[BakerAunt]

Next Day's Report on the apple pie: These are a tart apple and not particularly juicy--which may be a good thing, as I forgot to add the 2 Tbs. of flour to the apple mixture. (Some juice did leak out onto the pan beneath.) The slices held their shape. We like the flavor, although I think that I will increase the sugar from 3/4 to 1 cup next time. I decided that the pie does need vanilla ice cream, so we bought some on our grocery run. The pie has the dreaded "air gap." but more so on one side than the other. I may have gotten better slits on the side with less of a gap. (I read the KAF blog on gaps before baking the pie, and that was one suggestion.) I might try cooking the apples a bit, then cooling them for the next pie. However, I think the rest of these apples may be used for apple hand pies.

[BakerAunt]

Until my supply runs out, I have tomato paste in tubes. We smear what we want on our individual pizzas. Our marriage would not survive a joint pizza. 🙂 I bake my husband's pizza first, then mine, since I am the one who actually likes hot food hot rather than lukewarm. However, when I did a sheet pan pizza, we each decked our half as we like it.

After the tomato paste, I sprinkle garlic powder and Penzey's Tuscan Seasoning (salt-free) over the tomato paste. I then put down the salami (we get nitrate-free) or sometimes we use ground turkey, in which case I add fennel seed with the earlier spices. I then put on the red bell pepper, the sliced mushrooms, the black olives, and the sliced green onion. I sprinkle mozzarella on top (we buy the thick pre-graded from Sargentio), and then grate some parmesan over it.

My husband does not like a lot on his pizza. After the tomato paste he adds the meat, some mushrooms, and maybe a bit of bell pepper. He has branched out to a few green onions. We've discovered that while I can add the cheese on mine and bake it for 15 minutes, his cheese will burn (maybe because of the lack of vegetables), so I bake his for 10 minutes, then take it out so that he can add the mozzarella, then bake it 4-5 minutes longer.

I usually have all pizza ingredients on hand, but I have to think ahead for the mushrooms, and indeed I had to run to the store for them on Sunday. I use the KAF ultra-thin crust pizza recipe, but before that, in my single days, I used to make the Fleischmann's recipe booklet one. It can fit in a large sheet pan. I also used to make it up as two round pizzas and par-bake the crust at 350 for ten minutes. One then was used for that evening's pizza, and the other was wrapped and frozen for another night. I've also made a Martha Stewart Living pizza crust that I put in a large sheet pan.

[BakerAunt]

A vender at the local farmers' market had a variety of apples. She let me taste a couple, and I settled on a tart, yellowish green with golden brown coloring. She split a half bushel for me, and I only realized after I was home that I did not have the bag with the name written on it. I will try to find out the name next Saturday. On Tuesday, I baked an apple pie using some of them. I probably won't be able to cut into it until tomorrow, since it needs to sit for at least four hours, and the recipe (Cooks Illustrated Baking) says next day is best.

[BakerAunt]

Italian Cook: I just saw this video on peeling butternut squash. I plan to try it:

https://www.tastingtable.com/cook/national/how-to-peel-butternut-squash-microwave?utm_medium=email&utm_source=TT&utm_campaign=Daily&utm_content=Editorial

[BakerAunt]

I heard from Kid Pizza about my pumpkin dessert recipe. He said that for it to have been a cake, the flour, and sugar, and pumpkin would need to be equal weights. However, for the pie-like dessert, which it is apparently supposed to be, he suggested that if I bake it again, I should not put the streusel on at first but wait 15 minutes. The remaining 45 minutes would be enough to let the streusel brown, and I would not have to worry about it being overbrowned while waiting for the dessert to cook through.

[BakerAunt]

For dinner tonight, I made Dilled Salmon and Couscous.

[BakerAunt]

Today I baking Whole Wheat Sourdough Cheese Crackers from the dough I made up last week.

[BakerAunt]

I've noted that a lot of prices are higher at my local farmers' market than at the grocery store. When I notice higher prices, I buy at the farmers' market only if it is either something that I cannot find elsewhere--varieties of pumpkins, for example--or there is a trade-off, such as patronizing the people with the organic certification.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 3 months ago by BakerAunt.

[BakerAunt]

I made pizza for dinner using the KAF Ultra-Thin crust pizza recipe.

[BakerAunt]

I tried using Stevia in a recipe and hated the taste. I gave the bag away to someone who wanted it.

[BakerAunt]

Italian Cook: You raise a good point about smaller as opposed to larger butternut squashes. I'll remember that. Your post also reminds me that I have three on the counter that I need to process.

I have used vegetable peelers--the wide ones--to peel the skin of butternut squash. I have also cut the squash in half and roasted it cut side down on a rimmed sheet lined with parchment. When it is tender, I leave the skin and dice just the squash, which I then peel off. I thought that roasted butternut squash had a nicer flavor in soup.

[BakerAunt]

If you read Jasper Fflorde's Thursday Next series, there is a company called Giant that is out to control all commerce AND government. I'm pretty sure that satire is directed at Amazon.

[BakerAunt]

Cwcdesign--I just opened a bottle of boiled cider that supposedly expired a year or so ago. It smells as it should, so I used it, and it tasted as it should. I refrigerate it after opening.

I've had opened cheese powder that I've used beyond the expiration date, and it has been fine. If it passes the smell test, use it!

I've also used instant Clear Jel beyond its date, but I'm not sure at what point it will stop doing what it is supposed to do.

I've had flour in the freezer past its supposed expiration date, and it was fine.

I read somewhere that manufacturers are required to have expiration dates on products--even something like baking soda, which Frick explained to us NEVER expires.

[BakerAunt]

I also baked my version of Antilope's Vienna Bread, since we are nearing the end of fresh tomato season, and I must have my Bacon and Tomato sandwiches.

[BakerAunt]

Well, I'm not sure another 5 minutes would have made much difference. While it is a cake on the outside, the inside is reminiscent of pumpkin pie.

Here is the recipe: https://www.bakefromscratch.com/pumpkin-cake-with-brown-butter-streusel/

Theirs does look bit more cakey than mine, but it also seems to have sunk a bit in the center. I used homemade pumpkin puree--but I did weigh it for 15 oz. Mine was probably a bit more watery than canned, but I've made this substitution in other pumpkin recipes without a problem.

I'm going to ask Cass about it. I note that the sugar does far outweigh the flour, and I recall that causing problems for me in another recipe that he then balanced.

The flavor is actually wonderful, and that streusel topping superb, so I would like to figure out how to bake the cake successfully.

ADDENDUM: The online recipe says it is supposed to be a "pumpkin pie like" cake. NOW they tell me. They say THERE (not in the magazine I worked from) that for a more traditional cake, use only 1 cup of pumpkin. So, what I ended up with is correct, except it could have baked another 5 minutes.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 3 months ago by BakerAunt.

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