Fresh Strawberry Pie

I'm so happy that local strawberries are finally available.  With a longer cool season that made its way till June, I thought I wouldn't see berries ripening or even happening this month.  But, it's here and that's what makes me rejoice!

As I mentioned before, I'm running out of strawberry jam stock so I really need to replenish it.  With the strawberries, I love the flavor of local strawberries over supermarket variety, especially the Hood variety.  It's my go-to strawberry to pick for making jam and when it's in season I have to act quick or they'd be gone.  Last Sunday I dragged my family to Beaverton area, precisely to Hoffman Farms, to help me pick strawberries.  I've gone to this farm for about 2 years in a row and I really like their fruits.

This year is the first year I've picked strawberries though.  I was expecting muddy field, but they've lined the path between the rows with straws so that we didn't have to muck around in the mud.  It rained the day before and it was kind of cloudy on the day, so we always expect the worse in this Oregon weather.

There are 4 types of strawberries available and we picked Hood, Albion and Sweet Sunrise.  Like I said the Hood was made into jam; I got 5 pints out of almost 5 pounds.  The Albion will be eaten fresh, and the slightly tart-more on sweet Sweet Sunrise was made into this fresh pie.  I was glad I picked this variety because it has character and it suited this pie.

I didn't plan ahead on making pie but as it happens, I had 2 homemade pie crusts sitting in the freezer.  So it's an impromptu dessert.  I used my favorite pie crust recipe, which was used in making this Sweet Potato Pie.  What I like about it is that it makes 3 crusts which is quite handy; I can make a double crust pie and a single crust pie right away.  I think it's time to make another batch so I'm ready for the next dessert day!

Anyway, as with a fresh fruit pie, it's a messy eating but it's deliciously out of the world.  We love serving a slice with whipped cream, and we don't mind if the pie looks lopsided or is too runny!

Fresh Strawberry Pie

Serves 8

1 recipe double-crust pie dough,  see this recipe


8 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered
2/3 cup sugar or more depending on how tart the strawberries are (mine were sweet enough that I didn't need to add a lot of it)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon grated fresh orange zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch salt
Milk for glaze
2 teaspoons sugar

Roll one disk of dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured counter, then fit it into a 9-inch pie plate, letting the excess dough hang over the edge; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Roll the other disk of dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured counter, then transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Toss strawberries and 2/3 cup of sugar in a large bowl.  Let sit for about 1 hour, tossing occasionally.

Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position; place a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet on the rack, and heat the oven to 425F.

Drain the fruit thoroughly on a colander, reserving 1/4 cup of the juice.  In a large bowl, mix together the drained fruit, cornstarch, orange zest, vanilla extract and salt.  If the fruit tastes tart, add more sugar gradually until it suits your taste.

Dump the fruit into the dough-lined pie plate, mounding it slightly in the middle.  Cover the top with the second piece of dough.  Trim, fold and crimp the edges and cut 8 vent holes in the top.  Brush the crust with milk and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sugar.

Place the pie on the heated baking sheet and bake until top crust is golden, about 25 minutes.  Reduce the oven temperature to 375F, rotate the baking sheet, and continue to bake until the crust is golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes longer.  Let the pie cool on a wire rack until the filling has set, about 2 hours; serve slightly warm or at room temperature.


Source: filling adapted from The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book

No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake

My apology for being absent for a long time.  I think I mentioned it on my last post that I'm taking more responsibility at work now that my priorities at home has also changed.  I also don't feel like making desserts or sweet treats for a while so this break is much needed.

My son also has an early bird class which makes my day is longer than usual.  I'm in bed by 10 most nights and I believe sleep is one of things I won't miss out.  A well rested wife and mommy is a much appreciated person during the day :)

This month I finally feel the urge to start baking again.  But the first thing I made is actually involves little time in the oven.  I had a slice of cheesecake on my church potluck and I wanted to eat cheesecake at home.  I don't think I've ever made no-bake cheesecake before that this time is the right time to try it.  Strawberries have started coming in the stores so automatically it's the fruit that I fancy putting in the no-bake cheesecake.

The crust is made of chocolate graham crackers with some oats and brown sugar.  It tastes very yummy; actually this combo strawberry and chocolate is super delicious.  The addition of whipped cream and extra strawberries on top makes it even better.  This actually reminds me of strawberry ice cream without the brain freeze!

Now the fresh strawberry slices are mixed with melted marrionberry jam because I run out of my strawberry jam.  They taste just fine with it, it's just when photographed it looks a little funny with those little seeds of marrionberry.  This also told me that I need to make more strawberry jam in a month or two.

I hope you'll give this a try!

No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake

Serves 10


Crust:
9 whole chocolate graham crackers
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
3 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling:
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin (from 2 envelopes)
1 1/2 8-ounce packages Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 cups chopped strawberries

Topping:
1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
4 cups fresh strawberries, cut in half
1/2 cup strawberry jam


To make the crust:  Preheat oven to 350F.  Blend graham crackers, oats, brown sugar, and salt in processor until graham crackers are finely ground.  Add melted butter and vanilla; process until moist crumbs form.  Press crumb mixture onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides.  Bake crust until deep golden brown, about 12 minutes.  Cool.

To make the filling:  Pour 1/4 cup water into small saucepan; sprinkle gelatin over.  Let stand until gelatin softens, about 15 minutes.  Stir over very low heat just until gelatin dissolves.  Blend cream cheese, cream, sugar, and lemon juice in processor until smooth, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl.  Add berries; puree until smooth.  With machine running, add warm gelatin mixture through feed tube and blend well.  Pour filling into crust.  Cover; chill overnight.

Cut around pan sides to loosen cake; remove pan sides.  Transfer cake to platter.

Topping:  Using electric mixer, beat cream and sugar in medium bowl until peaks form.  Spread cream mixture thickly over top of cheesecake.  Place berries in bowl.  Heat jam in small saucepan over low heat until just melted.  Pour jam over berries; toss to coat.  Mound coated  berries on cream, leaving 1-inch plain border.  Chill cake at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.


Source:  adapted from Bon Appetit Desserts

Mocha Rollcake with Strawberries-Lemon Whipped Cream Filling

The title is long but the cake is short and sweet.  I've a passion for Japanese baking books, they're my inspirations even though I can't even read or speak the language.  I'm craving those exquisite pictures on those books and the recipes are also intriguing.  The pictures depicted a variety of combination in desserts that looks pretty in the books though I'm not so sure if I can have all the ingredients here in the US.  But, these don't deter me from deciphering some of the recipes.  Rollcakes are something that I want to learn and be better at making it.  I think rollcakes are pretty, what with the different flavor fillings I can make and also different types of cakes to be used for rollcake.  Sponge cake, choux paste, meringue, genoise, and many other types of cake can be made into rollcakes.  The main thing is to master the rolling part so the cake won't crack, but hey, if it happens grab a bowl and make some frosting!  Slather that on top of the cake, et voilà, the cake is ready.

At this time I made a rollcake with sponge cake base.  The method is practically the same as this post and the filling is the same this post.  I've based my rollcake from two books which I, unfortunately, don't know the name of the books or one of the authors--I only know that on one book the author is Kumiko Yanase.  The strawberries aren't local, I embarrassedly admitted but since they look pretty in rollcake I have to include them.  The one thing that maybe hard to find here, if not cheap to buy, is the mocha paste.  As for myself, I have a bottle of mocha paste that I bought in Indonesia.  Here, I found a company that makes mocha paste which is sold at VeryAsia.com and it's a product of Indonesia as well.

I've never thought that lemon-strawberry-mocha flavors could be combined in a harmoniously in this rollcake but I like it and I love to do more rollcakes in the future.  Looking at the pictures, I feel like it's Christmas once again with the color combination! ;)

Mocha Rollcake with Strawberries-Lemon Whipped Cream Filling

Makes 1 large rollcake



For the rollcake:

6 large egg yolks, at room temperature

5 large egg whites, at room temperature

1oo gr confectioners' sugar, sifted and divided in half

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 tablespoon mocha paste

50 gr all-purpose flour, sifted

50 gr unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

Lemon curd-whipped cream filling, you'll only need about 1/2 of the recipe

10 strawberries, each cut into quarters

For the whipped cream frosting:

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder

4 teaspoons cold water

1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon clear vanilla extract

Confectioners' sugar for dusting



Line a 10-x 15-inch jellyroll pan with parchment paper.  Preheat the oven to 400 degree F.

To make the rollcake: In a bowl of stand in mixer with a wire whisk, cream egg yolks and half the sugar until pale and thick.  Add mocha paste and mix in until well blended.  With a clean bowl, whip egg whites and cream of tartar until frothy, add last half of sugar until soft peak, fold a little bit of egg white into the egg yolk and then pour all the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites.  Sift the flour and fold over.  Add melted butter and fold quickly, just until the butter is blended.  Pour batter into the pan.

Bake on center rack for 12 minutes, or until it's light brown and shrink a bit from sides of pan.  Immediately take out from the oven and invert to a parchment paper that's been lightly sprayed with cooking spray and slightly bigger than the cake, on top of a flat surface.  Roll the cake and unroll it , this is to get the cake ready.  Leave the cake to cool for 10 minutes.

Spread the lemon curd-whipped cream filling on the cake, covering evenly.  Arrange cut strawberries on one of the short side of the cake and scatter some strawberries all around the cake.  Roll the cake tightly and try to peel off the parchment paper from the bottom of the cake as well.  Cover the whole cake with another parchment paper and leave it to cool completely.

To make whipped cream frosting: Combine gelatin and cold water in small ramekin.  Let stand until thick.  Fill a small saucepan with a bit of water and place over low heat.  Stir gelatin until becomes liquidy and remove from saucepan.  Let stand and cool slightly.  Whip cream, sugar, and vanilla extract until slightly thickened.  While beating slowly, gradually add gelatin to whipped cream mixture.  Whip at high speed until stiff.  There'll be leftovers of whipped cream from frosting the cake.

Frost the cooled roll cake with whipped cream and if you like, pipe dots on top of cake with whipped cream.  Scatter cut strawberries on top of whipped cream, press down slightly.  Dust with confectioners' sugar if desired just before cutting.  The cake needs to be refrigerated and will keep for about 3 days.