Dish up these desserts
When you’re hankering for a sweet treat, one of these is sure to hit the spot.
Cane Syrup Pie
Makes one 9-inch pie
Pie Dough (recipe follows)
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 cup cane syrup, divided
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
½ teaspoon orange zest
Ground cinnamon for garnish
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly-floured surface, roll pie dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate, pressing into bottom and up the sides. Fold edges under and crimp as desired – I use a fork and finger to press and move around the top of plate.
Top with a piece of parchment paper, ends extended over edges of plate. Add pie weights; I use rice in a bag or a bacon press, or you can buy weights at a kitchen shop.
Bake for ten minutes then carefully remove paper and weights. Let cool for one minute.
Reduce oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, flour and salt. Add room temperature eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in ¾ cup of cane syrup, two tablespoons of cream and melted butter. Pour mixture into prepared crust.
Bake until puffed and set, about 40 minutes, covering with foil during the last ten minutes of baking to prevent excess browning, if necessary. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
In a medium bowl, beat zest, remaining one cup of cream and remaining ¼ cup cane syrup with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread over pie and garnish with cinnamon if desired.
Pie Dough
1 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
3-4 tablespoons whole milk, chilled
In a medium bowl stir together flour, salt and sugar. Using a pastry blender or two forks, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Add milk, one tablespoon at a time, stirring until a dough forms. Turn out dough onto a lightly-floured surface and shape into a disk. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes. Let stand at room temperature to slightly soften before using, about ten minutes.
Honey Cornmeal Cupcakes
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup sugar
1 cup honey (plus more to serve)
2 teaspoons orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 large eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup plain yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup whole buttermilk
Honey Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with a mixer at medium speed until creamy, three to four minutes, stopping to scrapes sides of bowl. Gradually add honey while beating then beat in zest and vanilla.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating just until combined after each addition. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each two-thirds full.
Bake until a wooden pick comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in pans for ten minutes on wire rack. Spread Honey Buttercream Frosting over cupcakes before serving.
Honey Buttercream Frosting
Makes 6 cups of frosting
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
6-7 cup confectioners’ sugar
¼ cup honey
2-3 tablespoons whole buttermilk
In a large bowl, beat butter with a mixer at medium speed until creamy, two or three minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar and honey and beat at low speed until smooth. Gradually add enough buttermilk until spreadable consistency is reached.
