No Meat Mincemeat Pie

This is how this recipe started. 

It's an old Baker family recipe that's been handed down to me. It strikes me that older recipes are a little less exact than recipes we write now. Maybe baking was as much oral/practical tradition as it was written, I don't know. But this seems like a recipe written more as a reminder than as instructions for someone who has never made it before. At any rate, it's a dessert pie THAT CONTAINS MEAT. Which doesn't go over too well with my people.

But...I like the spiced fruits and other flavors in mincemeat. Everything except the meat. So I wanted to try a little revamp.

Here's what I came up with:

No Meat Mincemeat Pie (in progress) *click here for printable version*

Pie pastry for 1 9-inch, 2 crust pie

2 c. peeled and diced Granny Smith apple (½ inch dice)

1 c. golden raisins

½ c. dried tart cherries (or more)

¼ c. currants

¼ c. chopped figs (or more)

2 T. finely chopped lemon rind

¼ c. brown sugar

¼ c. white sugar

½ c. apple juice

1 T. cinnamon

¼ tsp. each mace, nutmeg, allspice

juice and grated rind of 1 orange

1 tsp. salt

1 T. bourbon

2 T. butter cut into 8 pieces

Stir all ingredients except butter together in a saucepan and boil until apples start to soften and juice is reduced by about half. Pour into a 9 inch pie crust and dot the top with butter pieces. Top with second crust (vented). Bake at 400 for 45 to 50 minutes.

You'll notice it's pretty unrecognizable compared to the original recipe. It's almost like the beginnings of the fruitcake I make. Which isn't a bad thing, in my opinion. Now, a couple of things: 1. This was my first attempt. There was *something* missing. Something that I couldn't quite put my finger on. Possibly the depth the molasses brings. Next time around, I'm going to try adding a tablespoon of molasses and see where that gets us. I'm also going to add a little more of both figs and cherries (hence, the "or more" instructions). 2. This is kind of a "throw in what you like" pie. Don't like raisins? Leave them out! Prefer dried apricots to figs? Throw them in! I think the point is to end up with approximately this amount of dried fruit (2 cups total). Same with spices. You like ginger? Throw it in there!

I guess it really needs a new name. Spicefruit Pie? You people must be more clever than I am--come up with something!

TGIP Rating--No Meat Mincemeat Pie--KEEPER/EXPERIMENTER. I need to try some more options before I'll call this one finished. And I need to have the Pie King try it.

Next up: Well, as you probably know, this Saturday is the ultimate Pi Day (3.1415). Seems like I need to make an epic pie. I've been wanting to try Momofuku's Crack Pie for ages. Now's the time.

Coconut Bread

  

I have nothing to say about this. Recipe is perfect. Easy. Delicious. Moist. Flavorful. Go make it.

This is a picture of the bowl I almost stuck my head in to get to all the batter. 

 

This is a picture of the most beautiful loaves of sweet bread in all of space and time.

TGIP Rating--Coconut Bread--KEEPER. Okay, maybe I do have one thing to say: Additions to consider: toasted, chopped almonds; chocolate chips; lime zest (not all at once).

Next up: Aunt Sassy Cake from Baked: Explorations. I've been wanting to make it forever, and it just happens to be on the Baked Sunday Mornings schedule for this weekend. I might make cupcakes instead of a full-size cake. I love a real CAKE cake as much as the next person, but sometimes I need to take treats to other people and cupcakes are easier to transport. Forgive the blasphemy, BAKED boys.

Lazy Bakemas--a photo essay

You CAN make pie crust with no rolling pin and no lard. But if you're visiting at sea level you have to remember that baking times are different.

 Looks pretty, but didn't taste quite right. To be tweaked. Also? That fruitcake in the background? Maybe cured too long. 3 weeks MAX next year.

This is what happens when you use cupcake recipes, but you live at a high altitude. EVEN when you make alterations because you're well aware of your altitude problems. Recipe writers: please. Take pity on those of us who are altitude challenged.

And then you have to surgically remove the cupcakes from the pan and they look like this. But taste delicious!

Perfect Swiss Meringue to start Buttercream.

Delightful and delicious.

The moral of this story: Next time you think making a Stump de Noël is going to be too big of pain, DO IT ANYWAY. The variety of things you have to do to make up for the grandiosity of the stump is just as much of a pain, and those things don't necessarily turn out the way you hope they will. Also, next year you better make more cookies.

Next up: 2012 year in review.

Midweek Kitchen Confessions 4: My Cheating Heart

#1 I spent an entire day in the kitchen and did not make a pie. Or even anything pie-esque. Cookies and candy. By the pound.

#2 My fruitcake is damn good (IMHO). Rivals the best I've had.

Midweek Kitchen Confessions 2: Family Secrets Edition

#1 I like booze. Especially in my food. Even more so in my desserts. BUT, I come by this penchant honestly. See for reference: the Pie Queen's ode to rum cake. My family is made up of mainly non-drinkers. NOW. A few years ago, my parents moved here to Utah, and in the process of helping the Pie Queen unpack her kitchen I discovered a large number of mini loaf pans. When I inquired about them I was informed that years ago (MANY years ago) before my parents joined the LDS Church and swore off liquor (among other things) they used to make dozens of fruitcakes--BOOZY fruitcakes--to give away at Christmastime. Which brings me to...

#2 I love fruitcake. I know, it's gauche in these days of gourmet cupcakes and whatnot to enjoy something as old school (it really doesn't get more old school than Ancient Rome) as fruitcake. I'm not talking about the fruitcake that has candied Soylent Green in it. I'm talking about the real thing. With real fruits, real nuts, and naturally, real BOOZE. The best fruitcake I've had so far was from the Cheese Board in Berkeley. mr. bought one for me the first Christmas we lived together. Oh, yum. If you live nearby, take advantage (assuming they still make it which, omg, why wouldn't they?). Which brings me to...

#3 I worship Alton Brown. A few years ago, I watched an episode of his show about fruitcake. And that thing looked so good I've wanted, aimed, planned to make it every year since. This year's the year. Today's the day. It's in the oven now. It will spend the next few weeks being lovingly tended to and occasionally (and liberally) basted with more booze.

Just reviving family traditions.