FoodFash

Adventure Begins in the Kitchen

The Brown Nosed Baker

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I talk about baking a lot, a lot.  Probably too much among friends, most definitely too much at work.  But baking every day, and seeing my coworkers five-sevenths of the days, makes baking conversations at work inevitable.  And after five-sevenths of nine months (that’s how long I’ve been in Austin) of talking to my boss about baked goods, he finally asked me to bake him something.  Sort of.

Last week as I plopped down at my desk with a tumbler full of the darkest, blackest coffee ever, I noticed an envelope on my typically paperless desk.  Confused, I opened the envelope and read the nicest, most sincere work-related thank you card I had ever received.  It’s the thank you’s that are unprompted by a favor completed or a deadline met that mean the most, which is why this particular note meant a ton to me.

Beneath the note was a Cook’s Illustrated magazine.  “Carter, did you only give me this note and magazine because you want me to bake something?”, I asked.  Knowing I like to give people a hard time, he jokingly responded that the pumpkin cake on the cover would be nice.

This cake should have been, would have been, a surprise had I been able to keep this present a secret.  But the morning after I bought all of the ingredients I couldn’t help myself and blurted out that the cake was on its way.  Still I think this cake will be a surprise as it is so, so beautiful.  And judging from all of the batter I consumed tonight, this pumpkin roll cake will surely be equally as delicious!

Princess Pie

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I am… such a sucker for little kids.  They have the ability to disengage me from the adult world in about 90 seconds flat.  So when Matt told me his sister and 4-year old niece were coming to visit this weekend, I was super excited to meet the munchkin.  Oh, and make her a pie.  Because every little kid loves chocolate peanut butter pie, right?

After a busy day of errand running, boat dock scheming, and friend lunching, Miss Kristin put on her baker hat and entered into the world of chocolate, peanut butter, and whipping cream.  “You’re working too hard!”, Matt said.  I hardly considered this work.

Of all the pies I had baked over the years, none of them had been chocolate or peanut butter.  Not having a go-to recipe wasn’t ideal, but after browsing through books and sites I knew what needed to happen.  I cherry picked from a few recipes, avoiding steps that involved microwaves, Cool Whip, and corn syrup.

FoodFash Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie (adapted from Better Homes & Gardens)

1 9″ pie shell, baked

1-1/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

2/3 cup whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 – 8 oz package of cream cheese

3/4 cup peanut butter

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons sifted powdered sugar, sifted

Place a mixing bowl and beaters in the fridge.  In a small saucepan, melt chocolate chips, 2/3 cup whipping cream, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.  When all chips are melted, pour chocolate sauce into the pie shell and place in the freezer while you whip up the peanut butter topping.  In another mixing bowl, beat together peanut butter and cream cheese.  Add 1 cup of sifted powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of whipping cream, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.  Beat until super blended and set aside.  In the chilled mixing bowl, beat 1 cup whipping cream and 2 tablespoons sifted powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.  Fold portions of the whipped cream into the peanut butter mix until all of whipped cream has been absorbed into the peanut butter.  Remove the pie shell with chocolate bottom from the freezer and spread the peanut butter topping over the pie.  Refrigerate for a couple hours and then serve.

And that, my friends, is the face of a princess that’s excited for some chocolate peanut butter pie!