Blissfully Simple: recipe

recipe

Jeans. Boots with the fur... anyone? anyone?! Anytime I hear the words "apple butter" all I think of is "Low" by Flo Rida from like 2007. Well, regardless of what you think of when you hear the words "apple butter" when you make this in your home, nothing will smell better. It is truly the scent of "homey".

This year, the apple procurement looked a little different-- so on par with 2020 (😒). Anthony and I went to pick some lovely apples at a local orchard and low and behold, they were done with picking. Got all dressed up and literally walked into their store and picked bags of apples off the shelf. So sad. But here we are making apple butter outta apples!

This is a recipe that I try to make every year and then can it and give it to people I love or I'm trying to impress (aka some new neighbors)! You really can't go wrong with apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg. I mean those are the same ingredients in apple pie and in apple pies from McDonald's which is easily the best thing on their menu (don't @ me).

Anyway, enough about me. Please continue on for this recipe! It made for roughly six 12 ounce mason jars. If that seems like too much for you, feel free to cut in half or even thirds it! The ingredients should make that possible! Additionally, if you are looking to can these babies, please see this resource: canning apple butter.

Ingredients:

15 apples
3 cups of apple cider
2 tablespoons of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of white sugar
1/4 cup of maple syrup
4 cinnamon sticks

Instructions:

Cut the apples into small pieces. I leave the skins on for a little texture. Don't worry they break down as the apples stew!
Place the apple pieces into a pot that is big enough that the apples only reach halfway up the pot. Set the heat on medium.
Add the 3 cups of apple cider, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, white sugar, and maple syrup. Stir until completely combined.
Add the cinnamon sticks.
Bring the apples to a simmer. Let simmer at medium heat for about 20 mins stirring frequently.
Once you see the apples starting to breakdown, bring the heat down to medium-low for another 30-45 minutes. You should see the color start to darken.
Remove from heat and let cool for about an hour.
Once the heat of the apple butter has cooled significantly, add to a blender and smooth or use a masher to smooth, or use an immersion blender to smooth.
Add the apple butter back into the pot and put on low for another 15 mins and the apple butter is good to go!
You can eat right then and there or can the apple butter as the next step!

I love apple butter in things like plain oatmeal (as pictured above), on a cheeseboard served with a soft cheese like a brie (YUM), spread it on your morning toast, spice up a PB&J and make it a PB&A(B). The possibilities are endless! How do you like to eat your apple butter? Let me know!

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Favorite Holiday Bakes

11:31 AM

Hi loves! The countdown to Christmas is on with only four days left. I wanted to share with you one of my favorite bakes during the holidays. If you know me, you know that baking is one of my absolute favorite pastimes. I know it's not an option, but I think it's my love language. Filling up the bellies of my loved ones has to be my favorite thing to do. Today, I wanted to share with you a goodie I've been making for the holidays for eight years straight! It has become quite the tradition.

It all started my freshman year of college when I was home for winter break. My parents have been throwing Christmas parties since the first year they started dating-- I think this year is the 34th year! I was home with not much to do so my mom tasked me with making homemade goodies for the dessert table. One of the recipes she gave me was an old magazine clipping from a 2001 issue of Food and Wine. It was a recipe for Almond and Cranberry Biscotti. It was an instant hit! You can find the recipe here.

B's Notes:

I want to let you know that when I make the biscotti I always DOUBLE the recipe. If you're making it as a gift for co-workers, loved ones, etc., I recommend quadrupling the recipe.
To make the biscotti a little more special, I like to dip them in chocolate. Here's how I do it

Prepare tray or two with wax paper
Set up a double boiler-- pot with a small amount of water in it with a glass bowl on top of the pot
Bring water for a medium boil

Make sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl

Once the bowl is heated, pour a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips in the bowl
Stir until the chocolate is melted
Take the end of the biscotti and dip it into the chocolate
Place the dipped biscotti on the wax paper
Once they're all dipped, let them cool and harden.

For gifts:

Prepare cute little tags with a hole punch
Weave through the hole a piece of twine
Place biscotti in decorative bags
Tie the tag and twine around the bag opening
Gift to your loved ones!

What are your holiday baking traditions? I'd love to know! Until next time, I wanted to say Happy Holidays from B to you! 💗

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French Meyer Lemon Tart with a Homemade Blueberry Sauce

9:19 AM

I was French for the day when I made this tart. I put on my beret, smoked a couple cigarettes (kidding), and made this beautiful French masterpiece. I really feel as though I channeled my inner Julia Child.

The flavor combination of lemon and blueberry is absolutely stunning. Lemon is a naturally bright flavor and when you combine the two they really compliment one another perfectly.

The custard's texture is beyond heavenly. Believe me, you will want to be licking it off the plate when the crust is all gone.

**I want to note that I got this recipe from Food and Wine and adapted it to make my own version of the classic French tart. If you want to know how I made it, read on.

PASTRY

2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch dice

FILLING

4 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice (from about 4 Meyer lemons)
Pinch of salt
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
2 tablespoons of Meyer lemon zest

BLUEBERRY SAUCE

1 1/2 cups of fresh blueberries
1 cup of water
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon of lemon juice (about a half of 1 lemon)
1 tablespoon of Meyer lemon zest
1 tablespoon of cornstarch

Okay, so now that you have all of your ingredients ready, here's how to make it (be patient):

1. Pastry: In a small bowl, whisk together the cream with the egg yolk. In another bowl, combine the 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons of flour with the sugar and salt. Next, using two knives or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the butter is crumbled into the flour. DO NOT USE YOUR HANDS- the butter will start to melt and you do not want that to happen. To the flour and butter mixture, add the whisked egg yolk and cream. Mix that together gently using a spatula. Sprinkle some flour onto the counter and gently knead the dough together until it is combined. Wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for an hour.
2. PASTRY: Preheat the oven to 375° and coat a 9-inch tart dish with a removable bottom with oil spray (I used olive oil). On a floured work surface, roll out the pastry to a 12-inch round and ease it into the pan, pressing it into the corners. Be sure to work the pastry around the corners so you create the perfect crust. Roll the rolling pin over the tart pan to cut off any excess pastry. Refrigerate the tart for 10 minutes.
3. PASTRY: Place parchment paper over the crust and fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Bake in the center of the oven for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the paper and weights and bake the tart shell for 15 minutes longer. You are blind baking the tart shell so you want to constantly check the tart to make sure the edges don't burn. When the tart is golden brown, take it out and let it cool completely.
4. FILLING: Set a strainer of a bowl next to the stove- you will use it after the custard has cooked. In a large saucepan, combine the whole eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice and salt and whisk until smooth. Cook the custard over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the custard thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and add the butter a few pieces at a time, gently whisking until incorporated. Immediately strain the filling into the bowl. With a spatula, mix in the two tablespoons of the lemon zest. Scrape the filling into the cooled tart shell and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.
5. BLUEBERRY SAUCE: In a small small saucepan, combine the blueberries, water, sugar, and lemon juice. On medium heat, cook the sauce until the blueberries start to break and the sauce starts to thicken, stirring occasionally. In a small bowl, mix together cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water. When the sauce has thickened, add the cornstarch mixture. You'll know the sauce is ready when it can coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat or keep it warm until you're ready to serve it with the tart.
6. TART: Remove the tart from the fridge and push the tart up to remove the ring. Cut the tart into wedges and serve with the blueberry sauce, warm or cold.