Tarte aixoise

When I first started making pies, I made this pie as I was trying to make pies from different parts of France.  While it is called a tarte aixoise, it isn't actually from Aix-en-Provence.  So the name is kind of a mystery.  It is a fantastic tart and I love it.  As I was trying to think of why it took me almost five years to make it again, I remembered that my husband makes apricots and when they are in season, I am either busy making pies for fair competitions or so sick of making pies after the fairs.

Ingredients:
Single pie crust
1 cup of milk
1 vanilla bean or vanilla extract
3 egg yolks
3 tablespoons of sugar
3 tablespoons of flour
100g of almond flour
60g of butter
6 to 10 apricots, depending on size
Twice as many whole almonds as apricots
Two tablespoons of apricot preserves
Warm water

Directions:
Blind bake your crust at 410oF.  Bring milk and vanilla to a boil.  (Remove the bean, if you used a whole vanilla bean.) Whisk together yolks, sugar, and flour.  Whisk in 1/3 of milk.  Pour egg mixture into remaining milk and continue to cook until it thickens and  becomes shiny.  Add almond flour and butter to the custard and stir until a consistent texture.  Pour into blind baked crust and level with a spatula.  Cut your apricots in half and "harmoniously place" the halves with the hollow facing up.  Then place an almond into each hollow.  Mix the apricot preserves and the warm water to make a glaze.  Brush the glaze over the entire tart.  Bake for 25 minutes at 410oF.  Remove from tart pan while still warm and allow to cool completely and/or chill before serving.

I love this tart.  This time the apricots weren't the best and they tasted a little bitter, so make sure you get "good" apricots. This pie has five different textures that all work together: flaky crust, dense and chewy custard, juicy apricots, lustrous glaze, and crunchy almonds.  It will definitely not be another five years before I make it again...  I hope.

Piece out!
Justin

Lake County Fair Results 2017

This year I entered 5 pies and one cookie.  My Chocolate Chip cookies that took First Place last year (I figured I should at least try to defend their title) came in Third Place.  I had also entered the Oatmeal Cookie Division, but they spread out larger than 3" and would have been disqualified.  The only other Oatmeal cookies there looked like my dogs' vomit and the only Snickerdoodles there were so bad they weren't even given a ribbon, but I hadn't even thought of entering that category after the Great Snickerdoodle Conspiracy of 2016.  Anyway, you're here about pie.

For the Blueberry Class, I entered my Blueberry Lemon Mascarpone Pie.  I was so certain that this pie would take Grand Champion for the Pie Division, after the success of last year's Blue Hawaii Pie. It took Third Place.  The comment from the judges was that it would have placed higher in the Cheesecake Class.  So, apparently, this blueberry pie is better than cheesecake.  I guess I'll take that as a compliment.

For the Other Pie Class, I entered the Lime Chili Meringue Pie.  This pie took Second Place.  The comments from the judges were "Beautiful Meringue" and "nice strong lime flavor."

For the Apple Class, I entered a Cheddar Crusted Apple Pie.  This pie also took Second Place.  The judges comments were "nice decoration" and "crust on the tough side."  I did use my own recipe for the filling; but if you would like the recipe for the crust, I used this one: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nancy-fuller/apple-pie-with-cheddar-cheese-crust-2406188 

For the Cherry Class, I entered a Golden Cherry Pie, using my Sweet Cherry Pie recipe with Rainier cherries.  This pie won First Place.  The judges liked my crust and the lattice, and they appreciate my use of Rainier cherries as something different.

For the Custard Class, I entered my Butterscotch Custard Pie.  This pie won First Place and also Grand Champion for the Pie Division.  This was a complete shock.  Out of all of my pies, this one is the one I would have given Third Place.  But I guess it really does come down to the opinion of the judges.  And like my dad, who first requested a butterscotch pie for Father's Day, they like butterscotch pie.  They called it "Gorgeous!" They said the topping was "very tasty" (it was literally whipping cream, sugar, and a stabilizer to help it look pretty for a few days).  They said the custard was very unique (it is literally directly out of a Better Homes & Gardens cookbook from 1983).  But I guess when the cookbook says "All-Time Favorite Pies," it meant it.

I didn't enter the state fair this year, due a conflict with some travel, so I guess it is time to start thinking about next year.

Piece out!
Justin

Maple Pumpkin Pie Brûlée

As I was making pies for the Lake County Fair, I made this pie thinking I had entered the Pumpkin Class competition.  I had not.  I was not feeling inspired by Pumpkin this year, so I didn't even come up with this recipe on my own.  I just made a few changes to one I found online.

The recipes I found is here: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/bruleed-bourbon-maple-pumpkin-pie

I made my usual crust instead of doing the chocolate.  As I had never made it before I didn't want to risk two things going horribly wrong.  I also left out the bourbon, as I had received a comment last year that I should indicate when I use alcohol (which I hadn't in that pie), which leads me to believe that the judges are not big fans of alcohol.

I baked the pie on Saturday and brûléed it on Sunday.  I had a slight issue with moisture and the sugar not spreading evenly.  After I noticed the issue that caused during the torching, I blew as hard as I could to even it out, leading to a light dusting of sugar over my counter tops.  I suggest making this pie the morning of and not refrigerating it in order to be able to do a nice, even brûlée topping.

The pie was good.  It was nice and creamy, yet firm enough to stand.  The brûlée topping added a nice texture element that one usually misses with a traditional pumpkin pie.  Sadly, the maple was hardly noticeable.  I could barely taste it and I knew it was there.  Someone who didn't know would not have guessed there was $8 of premium maple syrup in it. 

I will definitely make this pie this Thanksgiving and enter it in both the Lake County and Illinois State fairs next year.

Piece out!
Justin