With the pie dough made in advance, these sweet little pops were a cinch to make. The Nutella bakes up almost brownie like, which makes these pops totally irresistible. Of course, you can substitute Nutella with your favorite filling. The possibilities are practically endless – peanut (or other nut) butter, strawberries or other berries, apples, cherries, peaches, pumpkin. You get the idea. And while I think the pop aspect of these makes them super fun, you can obviously leave out the stick and have Nutella hand pies.

I spent a lot of time thinking about foods to serve at Clara’s party, more than I should probably admit. I went through several drafts of the menu and found myself going back over it even after I swore I was done. I finally had it just the way I wanted when it hit me – what if the kids at the party don’t like any of these foods? Granted, Clara’s party was mostly adults, but I didn’t want to leave our younger guests without any snacks. I had considered hand pies in one of my earlier menu drafts but never decided on a filling and ended up scrapping the idea. As soon as I thought about them being a kid-friendly food, I knew it had to be ham and cheese. After all, that’s a classic combination that most little ones seem to enjoy. The hand pies would be small enough for little hands, and I knew they were the perfect last-minute addition to the menu.

These hand pies are basically homemade Hot Pockets, and they were devoured at the party. Our guests loved these. I mean, really loved them, which makes it kind of weird for me to say these hand pies were literally homemade pie dough, ham and cheese. That’s it! Oh, and a little sprinkling of sea salt just before baking. Making them was super easy since we cooked and froze them ahead of time. We only had to reheat them the day of the party. Score!

Pie dough is one of those things that tends to intimidate people, but I’m here to tell you it’s not as complicated as it seems. I think everyone should have a go-to pie dough recipe, and this one has certainly become mine (since I made a ton of it for Clara’s first birthday party). Let me start by saying this is not an all butter pie dough (blasphemy!), but I have my reasons for choosing this recipe after trying many others. During Big Summer Potluck last year, Pam Anderson talked about testing recipes for America’s Test Kitchen. I already knew they put each recipe through rigorous testing, but hearing her explain how methodical and detailed these tests were gave me even more faith in ATK. So if they say the combination of butter and shortening will yield the best pie dough, I’m going to believe them. The other reason I chose this recipe is that I knew from prior experience that doughs made with shortening handle much more easily than all butter doughs, and I needed something easy to work with since I was making several recipes with this dough.

This pie dough is perfect in every way. The butter gives the crust that rich flavor that shortening alone can’t achieve, and the shortening makes the crust extremely tender and flaky. You get the ease and texture of a shortening dough with all the flavors of a butter one, which is pretty much the best thing ever. You can make dough several different ways – in the food processor like I did, in a stand mixer or even by hand – and they’ll all yield similar results. Give it a try! I promise you that once you’ve made and tasted homemade pie crust, you’ll never want to use store-bought again.

I’ve included a step-by-step photo of the dough as it changes with each step so that you can have a visual of what to expect the dough to look like as you proceed with the recipe.

PS – Have you entered my Theo Chocolate giveaway? Details are on this post, and the giveaway is open until Friday. 

This recipe is obviously one for chocolate lovers. It starts with a chocolate tart dough that comes together quickly in the food processor or by hand. After the tart shell is baked, it’s filled with a lusciously smooth chocolate and cream mixture (see, just like truffles). After some time in the fridge to set up, this tart is ready to eat. I changed things up a bit by using a different type of chocolate than I typically would in a recipe like this. Remember when I visited Monticello a few months ago? I watched a chocolate making demonstration and tasted a colonial-era chocolate recipe while I was there. (I wrote about some of the history of chocolate in colonial America in that post, so I won’t go into detail again here.) The flavor was so unique, different than the chocolate we’re used to today. I thought that the spices in that chocolate would fit well in a recipe like this, and I was right. Hints of the cinnamon and orange come through in this tart, giving it a little bit of winter warmth and making it perfect for this time of year.

Even though I can’t make a tart to send to each one of you, I do have a little surprise that you can use to make your own. The people at American Heritage Chocolate were generous enough to give me two chocolate packages to send to readers, so head on over to the giveaway page for your chance to win!

This recipe is about as simple as a dessert can be, and you can even make the tart dough ahead of time to cut down on day-of prep. You don’t even need a stand mixer for the filling, just a bowl and a whisk. The texture is similar to pumpkin pie, but the flavor is a step above. The spices add all the flavors you would expect from a fall dessert, and the bourbon adds a hint of something special. I’m not sure I’d be able to recognize it as bourbon if I hadn’t put it in there myself, but it definitely adds a distinguishing flavor. I was a bit hesitant to add the full half-teaspoon of cloves since I’m not a huge clove fan, but I followed the recipe and am so glad I did. The amount of spice in this tart is simply perfect and only helps to elevate the pumpkin flavor. If you really want to take this over the top, make whipped cream with a splash of bourbon and pipe it around the borders (just don’t make the mistake I did and pipe it while the tart is still warm). So, to recap, we’ve got bourbon and pumpkin, two things that are practically a necessity for family holiday gatherings (at least in my family). Replace your pumpkin pie with this tart for Thanksgiving, and I promise everyone will be thanking you.

I’ve had this torte on my to-make list for what seems like forever, but the right event just never seemed to pop up. I don’t necessarily need a reason to bake something, but making something like this for only Eric and I is dangerous. Can you imagine having this whole thing in the house, for you to get a piece of whenever you like? (Actually that sounds nice, but I really would have no self control around this torte.) Thankfully, our friend Dan gave us a reason to celebrate recently when he finished his master’s program. I found out from his girlfriend that he loves the chocolate peanut butter combo, and I knew right away that this would be my contribution to his graduation party. So thanks, Dan, for giving me a reason/excuse to finally make this.

Peanut butter and chocolate are good enough on their own and pretty unbeatable when they’re together. It’s a classic combination taken to the next level with this torte. It’s the definition of decadent – a thick Oreo crust surrounds a light and fluffy peanut butter mousse that’s studded with chocolate chips and peanuts. The whole thing is covered in dark, rich chocolate ganache and finished with even more peanuts. I mean seriously, how much more awesome could it get? This dessert is sure to be a crowd pleaser, and it definitely went over well with Dan’s party guests. Eric and I snuck a taste before the party, you know, just to make sure it was as delicious as it looked. ;) I had another (smaller) slice at the party because it was just that good. I tried to resist, but ultimately ended up giving in. Writing this post has made me crave this like you wouldn’t believe, so I may be making another one soon.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte
Makes 1 (9-inch) torte

Ingredients:
For the crust:
32 Oreo cookies, finely processed into crumbs
5 1/3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Small pinch of salt

For the crunch:
1/2 cup salted peanuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash of ground nutmeg

For the filling:
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter (not natural)
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/4 cup salted peanuts, finely chopped

For the topping:
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/3 cup salted peanuts, finely chopped

To make the crust, preheat oven to 350º. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and set it on a baking sheet. Combine the Oreo crumbs, melted butter and salt in a medium bowl. Toss with a fork to moisten all the crumbs, then press into the bottom and sides of the prepared springform pan. Freeze the crust for 10 minutes, then bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before filling.

To make the crunch, combine the peanuts, chocolate chips, sugar, espresso powder, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl. Set aside.

To prepare the filling, whip the heavy cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until it holds medium peaks. Beat in 1/4 cup of confectioners’ sugar and continue whipping until medium-firm peaks form. Transfer to a medium bowl and refrigerate until needed. Wipe out the mixer bowl (no need to wash) and replace the whisk with the paddle attachment. Beat the cream cheese and remaining 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar on medium speed until smooth. Add the peanut butter, milk and peanuts and continue beating until combined.

Using a rubber spatula, gently stir in about 1/4 of the whipped cream just to lighten the mixture. Stir in the crunch, then gently fold in the remaining whipped cream. Scrape the mousse into the crust and smooth the top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, making sure to cover with plastic wrap as soon as the mousse feels firm.

To finish the torte, place the chocolate in a small bowl. Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan and pour over the chocolate. Allow to sit for about 2 minutes, then gently stir with a rubber spatula until smooth. Pour the ganache over the torte, using an offset spatula to smooth it. Sprinkle the peanuts over the top and chill for at least 20 minutes or until the ganache has set. Once the ganache is firm, carefully remove the sides of the springform pan. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Source: Baking: From My Home to Yours via Annie’s Eats

I haven’t made many pies since I started baking.  I’ve made a few here and there for different holidays, but that’s about it.  Unfortunately, this is quite apparent in my subpar pie crust shaping skills.  Not to worry, though, because I plan on practicing those skills by making this pie again soon.  I usually don’t repeat recipes so quickly, but this pie was just that good.

This pie only calls for a few simple ingredients and is a cinch to make, especially if you make the crust the day before.  The filling – a combination of cream cheese, sugar and heavy cream – is light and fluffy.  The almond extract gives the filling a great, unexpected flavor.  The slight tartness of the strawberries pairs perfectly with the creamy filling, and a drizzle of chocolate finishes it off.  I went a little crazy with my chocolate, but if there’s one thing better than strawberries and cream, it’s strawberries and cream covered in chocolate.

Three recipes in, and I still have quite a few strawberries.  Make sure to come back tomorrow and Friday to see what I’ll make with the rest of them!