Pecan Pie Bars with Cranberry Dark Chocolate Shortbread

It has been two weeks since returning from my honeymoon.  That is such a baffling statement.  Friday will mark one month since my wedding.  I do not know what is happening to the time, but my heart is fighting with my mind as I try to enjoy the present, rather than longing for the past.  

But oh, what a wonderful past it is!  

I looked into Mr. Pedantic’s deep brown eyes last evening and whispered “I miss our honeymoon so much it hurts.  I want to go back.” 

The days moved so slowly then.  We packed so much into those blissful twenty-four hour periods that each day felt more like three.  It was wonderful.  I love when Time moves slowly, but it is such a rarity, and one not likely to be enjoyed in the abyss of a busy routine.

I will be sharing some of the many, many snapshots from our ten-day European interlude next week, and I cannot wait to tell you all about the London streets, the most charming hotel, and the darling cabbies whose accents made me giggle with utter delight.  I hope you will find them at least partly as enthralling as I do. 

Real life is still exciting, there is still much that is new.  Our wedding photographs were just released and I cannot stop gazing at them with fond remembrance.  I am planning my hallway “gallery wall,” which will more closely resemble a wedding day shrine, but I am perfectly okay with that.  I am still excited about meal planning, grocery shopping, and dinner-making.  I am still somewhat excited to wake up and make breakfast for my darling husband.  I say somewhat, because, at times, 5:45am seems rather unappealing.  I was always an early riser, but on these chilly mornings the covers beckon more strongly than the frigid kitchen floors. 

Life right now is a melody of the new, the familiar, and constant longing for the nostalgic past.  Much like these bars. 

These squares are irresistible, striking the perfect balance between neoclassicism and tradition.

We greatly enjoyed Scotland’s buttery shortbread on our honeymoon, and I was eager to make a batch of my own when we returned.  This particular shortbread is tender and flakey, and studded with dark chocolate and dried cranberries. 

While shortbread is delightful on its own, especially alongside a strong Breakfast Blend, I wanted to blend it with my very favorite pecan pie filling.  The two layers meld seamlessly, creating a hefty bar that is rich, without being overly sweet. 

The memories of our Scottish adventures, the decadent layer of a familiar classic - all in one, delightful bite.  A bite that even those of you who fear the world of pie-baking can enjoy. 

If you are a texture nut like myself, you will enjoy the contrast of the crisp shortbread and the gooey pecan filling. 

The past and the present each have their own charms, but together they are truly brilliant.

Sincerely,

Pedantic Foodie

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Pecan Pie Bars with Cranberry Dark Chocolate Shortbread

makes 9 large bars, or 18 “skinny” bars / shortbread recipe adapted from Ina Garten

for the shortbread 

- 1 1/2 sticks butter, softened

- 1/2 cup sugar

- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

- 1/2 cup chocolate

- 1/2 cup cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

In the work bowl of your stand mixer, combine butter and granulated sugar.  Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed until the fluffy.  Stream in the vanilla extract. 

Sift to combine flour, salt, and ground cinnamon.  Add the sifted dry ingredients to the butter mixture, and mix on low speed until all the flour is incorporated.  The mixture should form a rough mass.  Gently fold in the chocolate and cranberries. 

Press the dough into the bottom of an 8x8 baking pan.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the shortbread is just golden.  While the shortbread bakes, prepare the pecan layer. 

(Do not turn off the oven, as you'll be baking the second layer at the same temperature.)

for the pecan pie layer

- 1 cup raw pecan halves

- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

- 1/4 teaspoon cloves

- 3 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 

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 natural oils - about 5-8 minutes.  Remove from heat and chop roughly.  

Sprinkle the spiced nuts evenly over the warm shortbread. 

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 pan to the oven.  Bake, at 350 degrees, for 20-30 minutes, or until the pie filling appears set, but jiggles just slightly in the center.

Allow the bars to cool completely (about 4 hours) before slicing and serving.  I know, it is going to require some patience, but the final reward is well worth the few hours of agony.  Enjoy!

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My Favorite Key Lime Pie

You know that sweatshirt that you just loooove?

The one you found on clearance at Target and were seduced by its soft, cotton charm.  The one you have had for about a decade and have worn more than anything else in your closet but still cannot muster up the courage to throw away, because, with a messy bun and some sparkly earrings it's still one of your favorite stylings. 

This pie is that sweatshirt.

Wait!  The metaphor works, give me a chance. 

There is nothing special about this pie, but then again, there is everything special about this pie. 

This is the pie I'll bring you if you just had a tiny human leave your body.  You worked hard, eat some pie.

This is the pie I'll make on a Monday night and eat for lunch on Tuesday afternoon. 

This is the pie I can whip up with no rolling or cold butter coercing required.  

This is my favorite key lime pie and it's about to become yours.

I have loved this pie recipe ever since I first dipped my toes into the warm, sugary ocean of baking. 

It's flavors are familiar and bold, and it's construction is simple. 

So simple, in fact, that I felt silly sharing it here.  For four and a half years I have resisted, but I recently realized that this pie is one of my favorite things to bake and there was absolutely no excuse for not letting it have its fair share of time in the spotlight. 

Besides, isn't simple what everyone wants anyways?

Now, as we have already established, this pie requires minimal effort, so I fully expect you to show an ounce or two of courage and make your own graham cracker crust.  None of that store bought stuff, okay?

I promise you can do it.  

(If you'd like a gluten-free alternative, it happens to be equally amazing with this simple coconut macaroon crust.  Just omit the chocolate coating.)

While the crust blind bakes, the super simple, lime filling comes together. 

Egg yolks, sugar, lime juice, and sweetened condensed milk, that's all.  

Can I tell you a secret?  Most of the time, I do not actually use key limes...  While I can sometimes find them in my area of the country, they are often dry and lacking in flavor, so I usually just opt for standard limes.  An even bigger secret?  Most of the time, I just buy the juice.  Already squeezed.  Don't hate me.  While I would never do such a thing with lemon juice, after thorough testing with fresh key limes, key lime juice, limes, and lime juice, I have found that it really just does not matter in this recipe.  The fresh, acidic flavors are preserved, and much effort eliminated. Just make sure you always buy 100% lime juice from a brand you trust, none of that concentrate stuff.   

The filling will look really thin, probably too thin, but that is just perfect.  After a quick bake and some quality time in the refrigerator, it will be smooth and sliceable. 

I hate throwing away leftover egg whites, so I love that this pie uses both parts!  While our egg yolk-based filling bakes, the whites are whipped into a sweet, billowy meringue. 

The meringue is baked just long enough to brown and then this pie has to sit in the refrigerator for a tortuously long amount of time.  Four to six hours is an eternity when you have pie on the brain. 

Simplicity at its finest right there.  You gotta love the classics. 

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My Favorite Key Lime Pie

recipe adapted from Baking at Home with the Culinary Institute of America / serves 8

for the crust

- 10 whole graham crackers 

- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Place crackers in the work bowl of your food processor and pulse until you have only fine crumbs. 

Add in butter and sugar and pulse several times - until the mixture begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.

Press the graham cracker mixture firmly into a 9-inch pie pan and bake for 8 minutes.  Allow the crust to cool while you prepare the filling. 

for the filling

- 4 large eggs, separated 

- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk 

- 1/2 cup fresh key lime or lime juice 

- 1 cup granulated sugar, divided 

- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar 

Combine egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in a large mixing bowl.  Beat with a whisk until the yolks have just begun to lighten in color, then add lime juice and sweetened condensed milk.  Whisk until smooth. 

Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust and bake for 15 minutes, until the filling has just set.  Prepare the meringue while the filling is baking.

In a large, clean bowl, combine egg whites and cream of tartar.  Beat on high speed with an electric mixture.  When the whites have become thick and shiny white, slowly sprinkle in the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar while continuing to beat, until the mixture forms stiff peaks.  

Remove the baked pie from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees. 

Fold the meringue onto the top of the baked pie filling while it is still hot.  Spread the meringue evenly, being conscious to cover the very edges of the pie crust.  This will help keep the meringue from shrinking.  Use a fork or butterknife to make decorative peaks and swirls on the surface.  

Return the pie to the oven to brown the meringue.  This should take about 5 minutes. 

When the meringue is deep golden brown, remove the pie from the oven and refrigerate until fully cooled; about 4 hours before slicing and serving.  Enjoy! 

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Peach & Cherry Cornmeal Cobbler with Rum Whipped Cream

Sometimes you drive two and a half hours to pick peaches only to be told that you're not going to be picking any peaches.

No. No peaches for you because everyone else was rude and picked them all.  So you can go back peachless or take the ones the orchard-keepers have picked for you.  Okay, not so bad.

Oh, but you wanted to revisit the spot where you got engaged?  Too bad.  The orchard is closed, because we are fancy enough to be able to close a section of a mountain.  Yes we are.  But please, buy another donut. 

Ok, ok, bye.  

P.S. I'll take half a dozen donuts, please and thank you.  

Though last Saturday's venture was a bit disappointing, the peaches were nonetheless delicious, because we had not picked them ourselves. 

I have been baking and blanching and freezing for days, but this simple cobbler was the most delicious reward, and it made the drive worth every minute. 

I am always looking for new ways to add more texture to my favorite recipes, and ever since I saw Tracy's Raspberry Cobbler I have had cornmeal on the brain. 

I love the subtle, but distinctive crunch that it adds to baked goods. 

Cold butter, cornmeal, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and a bit of all-purpose flour come together in a rough dough after a few pulses. I really love when I can make a crust in my food processor.  

I have had half of a bag of black cherries in my freezer for about two weeks, so I decided to toss them in with the peaches.  Their flavors worked so beautifully together and the colors were more vibrant than my old Lisa Frank notebook. 

I get unreasonably excited at a chance to blanch peaches, but it is just SO MUCH FUN!  Every time I do it and those soft, fuzzy skins peel away with the slightest pull, I am amazed and I have to share my astonishment with whomever is closest. Sometimes that's just snap chat. 

Blanched peaches happen to be really slippery, so be extra careful when slicing. 

One third of the buttery, cornmeal crust is crumbled onto the bottom of the pan, making a bed for our fruit that will soak up an excess juices. 

The remaining crust is pinched into small pieces and sprinkled atop the fruit. 

This would be a good time to line a baking sheet with foil and place it under the rack that you will be baking on.  Bubbling fruit juices have a nasty tendency to drip all over your clean oven. 

After some quality oven time, this cobbler will be bubbling and that cornmeal crust will have reached a lovely shade of golden. 

We could call it a day right now, but I felt as thought this bake was begging for a creamy counterpart. 

Rum whipped cream perfectly fit the bill.  The subtle notes of rum were the perfect compliment to the rich, sugar-kissed fruit.  It's also excellent eaten by the spoonful... 

This was my snack, my dinner, and breakfast the next morning.  It's fruit, so, you know - healthy! 

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

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Peach & Cherry Cornmeal Cobbler with Rum Whipped Cream

serves 6

for the cobbler topping

• 1 1/4 cup fine cornmeal 
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes 
• 1/4 cup ice water

In the work bowl of your food processor, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, and ground cinnamon.  Pulse until well-combined.  

Add butter to the flour mixture and pulse several times, until the butter is in pea-sized pieces.  Slowly stream in ice water, one tablespoon at a time, pulsing until a rough dough just comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and shape into a disc.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for thirty minutes.  

for the filling

• 3 tablespoons cornstarch 
• 1 cup granulated sugar 
• 4 medium, ripe peaches
• 1 cup black cherries defrosted, if frozen
• 1/2 whole lemon, juiced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place a sheet pan lined with foil on the bottom rack.

In a medium bowl, whisk to combine cornstarch and granulated sugar.  Toss the fruit in the cornstarch mixture and add lemon juice. 

Divide the chilled dough into thirds and pinch one third into pieces.  Sprinkle in the bottom of 9-inch pie plate.  Cover with the fruit filling.

Crumble the remaining 2/3 of the dough over the top of the fruit.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, on the center rack, until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is crisp and evenly browned.  

Allow to cool for about thirty minutes before serving.  While the cobbler is cooling, prepare the cream.

for the rum whipped cream

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar 
• heavy splash of rum 

In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat cream on high speed until it holds soft peaks.  Beat in confectioner’s sugar and rum until just combined. 

Serve atop warm cobbler.  Enjoy! 

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