Posts in dessert
peach + berry pie

despite basically being a cake pusher, i would much rather eat a pie. every birthday of my childhood i requested strawberry pie and when it comes down to it, i will ALWAYS pick a fruity pie over a slice of cake.

BUT i will admit, i’ve spent so much of my cooking career making cake, that i am not a great pie baker. so i am trying to step up my game. enter this gem of a summer dessert.

now, i understand the pureness of only using one fruit for a pie. but i’m a more the merrier kind of gal. so this pie offers up some of my favorite summer flavors.

peach + berry pie

serves: 8-10

prep time: 30 minutes

bake time: 45 minutes - 1 hour

total time: 1 hour 30 minutes

ingredients: 2 pie crusts (i used the store bought one from trader joes. while i do think homemade is way better and worth the time if you have it, this pie crust works in a pinch. when you are super pregnant, it’s perfect). 2 cups chopped peaches. 2 cups blueberries. 2 cups chopped strawberries. zest of 1 lemon + 1 tbs lemon juice. 1 tsp chopped fresh sage. .5 cup turbinado sugar. 1 tbs corn starch. 1 tsp kosher salt. 2 tbs butter. .5 cup flour for dusting. rolling pin. pie dish. vanilla ice cream or whipped cream optional for serving.

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start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees f. in a large bowl, combine all your fruit, the sugar, salt, cornstarch, lemon juice, lemon zest and sage. stir well to combine and set it aside.

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lightly dust your working surface and your rolling pin with flour. roll out the bottom crust layer about an eighth of an inch thick.

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lay the crust in your pie dish and push any excess dough back onto the top edge of your crust, using your fingers to form a smooth crust edge. prick the bottom of your pie crust all over with a fork.

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use a slotted spoon to scoop all the fruit filling mixture into the pie dish. discard any excess juices. place the butter in small dollops around the fruit in your pie.

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now, you can either use the second pie crust dough to cover the entire pie, OR you can roll it out and slice it into 1 inch thick strips to make a lattice design. if you choose to completely cover the pie, make sure to cut some slits in the top center of the pie so the steam can escape.

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bake your pie on a baking sheet in the lower part of the oven (a baking sheet will catch any bubbled up juices) at 425 for 15 minutes. reduce the heat to 350 and continue cooking for another 30-45 minutes, until the crust is golden. remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature. serve topped with ice cream or whipped cream and enjoy.

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xo, a

peach + berry pie

serves: 8-10

prep time: 30 minutes

bake time: 45 minutes - 1 hour

total time: 1 hour 30 minutes

ingredients: 2 pie crusts (i used the store bought one from trader joes. while i do think homemade is way better and worth the time if you have it, this pie crust works in a pinch. when you are super pregnant, it’s perfect). 2 cups chopped peaches. 2 cups blueberries. 2 cups chopped strawberries. zest of 1 lemon + 1 tbs lemon juice. 1 tsp chopped fresh sage. .5 cup turbinado sugar. 1 tbs corn starch. 1 tsp kosher salt. 2 tbs butter. .5 cup flour for dusting. rolling pin. pie dish. vanilla ice cream or whipped cream optional for serving.

start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees f. in a large bowl, combine all your fruit, the sugar, salt, cornstarch, lemon juice, lemon zest and sage. stir well to combine and set it aside. lightly dust your working surface and your rolling pin with flour. roll out the bottom crust layer about an eighth of an inch thick. lay the crust in your pie dish and push any excess dough back onto the top edge of your crust, using your fingers to form a smooth crust edge. prick the bottom of your pie crust all over with a fork. use a slotted spoon to scoop all the fruit filling mixture into the pie dish. discard any excess juices. place the butter in small dollops around the fruit in your pie. now, you can either use the second pie crust dough to cover the entire pie, OR you can roll it out and slice it into 1 inch thick strips to make a lattice design. if you choose to completely cover the pie, make sure to cut some slits in the top center of the pie so the steam can escape. bake your pie on a baking sheet in the lower part of the oven (a baking sheet will catch any bubbled up juices) at 425 for 15 minutes. reduce the heat to 350 and continue cooking for another 30-45 minutes, until the crust is golden. remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature. serve topped with ice cream or whipped cream and enjoy.

tips & tricks: food coloring
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now, normally for tips & tricks i come up with a concept and then do a bunch of research to make sure i know what i think i know (and i also learn some new tips & tricks along the way) and then i put together what i think is the most important information and i give it to you. 

but today, i found the perfect article covering food coloring, the different types and when to use which type. so why mess with success. the kitchn is one of my go to resources for good tips and great recipes when i need some inspiration or information. you can read the article HERE. here is where i come in. 

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now that you have read up on the best type of food coloring for your needs, here come the tips & tricks for perfect colors for you batter, icings and frostings for this upcoming holiday season and for LYYYYFFFEEEE (imagine me yelling that in a deep voice with extended holds on the f and the e). 

i use liquid gel food coloring for almost everything. i have liquids and powders and straight gels of different brands and colors, and the liquid gels in my opinion are the best color with the most ease of use. gel pastes are great color adders but because they are so concentrated and require dipping something into the pot instead of using the dripper, they are not as easy to use or control. when in doubt, get liquid gel. i love the americolor brand (they call theirs soft gel) and you can find assorted boxes or individual colors on amazon HERE. LOVE. THAT. PRIME. 

add color a little bit a time. a little bit goes a long way, and a lot can RUIN your color. so add color a bit at a time. especially if you are using a new food coloring or recipe. don't be afraid to MIX color. that's right, think outside the box. revert back to those lessons about complimentary colors and red and yellow make orange. if you want to play around with a fun online tool to see what happens when you mix colors so you are comfortable before you start throwing ingredients into the mix, CLICK HERE and play around. 

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finally, black and white are some of your best tools. adding white to soften color, or adding black to get darker hues is key in getting the perfect colors. i keep a big bottle of black and white color on hand to ensure i always get the perfect color. 

xo, a