I'm trying to stay off narcotics long enough to type up something intelligible, and these moments of clear-headedness are being spent wondering why I thought I would be back to normal within 24 hours after surgery.

For those of you who were around for Thirsty Friday, you know that I have just had my four sources of wisdom extracted from my mouth and I'm now a very numb, slightly swollen, wisdom-toothless lady. However, wisdom teeth or no wisdom teeth, this lady still knows how to bake.

I've been doing a lot of thinking while lying on the couch over the past couple days, and my brain keeps flashing with the obnoxious declaration, "ohmygoodness it's almost July!" I cannot believe that we are saying goodbye to June already, but it seems as though it's time to break out the red white and blue nail polish and start lighting some fireworks.

Black Cherry Hazelnut Crisp with Cinnamon Ice Cream {Pedantic Foodie}

I love 4th of July, it's one of my favorite holidays. My family has always been enthusiastic about the holiday and there are always way too many glow sticks and far too much cherry licorice, as there should be at any good party.

I always feel like this particular holiday, just as much as Thanksgiving, demands a pie. It just seems like the proper American thing to do. However, when I'm baking for a crowd, multiple pie crusts-making is often not so appealing. Crisps however, are just as delicious and much faster than pies. Seriously, this whole thing comes together in mere minutes.

You can also shove in some fancy hazelnuts to make that crumbly topping even more irresistible. And heck, with all the time you're saving you probably have a few minutes to make some ice cream to serve alongside your crisp!

I interrupt this post to say that cherries might very possibly be my favorite fruit. I honestly cannot get enough. They are super sweet yet just tangy enough to make them incredibly addicting.

Also, if we are at a picnic together, I'll probably put half of my pits on your plate to hide my cherry-addiction shame. I do the same thing with watermelon rinds. Sorry, not sorry...

We begin with cherries. A whole lot of them. A cherry pitter is not absolutely necessary but you'll be thankful for one after you've pitted your first pound by hand. Believe me.

Our cherries are tossed around a bit in some sugar, lemon juice, salt, and cornstarch for thickening.

After the cherry filling has been assembled, we work on our crispy, crumbly topping.

Our crumbly topping is a no fuss combination of oats, sugar, butter, cinnamon, and hazelnuts.

Sprinkle liberally and then into the oven it goes!

While your crisp is baking, make a simple ice cream base with heavy cream, whole milk, cinnamon, egg yolks, and sugar. This may be the best ice cream that I've ever made. It seriously tastes exactly like a cinnamon roll smells. Yes, it's heavenly, and you need it right now.

Also, it's Summer so we need quick and easy. Normally, I allow my ice cream base to chill overnight, but the past few times I've wanted instant frozen gratification so I cooled my base in an ice bath. The choice is yours.

Your crisp is finished when the top is deep golden brown. It's just as pretty as a pie and it only took one third of the time!

Oh, and if you are baking for a crowd, you can certainly double this recipe.

4th of July, we are ready for you!

Look at that sweet, melting ice cream, and those perfectly plump cherries. So good, so right.

Happy July friends!

Sincerely,

Pedantic Foodie

Black Cherry Hazelnut Crisp with Cinnamon Ice Cream

serves 6

for the cherry filling

1 1/2 lbs black cherries, pitted
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl combine cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt; toss to thoroughly combine.

Pour in the bottom of a 9-inch tart pan.

for the crisp topping

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup raw hazelnuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold

In a small bowl stir to combine oats, hazelnuts, sugar, and cinnamon. Use the tips of your fingers to work the butter into the oat mixture. Mix until crumbly. The butter should be in pea-sized pieces.

Sprinkle the oat mixture over the cherries evenly. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown. Allow to cool 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

for the cinnamon ice cream

1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar

In a small saucepan combine milk, whipping cream, and cinnamon. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and remove from heat. Add vanilla extract.

In a small bowl whisk to combine egg yolks and sugar. Slowly stream half of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly. Pour the tempered egg yolks into the saucepan and return to heat.

Cook for about 5 minutes, until the mixture has thickened into a light custard, then remove from heat and place in an ice bath.

Stir often, until the mixture has thoroughly chilled. You may have to change out the water once or twice.

Churn your ice cream base in an ice cream maker according to your manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to a freezer safe container and chill until set. Serve alongside warm cherry crisp. Enjoy!

My iPhone “Notes” application is filled with roughly 157 notes, most of which contain strings of words which eventually materialize into the recipes you find on this blog. Inspiration is sporadic, and my notes are often random lines such as “Chocolate Cream Pie + Cinnamon Whipped Cream + Pecan Pie?” Oh the wonderful things you can think of when you are supposed to be replying to emails...

After some highly technical recipe-investigating, and a whole lot of butter, that electronic note became a tangible, edible reality.

Chocolate Custard Pecan Pie with Cinnamon Whipped Cream {Pedantic Foodie}

If you are not a stranger to this blog you know that this is about the time when I would offer a friendly lecture on how you should never, ever, ever, use a store-bought pie crust. I highly doubt that I need to repeat that lecture, because I think we are all clear on the fact that store-bought pie crusts are evil and I am sure that none of you would ever consider bringing one into your home, right? Good, we can now proceed.

This pie begins with a traditional pecan filling. Our pecans are roasted with cloves and cinnamon, given a rough chop, and covered in an irresistibly sticky mixture of corn syrup, egg yolks, butter, and sugar. This is the first layer of our pie.

Next, we prepare our chocolate filling. This custard uses both dutch-processed cocoa powder and semisweet chocolate to provide it with the rich chocolate flavor which will perfectly counteract the sweetness of the pecan layer.

Lastly, a spoonful of cream whipped with cinnamon tops our pie, completing the perfect triad of flavors and textures.

I think this pie should make it to all of our Thanksgiving tables this year.

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday filled with family, pies, and lots of mashed potatoes.

Sincerely,

Pedantic Foodie

Chocolate Custard Pecan Pie with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

serves 10 / recipe slightly adapted from Joy the Baker, Tyler Florence, and The Four and Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book

for the crust

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 cup cold, unsalted butter (cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
1/2 cup cold water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup ice
egg wash (1 egg white whisked with 1 teaspoon water)

Sift to combine flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.

Transfer the sifted flour mixture to the work bowl of your food processor. Add cubed butter and pulse several times until the butter is worked in and in pea-sized pieces. The mixture should be the texture of rough cornmeal.

Combine water, vinegar, and ice in a small bowl. Add the cold water mixture to the rough dough several tablespoons at a time, pulsing 1-2 times after each addition. Add just enough liquid to bring the dough roughly together. Divide the dough in half and form two discs. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Place one disc of chilled dough on a floured surface and roll out into a 12 inch circle. Fold the circle in half and lay the crust across one side of a 9inch glass pie pan, unfold the disc so that the crust covered the pan and gently smooth out the crust. Trim away an excess crust beyond 1 1/2 inches before forming the edge of the crust by folding and pinching. Place the prepared crust in the refrigerator to rest for thirty minutes. Use a fork to puncture the bottom of the crust several times and transfer to the freezer for ten minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Line the chilled crust tightly with aluminum foil, wrapping the foil around the crimped edges, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes, until the crust is set but not browned. Remove from the oven and brush with egg wash, then return to the oven and bake for an additional 3-5 minutes. While the crust is cooling prepare pecan filling.

for the pecan filling

2 eggs
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup raw pecan halves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium sauté pan combine pecans, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring often, until the pecans become fragrant and begin to release their oils - about 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat and chop roughly.

Place the spiced pecans in the bottom of the prepared crust.

In a large bowl whisk to combine corn syrup, eggs, sugar, butter, salt, and vanilla extract. Pour the filling over the pecans and transfer the pie to the oven. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the pie filling jiggles slightly. Allow to cool to room temperature on a cooling rack. Once the pie has cooled prepare the chocolate custard.

for the chocolate custard

1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped

In a small bowl whisk to combine egg yolks, cornstarch, and heavy whipping cream. Set aside.

In a small saucepan combine whole milk, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Place over medium-high heat and stir frequently until the mixture is steaming, but not boiling.

Slowly stream 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking rapidly to temper the yolks. Return the tempered mixture to the saucepan and cook for 3-4 minutes or until it has thickened and reached a boil. Remove from heat and fold in semisweet chocolate. Pour the custard over the cooled pecan layer. Refrigerate the pie for 3 hours or until the custard has set.

for the cinnamon whipped cream

3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar

Combine cream, cinnamon, and confectioner’s sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer and beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Serve with chilled pie. Enjoy!