. The less evenly it mixes, the better the marbling looks. Half the blackberries cook down into their juices while the other half go in fresh, so the topping has both the darker cooked fruit and whole berries still intact.

Then there’s the whipped cream, which I barely sweeten and stop whipping while it’s still very soft. It gets into the cracks and goes over the sides instead of sitting on top like frosting.

These are supposed to be a little unruly.

What Makes This Recipe Different

• I didn’t want these to be the kind of chocolate pavlova where cocoa gets mixed into the meringue and the whole thing turns chocolate. Melted semisweet chocolate gives me the marbling instead, while leaving most of the meringue white.
• I make them individually, mostly because I like everyone getting their own pavlova. You also get more of the crisp outside around the soft center, plus a place in the middle for the good stuff to go.
• Cooking all the blackberries would give me more sauce than I wanted. Adding half of them after the pan comes off the heat leaves whole berries in the compote and keeps some of their fresh tartness.
• I use only a small amount of confectioners’ sugar in the whipped cream because the meringue already supplies most of the sweetness. I want the cream to taste like cream, especially once the chocolate and blackberry compote are on the same spoon.

Ingredients

• Egg whites – Use fresh large egg whites and let them come to room temperature before you start. I don’t use pasteurized egg whites from a carton because they don’t always whip with the same volume and stability. Four large whites usually give me somewhere around 120 to 140 grams.
• Granulated sugar – This goes into the meringue, with another two tablespoons saved for the blackberries. If you like knowing the math behind these things, meringue works with sugar at roughly twice the weight of the egg whites. That’s why weighing the whites is useful if yours happen to be large or small.
• Semisweet chocolate – I like semisweet because the meringue already has enough sugar. The chocolate is melted so I can barely stir it through and keep the ribbons visible.
• Fresh blackberries – Half get cooked down for the juicy part of the compote and the other half go in fresh at the end. Fresh berries are preferred because I want to save the whole blackberries for the finished topping. Frozen blackberries are fine for the portion you’re cooking, but I’d still use fresh for the berries added afterward.
• Heavy whipping cream – I stop whipping this while it’s still very soft, which is what I want on pavlova. It should spoon into the centers and start making its way into the cracks instead of sitting there in a stiff mound.
• Confectioners’ sugar – Three tablespoons for the whipped cream, which is plenty. Between the meringue and the chocolate, this dessert doesn’t need sweet whipped cream fighting for a promotion.
• Fresh lemon wedge or white vinegar – This isn’t going into the pavlova at all. I use it to wipe down the mixing bowl and whisk before adding the egg whites. Even a little grease left behind can interfere with how well egg whites whip, so consider this cheap insurance before you start.

How to Make Chocolate Blackberry Pavlovas

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (make the meringue)
  Preheat the oven to 225°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Before anything goes into the mixer, wipe the bowl and whisk attachment with a fresh lemon wedge or a paper towel dampened with white vinegar. Add the room-temperature egg whites and beat on low until foamy, about 1 minute, then increase the speed to medium-high and keep going until you have stiff peaks, about 3 minutes.
• Step Two (add the sugar)
  With the mixer running, add the granulated sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, letting the meringue come back to stiff peaks before adding the next spoonful. It takes a while. Let it. Once all the sugar is in, rub a little meringue between your fingers. If you can still feel sugar granules, keep whipping on high and check it again. I trust my fingers more than the clock. You want the meringue to feel smooth, because sugar that hasn’t completely dissolved is one of the reasons you’ll sometimes see little beads of liquid sugar on baked meringue.
• Step Three (swirl in the chocolate)
  Melt the semisweet chocolate chips in the microwave in short bursts, stirring between each one, then let the chocolate cool slightly. Set aside 2 tablespoons for the tops. Pour the rest over the finished meringue and stir it once. It’s going to look like you should stir it again. Don’t. Every time you scoop out another pavlova, you’re moving the chocolate through the meringue a little more, and too much stirring now will get rid of the uneven chocolate ribbons. Dab a little meringue underneath the corners of the parchment to keep it from sliding around, then spoon the meringue into 6 mounds and make a dip in the center of each with the back of a spoon. Drizzle the reserved chocolate over the tops and give it a few light swirls with a toothpick.
• Step Four (bake and cool the pavlovas)
  Bake on the center rack for about 1 hour, or until the pavlovas release easily from the parchment. Turn off the oven and leave them inside until completely cool. The meringues continue drying as the oven slowly cools, giving the outside more time to crisp while the center stays soft. Don’t worry about a few cracks. Pavlova cracks, and once the whipped cream and blackberries go on, nobody is going to care. I often bake mine the day before and leave them in the turned-off oven overnight, so this entire part is finished before I’m ready to assemble them.
• Step Five (make the compote and put everything together)
  Add 1 cup blackberries and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar to a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the berries release their juices and mostly break down. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the remaining 1 cup fresh blackberries. If the compote is too thick to spoon easily, add a small splash of water, then let it cool completely. Beat the heavy whipping cream with the confectioners’ sugar until very soft peaks form. Don’t take it any further than that. Spoon the whipped cream into the center of each pavlova, follow with the blackberry compote and bring them straight to the table.

Recipe Tips

• Let the melted chocolate cool slightly before pouring it over the meringue. It should still be loose enough to drizzle easily, but it shouldn’t be hot when it comes in contact with the egg whites you spent forever whipping full of air.
• Use a toothpick for the final chocolate swirls on top. I tried a fork and a skewer, and both moved too much meringue around and made the tops look messier. A toothpick is small enough to make thin chocolate lines across the surface without destroying the pattern.
• Keep the oven at 225°F even though it feels low. The meringue needs time to dry slowly rather than brown, which is how you get that crisp outside with the soft, marshmallow-like center underneath.
• Make a good indentation in the center of each pavlova before baking. The whipped cream is intentionally soft and the blackberry compote is juicy, so they need somewhere to go besides immediately down the sides.
• Wait until you’re ready to serve before adding the whipped cream and blackberry compote. Both add moisture, which immediately starts softening the crisp meringue. I assemble these when everyone is ready for dessert, not twenty minutes before when dinner is almost over.
• Meringue notices humidity whether you want it to or not. On a very humid day it can take longer to dry and may stay a little stickier because sugar attracts moisture from the air. I have a commercial oven, so my baking environment is unusually consistent, but if your pavlovas need a little more time than mine, go by how they look and release from the parchment rather than forcing them onto my exact clock.

Storage

• Keep the undecorated pavlovas in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Don’t refrigerate them. Refrigerators are humid, and humidity is what crisp meringue doesn’t need.
• The blackberry compote can be made ahead and stored separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. I prefer making the whipped cream close to serving rather than storing it ahead.
• For the easiest make-ahead version, bake and cool the pavlovas ahead of time and make the blackberry compote whenever it’s convenient. Keep the two components separate, whip the cream before serving and assemble everything at the last minute. Once the cream and berries are on top, the meringue will gradually soften, so assembled pavlovas are something I serve rather than store.

FAQs

• Can I make chocolate blackberry pavlovas ahead of time?
  Yes. I often bake the pavlovas the day before and leave them in the turned-off oven overnight. The compote can be made ahead too. I wait until close to serving to whip the cream and assemble them.
• Can I use frozen blackberries?
  You can use frozen blackberries for the half that gets cooked down with the sugar. I would still use fresh blackberries for the second half. The berries aren’t cooked, and I want them to stay whole and have fresh tartness in the finished compote.
• Why is my pavlova weeping?
  Undissolved sugar is one of the usual suspects, which is why I’m so annoying about rubbing the meringue between your fingers before you stop whipping. Humidity can also cause meringue to absorb moisture, and once whipped cream and blackberry compote are added, the pavlova will naturally begin to soften. A little moisture isn’t a disaster, but a very wet or sticky pavlova usually means moisture found its way in somewhere.
• Why did my pavlovas crack?
  Some cracking is normal. A crisp shell surrounds a soft center, and those two textures don’t always remain perfectly intact as the pavlova bakes and cools. Big temperature changes can make cracking worse, which is another reason I leave mine in the turned-off oven to cool. Unless the pavlova has completely fallen apart, I wouldn’t consider a few cracks a failure. They’re about to be covered with cream and blackberries anyway.
• Can I use dark or milk chocolate instead of semisweet?
  Dark chocolate works if you want the chocolate ribbons more bitter with the sweet meringue. Milk chocolate is fine too, but it makes the overall dessert noticeably sweeter, which isn’t my preference. Semisweet is the perfect middle ground between the sugary pavlova and tart blackberries.
• Can I make one large chocolate blackberry pavlova?
  Yes. I tested the same recipe as one large pavlova and it worked fine. Mine needed about 5 minutes longer in the oven than the six individual pavlovas. Shape the meringue into one large round with a good indentation in the center, then start checking it around the one-hour mark and use the same cue I do for the smaller ones. It should release easily from the parchment. Let it cool completely in the turned-off oven before topping it.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• Things tend to stay together when no one wants too much from them.
• The outside can be finished while the middle stays soft. Both can be true.
• There’s a short distance between delicate and impossible.
• Sugar can make something stronger than it has any business being.
• I’ve let things cool in the dark before finding out whether they stayed together.
• Blackberry has enough darkness to keep sweetness from becoming exhausting.
• Softness and fragility aren’t interchangeable, although people seem hell bent on confusing them.
• Meringue has unreasonable confidence.
• Things can look tough, until you put a spoon through them.
• You don’t always know what stayed together until you finally break it open.

When There Are Blackberries Around

• Blackberry Cobbler – Tender biscuits over juicy berries.
• Lemon Blackberry Bundt Cake – Lemon cake, fresh blackberry glaze.
• Blackberry Crumble Bars – Jammy berries, buttery shortbread base.
• Blackberry Lemon Oat Muffins – Buttermilk, lemon, hearty oats.
• Blackberry Puff Pastry Galette – Flaky pastry, bubbling blackberry filling.
• Blackberry Crumble – Juicy berries under toasted oats.
• Baseball Nut Ice Cream – Vanilla ice cream, blackberry jam.
• Blackberry Jam – Three ingredients, pure blackberry flavor.
• Blackberry Crumble à la Mode Ice Cream – No-churn blackberry crumble ice cream.

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Chocolate Blackberry Pavlovas

Chocolate blackberry pavlovas are individual meringues marbled with semisweet chocolate, baked slowly, then topped with softly whipped cream and a blackberry compote made with cooked and fresh berries.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword blackberry dessert bars, blackberry pavlova, Blackberry Recipes Dessert, Chocolate Blackberry Pavlovas, Chocolate Pavlova, Dessert Blackberry, Easy Meringue Dessert, individual pavlovas, Meringue Dessert, Pavlova Dessert

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Cooling: 2 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 pavlovas

Calories 510kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• Stand Mixer with whisk attachment. Whips the egg whites to stiff peaks and gives you enough power to gradually incorporate the sugar until it dissolves. And for whipping the cream.
• baking sheet (large). Gives the six individual pavlovas enough room to bake without touching.
• parchment paper Keeps the meringues from sticking and makes it easy to check when they release after baking.
• microwave safe bowls For melting the semisweet chocolate in short intervals.
• Saucepan (small). For cooking half the blackberries into the compote.
• mixing bowls (large). For whipping the cream before serving.
• Toothpick Creates the chocolate swirls over the tops of the pavlovas.

Ingredients

Chocolate Pavlovas:

• 1 fresh lemon wedge or white vinegar, for wiping the bowl and whisk
• 4 large (120 to 140 g) fresh egg whites room temperature, not pasteurized
• 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
• ½ cup (85 g) semisweet chocolate chips

Blackberry Compote:

• 2 cups (300 g) fresh blackberries divided
• 2 tbsps (25 g) granulated sugar

Whipped Cream:

• 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
• 3 tbsps (23 g) confectioners' sugar

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 225°F (107°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Wipe the bowl and whisk attachment of a stand mixer with a fresh lemon wedge or a paper towel moistened with white vinegar. Add the egg whites and beat on low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue beating until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes.
  1 fresh lemon wedge , 4 large (120 to 140 g) fresh egg whites
• With the mixer running, add granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, allowing the meringue to return to stiff peaks between additions. Once all the sugar has been incorporated, rub a small amount of meringue between your fingers. If it still feels grainy, continue beating on high speed until the sugar has dissolved and the meringue feels smooth.
  1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
• Meanwhile, melt the semisweet chocolate chips in the microwave in short intervals, stirring between each, until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly while the meringue finishes mixing.
  ½ cup (85 g) semisweet chocolate chips
• Reserve 2 tablespoons of the melted chocolate. Pour the remaining chocolate over the finished meringue and stir once, leaving visible streaks of chocolate throughout.
• Dab a small amount of meringue underneath each corner of the parchment paper to secure it to the baking sheet. Spoon the meringue into 6 mounds. The chocolate will become more incorporated as the meringue is portioned, so avoid additional stirring. Use the back of the spoon to make an indentation in the center of each mound for the toppings.
• Drizzle the reserved melted chocolate over the pavlovas and use a toothpick to lightly swirl it into the tops.
• Bake on the center rack for 1 hour, or until the pavlovas release easily from the parchment. Turn off the oven and leave the pavlovas inside until completely cool.
• Meanwhile, add 1 cup (150 g) blackberries and granulated sugar to a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the berries release their juices and mostly break down. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 1 cup (150 g) fresh blackberries. If the compote is too thick to spoon easily, add a small splash of water. Set aside to cool.
  2 cups (300 g) fresh blackberries , 2 tbsps (25 g) granulated sugar
• Add the heavy whipping cream and confectioners' sugar to a large mixing bowl. Beat until very soft peaks form.
  1½ cups heavy whipping cream, 3 tbsps (23 g) confectioners' sugar
• To serve, spoon whipped cream into the center of each pavlova, followed by the blackberry compote. Serve immediately.

Notes

• Use fresh, non-pasteurized egg whites for the most reliable meringue. Make sure the mixing bowl and whisk are completely free of grease before adding the whites.
• For meringue, a useful ratio is approximately twice the weight of sugar to egg whites. If your four egg whites weigh more or less than expected, weighing them first makes it easy to adjust the sugar accordingly.
• Add the sugar gradually and give it enough time to dissolve. Rub a little finished meringue between your fingers; if it feels grainy, continue whipping. Undissolved sugar can cause the pavlovas to weep during baking.
• Do not overmix after adding the melted chocolate. Stirring once leaves the chocolate streaked through the meringue, and portioning the pavlovas distributes it further.
• Leave the baked pavlovas in the turned-off oven until completely cool. They can also be baked a day ahead and left in the oven overnight.
• Undecorated pavlovas can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Store the blackberry compote separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• Assemble the pavlovas shortly before serving. Moisture from the whipped cream and blackberry compote will gradually soften the meringue. Do not refrigerate or freeze the assembled pavlovas.
• Frozen blackberries can be used for the cooked portion of the compote. For the berries stirred in after cooking, fresh blackberries give the best texture.

 

 

 

If you’re making these Chocolate Blackberry Pavlovas, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 200g | Calories: 510kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 55mg | Potassium: 250mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 63g | Vitamin A: 880IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 1mg

Have you made these Chocolate Blackberry Pavlovas? I’d love to hear how they turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.

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The post Chocolate Blackberry Pavlovas appeared first on Noble Pig.

Chocolate Tres Leches Cake with a Chocolate Three-Milk Soak

Even though I’ve made this cake a million times, the amount of milk that goes into tres leches always looks alarming while I’m pouring it. There’s a point when I look at the pan and wonder how the cake is possibly going to take any more. Chocolate makes that part even more interesting.

The first tres leches cake I ever got mad about was for my dog.

I was five years old and in kindergarten when a couple walked past our house pulling a wagon full of puppies, which is a dangerous thing to do in front of a kid with no dog and zero respect for reasonable limits.

My parents were out in the garage doing something I have no memory of, probably yard work or one of those adult Saturday things kids don’t bother retaining, and I was outside with them when I saw the puppies. The couple had the mom and dad dogs on leashes and a pile of babies riding behind them in the wagon. They stopped and I’m pretty sure I lost my mind.

They were looking for homes for the puppies once they were old enough to leave their mom, and somehow, despite there having been no previous family discussion about getting a dog, I managed to secure one on the spot. It was a miracle. I chose the cutest little black puppy.

He had a white patch on his chest and was some combination of Corgi, Cocker Spaniel and Dachshund, which gave him short legs, a long body, floppy ears and longer black fur. I named him Sparky. He looked like several dogs had been assembled into one very good dog.

Once he came home, I treated him less like a pet and more like a stuffed animal with a pulse. I would get off the school bus, run home and immediately pick him up and carry him around for most of the day.

My mom was forever telling me to put him down because he needed to walk and run around. I was always covered in black dog hair and didn’t care. I was obsessed with him.

Sparky was also completely insane. He did zoomies before I knew zoomies were a universal dog thing, so naturally I assumed he had invented them. When we went away on vacation, he retaliated by digging up the backyard and somehow winding the garden hose around anything that stood still long enough to become involved. He was funny, destructive, furious when abandoned and I completely adored him.

When we first got him, one of my biggest questions was his exact birthday. I needed a date. I made my mom put it on the calendar. The following year, I informed everyone that Sparky would be having a birthday party.

This was way before dogs had birthday parties, bakery cakes, outfits and social media accounts devoted to their emotional lives. My plan involved a cake, candles, a birthday hat and singing.

My mom thought this was complete insanity. I didn’t. Most importantly, Sparky wanted chocolate cake. “How do you know he wants chocolate cake?” “He told me.” Obviously, Sparky hadn’t told me anything. I wanted chocolate cake and had made myself his translator.

We used to eat at a restaurant that served tres leches cake, and my mom decided she would make one for his birthday. I should’ve been happy. She was already indulging me with a formal birthday party for a dog. Except she made regular tres leches. I was furious. It wasn’t what Sparky wanted.

I remember telling her he was going to be mad, followed by some highly credible threat involving his existing history of backyard destruction. I was reminded that I should be grateful anyone had made a birthday cake for a dog at all and that chocolate was not something Sparky should be eating, ever.

For the record, he didn’t eat the cake. He did get ice cream while the rest of us ate the tres leches and sang happy birthday to him because I insisted. But I never forgot that cake.

Years later I started making chocolate tres leches myself, and eventually my childish complaint became a recipe problem worth solving. It wasn’t enough for the cake underneath to be chocolate. Once I poured that much milk through it, the flavor really muted. I wanted the finished cake, after every last alarming cup of milk had disappeared into it, to still taste like chocolate. I kept working on it.

The cocoa made its way into the tres leches mixture itself, then into the whipped cream. I added cinnamon to the cake because I like what it does with the chocolate without turning it into a cinnamon dessert. The cake had to absorb an unreasonable amount of liquid without turning to mush, which took some figuring out too.

What started as a five-year-old arguing on behalf of a dog who had never expressed a single opinion about dessert somehow became a chocolate tres leches cake I’ve been refining ever since.

Sparky never got his chocolate tres leches cake. This is me correcting the record.

What Makes This Recipe Different

• Once I poured that much milk into this chocolate cake, I noticed the chocolate flavor started disappearing under all the dairy. I wanted it to still taste very chocolatey after the cake was completely soaked, which ultimately led to putting cocoa in the tres leches mixture, not just the cake.
• I found that whisking the cocoa into the sweetened condensed milk first really helped. Cocoa and a bowl full of cold, thin milk aren’t cooperative. The condensed milk is thick enough that I can work the cocoa into it until it’s smooth, then whisk in the evaporated milk and whole milk without finding dry pockets of cocoa around the bowl.
• Using oil instead of butter in the cake changed things. Because tres leches spends hours in the refrigerator and gets served cold, butter firms up when it chills. Oil keeps this cake tender straight from the refrigerator, even after it had taken in that absurd amount of milk.
• The chocolate whipped cream was what really finished it off right. Plain whipped cream was fine, but after taking chocolate through the cake and the milk, why quit there. Cocoa went into the whipped cream too, which gave me the chocolate finish I wanted without putting frosting on a cake that definitely didn’t need it.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and fine sea salt – The basic cake crew. The flour gives the cake enough substance for all the milk coming later, while the leaveners keep it light enough for the soak instead of sitting in a dense chocolate brick.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder – This goes in three times… in the cake, the tres leches mixture and the whipped cream. All on purpose. Lots of dairy is about to enter this cake, and I wasn’t willing to let the chocolate get lost once it did.
• Ground cinnamon – Enough to chaperone the cocoa and make the chocolate taste more interesting.
• Granulated sugar – Sweetens the cake itself, but not too much because the condensed milk is coming and she has plenty to say.
• Eggs – Keep the cake light and springy, which is important once we ask it to take on the entire tres leches mixture.
• Neutral oil – Oil because this cake spends a long time in the refrigerator. It keeps it soft when cold instead of firming up the way a butter cake can. Vegetable, canola or a neutral avocado oil are all fine.
• Whole milk and vanilla extract – The milk keeps the chocolate batter soft, while vanilla does what it always does.
• Sweetened condensed milk – The thick, sweet part of the tres leches mixture and the first place I whisk in the cocoa.
• Evaporated milk and whole milk – These finish the three-milk soak and thin the condensed milk enough to travel through the cake.
• Heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla – These become the chocolate whipped cream. Keep the cream very cold so it whips properly, and don’t overdo the sugar. The cake has already taken in an entire can of condensed milk. It’s not suffering from a lack of sweetness.
• More cocoa powder for the top – Optional, but I like the slightly bitter finish with the sweet milk and chocolate cream.

How to Make Chocolate Tres Leches Cake

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (make the chocolate batter)
  Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9 × 13-inch baking pan. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon into a medium bowl, then whisk everything together so there aren’t pockets of cocoa or leaveners hiding anywhere. In a separate large bowl, whisk the sugar, eggs, and oil until smooth and slightly thickened, then whisk in the milk and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and stir until the flour disappears. Once you stop seeing streaks, put the spoon down.
• Step Two (bake the cake)
  Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spread it evenly, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. The center should spring back when lightly pressed, and a toothpick inserted into the middle should come out with a few moist pieces of cake attached. While the cake is still warm, poke holes all over it with a skewer or fork, going all the way to the bottom of the pan. These aren’t decorative little marks across the top. The milk needs paths through the entire cake.
• Step Three (add the chocolate tres leches soak)
  Whisk the cocoa powder into the sweetened condensed milk until completely smooth, then whisk in the evaporated milk and whole milk. Starting with the condensed milk makes this much easier because trying to whisk cocoa into a bowl of thin, cold milk is irritating. Slowly pour the chocolate milk mixture over the warm cake, moving across the whole surface and giving each addition a chance to soak in before adding more. At some point you will look at the amount of milk still in the bowl and be concerned. This happens every time. Keep going.
• Step Four (chill the cake)
  Let the cake cool completely, cover the pan, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Four hours is the very minimum. The milk needs time to move through the cake instead of staying mostly where you poured it, and overnight is even better if you have it.
• Step Five (make the chocolate whipped cream)
  Beat the cold heavy cream until soft peaks form, then sift in the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder and add the vanilla. Keep beating until stiff peaks form, then stop as soon as the whipped cream can hold itself up. There’s no prize for continuing until you accidentally make chocolate butter. Spread the whipped cream over the cold cake and finish with a dusting of cocoa powder, if you want it. I always do.

Recipe Tips

• If you have a skewer, use it. A fork is fine, but a skewer gets all the way down without tearing up the top of the cake.
• Keep your eye on the surface instead of the measuring cup as you add the tres leches mixture. The top of the cake will tell you when it’s ready for more. If you can still see milk sitting across the top, wait a minute before continuing.
• Don’t judge it right after the milk goes in. The cake will look uneven and overly wet at this point. Refrigeration fixes a lot of what’s going on here.
• Don’t forget to give the corners some love. It’s easy to concentrate the milk in the middle of the pan. I make a point of working around the perimeter too so the outside pieces aren’t noticeably drier than the center ones.
• Wait to dust with cocoa until you’re ready to serve. It looks best before the cocoa has had hours to absorb moisture from the whipped cream and darken in spots.

Storage

• Keep the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. With this much dairy and whipped cream on top, this isn’t one to leave on the counter for more than 2 hours.
• I don’t recommend freezing this one. The appeal is the saturated, soft cake under fresh whipped cream, and freezing does neither of those things any favors.

FAQs

• Why isn’t the milk soaking into my tres leches cake?
  Usually one of three things is happening: the cake has cooled too much, the holes don’t go deep enough, or the milk is being added faster than the cake can take it. Stop pouring, give what’s already there time to soak in, and make a few additional deep holes anywhere the milk seems to be collecting.
• Can I make chocolate tres leches cake the day before?
  Please do. I prefer making the cake a day ahead and refrigerating it overnight. I usually wait to add the chocolate whipped cream until later so it looks its best.
• Can I use Dutch-process cocoa powder?
  For the whipped cream and soak, yes. For the cake itself, stick with the unsweetened natural cocoa the recipe was developed with because the batter includes baking soda and changing the cocoa changes the acidity of the batter.
• Can I use 2% milk instead of whole milk?
  You can if that’s what you have, but I prefer whole milk. It gives the soak more richness without making it noticeably heavier, and this isn’t a cake I’m interested in saving a few grams of milk fat.
• Can I leave out the cinnamon?
  Yes. The cake is fine without it, so leave it out if cinnamon with chocolate isn’t your thing.
• How do I know when chocolate tres leches cake is ready to serve?
  Give it at least 4 hours in the refrigerator. When you cut into the cake, you should see that the milk has reached all the way to the bottom rather than leaving the lower portion dry.
• Does chocolate tres leches cake need to be refrigerated?
  Yes. Between the three-milk soak and chocolate whipped cream, chocolate tres leches cake needs to stay refrigerated. I take it out when I’m ready to serve it and put any leftovers back in the refrigerator.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• Lots of things can take in way more than they appear capable of holding.
• Childhood pet love is possesive, physical, unreasonable and completely sincere.
• Sparky had a Corgi chassis, a long-haired Dachshund coat and Cocker accessories. It was like factory parts selected at random.
• What looks excessive from above can disappear completely once it gets inside.
• Pouring more in only works when there’s somewhere for it to go. Knowing the capacity matters.
• There’s a difference between being covered in something and taking it in.
• A surface can look untouched while everything under it has changed.
• Being engulfed by something isn’t the same as being changed by it.
• Chocolate is easier to lose than everyone thinks.
• If you roll a wagon of puppies past an unsupervised negotiator, there will be predictable consequences.
• Sparky’s dessert preferences were being generated completely by his chocolate lobby. Me.
• I may have suggested Sparky would reltaliate over the wrong cake. In my defense, he had priors.
• If you want something to be obvious, sometimes you have to put it everywhere.
• I’ve never felt my delight has had to justify itself. I wanted the chocolate version. That was reason enough.
• You can keep pouring into something that gives you no immediate sign it’s receiving any of it. Sometimes it’s no longer worth it.

For People Who Meant Chocolate

• Chocolate Zucchini Cake – Orange zest, cream cheese frosting.
• Nutella Chocolate Cookie Cups – Soft cookies with Nutella centers.
• Cabernet Sauvignon Brown Butter Brownies – Fudgy brownies with red wine.
• Chocolate Hazelnut Pecan Pie – Gooey Nutella hazelnut filling.
• Guinness Chocolate Layer Cake – Stout, currants, bittersweet chocolate icing.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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Chocolate Tres Leches Cake

Chocolate Tres Leches Cake is a soft chocolate cake soaked with a cocoa-spiked mixture of sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and whole milk, then refrigerated and finished with chocolate whipped cream and a hint of cinnamon.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Mexican-Inspired

Keyword chocolate milk cake recipe, chocolate soaked cake, chocolate tres leches cake, easy tres leches cake chocolate, Mexican chocolate cake recipe, moist chocolate sheet cake dessert, tres leches cake from scratch, tres leches chocolate cake 9x13

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

4 hours hours

Total Time 4 hours hours 50 minutes minutes

Servings 12 to 16

Calories 390kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• baking dish 9x13 (23x33 cm) Gives the cake enough surface area to absorb the tres leches mixture evenly.
• mixing bowls (large and medium). One for the dry ingredients and one for prepping the cake batter.
• whisk For mixing the batter and preparing the chocolate milk mixture.
• rubber spatula For finishing the batter without overmixing and spreading it evenly in the pan.
• hand mixer or stand mixer. To whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks.
• fine-mesh sieve Removes lumps from the cocoa powder, flour and confectioners' sugar.
• skewer or fork. Makes holes through the warm cake so the milk mixture can travel from the top to the bottom.
• large liquid measuring cup Makes the tres leches mixture easier to mix and pour gradually over the cake.

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake:

• 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour sifted
• ¼ cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
• 1 tsp (4 g) baking powder
• ½ tsp (2.5 g) baking soda
• ½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt
• 1 tsp (2.5 g) ground cinnamon
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs room temperature
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) canola oil or vegetable oil
• ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
• 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract

Tres Leches Soak:

• 2 tbsps (10 g) unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
• 1 (14 oz /396 g) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (12 oz /354 ml) can evaporated milk
• ¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk

Chocolate Whipped Cream:

• 2 cups (480 ml) cold heavy cream
• ⅓ cup (40 g) confectioners' sugar sifted
• ¼ cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
• 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract

Optional Garnish:

• unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9 × 13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan.
• Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon into a medium bowl. Whisk to distribute the cocoa, cinnamon, and leaveners evenly.
  1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour, ¼ cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tsp (4 g) baking powder, ½ tsp (2.5 g) baking soda, ½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt, 1 tsp (2.5 g) ground cinnamon
• In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, eggs, and oil until smooth and slightly thickened. Whisk in the milk and vanilla extract until incorporated.
  1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, 3 large eggs, ⅓ cup (80 ml) canola oil, ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir only until no streaks of flour remain. Avoid overmixing, which can make it harder for the baked cake to absorb the tres leches mixture evenly.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the center springs back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist pieces of cake attached.
• While the cake is still warm, use a skewer or fork to poke holes evenly over the entire cake, going all the way to the bottom of the pan. Deep holes give the tres leches mixture a path through the full height of the cake.
• Whisk the cocoa powder into the sweetened condensed milk until completely smooth. Whisk in the evaporated milk and whole milk until evenly mixed. Adding the cocoa to the condensed milk first makes it easier to incorporate without leaving dry pockets of cocoa in the thinner milk mixture.
  2 tbsps (10 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 (14 oz /396 g) can sweetened condensed milk, 1 (12 oz /354 ml) can evaporated milk, ¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk
• Slowly pour the chocolate tres leches mixture over the warm cake, working across the entire surface. Pause as needed to let the milk absorb before continuing rather than pouring it all on at once.
• Cool the cake completely, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight for the best results. The longer refrigeration time allows the three-milk mixture to distribute throughout the cake before the topping is added.
• When ready to finish the cake, beat the cold heavy cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Sift in the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder, add the vanilla extract, and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Stop once the whipped cream holds its shape.
  2 cups (480 ml) cold heavy cream, ⅓ cup (40 g) confectioners' sugar, ¼ cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
• Spread the chocolate whipped cream evenly over the chilled cake. Dust with cocoa powder before serving, if desired.
  unsweetened cocoa powder

Notes

• Whisk the cocoa powder into the sweetened condensed milk before adding the evaporated milk and whole milk. The thicker condensed milk makes the cocoa easier to incorporate smoothly.
• Poke the holes all the way to the bottom of the cake rather than piercing only the surface.
• Pour the tres leches mixture gradually. If milk remains on the surface, give it time to absorb before adding more.
• Four hours of refrigeration is the minimum. Refrigerating overnight gives the milk additional time to distribute throughout the cake.
• Keep the heavy cream cold until you're ready to whip it.

 

If you’re making this Chocolate Tres Leches Cake, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card.

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 145g | Calories: 390kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 210mg | Potassium: 275mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 620IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 175mg | Iron: 2mg

Have you made this Chocolate Tres Leches Cake? I’d love to hear how it turned out — leave a comment below and let me know.

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Chocolate Tres Leches Cake appeared first on Noble Pig.

Crockpot Apple Crisp with a Crisp Oat Topping

I loved the idea of apple crisp in a crockpot, but the first time I tried it, I was immediately turned off by the condensation collecting under the lid and dripping back onto the oat topping, leaving it soggy. I wasn’t making it in the slow cooker because it was easier. I wanted my oven free for everything else I was cooking.

The fix turned out to be much less dramatic than the problem. I stretched a couple of thick paper towels across the top of the crockpot before putting the lid on, and they caught the condensation before it could rain back down onto the crisp. The topping stayed crisp, the apples stayed in slices instead of becoming applesauce, and I stopped wondering why anyone bothered making apple crisp in a slow cooker in the first place.

That’s really why I keep making it this way. The oven is already occupied, I don’t feel like heating up the kitchen any more than necessary, or I want dessert taking care of itself while I do something else. Apple crisp has never seemed offended by this arrangement.

Apple crisp has never felt like a holiday dessert to me anyway. I think it’s more of a Sunday afternoon treat I make because my apple trees are overloaded or cinnamon sounds like the flavor of the moment. A scoop of vanilla ice cream isn’t mandatory, but I’ve never managed to convince myself of that.

What Makes This Recipe Different

• I found pretty quickly that stretching a couple of absorbent paper towels across the crockpot before putting the lid on catches that moisture before it can drip down into the topping. It’s a tiny change, but it completely changes the outcome.
• I wasn’t trying to prove the crockpot was somehow better than the oven. I wanted my oven available for everything else I happened to be cooking that day. The crockpot handles the apple crisp while everything else gets the attention it needs.
• The apples are as important as the topping. I wanted them tender enough to cut with a spoon, but still recognizable as slices of apple instead of falling apart into slow cooker applesauce. Granny Smith apples hold up the best during the long cooking time, which is why I keep using them.
• That’s really this recipe in a nutshell. I wasn’t trying to replace classic baked apple crisp. This is the one I make when I need the oven free without giving up the crisp topping and tender apples I wanted in the first place.

Ingredients

• Granny Smith apples – I like Granny Smiths because they reliably stay together during the long cooking time. You end up with tender slices instead of apples that fall apart into the filling.
• Granulated sugar – Enough to sweeten the apples without covering up their natural tartness.
• All-purpose flour – Some goes into the filling to thicken the juices as the apples cook, and more goes into the topping to create the buttery crumbles.
• Ground cinnamon – One teaspoon is enough to add flavor without dominating.
• Fresh lemon juice – Keeps the filling tasting fresh after a few hours in the slow cooker.
• Vanilla extract – Apple crisp never seems complete without it.
• Old-fashioned oats – These keep their texture while they cook. Quick oats soften too much and don’t give you the same crisp, crumbly topping.
• Light brown sugar – Gives the topping its caramel flavor and helps it brown into the crunchy bits everyone goes after first.
• Cold unsalted butter – Cold butter creates the crumbly topping by melting gradually instead of all at once.
• Kosher salt – Desserts need salt too.
• Vanilla ice cream – Not technically required, but warm apple crisp and cold vanilla ice cream have never found a reason to stop spending time together.

FAQs

• Can I use Honeycrisp apples instead of Granny Smith?
  Yes. Honeycrisp apples are fine, although they make a sweeter filling. If your apples are sweet, you can cut back the sugar if you’d like.
• Why is my topping still soft?
  The most common reason is trapped moisture. Make sure the paper towels completely cover the crockpot without sagging onto the topping, and don’t skip the final hour of cooking uncovered.
• Can I cook this overnight?
  I don’t recommend it. The apples cook relatively quickly, and leaving them for several extra hours will soften them much more than this recipe intends.
• Can I double the recipe?
  Only if your slow cooker is large enough to handle it. A very full crockpot takes longer to cook, and the topping will not crisp as well because there’s even more moisture trapped inside.
• Can I use canned apple pie filling?
  This recipe is written for fresh apples, so I don’t recommend using canned pie filling. If you want to use canned filling instead, I have an oven-baked apple crisp with apple pie filling recipe.
• Can I make this ahead of time?
  Yes. You can prepare the apple filling and topping separately a day ahead and refrigerate them. Let it come to room temperature before adding it to the crockpot. Assemble everything in the crockpot when you’re ready to cook so the topping stays as crumbly as possible.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• The smallest adjustments are the ones nobody notices until they stop making them.
• Steam has terrible judgment.
• The kitchen has convinced me more than once that solving the wrong problem leaves you with the wrong result.
• Not everything that looks finished is ready to serve.
• The right kind of cover protects things, while the wrong kind undoes them.
• You can spend hours fixing the wrong thing when the real problem has been dripping on you from above the whole time.
• The smallest change in the room can completely change the ending.
• The longer something cooks doesn’t necessarily make it better.
• It takes surprisingly little to keep something from slowly falling apart.
• Some things spend years protecting the wrong part of themselves.
• I’m suspicious of anything that promises to improve without changing.
• Not every compromise looks like one at first.
• Eventually you have to decide whether you’re preserving something or slowly steaming it.
• It’s easy to think nothing is changing because nothing is being said.
• You can keep the lid on forever and still lose what was important.

More Apple Desserts Worth Saving Room For

• Cream Cheese Apple Crisp – Cream cheese beneath buttery crumble.
• Butterscotch Apple Crisp – Butterscotch and cinnamon together.
• Upside-Down Apple Pie – Pecans and flipped pie.
• Amish Apple Fritter Bread – Cinnamon swirl, sweet glaze.
• Brown Sugar Apple Cinnamon Bundt Cake – Brown sugar swirl, fresh apples.

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Crockpot Apple Crisp (Slow Cooker Apple Crisp)

Slow cooker apple crisp is made with fresh Granny Smith apples and a buttery oat topping that stays crisp thanks to a simple condensation trick. It's an easy dessert when you want to keep the oven free without giving up the texture of a traditional apple crisp.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword apple crisp in crock pot, apple crisp recipe, apple dessert recipe, Crockpot Apple Crisp, crockpot dessert, easy apple crisp recipe, slow cooker apple crisp

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 3 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Resting 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 4 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 414kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• measuring cups and spoons Keeps the filling and topping properly balanced.
• mixing bowls (large nad medium). One for the apple filling and another for the crisp topping.
• Knife To peel, core, and slice the apples into even pieces.
• Crockpot (6-quart / about 5.7 liters) – Gives the apples enough room to cook evenly without bubbling over.
• wooden spoon For stirring the apple mixture and serving at the end.
• pastry blender or fork. Works the cold butter into the topping until it's crumbly.
• thick, absorbent paper towels To catch condensation under the lid so it doesn't drip back onto the topping and make it soggy.

Ingredients

• cooking spray

Filling:

• 5 medium (~ 900 g) Granny Smith apples cored, peeled and sliced
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tbsps (16 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp (3 g) ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp (5 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract

Topping:

• ½ cup (50 g) old-fashioned oats
• ½ cup (65 g) all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar
• ½ cup (113 g) cold unsalted butter cut into 8 slices
• 1 tsp ( 3 g) ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp (1 g) kosher salt

Garnish:

• vanilla ice cream

Instructions

• Spray the bottom of the crockpot with cooking spray or brush it with melted butter so the apples release easily after several hours of cooking.
  cooking spray
• In a medium bowl, toss the apples with the granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, lemon juice, and vanilla until every slice is coated. The flour thickens the juices as the apples cook, keeping the filling syrupy instead of watery. Transfer the apples to the crockpot.
  5 medium (~ 900 g) Granny Smith apples, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 2 tbsps (16 g) all-purpose flour, 1 tsp (3 g) ground cinnamon, 1 tsp (5 ml) fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
• In another bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and kosher salt. Work the cold butter into the mixture with a fork or your hands until crumbly, leaving a few larger butter pieces behind. They'll melt gradually as the crisp cooks and help create a better topping.
  ½ cup (50 g) old-fashioned oats, ½ cup (65 g) all-purpose flour, ¾ cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar , ½ cup (113 g) cold unsalted butter, 1 tsp ( 3 g) ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp (1 g) kosher salt
• Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples.
• Lay a generous sheet of paper towels across the crockpot (2 full-size sheets or 3 connected half-sheets), making sure they cover the opening without sagging onto the topping. Place the lid over the towels and cook on HIGH for 1½ hours or LOW for 2½ to 3 hours. The paper towels catch the condensation before it drips back onto the topping, keeping it from turning soggy.
• Remove the lid and carefully discard the paper towels. The apples should be bubbling around the edges. Continue cooking uncovered for 1 hour so the topping can finish crisping.
• Turn off the heat or switch the crockpot to the warm setting and let the apple crisp rest for about 20 minutes before serving. The filling thickens as it cools, making it much easier to scoop. Serve on its own or with vanilla ice cream.
  vanilla ice cream

Notes

• Firm pears can replace part of the apples if you'd like to mix the fruit. Avoid soft or overripe pears because they'll break down too much during cooking.
• This recipe was tested in a 6-quart (5.7 L) crockpot. Smaller slow cookers may bubble closer to the lid, so keep an eye on them during cooking.
• The paper towels should stay above the topping without touching it. Thick paper towels, such as Bounty, absorb condensation much better than thinner towels or half-sheets.
• Canned apple pie filling works for a shortcut. Since it's already sweetened and thickened, reduce the sugar in the filling before adding it to the crockpot.

 

 

If you’re making this Crockpot Apple Crisp, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card.

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 240g | Calories: 414kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 111mg | Potassium: 235mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 48g | Vitamin A: 469IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 1mg

Have you made this Crockpot Apple Crisp? I’d love to hear how it turned out — leave a comment below and let me know.

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Crockpot Apple Crisp (Slow Cooker) appeared first on Noble Pig.

S’mores Pie with Toasted Marshmallow Topping

The hardest part about turning a s’more into a pie was deciding what not to change. The graham cracker crust, chocolate, and toasted marshmallow all needed to stay, because obviously. The rest was figuring out how to turn those three things into a pie. There was some trial and error. In other words, I really love my job.

I’ve made a lot of s’mores desserts, which is less about my own creativity and more about not being able to leave graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallow alone. Every time I think I’ve maxed out all the good ways to use them, I think of another one.

Pie should have been obvious to me from the beginning. A graham cracker crust is already available for chocolate, and chocolate will never object to toasted marshmallow on top. The biggest question was whether there was such a thing as too much marshmallow. I say there’s not.

When I’m developing a recipe, I always try the easiest way first. Not because I’m lazy, although I’m not above protecting my time, but nobody needs an extra technique unless it changes the end result significantly. I did try regular marshmallows and marshmallow fluff. Neither gave me the big, sliceable, wispy swirls I wanted.

I ended up making the marshmallow topping from egg whites and sugar, which I know sounds like more work than it is. It was the only way to get the look I wanted. Once it’s torched, it has the toasted marshmallow flavor of a s’more, but now it looks handsome enough to bring to a dinner party without explaining that it started as a s’more fixation.

By the end of July, I’m ready for pie to stop being seasonally responsible. We’ve already done fresh strawberry pie, fresh cherry pie, blueberry crisp, and peach cobbler Bundt cake. Summer fruit has had enough attention. This is the point when I want chocolate again, something gooier, but still very much has the energy of the season.

That’s why s’mores pie fills the gap right now. Chocolate and toasted marshmallow are still completely summer, but they also remind me that August is standing outside with apples and cinnamon waiting to get in. It’s also the tiny seasonal hallway between fruit pie summer and the annual pumpkin occupation of the internet. Both deserve their turn.

This just happens to be the part where I’ve moved past pretending fruit is the only thing I want.

What Makes This Recipe Different

• The filling is a true chocolate ganache made with semisweet chocolate and heavy cream. I wanted to keep this pie as close to a classic s’more as possible, which meant no cream cheese, pudding mix, or whipped topping. Warm cream turns the chocolate into a ganache that stays creamy but becomes firm enough to slice after chilling.
• The marshmallow topping was where I tried very hard to take the easy way out. Regular marshmallows meant no height, and marshmallow fluff could not hold the high peaks on top. Making it from egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and vanilla was the only way to get the waves and folds that could be toasted without slumping all over the pie.
• The graham cracker crust doesn’t need to be baked. Freezing it gives the butter time to firm up and hold the crumbs together before the warm ganache goes in. After that, the refrigerator does it all.
• So yes, it’s completely no-bake, aside from the very important moment when you take a torch to the top. Underneath the toasted swirls, it’s still graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallow arranged differently.

Ingredients

• Graham cracker crumbs – The obvious thing that makes the crust taste like a s’more before the chocolate and marshmallow arrive. Fine crumbs pack together best, so pulverize or crush them until there are no big pieces left.
• Salted butter – The melted butter holds the crust together once it freezes, and the salt keeps the pie from becoming one long sugar event.
• Granulated sugar – Some goes into the crust, and the rest is heated with the egg whites for the marshmallow topping. In the crust, it adds sweetness and helps the crumbs pack together. In the topping, it dissolves into the egg whites and gives you that thick, shiny finish.
• Semisweet chocolate chips – Semisweet gives the ganache enough bitterness to balance the marshmallow without making the pie feel too dark. Milk chocolate is fine, but the filling will be sweeter and softer once chilled. Use really good quality chocolate. You’ll notice if you don’t. Guittard brand is my favorite.
• Heavy cream – Warm cream melts the chocolate into a smooth ganache. You need the fat in heavy cream because lighter dairy won’t set the filling as well.
• Egg whites – The base of the homemade marshmallow topping. Once they’re heated with sugar and whipped, they become fluffy enough to pile high and toast.
• Cream of tartar – Helps the egg whites hold shape after whipping, which is important when you’re piling the topping high and then taking a torch to it.
• Vanilla extract – Vanilla gives the marshmallow topping the flavor you’re expecting from a classic marshmallow. Without it, the topping will taste sweet, but not finished.

How to Make S’mores Pie

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (make the crust)
  Stir the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar together until the mixture looks like wet sand and holds together when you squeeze it. Press it firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch (23-cm) pie plate using your fingers or the bottom of a measuring cup. Pop the crust into the freezer for at least 1 hour. That gives the butter time to firm up so the crust doesn’t fall apart when the warm ganache goes in.
• Step Two (make the chocolate filling)
  Place the chocolate chips in a large bowl. Heat the heavy cream until it is hot but not boiling, then pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for a minute before stirring so the chocolate has a chance to melt instead of making you work harder than necessary. Stir until the ganache is completely smooth, then pour it into the chilled crust and spread it evenly. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until the filling is firm, about 2 hours. Waiting until it cools first helps keep condensation from forming on top of the ganache.
• Step Three (make the marshmallow topping)
  Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Add the egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar, then keep stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved. Rub a little between your fingers to check. If you can’t feel any sugar crystals, you’re ready to whip. Stir in the vanilla, then beat the mixture until it’s thick and the peaks stand straight up when you lift the whisk. That’s what gives the topping enough height for the torch to catch all the raised areas.
• Step Four (finish the pie)
  Spread the marshmallow topping over the chilled pie, making plenty of curves with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula. Toast the top with a culinary torch until it’s lightly browned. If you don’t have a torch, slide the pie under the broiler for a minute or two, but don’t walk away. Marshmallow can go from perfectly toasted to a small kitchen emergency in about three seconds. Chill until you’re ready to slice and serve.

Recipe Tips

• When you heat the cream, get it hot but don’t let it boil. Pour it over the chocolate, let it sit for a full minute, and then stir. That minute is doing more than it looks like.
• Make sure the ganache is completely smooth before pouring it into the crust. If you still see pieces of chocolate, give it another minute or warm it gently in short microwave bursts.
• Don’t start whipping until the sugar has completely dissolved. Rub a little between your fingers. If it still feels grainy, keep stirring. The timer is only a suggestion. Your fingers are the final boss.
• Chill the ganache until it’s firm before adding the marshmallow topping. Otherwise, you’re dragging a spoon through soft chocolate and turning three layers into one very expensive-looking mudslide.
• For neat slices, warm a sharp knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and clean it between cuts. This pie is theatrical enough without every slice getting to the table with marshmallow attached to the previous one.

Storage

• Keep the finished pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The marshmallow topping will still taste good after that, but it’s at its best when the swirls are fresh and the toasted parts still look like a paid actor.
• You can make the crust and chocolate filling up to 2 days ahead. Keep the pie covered in the refrigerator, then make the marshmallow topping and toast it closer to serving. That’s the best way to keep the top looking tall and wispy instead of slightly tired.
• To freeze the pie, stop after the ganache has set. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, and freeze it for up to 1 month. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then add the marshmallow topping and toast it before serving. I would not freeze it with the topping already on unless appearance is no longer part of the plan.

FAQs

• Can I toast the marshmallow topping without a culinary torch?
  Yes. Put the pie under a preheated broiler for 1 to 2 minutes and watch it the entire time. Marshmallow goes from golden to black almost immediately.
• Can I use milk chocolate instead of semisweet chocolate?
  Yes. Milk chocolate will give you a sweeter, more candy bar-like filling, which may be what you want in a s’mores pie. I think it’s too sweet. It’s also softer than semisweet chocolate, so give the pie extra chilling time and expect the filling to set less firmly.
• Can I use store-bought marshmallow fluff instead of making the topping?
  You can, but it won’t look the same and it definitely doesn’t slice the same. You could also cover the chilled ganache with mini marshmallows and toast them, but that’s still a different pie. And it still won’t slice without oozing. Sometimes a shortcut works. This isn’t one of those times.
• Why are there no marshmallows in the ingredient list?
  The topping is the marshmallow. Egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and vanilla are heated together, then whipped until thick. Once it’s toasted, it has the same flavor as a campfire marshmallow, but it spreads over the whole pie and cuts neatly.
• Can I make this pie ahead of time?
  Yes. Make the crust and ganache up to 2 days ahead and keep the pie covered in the refrigerator. Add the marshmallow topping and toast it the day you plan to serve it, or a few hours beforehand.
• Why didn’t my chocolate ganache set?
  It may have needed more time. Give it at least 2 hours in the refrigerator, and longer if your kitchen was warm when the pie went in. Also make sure you used heavy cream. Milk, half-and-half, and lighter cream do not give the chocolate enough fat to set the same way.
• Why didn’t my ganache turn smooth?
  The cream may not have been hot enough, or the chocolate may have needed more time before stirring. Let it sit for another minute, then stir again. If you still see unmelted chocolate, warm the bowl very gently in short microwave bursts, stirring after each one.
• Why is my marshmallow topping grainy?
  The sugar was not completely dissolved before whipping. Put the mixture back over the simmering water and keep stirring until you can rub some between your fingers without feeling any crystals.
• Can I use pasteurized egg whites?
  Some cartons of liquid egg whites don’t whip well, so check the package before using them. The egg whites are heated with the sugar before whipping, which is part of the Swiss meringue-style method used for this topping.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• Some things can completely change shape without becoming less true.
• I always try the easiest route first. Often it’s the first thing to fail.
• There’s never a prize for making something harder than it needs to be or pretending the shortcut worked.
• The easiest version is only useful when it gives you the same ending.
• A substitute can have all the right ingredients and still miss the entire idea.
• The chocolate makes this what it is. The marshmallow gets photographed. Let that sink in.
• Ordinary things can become very important when given enough air.
• The middle of something can feel like an ending when you’ve already moved on.
• I don’t need the season to end before admitting my appetite has changed.
• Some people are very good at staying familiar from a distance.
• A thing can look finished for years and still be waiting for the one step that makes it real.
• Height is not the same as depth. I’ve never been distracted by what rises first.
• The topping only works because it can hold air without disappearing.
• There is no shortcut for becoming the version that can stay present.
• The pie doesn’t need another ingredient. It needs the existing ones to finally meet.
• There’s a point when preserving the possibility becomes more destructive than risking the result.

More Ways to S’more Indoors

• S’mores Cookie Bars – Graham cookie dough, marshmallow crème.
• S’mores Parfaits – Layered chocolate dessert jars.
• Frozen S’mores Lasagna – Frozen layers of summer nostalgia.
• Air Fryer S’mores Egg Rolls – Crispy wrapper, molten center.
• S’mores Pretzel Bites – Sweet, salty, bite-sized treats.
• Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cookies – Chocolate chips, peanut butter, marshmallow.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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S'mores Pie

S'mores Pie is a no-bake dessert made with a buttery graham cracker crust, rich chocolate ganache filling, and a homemade toasted marshmallow topping. It has all the flavors of a classic s'more in a pie that's easy to slice and serve.

Course Dessert, Pie

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate ganache pie, graham cracker crust pie, no-bake s'mores pie, s'mores pies, toasted marshmallow pie

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Chilling 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings 8 slices

Calories 575kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• 9-inch pie plate (23 cm) Gives the pie the right thickness for neat slices.
• mixing bowls For combining graham cracker crust, heating heavy cream, holding chocolate over hot water for the ganache and marshmallow topping.
• Saucepan (large) Creates a double boiler for dissolving the sugar in the egg whites
• Stand Mixer or hand mixer with whisk attachment. Whips the marshmallow topping to stiff peaks.
• offset spatula or cack of a spoon. Makes it easy to spread the marshmallow topping.
• culinary torch Toasts the marshmallow topping like a classic s'more. Use the broiler if you don't have one.

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1½ cups (150 g) graham cracker crumbs
• 6 tbsps (85 g) salted butter melted
• ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar

Filling:

• 12 oz (340 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1¼ cups (300 ml) heavy cream

Marshmallow Topping:

• 5 large (150 g) egg whites (separate eggs while they're cold)
• 1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
• ¾ tsp (3 g) cream of tartar
• 2 tsps (10 ml) vanilla extract

Instructions

• Stir together the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and granulated sugar until the mixture looks like wet sand and holds together when pressed between your fingers.
  1½ cups (150 g) graham cracker crumbs, 6 tbsps (85 g) salted butter, ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar
• Press the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch (23-cm) pie plate using your fingers or the bottom of a measuring cup. Freeze for at least 1 hour, or overnight, so the crust stays firm when the filling is added.
• Place the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a large heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy cream until hot but not boiling, about 45 seconds in the microwave. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 1 minute so the chocolate has time to melt. Stir until the ganache is completely smooth.
  12 oz (340 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1¼ cups (300 ml) heavy cream
• Pour the ganache into the chilled crust and spread it into an even layer. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until the filling is firm.
• Fill a large saucepan with about 2 inches (5 cm) of water and bring it to a lazy simmer. Set a heatproof bowl over the saucepan, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. If you have a double boiler, you can also use that.
• Add the egg whites, granulated sugar, and cream of tartar to the bowl. Stir constantly for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the sugar has completely dissolved. Rub a little between your fingers. It should feel completely smooth with no sugar crystals remaining.
  5 large (150 g) egg whites, 1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar, ¾ tsp (3 g) cream of tartar
• Remove the bowl from the heat, stir in the vanilla extract, and beat with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or a handheld mixer, starting on low speed and gradually increasing to high. Beat for 5 to 6 minutes, or until stiff peaks form. The marshmallow topping should be thick and hold together when you lift the whisk.
  2 tsps (10 ml) vanilla extract
• Spread the marshmallow topping over the chilled pie, creating swirls with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula. Toast with a culinary torch until lightly browned. Alternatively, place the pie under a preheated broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely so the marshmallow doesn't burn. Serve chilled.

Notes

• Freeze the crust before filling it to help it stay together when slicing.
• Heat the cream until hot, but don't let it boil.
• Let the hot cream sit on the chocolate for 1 minute before stirring for the smoothest ganache.
• Make sure the sugar is completely dissolved before whipping the marshmallow topping.
• The pie can be made 1 to 2 days ahead. Toast the marshmallow topping right before serving for the best appearance.
• Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Freeze without the marshmallow topping for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before adding and toasting the topping.

 

 

If you’re making this S'mores Pie, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card.

 

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 145g | Calories: 575kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 210mg | Potassium: 290mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 45g | Vitamin A: 770IU | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 3mg

Have you made this S’mores Pie? I’d love to hear how it turned out — leave a comment below and let me know.

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post S’mores Pie appeared first on Noble Pig.

Cabernet Sauvignon Brown Butter Brownies for Serious Chocolate Cravings

I know there are a million brownie recipes out there, but I’m not here to sell you comfort. I’m selling indulgence. My Cabernet Sauvignon brown butter brownies are what I make for myself when I want something a little more provocative, which, if I’m being honest, is more often than not. I start them with brown butter, reduced Cabernet Sauvignon, espresso, and enough dark chocolate to make every other brownie seem like it wasn’t really trying. That was always the idea.

Cabernet was the first wine I ever really loved, my gateway wine, which should tell you something about me. While everyone else was starting with Chardonnay or white Zin, eeks, I went straight for Cabernet Sauvignon, almost accidentally, and never really recovered. Cakebread Cellars was a wild first exposure for an inexperienced palate. These were the days when you could pull up in Napa Valley without an appointment or a tasting fee, and Rutherford Cabernet, with its dusty cocoa, blackberry, chalk, and gravelly earth, ruined me for other Cabernets. That was the beginning of my eventual pull into the wine industry, which never really lets you go once you’ve been entrenched in it.

I know a lot of red wine brownies just dump wine into the batter, but that’s not really a good place to start for the wine or the brownies. I reduced the wine first because I wanted the dark fruit and Cabernet flavor without adding a bunch of extra liquid. Only after it was reduced did I stir in the balsamic because balsamic and chocolate are ridiculously good together. Add brown butter, espresso, Dutch-process cocoa, and lots of dark chocolate, and now you’re not just making brownies because you need something sweet. You’re handling a very specific chocolate craving.

If brownies were on the menu at a steakhouse, these are the brownies I would expect to get with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting down the side. They’re rich, fudgy, very dramatic, and if I’m being clear, as women when we say we want chocolate, this is what we’re talking about. Not a pack of M&Ms.

Please do not pour your $350 Napa Valley Cabernet into brownie batter. Use something you like to drink, because you’re going to taste it, but keep your financial dignity. A good Washington Cabernet from the Walla Walla or Columbia Valley region is perfect for this recipe. They’re bold enough that the Cabernet character still comes through after the wine is reduced and baked into the brownies.

What Makes These Cabernet Brownies Different

• I’m aware these aren’t regular brownies with some wine poured into the batter so I could call them fancy. Or what’s the buzzword now? Elevated? I made some very specific decisions because I wanted the Cabernet to stand out.
• I started by reducing the wine by half. This gave me the concentrated dark fruit and Cabernet flavor I was trying to isolate without adding a cup of extra liquid to the batter. Once it came off the heat, I stirred in balsamic. I make a chocolate ganache with balsamic that’s so good on chocolate cake, so I already knew what it was going to do. Adding it after the reduction keeps more of the fruity acidity instead of cooking it into oblivion.
• I wanted the brown butter for the toasted, nutty flavor that goes so well with dark chocolate and Cabernet. Brown butter brings out the part of dark chocolate that Cabernet already understands.
• And then I added three forms of chocolate because I am who I am. Melted dark chocolate makes the batter rich, Dutch-process cocoa gives it a darker, smoother chocolate flavor, and the chopped chocolate adds the gooey pockets of melted chocolate throughout the brownies.
• My goal was always a dense, fudgy center, not anything light or cakey. These are not for nights when you want a taste of something sweet. It’s more, “you need chocolate, and the situation has become fairly serious.” Specifically, they’re a girls’ night brownie. No notes. Men will enjoy them too, but ladies, you know what I mean.

Ingredients

• Cabernet Sauvignon – Use a Cabernet you like to drink, but nothing so expensive that pouring it into brownie batter triggers a family meeting. Cabernet has the body, dark fruit, and tannins to hold its own with brown butter and dark chocolate. A good Washington Cabernet or everyday California bottle is perfect for this.
• Balsamic vinegar – Only a teaspoon, and your brownies will not taste like vinegar. It helps connect the Cabernet and dark chocolate while adding enough fruity acidity to keep everything from tasting dull.
• Unsalted butter – Browning the butter adds the nutty flavor regular melted butter doesn’t have. Use unsalted so you can control the final amount of salt in the brownies.
• Dark chocolate – Use a 60 to 70% dark chocolate bar and chop it yourself. It’s also okay if you go even darker, like 85%. Half melts into the browned butter and becomes part of the batter, while the rest is folded in so you get melted chocolate throughout. Chocolate chips are made to hold their shape, which is why I don’t suggest using them.
• Dutch-process cocoa powder – Darker, smoother, and less acidic than natural cocoa powder. It gives these brownies a fuller chocolate flavor without adding bitterness or overpowering the Cabernet and balsamic. You can often find this in the bulk section if you don’t want to commit to a whole can.
• Instant espresso powder – The brownies don’t taste like coffee. Espresso powder is here to make the chocolate taste more chocolatey, which is the whole idea.
• Granulated sugar – Helps create that thin, crackly top while also providing sweetness.
• Light brown sugar – Adds moisture and molasses flavor, which helps keep the centers dense and fudgy.
• Eggs – Use room-temperature eggs so they mix more easily into the batter. Adding them one at a time helps the batter stay smooth and evenly mixed.
• Vanilla extract – A little vanilla makes all the chocolate flavors taste more complete.
• Fine sea salt – Salt balances the sweetness. It’s necessary, especially when using unsalted butter.
• All-purpose flour – Keeps the brownies together while keeping them dense and fudgy rather than cakey. Stop mixing as soon as the last streak of flour disappears.
• Flaky sea salt – Nutritionally negligible, spiritually essential, and emotionally your brownies are now complete.

How to Make Cabernet Sauvignon Brown Butter Brownies

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (make the Cabernet reduction)
  Pour the Cabernet into a small saucepan and simmer until it has reduced to 1/2 cup, then take it off the heat and stir in the balsamic vinegar. Set it aside while you move on to the butter. You want the wine reduced enough that the flavor is concentrated, but not so far that you suddenly have Cabernet syrup and a very different project.
• Step Two (brown the butter and melt the chocolate)
  Melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan and keep cooking it until the milk solids turn a deep golden brown and the whole kitchen starts smelling ridiculously good. Pour it into a large bowl right away so it does not keep cooking, then add half of the chopped chocolate and stir until it melts completely. This is why the light-colored pan matters. Brown butter can go from perfect to burned while you are standing there feeling confident.
• Step Three (mix the batter)
  Whisk the cocoa powder and espresso powder into the warm chocolate mixture until smooth, then whisk in both sugars and the Cabernet reduction. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla and salt. Fold in the flour only until you stop seeing dry streaks, then fold in the rest of the chopped chocolate. Once the flour goes in, this is not the time to keep stirring because you got distracted. Mix it, stop, and let all that chopped chocolate do its thing.
• Step Four (bake and let them cool)
  Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the edges are set and the center still has a slight wobble. The center should register 180°F to 185°F on an instant-read thermometer, which takes the guesswork out of knowing when they’re done. Sprinkle the flaky sea salt over the top as soon as they come out of the oven, then let them cool completely before cutting. I know. Terrible news. But this is when the center finishes setting, and cutting into them too soon will give you a delicious pile of chocolate instead of neatly cut brownies.

Recipe Tips

• Reduce the Cabernet until you have a full ½ cup remaining. Measuring it is important because leaving too much wine means adding more liquid than the batter was developed to handle, while reducing it too far can make the flavor overly concentrated and syrupy.
• You’ll want to chop the chocolate into a mixture of small pieces and larger chunks. The smaller pieces melt into the batter while the larger pieces leave behind the melted chocolate you came here for.
• Use an instant-read thermometer to determine when the brownies are done. These are extremely moist, dense brownies filled with melted chocolate, so poking the center with a toothpick is not going to necessarily give you a useful answer. Remove them from the oven when the center reaches 180°F to 185°F, then let the residual heat and cooling time finish setting them without baking away the fudginess.

Storage & Leftovers

• Store the brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If your kitchen is warm, you can refrigerate them, but they’ll become firmer straight from the refrigerator. Let one sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before eating if you want a softer, fudgier texture back.
• These also freeze well. Wrap individual brownies tightly in plastic wrap, place them in a freezer-safe container or bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Let them thaw at room temperature whenever a chocolate emergency presents itself.
• I like these red wine brownies even better the next day. After resting overnight, the Cabernet, brown butter, dark chocolate, and balsamic stop tasting like separate decisions.

FAQs

• Can I use a different red wine instead of Cabernet Sauvignon?
  Yes, but Cabernet Sauvignon is the wine I made this recipe around. It has enough body, dark fruit, and tannins to stand up to the brown butter and dark chocolate. Merlot or a full-bodied red blend are fine, but I wouldn’t use a lighter wine like Pinot Noir.
• Do these brownies taste like wine?
  Not in the way you might expect. Reducing the Cabernet first concentrates its dark fruit flavor, so instead of tasting like a glass of wine, it becomes part of the chocolate. You won’t immediately say, “There’s wine in these.” But the chocolate will taste richer.
• Can I leave out the balsamic vinegar?
  You can, but I’d miss it. It doesn’t make the brownies taste like vinegar. It helps the Cabernet and dark chocolate taste like they belong together while adding enough brightness to balance all the richness. It’s a small but mighty addition.
• Can kids eat these brownies?
  These brownies are made with wine that is first reduced and then baked, but that doesn’t guarantee all of the alcohol is removed. I’ll leave serving them to children up to you and your family.
• Can I make these ahead of time?
  Yes. In fact, I think they’re even better the next day.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• Cabernet has never really been interested in being everyone’s favorite. Neither am I.
• Life gets more interesting when you stop picking the safest option on the menu.
• There are a lot of recipes trying to impress you. This one is comfortable letting you catch up.
• The difference between good and unforgettable is usually one decision nobody else thought to make.
• If your brownies need frosting to be interesting, we should have a meeting.
• For those of you ordering vanilla cake. I wish you well.
• There’s a point where adding more sugar is just avoiding the conversation.
• Not every ingredient needs to stand out. They only need better company.
• A lot of things don’t become interesting until you stop watering them down.
• The wrong palate will always ask you to become sweeter. Just walk away.
• The best things always survive a bit of reduction.
• Reduce long enough, and eventually all that’s left is what was there all along.
• There’s a reason the most interesting bottles aren’t the sweetest ones.
• Corner piece people and center piece people will never agree. That’s why the pan has both.
• Just an observation but, edge people are more vocal. Center people are happier.

More Ways to Overindulge in Chocolate

• Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake – Layered cake with glossy chocolate icing.
• Earl Grey Chocolate Pound Cake – Earl Grey and dark chocolate sauce.
• Mini Chocolate Ganache Tarts – Deep chocolate flavor, surprisingly easy.
• Chocolate Pancakes – Cocoa-rich batter with warm ganache.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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Cabernet Sauvignon Brown Butter Brownies

Cabernet Sauvignon Brown Butter Brownies are dense, fudgy brownies made with browned butter, reduced Cabernet Sauvignon, dark chocolate, Dutch-process cocoa, and espresso powder for an intensely chocolatey dessert with rich, complex flavor.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword brown butter brownies, Cabernet Sauvignon brownies, chocolate brownies, Dutch-process cocoa brownies, fudgy brownies, homemade brownies, red wine brownies, wine dessert

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 9 to 16 squares

Calories 285kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• 9x9 metal baking pan (23x23 cm). Bakes the brownies evenly.
• parchment paper Makes lifting and slicing easy.
• Saucepan (small). Reduces the Cabernet Sauvignon.
• light-colored saucepan Makes it easy to monitor the browned butter.
• mixing bowls (large) Combines the brownie batter.
• whisk Mixes the batter until smooth.
• rubber spatula Folds in the flour and chocolate without overmixing.
• instant-read thermometer Checks for perfectly fudgy brownies.

Ingredients

Cabernet Reduction:

• 1 cup (240 ml) Cabernet Sauvignon
• 1 tsp (5 ml) balsamic vinegar

Brownies:

• ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter
• 8 oz (227 g) dark chocolate (60 to 70%) divided
• ½ cup (50 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 tsp (2 g) instant espresso powder
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• ¾ cup (165 g) light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs room temperature
• 2 tsps (10 ml) vanilla extract
• ¾ tsp (4 g) fine sea salt
• 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
• flaky sea salt for finishing

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9 x 9-inch (23 x 23 cm) metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides to lift the brownies out after baking.
• Pour the Cabernet Sauvignon into a small saucepan and bring to a lazy simmer over medium heat. Cook until reduced by half, leaving about ½ cup (120 ml), 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the balsamic vinegar, and set aside to cool slightly.
  1 cup (240 ml) Cabernet Sauvignon, 1 tsp (5 ml) balsamic vinegar
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking until the milk solids turn deep golden brown and the butter smells nutty, 5 to 7 minutes. Immediately pour the browned butter into a large mixing bowl to prevent it from cooking further.
  ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter
• Add 4 ounces (113 g) of the chopped dark chocolate to the hot browned butter and stir until completely melted and smooth.
  8 oz (227 g) dark chocolate (60 to 70%)
• Whisk in the Dutch-process cocoa powder and espresso powder until no lumps remain. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar, whisking until combined. Whisk in the reduced Cabernet mixture, then add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract and fine sea salt.
  ½ cup (50 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder, 1 tsp (2 g) instant espresso powder, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, ¾ cup (165 g) light brown sugar, 3 large eggs, 2 tsps (10 ml) vanilla extract, ¾ tsp (4 g) fine sea salt
• Fold in the flour just until no dry streaks remain. Fold in the remaining 4 ounces (113 g) of chopped dark chocolate.
  1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
• Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center still has a slight wobble. For the most reliable results, an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should register 180°F to 185°F (82°C to 85°C). A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with moist crumbs rather than wet batter, but is not as reliable as the temperature test since these are fudgy brownies.
• Sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt immediately after removing the brownies from the oven.
  flaky sea salt
• Cool completely in the pan before lifting the brownies out using the parchment overhang. Slice with a warm knife, wiping the blade clean between cuts for the neatest squares.

Notes

• Reducing the Cabernet Sauvignon concentrates its flavor without adding excess liquid to the batter.
• Stir the balsamic vinegar into the reduced wine after removing it from the heat to preserve its fruity character.
• Brown the butter in a light-colored saucepan so it's easier to see when the milk solids are perfectly browned.
• Use chopped dark chocolate bars instead of chocolate chips for the smoothest batter and pockets of melted chocolate throughout the brownies.
• Fold the flour in just until combined to keep the brownies dense and fudgy.
• An instant-read thermometer is the most reliable way to prevent overbaking.

 

 

 

If you’re making these Cabernet Sauvignon Brown Butter Brownies, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card

 

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

 

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 70g | Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 132mg | Potassium: 180mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 360IU | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 2mg

Have you made these Cabernet Sauvignon Brown Butter Brownies? I’d love to hear how they turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Cabernet Sauvignon Brown Butter Brownies appeared first on Noble Pig.

Blackberry Puff Pastry Galette with Fresh Blackberries and Honey

When blackberry season is here, I don’t necessarily want a dessert that buries the fruit under a thick pie filling. I like when the berries still look like berries, especially when you cut into this blackberry puff pastry galette. It’s so much more visually pleasing. Puff pastry is what keeps this really easy, and the berries create their own filling as they bake.

I can be picky about the things that change a recipe, and homemade pie dough isn’t one of them when it comes to this galette. I like how the puff pastry bakes into crisp, flaky layers, which is what I was after anyway. I’d rather spend my time finding the best blackberries than making dough. We all want summer recipes that leave room to enjoy summer. This one gives you some of your time back.

The filling is also ridiculously simple. Honey, vanilla, lemon, and salt are all you need when blackberries are ripe. As they bake, the berries soften into their own juices, so the filling naturally thickens without needing to add starch.

Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting over the top.

What Makes This Recipe Different

• I wanted this galette to taste like fresh blackberries, not blackberry pie. That started with taking a more hands-off approach by letting the berries soften as they baked instead of adding cornstarch or flour. They naturally thicken on their own. I wanted to see the individual berries, which is also why I chose not to macerate them in the beginning. Every slice still has recognizable blackberries instead of a thick, jam-like filling.
• I also skip homemade pie dough in favor of frozen puff pastry. It’s the place where making pie dough doesn’t change the outcome enough to justify the extra work. The puff pastry bakes up crisp and buttery. It frames the fruit without competing with it. I prefer it over traditional pie dough.
• I used honey to sweeten the berries because it doesn’t cover up their flavor the way a larger amount of granulated sugar will.
• Whisking the melted butter into the egg wash before brushing the pastry is something I’ve been doing lately. The butter helps the crust bake up even more golden, crisp, and buttery than a traditional egg wash. The finished galette looks and tastes a little more special when I do it this way.

Ingredients

• Fresh blackberries – Look for ripe, plump berries with good color and a sweet fragrance.
• Honey – Keeps the blackberry flavor front and center.
• Vanilla extract – A small amount complements the tartness of the berries without taking over.
• Fresh lemon juice – A squeeze of fresh lemon keeps the blackberry flavor fresh and lively.
• Kosher salt – Don’t skip it.
• Unsalted butter – I whisk the melted butter into the egg wash instead of using a plain egg wash. It gives the pastry a richer flavor.
• Egg – Forms the base of the butter-enriched egg wash.
• Frozen puff pastry – Thaw it before unfolding, but keep it cold until it’s time to assemble the galette.
• Vanilla ice cream (optional) – It melts into the warm berries and flaky pastry better than just about anything else.

How to Make Blackberry Puff Pastry Galette

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (prep the blackberries)
  Preheat the oven and line a medium baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the blackberries to a medium bowl and gently toss them with the honey, vanilla, lemon juice, and salt until every berry is lightly coated. Set the bowl aside while you prepare the pastry.
• Step Two (make the butter egg wash)
  Melt the butter and let it cool for a minute or two so it doesn’t start cooking the egg. Whisk the butter and egg together until smooth, then unfold the thawed puff pastry onto the prepared baking sheet. Brush the entire surface of the puff pastry with the butter egg wash, making sure to cover it all the way to the edges.
• Step Three (assemble the galette)
  Spoon the blackberry mixture into the center of the pastry, leaving a 1½ to 2-inch border around the outside. Fold the edges up and over the filling, overlapping the folds as you go to create a rustic galette. Finish by brushing the folded edges with the remaining butter egg wash.
• Step Four (bake the galette)
  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the blackberry filling is bubbling. Don’t pull it from the oven too early. The bubbling juices tell you the berries have had enough time to soften and create their own naturally thickened filling. Let the galette cool for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing, then serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Recipe Tips

• Keep the puff pastry cold until you’re ready to use it. Once it starts getting too warm, it won’t puff as well in the oven.
• Let the melted butter cool for a minute or two before whisking it with the egg. If the butter is too hot, it can start cooking the egg instead of creating a smooth butter egg wash.
• Leave yourself plenty of room around the edges when adding the filling. The border makes the galette easier to fold and helps keep the blackberry juices from escaping as it bakes.
• Don’t take the galette out of the oven just because the pastry looks golden. Wait until the blackberry filling is bubbling too, because that’s your sign the berries have softened enough to create their own naturally thickened filling.
• Let the galette cool for about 10 minutes before slicing. The filling continues to thicken as it rests, so each slice will be much easier to serve.
• This is a dessert that’s at its best the day it comes out of the oven. The pastry is the crispiest it will ever be, the berries are still warm, and vanilla ice cream will melt into every little crevice of the blackberry juice.

Storage

• Store leftover galette, loosely covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• To bring back the crispness, reheat slices in a 350°F oven for about 8 to 10 minutes. The microwave will warm the filling, but it softens the pastry, so I only use it if I’m in a hurry.
• I don’t recommend freezing the baked galette because puff pastry loses much of its crisp texture after thawing.

FAQs

• Can I use frozen blackberries?
  Yes. Use them straight from the freezer without thawing first. They’ll release a little more juice as they bake, so the galette may need a few extra minutes in the oven before the filling is bubbling.
• Can I make this ahead of time?
  You can mix the blackberry filling a few hours ahead and keep it refrigerated, but I like to assemble the galette right before baking so the puff pastry stays as crisp as possible. If you do, the berries will be a little more broken down in appearance.
• Why didn’t you use cornstarch?
  Instead of creating a firm, pie-like filling with starch, I let the berries soften into their own juices, creating a filling that’s a little looser, incredibly flavorful, and full of whole berries.
• Can I use pie crust instead of puff pastry?
  You can, but it will be a completely different dessert. Pie dough will give you a traditional galette, while puff pastry bakes into lighter layers that contrast with the soft berries.
• How do I keep the bottom from getting soggy?
  Start with cold puff pastry, avoid overfilling the galette, and don’t take it out of the oven until the blackberry juices are actively bubbling. The extra baking time helps the pastry finish crisping underneath while the filling cooks completely.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• Not everything worth making has to be made the hard way.
• I save my energy for the things that change the outcome.
• Some things become extraordinary the moment you stop trying to improve everything about them.
• There’s always a point when adding more starts taking something away.
• The hardest part isn’t knowing what to add. It’s being aware of what never needed adding in the first place.
• Sometimes the hardest thing to make is the decision to leave something alone.
• Lots of things need my hands. Others only need my trust.
• Ripe fruit has very little interest in being managed.
• It’s always interesting how confidence looks when doing less.
• I’ve stopped believing that doing more always means caring more.
• I don’t confuse effort with excellence. Or complication for depth.
• The sweetest things in life are usually the least interested in convincing you.
• Those that need to prove something rarely make the best dessert.
• Good cooking isn’t about doing the most. It’s knowing what’s most important.

More Ways to Use Fresh Blackberries

• Lemon Blackberry Bundt Cake – fresh blackberry glaze.
• Blackberry Crumble – with oats.
• Blackberry Lemon Oat Muffins – buttermilk and oats.
• Chocolate Blackberry Pavlovas – chocolate meringue.
• Blackberry Cobbler – biscuit topping.
• Blackberry Crumble Bars – buttery shortbread.
• Blackberry Jam – three ingredients.
• Baseball Nut Ice Cream – blackberry jam.
• Blackberry Crumble à la Mode Ice Cream – no-churn dessert.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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Blackberry Galette

Blackberry Puff Pastry Galette is an easy summer dessert that uses frozen puff pastry instead of homemade pie dough for a crisp, buttery crust. Fresh blackberries are tossed with honey, vanilla, lemon, and salt, then baked until they naturally thicken into a soft, juicy filling without added starch. The butter-enriched egg wash gives the pastry rich flavor and a golden finish.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword blackberry galette, blackberry pastry, blackberry puff pastry galette, easy blackberry dessert, fresh blackberry galette, honey blackberry dessert, puff pastry dessert, puff pastry galette, rustic blackberry tart, summer blackberry dessert

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Resting 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 8 slices

Calories 252kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• baking sheet (medium). Bakes the galette evenly.
• parchment paper Prevents sticking and makes cleanup easier.
• mixing bowls (medium and small). Tosses the blackberry filling and for making egg wash.
• pastry brush Brushes the pastry with the butter egg wash.

Ingredients

Blackberry Filling:

• 2 cups (290 g) fresh blackberries
• 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
• ½ tbsp (8 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsps (42 g) honey
• ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt

Galette:

• 3 tbsps (43 g) unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
• 1 large egg
• 1 sheet (8-9 oz / 225-255 g) frozen puff pastry thawed overnight in the refrigerator

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a medium baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, gently toss the blackberries with the vanilla extract, lemon juice, honey, and salt until evenly coated. Set aside.
  2 cups (290 g) fresh blackberries, 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract, ½ tbsp (8 ml) fresh lemon juice, 2 tbsps (42 g) honey, ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt
• Melt the butter and let it cool for 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk it together with the egg until smooth.
  3 tbsps (43 g) unsalted butter
• Unfold the thawed puff pastry onto the prepared baking sheet. Brush the entire surface of the pastry with the butter egg wash.
  1 large egg
• Spoon the blackberry mixture into the center of the puff pastry, leaving a 1½ to 2-inch (4 to 5 cm) border around the edges.
  1 sheet (8-9 oz / 225-255 g) frozen puff pastry
• Fold the edges of the pastry over the filling, overlapping and gently pressing the folds together as needed. Brush the folded edges with the remaining butter egg wash.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the pastry is deep golden brown and the blackberry filling is bubbling.
• Let the galette cool for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. The filling will continue to thicken as it cools. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Notes

• Let the melted butter cool slightly before whisking it with the egg so it doesn't begin cooking the egg.
• Keep the puff pastry cold until you're ready to assemble the galette for the flakiest results.
• The blackberry filling will look loose when it comes out of the oven but thickens naturally as it cools.
• Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes until the pastry is crisp again.

If you’re making this Blackberry Puff Pastry Galette, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 110g | Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 220mg | Potassium: 118mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 338IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg

Have you made this Blackberry Puff Pastry Galette? I’d love to hear how it turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Blackberry Puff Pastry Galette appeared first on Noble Pig.

Fresh Peach Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel and Vanilla Glaze

I affectionately refer to summer as “over the sink fruit eating season” because it is. If the juice isn’t running down to my elbows, why am I eating it? And peaches are the queen bee of summer because nothing else can compete. I already love peach muffins, but they always felt like they were missing something. The brown butter fixed that immediately. The cinnamon streusel was what turned them into coffee cake muffins, and a drizzle of vanilla glaze with a sprinkling of coarse sugar convinced me never to leave them plain again.

And here’s the truth, I can be a little insufferable about peaches, and I blame it entirely on my childhood. Every summer, someone from work sent my dad a couple of boxes of Georgia peaches. They came in these big brown corrugated boxes, and every peach was nested in its own paper cradle. I remember thinking they looked so important. They ruined me for average peaches.

Grocery store peaches and I have never really worked things out. They sit on the counter forever while I keep checking on them, hoping today’s the day, and then somehow they’re still crunchy around the pit and never fully ripen. Every year I convince myself maybe this batch will be different. Every year I have the same conversation with them.

Farmers market peaches are a wildly different story. Around here, the white peaches are first, followed by the yellow ones. Because they’re grown just a few miles away, they’re picked when they’re ripe instead of when they’re ready to survive a trip across the country. The first bite tells me everything.

When I was growing up, we’d make cobblers once in a while, but most of the Georgia peaches never made it into a baking recipe. I’d stand on a chair over the sink eating them, or my mom would put whipped cream on them for dessert. There didn’t need to be anything else. They were already perfect.

So, every year I wait. When the farmers market peaches arrive, I start making a mental list of everything I want to make before the season is gone again. Some become jam. Most never make it past my kitchen counter. And this year, many of them became these brown butter peach coffee cake muffins.

Because when a peach is good enough, it doesn’t need a lot. Brown butter, cinnamon, and a crumbly streusel are more than enough to let the peaches be the reason you made the recipe in the first place.

What Makes These Different

• Peach muffins are good on their own, but I wanted these to have even more flavor. Brown butter took care of that without changing what I liked about them. The peaches are still the reason I make these muffins.
• I wanted these to feel more like coffee cake than a regular muffin. That’s when the cinnamon streusel came in. The coarse sugar and vanilla glaze followed, and I wouldn’t leave either one off now.
• Peaches that are perfect for eating aren’t always the peaches I bake with. For these muffins, I’d rather they still have a little firmness because they stay in pieces while they bake.
• I refrigerate the streusel while I make the batter. It doesn’t take long for the butter to firm back up, and that’s what keeps the crumbs from melting into one flat layer.
• One thing I like about these muffins is that the peaches still taste like peaches. The brown butter gives them more flavor, but it never gets in the way.

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter – Browning it adds the nutty flavor I wanted. I pour it into another bowl as soon as I see the golden flecks on the bottom of the pan so it stops cooking.
• Vegetable oil – Brown butter has the flavor, while oil keeps the muffins soft for days instead of drying out after the first afternoon.
• Granulated sugar and light brown sugar – Granulated sugar sweetens the muffins, while brown sugar gives the streusel a richer flavor that goes well with cinnamon.
• Greek yogurt – Makes a thick batter that supports the peaches and keeps everything tender.
• Vanilla extract and almond extract – Vanilla is expected, and the almond extract is optional, but it has a way of making peaches taste even more like peaches without making the muffins taste like almonds.
• Fresh peaches – Ripe but still slightly firm because they stay in pieces as the muffins bake instead of disappearing into the batter. Tossing them with flour also helps keep them evenly distributed.
• All-purpose flour – Forms the batter, the streusel, and helps the peaches stay suspended throughout the muffins.
• Baking powder, baking soda, and salt – They give the muffins a good rise and keep the batter baking evenly.
• Ground cinnamon – Adds warmth to the streusel and the batter without taking over the peach flavor.
• Coarse sugar – I usually call it sparkling sugar. It adds crunch across the tops and gives the muffins one more texture.
• Heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar – Whisked together into a vanilla glaze that finishes the muffins.

How to Make Brown Butter Peach Coffee Cake Muffins

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (brown the butter and make the streusel)
  Start by browning the butter over medium heat. I don’t watch the clock. I watch the foam. Once it begins to clear and I see golden flecks on the bottom of the pan, I pour the butter into a heatproof bowl so it doesn’t keep cooking. While it cools, stir together the streusel ingredients until large crumbs form, then refrigerate it. Cold streusel keeps its craggy texture instead of melting into the tops of the muffins.
• Step Two (prepare the peaches and mix the batter)
  Dice the peaches into bite-sized pieces, pat them dry if they’re especially juicy, then toss them with flour. That keeps excess moisture in check and helps the peaches stay evenly distributed throughout the batter. Whisk together the cooled brown butter, oil, eggs, sugar, and salt, then whisk in the Greek yogurt, vanilla, and almond extract if you’re using it.
• Step Three (finish the batter)
  Fold the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon into the wet ingredients until a few streaks of flour remain. Then stop. Overmixing makes dense muffins. Fold in the peaches. The batter will be thick, and that’s exactly what you want because it keeps the peaches from sinking to the bottom.
• Step Four (fill and top the muffins)
  Divide the batter evenly among the muffin liners, filling each almost to the top. Scatter the cinnamon streusel over each muffin, then gently press a few of the larger crumbs into the batter so they stay put while the muffins bake. Finish with a sprinkle of coarse sugar.
• Step Five (bake the muffins)
  Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 350°F and continue baking until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack.
• Step Six (glaze)
  After the muffins have cooled for 15 to 20 minutes, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla until smooth, then drizzle it over the tops. Warm muffins absorb the glaze. Letting them cool first keeps it where it belongs, across the streusel instead of inside it. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe Tips

• Brown the butter by watching the foam instead of the clock. Once the foam pulls back and you see golden specks on the bottom of the pan, pour it into another bowl right away because it will keep cooking in the hot pan.
• Choose peaches that are ripe but still have some bite. Very soft peaches release more juice and fall apart while the muffins bake.
• Chill the streusel before using it. Cold butter holds the crumbs together longer in the oven, so you end up with larger cinnamon streusel pieces across the tops.
• Keep the oven door closed when you lower the temperature. That burst of heat at the beginning is what helps give the muffins their tall tops.
• Wait 15 to 20 minutes before glazing. Slightly cooled muffins keep the glaze on top of the streusel instead of soaking it in.

Storage

• Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• For longer storage, refrigerate them for up to 5 days. A quick 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave brings the muffins back to life.
• Freeze the muffins individually for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the microwave. The glaze softens after freezing, but the muffins still taste fantastic.

FAQs

• Can I use frozen peaches?
  Yes. Thaw them completely, drain off any excess liquid, and pat them dry before tossing them with flour. Extra moisture changes the texture of the batter.
• Do I have to use the almond extract?
  No. The muffins are delicious without it. I like adding it because it makes the peaches taste very peachy.
• Why did my streusel melt into the muffins?
  The butter was probably too warm or the streusel wasn’t chilled before baking. Cold streusel holds its crumbly texture much better in the oven.
• Can I skip the glaze?
  Yes. You’ll end up with more of a classic peach streusel muffin than a coffee cake muffin, and they’re still delicious.
• Can I use white or yellow peaches?
  Either one works well. I tested these with white peaches because they were the first ripe peaches at my farmers market, but yellow peaches are just as good. Use whichever looks best that day.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• I’ve decided not everything improves because I waited longer. It improves because I waited for the right thing.
• Time isn’t what changes everything. Timing does.
• Waiting can be easier when you know what you’re waiting for.
• There comes a point when hope stops being a substitute for ripeness.
• I’ve already spent enough time waiting for things that were never going to sweeten.
• Some seasons are too short to spend on disappointment.
• I don’t lower my standards because something is seasonal.
• When things only exist for a few weeks, they become unforgettable.
• There are things worth planning around.
• Every year gives me another chance to recognize what I missed the year before.
• Warmth doesn’t always ruin something. It’s usually how the sweetness makes itself known.
• The first bite confirms what you already suspected.
• Some of the best things come in already knowing who need to be.
• Not everything needs more. Sometimes it needs something that understands it.
• The best ingredients make room for each other.
• There’s a big difference between being ready and being available.
• It can be disappointing when things never become what I hoped they would. Moving on is growth.
• It’s funny how quickly certainty arrives when it’s real.
• There are ingredients that make a recipe. Then there are the ones that explain why it exists at all. Knowing the difference saves a lot of time.

More Fresh Fruit Baking Recipes

• Peach Cobbler Bundt Cake – bourbon caramel and fresh peaches
• Lemon Blackberry Bundt Cake – lemon soak, blackberry glaze
• Blackberry Crumble Bars – buttery oat crumble topping
• Fresh Cherry Berry Crisp – cherries and tart raspberries
• Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes – real cherry buttercream frosting

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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Brown Butter Peach Coffee Cake Muffins

Brown Butter Peach Coffee Cake Muffins are filled with fresh peaches and topped with cinnamon streusel, coarse sugar, and vanilla glaze. Browning the butter adds a nutty flavor that works especially well with peaches.

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword brown butter muffins, brown butter peach coffee cake muffins, fresh peach muffins, peach coffee cake muffins, peach muffins with vanilla glaze, peach streusel muffins, summer peach muffins

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Cooling: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 12 muffins

Calories 420kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• Saucepan (small) Browns the butter.
• mixing bowls (large and two small). For the batter and the streusel.
• whisk Mixes the wet ingredients.
• rubber spatula Folds the batter without overmixing.
• 2 12-Count Muffin Tin Baking every other well helps encourage taller muffin tops.
• muffin liners Prevents sticking.
• cooling rack Cools the muffins before glazing.

Ingredients

Muffins:

• ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter
• 1¼ cups (190 g) diced fresh peaches white or yellow
• 1 tsp (3 g) all-purpose flour for tossing the peaches
• ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil (melted coconut oil would also work, but it will add flavor)
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• ½ tsp (3 g) table salt
• 1 cup (245 g) full-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp (1 ml) almond extract optional
• 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tsps ( 8 g) baking powder
• ½ tsp (3 g) baking soda
• ½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon
• coarse white sugar for topping

Cinnamon Streusel:

• ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup (67 g) light brown sugar
• ½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 4 tbsps (57 g) unsalted butter melted

Vanilla Glaze:

• 1 cup (120 g) confectioners' sugar
• 3 tbsps (45 ml) heavy cream
• ½ tsp (2.5 ml) vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line two standard 12-cup muffin pans with 6 paper liners each, filling every other well to encourage taller muffin tops. If you only have one muffin pan, bake all 12 muffins together. The muffins will still turn out well, but the tops may not rise quite as high.
• Place the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until it melts, foams, and the milk solids turn deep golden brown, swirling the pan occasionally. As soon as the butter smells nutty and you see browned bits on the bottom of the pan, pour it into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
  ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter
• While the butter cools, stir together the streusel flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Pour in the melted butter and mix with a fork until large crumbs form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup (67 g) light brown sugar, ½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon, pinch of salt, 4 tbsps (57 g) unsalted butter
• Wash, dry, and dice the peaches into small bite-sized pieces. Pat them dry if they're especially juicy, then toss with 1 teaspoon (3 g) all-purpose flour to absorb excess surface moisture and help keep the peaches evenly distributed throughout the batter.
  1¼ cups (190 g) diced fresh peaches , 1 tsp (3 g) all-purpose flour
• In a large bowl, whisk together the cooled brown butter, vegetable oil, eggs, granulated sugar, and salt until smooth. Whisk in the Greek yogurt, vanilla extract, and almond extract, if using.
  ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar, ½ tsp (3 g) table salt, 1 cup (245 g) full-fat Greek yogurt, 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract, ¼ tsp (1 ml) almond extract
• Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Fold gently with a rubber spatula just until a few streaks of flour remain. Avoid overmixing, which can make the muffins dense. Fold in the peaches until evenly distributed. The batter will be thick.
  2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour, 2 tsps ( 8 g) baking powder, ½ tsp (3 g) baking soda, ½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon
• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin liners, filling each almost to the top. Generously sprinkle the streusel over each muffin, gently pressing a few of the larger crumbs into the batter so they stay in place while baking. Finish with a sprinkle of coarse sugar.
  coarse white sugar
• Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F (220°C). Without opening the oven door, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
• Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack.
• Once the muffins have cooled for 15 to 20 minutes, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle over the muffins. Waiting until they've cooled slightly helps the glaze stay on top instead of soaking into the streusel.
  1 cup (120 g) confectioners' sugar, 3 tbsps (45 ml) heavy cream, ½ tsp (2.5 ml) vanilla extract

Notes

• Browning the butter adds a rich, nutty flavor that pairs especially well with fresh peaches. Pour it into another bowl as soon as it's browned so it doesn't continue cooking.
• Slightly firm peaches work better than very ripe peaches because they hold together during baking.
• Pat especially juicy peaches dry before tossing them with flour to help prevent excess moisture in the batter.
• Refrigerating the streusel helps keep the crumbs larger instead of melting into the tops of the muffins.
• Fold the batter gently and stop mixing while a few streaks of flour remain to keep the muffins tender.
• Press a few of the larger streusel crumbs lightly into the batter so they stay in place while baking.
• Waiting until the muffins have cooled slightly before glazing helps the vanilla glaze stay on top of the streusel.

 

 

If you’re making these Brown Butter Peach Coffee Cake Muffins, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 135g | Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 250mg | Potassium: 165mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 420IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 2mg

Have you made these Brown Butter Peach Coffee Cake Muffins? I’d love to hear how they turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Brown Butter Peach Coffee Cake Muffins appeared first on Noble Pig.

No-Churn Blackberry Lemon Crumble à la Mode Ice Cream

I love blackberry ice cream, but I wanted something that tasted more like blackberry crumble with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting over the top. I ended up cooking the berries into a thick swirl, layering in buttery shortbread crumble, and adding lemon zest and juice until it gave me the flavor I was imagining, without needing an ice cream maker.

When you live in Oregon, blackberry season is impossible to ignore. They’re everywhere, wild and cultivated, and every year I start thinking about blackberry recipes way before the berries outside are ready. By the time they’re ripe, I already know what I want to make with them.

Blackberry and lemon will forever be one of my favorite combos because the lemon keeps the berries from tasting too sweet. I’ve made so many blackberry lemon desserts over the years, but turning them into a frozen version of blackberry crumble might be one of my favorites.

I also get lots of requests for no-churn ice cream recipes, and I understand it. Not everyone has or wants an ice cream maker. By making it this way, the whipped cream keeps the base light and scoopable, while the blackberry swirl and buttery crumble give it the texture I was after.

You can make this with grocery store berries any time of year, but when farmers market blackberries are at their peak, this is the recipe you’ll want waiting for them.

What Makes This Recipe Different

• I cook the blackberries down first instead of adding them straight into the ice cream. Fresh berries have a lot of water and can disappear once frozen, but cooking them gives you a thicker blackberry swirl that’s obvious in every scoop.
• I wanted this to taste more like eating my blackberry crumble with ice cream, so I layered the shortbread throughout instead of stirring it completely into the base.
• I use the lemon in both the ice cream and the crumble so it’s more noticeable. It keeps the berries from tasting too sweet and gives it more of a summery feel.
• Almond extract might not seem like an important add, but it does change the whole flavor. You really don’t taste almond as much as you notice something extra happening with the berries and shortbread.
• If you want even more blackberry, add fresh berries between the layers before freezing. The cooked swirl gives you the blackberry flavor, and the whole berries add texture.
• No ice cream maker needed, which I know a lot of you will appreciate.

Ingredients

• Fresh Blackberries – Cooked down so the blackberry flavor doesn’t fade once the ice cream freezes. Add extra whole berries between the layers and on top if you want even more blackberry.
• Granulated Sugar – Turns the berries into a jammy swirl instead of a thin fruit sauce.
• Fresh Lemon Juice and Zest – Blackberry and lemon are lovers. No notes. I use the juice and the zest so the lemon doesn’t get lost behind the blackberry.
• Heavy Whipping Cream – Whipped before folding into the base. This is what gives no-churn ice cream its creamy texture without needing an ice cream maker.
• Sweetened Condensed Milk – Adds sweetness and helps keep the ice cream smooth and scoopable after freezing.
• Almond Extract – You only need a little, but it adds something extra that goes really well with blackberries and shortbread.
• Fine Sea Salt – Makes the blackberry, lemon, and crumble flavors stand out.
• Shortbread Cookies – Crushed into crumbs to give the ice cream its blackberry crumble feeling instead of blackberry ice cream.
• Unsalted Butter – I mix it with the shortbread crumbs so they stay together throughout the ice cream.

How to Make Blackberry Crumble à la Mode Ice Cream

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (make the blackberry swirl)
  Add the blackberries, sugar, and lemon juice to a small saucepan and bring everything to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and pressing the berries against the side of the pan to help them release their juices. The mixture should cook down until it’s thick and jammy instead of a thin sauce. Let it cool completely, then press it through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds before layering it into the ice cream.
• Step Two (make the lemon crumble)
  Mix the crushed shortbread cookies with melted butter and lemon zest until the crumbs are evenly coated. Set the crumble aside while you make the ice cream base.
• Step Three (make the ice cream base)
  Whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, almond extract, and salt until smooth. In a separate chilled bowl, whip the cold heavy cream to stiff peaks, then gently fold it into the condensed milk mixture in several additions. Folding helps keep the air you whipped into the cream, which is what gives no-churn ice cream its texture.
• Step Four (layer the ice cream)
  Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper if you want to lift the ice cream out later, or use any freezer-safe container with enough room for layers. Add some of the ice cream base, followed by spoonfuls of blackberry swirl and lemon crumble. Repeat the layers until everything has been added, placing extra whole blackberries throughout if using.
• Step Five (create the swirls and freeze)
  Run a butter knife through the layers a few times to create blackberry ribbons without completely mixing everything together. The goal is to keep the pockets of blackberry, crumble, and ice cream separate so every scoop has a bit of everything. Cover tightly and freeze for at least 8 hours, or until firm enough to scoop.
• Step Six (scoop)
  Let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before scooping, especially if it has been frozen overnight. Add fresh blackberries, lemon zest, or extra crumble on top if you want the full blackberry crumble à la mode experience.

Recipe Tips

• Use a cold bowl for whipping the cream. It helps the cream whip faster and creates the texture you want before folding everything together.
• Let the blackberry mixture cool completely before adding it to the ice cream. Warm fruit will start melting the base before it ever gets to the freezer.
• Don’t worry about making perfect layers. Some areas will have more blackberry, some will have more crumble, and that’s what makes each scoop different.
• A metal loaf pan freezes the ice cream a little faster, but any freezer-safe container will work.
• Cover the ice cream well before freezing. No-churn ice cream absorbs freezer smells easily, and nobody wants blackberry lemon ice cream with a hint of frozen onion.
• For the best scoops, let the container sit out for a few minutes before digging in. Homemade ice cream needs a little time after coming out of the freezer.

Storage & Leftovers

• Keep the ice cream tightly covered in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
• For extra protection, press a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap against the surface before covering the container.
• If the ice cream has been frozen for several days, give it a few minutes on the counter before scooping.

FAQs

• Can I use frozen blackberries?
  Yes. Thaw them first and drain off any extra liquid before cooking. Frozen berries release more moisture, so they may need a few extra minutes on the stove.
• Do I have to remove the blackberry seeds?
  Technically, no. This comes down to texture. Straining gives you a smoother swirl, and I personally think the seeds are unpleasant in ice cream.
• Do I have to use parchment paper in the loaf pan?
  No. What’s fun about parchment is that you can lift out the whole loaf of ice cream and serve it in slices, which kind of goes with the à la mode theme. It’s completely your call.
• Can I make this ahead of time?
  Yes. Make it the day before you plan to serve it. That gives it plenty of time to freeze completely.
• Why is my ice cream too hard to scoop?
  Homemade ice cream freezes harder than store-bought because it doesn’t have the same stabilizers. A few minutes at room temperature makes a big difference.
• Can I use a different fruit?
  Yes. Raspberries or blueberries work well with the lemon and shortbread. The cooking time will change slightly depending on how much juice the fruit releases.
• Can I make this gluten free?
  Yes. Use your favorite gluten-free shortbread cookie for the crumble. I’ve had good results using Schär shortbread cookies. I’ve linked them in the recipe card.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• I don’t think everything should be blended together. Some things are better left to themselves.
• Everyone notices the berries first, but the crumble knows precisely what it brings.
• A little tartness has rescued more desserts than extra sugar ever has.
• There is a big difference between adding another ingredient and giving something a better conversation.
• Sometimes the best parts are never meant to stay on top.
• Not everything beautiful needs to be perfectly swirled.
• The best spoonful steals a little bit from every layer.
• Some things are worth waiting for, but I’ve never been good at pretending I’m not already thinking about them.
• Blackberries have their own timeline and they’ve never cared about mine.
• The blackberry does not need to become the ice cream. The ice cream does not need to become the blackberry. Some things are meant to come together without losing themselves.
• The best bites come from contrast.
• It’s human nature to complicate things that were already good.
• There is a difference between forcing something and giving it the right conditions. Some things are better when they have room to swirl.
• A blackberry ripple knows exactly how much space to take.
• The crumble does not need to become the ice cream to belong there.
• Sometimes the best part is finding yourself in the middle of something unexpected.
• There is a difference between needing something and being better next to it and because of it.
• The best pairings don’t erase what made each part good in the first place.
• The trick is knowing when something is finally ready to soften. In cooking and life.
• Not everything that melts is falling apart.
• The crumble was never missing anything. And neither was the ice cream. That’s why goes together.

Blackberry Season Favorites

• Blackberry Cobbler – classic biscuit topping, juicy berries.
• Lemon Blackberry Bundt Cake – lemon soak, fresh blackberry glaze.
• Blackberry Crumble Bars – buttery crust, blackberry filling.
• Blackberry Lemon Oat Muffins – buttermilk, oats, lemon glaze.
• Blackberry Jam – three ingredients, no pectin.
• Baseball Nut Ice Cream – Baskin-Robbins Copycat, blackberry jam
• Chocolate Blackberry Pavlovas – chocolate meringue, blackberry compote.

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Blackberry Crumble à la Mode Ice Cream

Blackberry Crumble à la Mode Ice Cream is a no-churn blackberry ice cream layered with thick blackberry ribbons, buttery shortbread crumble, and fresh lemon flavor. Inspired by blackberry crumble served à la mode, this homemade ice cream is creamy, scoopable, and doesn't require an ice cream maker.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Blackberry Crumble à la Mode Ice Cream, blackberry lemon ice cream, homemade blackberry ice cream, No Churn Ice Cream, no-churn blackberry ice cream

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Freezing Time 8 hours hours

Total Time 8 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 455kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• Saucepan (small) Cooks the blackberry swirl until thick and jam-like.
• mixing bowls One for the ice cream base and one for the whipping cream.
• hand mixer or stand mixer. Whips the cream to stiff peaks.
• rubber spatula Folds the whipped cream into the base without deflating it.
• large fine mesh sieve Removes the blackberry seeds for a smoother swirl.
• loaf pan 9x5 (23 x13 cm) or freezer safe-container. Holds the layered ice cream while it freezes.
• parchment paper (optional). Makes it easier to lift the ice cream from the loaf pan.

Ingredients

Blackberry Swirl:

• 2 cups (290 g) fresh blackberries
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tbsps (30 ml) fresh lemon juice

Lemon Crumble:

• 1 cup (100 g) shortbread cookies
• 2 tbsps (28 g) unsalted butter melted
• 1 tsp (2 g) lemon zest

Ice Cream Base:

• 1 (14 oz / 396 g) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tbsp (6 g) lemon zest
• 2 tbsps (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups (480 ml) heavy whipping cream
• ½ tsp (2.5 ml) almond extract
• ¼ tsp (1.5 g) fine sea salt

Instructions

• Add the blackberries, sugar, and lemon juice to a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and pressing the berries against the side of the pan to release their juices. Continue cooking until the mixture has thickened to a jam-like consistency. Remove from the heat and cool completely. For a smoother blackberry swirl, strain out the seeds before cooling if desired.
  2 cups (290 g) fresh blackberries, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 2 tbsps (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
• Combine the crushed shortbread cookies, melted butter, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Stir until the crumbs are evenly coated and set aside.
  1 cup (100 g) shortbread cookies, 2 tbsps (28 g) unsalted butter, 1 tsp (2 g) lemon zest
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, almond extract, and salt until smooth.
  1 (14 oz / 396 g) can sweetened condensed milk, 1 tbsp (6 g) lemon zest, 2 tbsps (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, ½ tsp (2.5 ml) almond extract, ¼ tsp (1.5 g) fine sea salt
• In a separate chilled bowl, whip the cold heavy cream to stiff peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the condensed milk mixture in several additions, using a spatula and a light hand to keep the mixture airy.
  2 cups (480 ml) heavy whipping cream
• Line a 9 x 5-inch (23 x 13 cm) loaf pan with parchment paper if desired for easier removal, or use any freezer-safe container that allows for layering. Spoon in a layer of the ice cream base, followed by some of the blackberry mixture and a handful of the lemon crumble. Repeat the layers until all of the ingredients have been used, adding the reserved whole blackberries between the layers if using.
• Swirl a butter knife through the layers a few times to create blackberry ribbons throughout the ice cream. Avoid overmixing so the swirls remain distinct.
• Cover tightly and freeze for at least 8 hours, or until firm enough to scoop.
• Let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh blackberries, additional lemon zest, or extra crumble, if desired.

Notes

• Cooking the blackberry mixture until it reaches a jam-like consistency creates thick ribbons that stay distinct throughout the ice cream.
• Straining the blackberry seeds is optional but creates a smoother swirl.
• Frozen blackberries can be substituted for fresh. Thaw them first, then cook as directed.
• Any freezer-safe container that allows you to build layers will work if you don't have a loaf pan.
• Butter cookies or graham crackers can be substituted for the shortbread cookies.
• For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free shortbread cookies such as Schär.
• If your blackberries are tart, add an extra tablespoon or two of sugar while cooking.
• Store tightly covered in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Let the ice cream stand at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before scooping.

 

 

If you’re making this Blackberry Crumble à la Mode Ice Cream, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card.

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 145g | Calories: 455kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 120mg | Potassium: 220mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 1080IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 160mg | Iron: 1mg

Have you made this Blackberry Crumble à la Mode Ice Cream? I’d love to hear how it turned out — leave a comment below and let me know.

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Blackberry Crumble à la Mode Ice Cream appeared first on Noble Pig.

S’mores Cookie Bars with Graham Cookie Dough

I wanted something different for my s’mores cookie bars, so I ended up skipping the usual separate graham cracker crust and baking the graham cracker flavor directly into a soft, homemade cookie dough. I also added a layer of marshmallow creme and milk chocolate that bakes right into the middle, while the pieces of cookie dough on top leave openings for toasted marshmallow to peek through. It’s like its own little marshmallow peep show.

I keep finding different ways to make s’mores without needing a campfire. I still remember grabbing the wrong end of a sparkler at a Fourth of July fireworks show when I was little. It took one time to teach five-year-old me that glowing metal is a lot hotter than it looks. I don’t remember much after that except how unbelievably bad it hurt. It wasn’t one of those burns you forget about ten minutes later. I remember my dad asking the people next to us if they had cold water because he needed to get my hand into something immediately before he hauled me off, slung over his shoulders. After that, everything’s kind of a blur, but I have never forgotten that moment.

Ever since, anytime I’ve held a metal skewer over a fire, I still feel a small flinch that says, don’t touch the hot end. It’s never gone away. I find it interesting how certain things stick with you, especially moments of physical pain. Growing up, that feeling returned most often while roasting marshmallows for s’mores. I found myself more cautious than everybody else, and a lot of the time someone else roasted my marshmallow for me because I couldn’t make myself do it.

I’m sure it’s part of the psychology of why I continue to make s’mores in unconventional ways. These days it also has a lot to do with where I live. By the time summer finally gets going in Oregon, my area is under a burn ban, so campfires and firepit fires aren’t something I can count on anyway.

Turns out none of it really matters. The best part of a s’more was never the stick.

What Makes This Recipe Different

• I took a different path with the crust and added graham cracker crumbs directly into the cookie dough instead. I wanted every bite to taste like a graham cracker instead of saving the familiar flavor for the bottom layer.
• I also tested these with regular mini marshmallows before switching to marshmallow creme. The marshmallows melted unevenly and left empty spots in the middle of the bars. Marshmallow creme spread into one continuous layer, stayed much softer after baking, and gave every square the gooey center I was imagining.
• Instead of covering the top with one solid layer of cookie dough, I flattened pieces of dough across the marshmallow and left little openings between them. Those gaps let the marshmallow bubble up and toast while the bars bake, and it’s one of my favorite parts of the finished bars.
• I split the chocolate chips into two layers for a reason. Some go into the cookie dough, so there’s chocolate in every single bite, while the rest go over the marshmallow layer where they melt into larger pockets throughout the bars. They may seem like they’re doing the same thing, but they really aren’t.

Ingredients

• Unsalted Butter – Softened butter gives the cookie dough its soft, chewy texture.
• Light Brown Sugar – Most of the sweetness comes from brown sugar because it gives the dough that graham cookie flavor.
• Granulated Sugar – Helps the tops brown while the brown sugar does everything else.
• Egg – Holds everything together without making the cookie layer cakey.
• Vanilla Extract – Brings all the flavors together without stealing the spotlight from the chocolate, graham crackers, or marshmallow.
• All-Purpose Flour – Gives the cookie dough enough support for the marshmallow layer while still baking up soft.
• Graham Cracker Crumbs – This is really what makes these different. Instead of becoming a separate crust, they are part of the cookie dough, so every bite tastes like a graham cracker.
• Baking Powder – Keeps the cookie dough thick without becoming dense.
• Salt – S’mores are already sweet. A little salt keeps all three flavors from blending into one.
• Milk Chocolate Chips – One portion gives you chocolate throughout the bars. The other melts into bigger pockets across the top.
• Marshmallow Creme – Adds the gooey marshmallow center that makes a s’more a s’more.

How to Make S’mores Cookie Bars

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (make the graham cookie dough)
  Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang to lift the bars out later. Beat the softened butter with both sugars until light and creamy, then mix in the egg and vanilla. Whisk together the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt, then stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips until they’re evenly distributed. Mixing the graham cracker crumbs directly into the dough instead of making a separate crust means every bite tastes like a graham cracker.
• Step Two (layer the bars)
  Press about two-thirds of the cookie dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. It will look thin, but the dough rises as it bakes. Dollop the marshmallow creme over the dough before spreading it into an even layer, then sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips over the top.
• Step Three (top the bars)
  Flatten pieces of the remaining dough with your hands before arranging them over the marshmallow, leaving small openings between them. Those gaps let the marshmallow bubble up and toast while the bars bake instead of staying hidden underneath.
• Step Four (bake and cool)
  Bake for 27 to 32 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is just set. Cool the bars completely in the pan before lifting them out with the parchment and slicing. As they cool, the marshmallow firms up enough to stay inside the bars while keeping that soft, gooey center.

Recipe Tips

• Drop spoonfuls of the marshmallow crème all over the cookie dough first, then connect them together with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon for the best result.
• The bottom layer of cookie dough is supposed to look thin. It bakes up thicker than you’d expect, so resist the urge to steal dough from the top.
• Flatten the pieces of dough before placing them over the marshmallow. They’ll bake more evenly and leave the openings where the marshmallow can bubble through and toast.
• Start checking the bars around the 27-minute mark. The center should look set, even if it still feels a little soft. They’ll continue to firm up as they cool.
• Give them time before slicing. The marshmallow stays soft, but cooling keeps the marshmallow from stretching halfway across the kitchen when you lift out the first bar.

Storage & Leftovers

• Store the cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
• If you like an even softer marshmallow center, warm an individual bar in the microwave for about 10 to 15 seconds before eating.
• Freeze the bars for up to 2 months with parchment paper between the layers. Thaw them at room temperature whenever the craving hits.

FAQs

• Can I use regular marshmallows instead of marshmallow creme?
  You can, but don’t. I tested them first, and they melted unevenly, leaving empty spots in the middle of the bars. Marshmallow creme gave me one continuous gooey layer from edge to edge.
• Why is the cookie dough so soft?
  It’s supposed to be. A softer dough spreads easily into the pan and bakes into a chewy cookie bar. If it starts sticking to your hands, lightly grease them instead of adding more flour.
• Why didn’t my marshmallow toast on top?
  The cookie dough probably covered it too completely. Leaving little openings between the pieces of dough gives the marshmallow room to bubble up and brown while the bars bake.
• Can I double the recipe?
  Yes. Double everything and bake the bars in a parchment-lined 9×13-inch pan. They’ll need a few extra minutes in the oven, so look for a golden top and a center that’s set.
• Can I use Hershey’s chocolate bars instead of chocolate chips?
  Yep. Break the chocolate into small pieces and scatter them over the marshmallow creme. It’ll look even more like a classic s’more.
• Should I eat them warm or cooled?
  Both are good, but for different reasons. Once they’ve cooled, they hold together. Warm one for about 10 seconds in the microwave, and you’ll swear it just came out of the oven.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• There are things that only have to hurt once and don’t need a refresher course.
• I’ve never picked up another sparkler. Apparently, my brain considers the lesson complete.
• The body remembers what the mind stops thinking about. Not every scar needs a reminder.
• Some memories don’t fade. They turn into instincts.
• Not every old fear deserves to run the show.
• There came a point where the story stopped being about what happened and started being about what I created because it did.
• Some of my best ideas have been disguised as workarounds.
• The hottest part isn’t always the one that’s glowing.
• People will spend their entire lives trying to keep everything confined. Marshmallows have always had other plans.
• Marshmallows have never respected boundaries and control has never made them more interesting.
• Not everything that bubbles up is a problem to solve, because there are things meant to ooze.
• There has always been a difference between falling apart and becoming gooey.
• I have come across individuals who can’t enjoy dessert unless it stays inside the lines. I’ve met you. I’m not that person.
• Some mistakes become traditions of their own. Mine became dessert.
• Recipes can take unexpected turns. This one started with a childhood sparkler injury and somehow ended with my own marshmallow attachment issues. Seems about right. Glad we all took this trip together.

More Unconventional Ways to Make S’mores

• S’mores Parfaits – Layered in individual dessert jars.
• Frozen S’mores Lasagna – No-bake and served frozen.
• Air Fryer S’mores Egg Rolls – Crispy outside, gooey inside.
• S’mores Pretzel Bites – Sweet, salty, and snackable.
• Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cookies – A peanut butter s’mores twist.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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S'mores Cookie Bars

These s'mores cookie bars combine graham cookie dough, marshmallow creme, and milk chocolate into thick dessert bars that taste like a classic s'more without a campfire. They're soft, chewy, gooey in the middle, and easy to slice once completely cooled.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate marshmallow bars, gooey s'mores bars, graham cookie dough, graham cracker cookie bars, marshmallow creme cookie bars, s'mores bars, s'mores cookie bars, summer dessert bars

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Cooling: 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes

Servings 9 to 16 bars

Calories 250kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• baking dish 8x8 Creates thick cookie bars.
• parchment paper Makes lifting the bars out of the pan easy.
• mixing bowls (large and medium) For preparing the cookie dough and whisking the dry ingredients.
• hand mixer or stand mixer. Creams the butter and sugars until light.
• rubber spatula Folds the dough together without overmixing.
• offset spatula or spoon. Helps spread the marshmallow creme evenly.

Ingredients

Graham Cookie Dough:

• ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter softened
• ⅔ cup (145 g) packed light brown sugar
• ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg room temperature
• 1½ tsps (7.5 ml) vanilla extract
• 1¼ cups (150 g) all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup (65 g) graham cracker crumbs
• ¾ tsp (3 g) baking powder
• ¼ tsp (1.5 g) table salt
• ¾ cup (57 g) milk chocolate chips

Filling:

• 1 (7 oz / 198 g) marshmallow creme
• ⅓ cup (57 g) milk chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line an 8x8-inch (20 x 20 cm) baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides.
• Beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with a hand mixer for 2 to 3 minutes until light and creamy.
  ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, ⅔ cup (145 g) packed light brown sugar, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• Mix in the egg and vanilla until fully combined.
  1 large egg, 1½ tsps (7.5 ml) vanilla extract
• Whisk together the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
  1¼ cups (150 g) all-purpose flour, ¾ cup (65 g) graham cracker crumbs, ¾ tsp (3 g) baking powder, ¼ tsp (1.5 g) table salt
• Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until a soft dough forms. Fold in the ¾ cup (128 g) milk chocolate chips.
  ¾ cup (57 g) milk chocolate chips
• Press about two-thirds of the dough into the prepared pan. The layer will seem thin but will rise as it bakes. Lightly greased hands make it easier to press the dough evenly.
• Dollop the marshmallow creme across the dough, then gently spread it into an even layer.
  1 (7 oz / 198 g) marshmallow creme
• Sprinkle the remaining ⅓ cup (57 g) milk chocolate chips evenly over the marshmallow layer.
  ⅓ cup (57 g) milk chocolate chips
• Flatten pieces of the remaining dough and arrange them across the top, leaving small openings so the marshmallow can puff through while baking.
• Bake for 27 to 32 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is just set.
• Cool completely in the pan before lifting out and slicing into bars.

Notes

• Dolloping the marshmallow creme before spreading makes it much easier to cover the dough evenly.
• The bottom layer of dough will look thin before baking. This is normal and creates the best cookie-to-filling ratio.
• Leave openings between the pieces of dough on top so the marshmallow can toast as the bars bake.
• For the cleanest slices, allow the bars to cool completely before cutting.

 

 

 

If you’re making this S'mores Cookie Bars, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card.

 

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

 

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 59g | Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 111mg | Potassium: 70mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 280IU | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg

Have you made these S’mores Cookie Bars? I’d love to hear how they turned out — leave a comment below and let me know.

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post S’mores Cookie Bars appeared first on Noble Pig.

Fresh Cherry Pie That Starts on the Stovetop

Fresh cherry pie has always been about one thing for me. I want to cut into it and see the filling stay in the pie instead of creeping out all over the plate. And that rarely happens. Fresh cherries release a lot of juice as they cook, so I started thickening the filling on the stovetop before assembling the pie instead of waiting for everything to happen in the oven. Once the pie cools, the filling stays put, inside the flaky homemade crust. The pie crust stays crisp underneath the filling instead of turning into a soggy mess.

I’ve been fresh cherry obsessed for as long as I can remember. In fact, I would be halfway up a cherry tree before anyone could stop me. Not that they were going to either. Every summer we’d drive out to Cherry Valley and Beaumont in Southern California to go cherry picking, and while the adults were organizing themselves with buckets, I was already climbing. If there was one thing I wasn’t afraid of, it was climbing a tree and scaling those extremely tall orchard ladders. When you’re five or six years old and weigh next to nothing, I could scooch way out onto branches the adults were never going to mess with, and that’s where all the best cherries were anyway.

I never came home clean. I’d sit up in the trees eating cherries until the juice was running down my arms, and into the creases of my elbows and neck, and all over the front of whatever T-shirt I was wearing. I was so completely sticky and filthy, and couldn’t have cared less. I probably ate as many cherries sitting in those trees as we picked. Those were the best days.

My parents’ friends, Leo and Sally, had a chicken farm out that way, and we’d always stop to visit on the way home. My mom would bring them cherries, and while the adults hung out, Sally would hand me a basket and let me run around and grab fresh eggs to take home. The chickens were everywhere. I guess we’d call that free range nowadays. Then we’d sit down to bowls of ice cream topped with some of the fresh cherries we picked that day before heading home. At some point my mom would make cherry ice cream and at least one or two cherry pies. My mom was quite skilled at making pie crust. I’ll give her that. And fresh cherry pie became a reliable part of my summers growing up.

Now I have a couple of cherry trees of my own here in Oregon, although whether I get cherries depends on the year. They’re more weather-dependent than anything I’ve ever grown, and when they do have a good crop, the birds usually decide they’re ripe about five minutes before I do. Most years I head out to the Columbia River Gorge during cherry season instead, climbing the ladders, wishing I could still shimmy out on the branches, but always filling a bag or two, and coming home to make pie.

Cherry season doesn’t last very long around here or anywhere really. I think that’s part of why it always feels special. The way I make the pie has changed a little over the years, too. I wanted the filling to be thick enough that it stayed inside the pie where it belongs instead of escaping onto the plate like a river. After enough summers of tinkering with it, this is how I’m doing it now.

What Makes This Recipe Different

• One of my biggest issues with fresh cherry pie is the juice chaos caused by the cherries releasing their juices for the first time inside the oven. I wanted to take care of that before I put together the pie by cooking the filling on the stovetop first. This way, the cherries have a chance to release their juices before baking, and the cornstarch is already fully activated. I already know how thick the filling is before it ever reaches into the crust.
• I also started roughly chopping the cherries instead of leaving them whole. Whole cherries leave these big gaps in the filling and make the slices harder to serve neatly. Chopping them helps the fruit come together evenly, so every slice is packed with cherries instead of large pockets that want to fall apart and roll around the minute you cut into the pie.
• When I make pie dough, I skip the pastry cutter step altogether and grate frozen butter directly into the flour. The shreds of butter stay cold as they’re mixed into the dough and create the flaky layers we all want in our pie crust. It’s become my favorite way to make pie crust because it’s simple and the results are consistent.
• Once the lattice is finished, I put the pie into the refrigerator before the oven. Rolling, weaving, and handling the dough warms the butter, so giving the assembled pie time to chill again helps firm everything back up. That’s how the crust bakes up flaky. It’s not the same without this step.
• I also bake the pie at two temperatures. Starting with higher heat to set the crust, then lowering the temperature so the filling has enough time to bubble without the pastry getting too dark.

Ingredients

• All-Purpose Flour – Makes a pie crust that’s flaky but still strong enough to hold the cherry filling without falling apart.
• Granulated Sugar – A little goes into the pie dough, while the rest sweetens the cherries.
• Table Salt – Belongs in both the crust and the filling and helps balance the sweetness.
• Unsalted Butter – I freeze the butter first, then grate it directly into the flour instead of cutting it into cubes. The little shreds stay cold and distribute throughout the dough, and help create flaky layers as the pie bakes. European-style butter is preferred because it has less water content and more butterfat.
• Ice Water – Cold water helps bring the dough together while keeping the butter as cold as possible.
• Fresh Sweet Cherries – I usually make this pie with Bing cherries, although any sweet cherry is fine. I roughly chop them instead of leaving them whole so every slice has a more even layer of fruit.
• Fresh Lemon Juice – Balances the sweetness of the cherries without making the pie taste lemony.
• Cornstarch – Thickens the filling. Since I cook the cherries on the stovetop first, the cornstarch is already fully activated before the pie ever goes into the oven.
• Vanilla Extract – Adds warmth.
• Almond Extract – You only need a small amount, and it’s one of the best flavor pairings with cherries.
• Egg – Brushed over the lattice before baking for a shiny, golden crust.
• Turbinado Sugar – Completely optional, but I love sprinkling a little over the egg wash because it adds a light crunch and sparkle to the finished pie.

How to Make Fresh Cherry Pie

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (make the pie dough)
  Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Grate the frozen butter directly into the flour, tossing it into the flour every so often so the shreds stay coated instead of clumping together. Add the ice water and use your hands to bring the dough together. If it still feels a little dry, add another tablespoon or two of water until it holds together when you squeeze it. Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a disc, wrap them well, and refrigerate for at least an hour.
• Step Two (cook the cherry filling)
  Pit and roughly chop the cherries, then stir them together with the lemon juice, cornstarch, sugar, salt, vanilla, and almond extract in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the filling comes to a boil, then keep cooking for about 5 minutes until it’s thickened. You’ll know it’s ready when the juices lose that cloudy look and become shiny. Let the filling cool until it’s warm or completely cool before you start assembling the pie.
• Step Three (assemble the pie)
  Roll one disc of dough into a circle about ⅛-inch thick and fit it into a 9-inch pie plate, leaving a little overhang around the edges. Spoon in the cooled cherry filling. Roll out the second disc, cut it into strips, and weave the lattice over the top. Trim away the extra dough, crimp the edges, brush everything with the egg wash, and sprinkle with turbinado sugar if you’re using it.
• Step Four (chill and bake)
  Slide the assembled pie back into the refrigerator while the oven preheats. After all the rolling and weaving, I like giving the butter a chance to firm back up before it goes into the oven. Bake the pie at 400°F for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven to 350°F and keep baking until the crust is golden brown and the cherry filling is bubbling right through the center of the lattice, not just around the edges. If the crust starts getting darker than you’d like, loosely cover the edges with foil or a pie shield.
• Step Five (let it cool)
  Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let it cool completely before slicing. I know it’s tempting to cut into it while it’s still warm, but this is when the filling finishes setting. Give it the time it needs, and you’ll be rewarded with slices that stay where they’re supposed to instead of leaving half the filling behind on the plate.

Recipe Tips

• If your cherries are super juicy, let the filling simmer another minute or two before taking it off the heat. I’d much rather thicken it on the stovetop than wish I had after the pie comes out of the oven.
• If the dough becomes soft while you’re rolling or weaving the lattice, slide it back into the refrigerator for a few minutes before continuing. Cold dough is easier to roll, weave, and crimp.
• If you’re using a cherry pitter, wear an apron. Cherry juice has a way of finding the one shirt you don’t want to stain.
• A metal pie plate will give you more browning on the bottom crust than glass, but either works well with this recipe. I prefer glass.

Storage & Leftovers

• Cover the pie loosely and keep it at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate it for up to 5 days if your kitchen is warm.
• I like this pie even more the next day. The filling firms up a little more overnight, making the slices easier to serve.
• If you want to warm a slice, a few minutes in a 300°F oven works better than the microwave if you want to keep the crust crisp.

FAQs

• Can I use frozen cherries?
  Yes. Thaw them first and drain away any excess liquid before making the filling. Frozen cherries release more juice than fresh, so you may need to simmer the filling a little longer until it reaches the same consistency.
• Can I use sour cherries instead of sweet cherries?
  Yes. Sour cherries make good pie, but you’ll want to increase the sugar since they’re much more tart than Bing or other sweet cherries.
• Do I have to make a lattice crust?
  Not at all. A full top crust works just as well. Be sure to cut a few vents in the top so steam can escape while the pie bakes.
• Why grate the butter instead of cutting it into cubes?
  This is an easy way to distribute the butter evenly through the dough without pulling out a pastry cutter. It mixes in quickly while leaving plenty of small pieces that make the flaky layers.
• Why is my cherry pie runny?
  Usually one of two things happened. Either the pie was sliced before it had completely cooled, or the filling didn’t spend enough time thickening on the stovetop or bubbling in the oven.
• Can I make this pie ahead of time?
  Yes. It’s a great make-ahead dessert. Bake it the day before you plan to serve it, and the filling will be even better the next day.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• The best fruit is almost always worth the inconvenience.
• A pie doesn’t care how impatient you are.
• Sometimes what I’ve been waiting for has a very short season.
• Lots of things fall apart because somebody cut into them too soon.
• A lot of opportunities don’t disappear. They get eaten by birds.
• The sweetest things usually leave a mark.
• Not everything needs another sign. They’re already ripe.
• There are rituals that stain your hands way after you’re finished with them.
• All things that make aren’t necessarily a mistake.
• The hardest part isn’t making the pie. It’s waiting long enough to cut the first slice.
• Some days perfection matters. Cherry pie has never been one of them.
• Some things spend all year becoming ready and disappear in two weeks. Maybe that’s part of why they’re important.
• We all think timing is about clocks. Nature has never agreed with that.
• Some of us weave everything togehter justright, and there are may of us who keep going until it holds together itself. Both usually end up with pie.
• The filling was always going to get hot. That was the whole idea.
• Certain processes look like patience from the outside and fear from the inside. I recognize them both.
• Sometimes the best things don’t stay very long. That doesn’t make them any less worth waiting for.
• There is a point where protecting the crust stops it from becoming pie. That’s not just about pie.
• There are people who mistake hesitation for wisdom. The fruit doesn’t.
• Trees and people can spend their whole lives becoming ready for a moment they never allow to arrive.
• There are people who wait for certainty. Cherry season has never worked that way. Sometimes you don’t need more time. You only need to preheat the oven.

More Summer Fruit Desserts

• Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes – Cherry buttercream from preserves.
• Fresh Cherry Coconut Chocolate Chip Ice Cream – Coconut ice cream, cherries, chocolate.
• Lemon Blackberry Bundt Cake – Lemon soak, fresh blackberry glaze.
• Peach Cobbler Bundt Cake with Bourbon Caramel – Peach cake with bourbon caramel.
• Coconut Peach Crisp – Buttery oat topping, ripe peaches.

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Fresh Cherry Pie

This Fresh Cherry Pie starts with homemade pie dough made from grated frozen butter for a flaky crust, then fills it with fresh cherries cooked on the stovetop before baking. The filling thickens before it reaches the oven, giving the pie a head start and helping it slice neatly once cooled.

Course Dessert, Pie

Cuisine American

Keyword best cherry dessert, cherry dessert, cherry pie, cherry pie recipe, cherry pie with lattice crust, classic cherry pie, fresh cherry dessert, fresh cherry pie, fresh cherry pie filling, homemade cherry pie, lattice cherry pie, summer cherry pie

Prep Time 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes minutes

Chilling + Cooling: 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 4 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 515kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• mixing bowls (large). For mixing the pie dough.
• measuring cups and spoons For ingredient accuracy.
• box grater To grate the frozen butter.
• Saucepan (medium). For cooking the cherry filling.
• cherry pitter (optional) or metal straw. Speeds up pitting the cherries.
• pastry brush To brush the egg wash on the lattice crust.
• 9-inch pie plate (23 cm) For baking the pie.
• pastry wheel (optional) or knife. Makes the lattice crust strips.
• pie shield (optional) or foil. To keep your pie crust edges from burning.

Ingredients

Pie Dough:

• 2½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp (6 g) table salt
• 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter frozen
• ¼ cup (60 ml) ice water plus 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 ml) more if needed

Cherry Filling:

• 4½ cups fresh cherries pitted and roughly chopped (about 1 ½ pounds / 680 g pitted, or about 3 pounds / 1.4 kg whole cherries before pitting)
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
• ⅓ cup (40 g) cornstarch
• ⅔ cup (135 g) granulated sugar
• ½ tsp (3 g) table salt
• 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp (1 ml) almond extract

Topping:

• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) water
• 2 tbsps (24 g) turbinado sugar (optional, for sprinkling after egg wash)

Instructions

• Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
  2½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar, 1 tsp (6 g) table salt
• Grate the frozen butter directly into the flour, tossing it every so often so the shreds stay coated instead of clumping together.
  1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter
• Pour in the ice water and use your hands to bring the dough together. If the dough still looks dry, add another tablespoon or two (15-30 ml) of ice water until it holds together when squeezed. Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  ¼ cup (60 ml) ice water
• Pit the fresh cherries. If you don't have a cherry pitter, place a cherry on the neck of a small bottle and push a metal straw through the center to remove the pit. Roughly chop the cherries so they distribute more evenly throughout the filling.
  4½ cups fresh cherries
• Combine the chopped cherries, lemon juice, cornstarch, sugar, salt, vanilla, and almond extract in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil, stirring frequently. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes, until the filling has thickened and the cornstarch is fully cooked. Remove from the heat and let the filling cool until warm or completely cool before assembling the pie.
  1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, ⅓ cup (40 g) cornstarch, ⅔ cup (135 g) granulated sugar, ½ tsp (3 g) table salt, 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract, ¼ tsp (1 ml) almond extract
• Roll one disc of dough into a circle about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick. Fit it into a 9-inch (23 cm) pie dish, leaving a little overhang around the edges. Spoon the cooled cherry filling into the crust.
• Roll out the second disc of dough and cut it into strips about ½ inch (1.25 cm) wide. Arrange half of the strips across the pie, then weave the remaining strips over and under to form a lattice top. Trim away the excess dough, then crimp the edges to seal.
• Whisk together the egg and water. Brush the lattice with the egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar, if using.
  1 large egg , 2 tbsps (24 g) turbinado sugar, 1 tbsp (15 ml) water
• Refrigerate the assembled pie for about 45 minutes while the oven preheats to 400°F (200°C). Chilling the pie helps the butter firm up again before baking.
• Bake for 15 minutes at 400°F (200°C). Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for about 35 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the cherry filling is bubbling through the lattice. If the crust begins browning too quickly, loosely cover the edges with foil or a pie shield.
• Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let it cool completely before slicing. The filling continues to set as the pie cools, making neater slices.

Notes

• European-style butter, such as Kerrygold, has a higher butterfat content and makes an especially flavorful pie crust.
• Cooking the filling before assembling the pie gives the cornstarch time to fully thicken the cherry juices before baking.
• Let the filling cool before adding it to the crust to help prevent a soft bottom crust.
• A lattice top allows steam to escape while the pie bakes, but a solid top crust with a few vents also works well.
• The pie slices best after cooling completely, and I think it's even better the next day.

 

 

If you’re making this Fresh Cherry Pie, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card.

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 185g | Calories: 515kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 387mg | Potassium: 255mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 900IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 2mg

Have you made this Fresh Cherry Pie? I’d love to hear how it turned out — leave a comment below and let me know.

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