Toasted Coconut Spritz Cookies

It's almost hard to believe Thanksgiving was just last week. After spending several days in Alabama for the holiday with family, we returned home to a November snow storm. One with some significant snowfall. Winter technically doesn't arrive for almost four weeks, although it seems winter has decided to come earlier than usual this year. Way too early, that is. No, I am not going to go on a rant about climate change as most of us have become all to aware of the scientific data explaining the seriousness of the effects and extremes related to global warming. Regardless of where one stands on the issue, all I know is a foodblog isn't necessarily the best space to engage in a debate on such a critical, yet highly political issue. Although I would be remiss if I didn't share an article or two with you as this foodblog should always be a learning space. And not just always about food.

Speaking of change, our Thanksgiving traditions have shifted considerably in the last six years. We have had only two Thanksgiving dinners 'at home' while four were spent away. Colorado, Kentucky, Rhode Island, and this year, Alabama have been the places where my favorite holiday has been celebrated. Who knows where we will be for next year's Thanksgiving, but chances are likely it won't be around my dining room table. If you would have asked me a year ago if I would ever order a Thanksgiving dinner from a grocery store, I would have told you 'probably not'. What I wouldn't have said is that I couldn't imagine a take out dinner being as good as or better than one homemade with favorite recipes. As it turns out, we not only ordered our Thanksgiving dinner from a grocery store (Whole Foods), it was surprisingly really pretty good. Considering I am pretty food fussy and a bit of a holiday traditionalist, some who know me well are likely thinking 'Who are you?' right about now. Apparently someone who can still be a little unpredictable.

If you ask me if I thought a store bought cookie could taste better than a homemade one, I would say 'it depends on the recipe for the homemade one'. In other words, cookies made from great recipes and with great ingredients are almost always better than their store-bought versions. These Toasted Coconut Spritz Cookies would be a perfect example of why homemade is hands-down so much better than any similar cookie found in grocery or gourmet stores. Seriously, these cookies are insanely, mouthwatering delicious. And oh, by the way, they fall into both the swoonworthy and addictive categories. They are the kind of cookies your recipients will want to hoard for themselves. One of those exception to the holiday sharing spirit rules kind of confections.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I made these cookies twice. The first time I used a larger than called for pastry tip, wasn't exactly steady with my piping skills, and didn't chill them for as long as recommended. Which meant, the first time, their prettiness didn't match up to their wow-factor deliciousness. However, if I had you taste the first and second batches blindfolded, you wouldn't have been able to tell the difference in flavor or texture between them. So I took what I liked about the first batch and applied it to the second batch. But more on that later.

If you are looking to add a new cookie to your Christmas gift boxes and platters this year, put these Toasted Coconut Spritz Cookies at the top of your list! These are beyond heavenly! And if by chance you are participating in a cookie exchange, these are the cookies you want to bring to the party.

The depth of coconut flavor in these cookies comes in part from toasting the flakes of sweetened coconut, but also from using some (one cup) of the toasted coconut to create a coconut-flour meal. The result is a crisp, shortbread like cookie. To ensure your coconut toasts evenly, use a large enough baking sheet to spread the coconut out and stir a couple of times during the baking process. The other ingredient contributing to the cookie's flavor is cream of coconut. Not to be confused with coconut milk or coconut cream, cream of coconut is thick and rich. When you open the can, make certain to stir it well before measuring it out, as there is some settling of the cream of coconut in the can. I used the one made by Goya, but you could also use the one made by Coco Lopez.

There will be one point when you are making the cookie dough where you might wonder if you had messed up. When the cream of coconut and vanilla is first added to the butter/confectionary sugar mixture, it will initially look a little like cottage cheese. After scraping the bowl and mixing it for an additional 20-30 seconds, it will look a little more homogenous. However, once the toasted coconut/flour mixture is added in, the dough comes together perfectly. You want your dough to have a slightly shaggy look. So be careful not to over mix.

Instead of piping these cookies out into straight 3" to 3 1/2" logs, I liked them better piped into an S-shape. To help keep my cookies a similar size, I usually cut a straw into my desired length. This gives me a good visual each time I pipe out the cookie.

I dipped these cookies in melted dark chocolate and then topped with the remaining half-cup of reserved toasted coconut.

As much as I love chocolate, I loved these cookies equally well without the additional chocolate and toasted coconut adornment.

If you ask any of your family or friends if they like coconut cookies and they immediately answer 'no, not really', they need to taste these Toasted Coconut Spritz Cookies. These are the most mind-blowing, mind-changing coconut cookies ever made! You absolutely have to make them! More importantly, you have to convince the coconut nay-sayers to try them. Because seriously, there isn't a better Toasted Coconut Spritz Cookie than this one. 

Recipe
Toasted Coconut Spritz Cookies (inspired by Mindy Segal's Toasted Coconut Spritz cookies shared in her cookbook "Cookie Love")
Makes 27-28 3"-3 1/2" S-shaped cookies

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (5 1/4 ounces, 150 g) shredded sweetened coconut, divided
2 1/4 cups (10 1/4 ounces, 292 g) unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup (3 ounces, 85 g) confectionary sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons cream of coconut
2 teaspoons vanilla

8  - 9 ounces dark, milk or white chocolate, melted (Note: I used dark chocolate.)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Scatter the coconut evenly across a half sheet pan. Place in oven. Stir several times until the coconut is an even light brown. Approximately 10-14 minutes. Cool completely.
3. In the bowl of large food processor, pulse one cup of the toasted coconut with 1/2 cup of the flour until a coconut meal forms. Note: Reserve remaining 1/2 cup of the toasted coconut for finishing the cookies.
4. Pulse in remaining 1 3/4 cups of the flour and kosher salt. 
5. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Fit a pastry bag with Ateco star baking tip #826.
6. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter on medium speed for 10 seconds. Add the confectionary sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, resembling a frosting (approximately 3-4 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
7. In a liquid measuring cup, combine the cream of coconut and vanilla. Whisk to blend.
8. On medium speed add the coconut/vanilla mixture and mix until the batter resembles cottage cheese (approximately 10-15 seconds). Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed for 20-30 seconds to make the batter nearly homogenous.
9. With mixer on low, gradually add in the toasted coconut/flour mixture. Mix until dough comes together but still looks a little shaggy (approximately 30 seconds). Do not over mix. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Note: If the dough seems to thick to pipe, add more of the cream of coconut, one tablespoon at a time. 
10. Fill the pastry bag  halfway with the batter. Pipe 3 to 3 1/2 inch S-shapes on the prepared pans. Allow at least 1 1/2 inches of space between each cookie. Chill for 15-30 minutes.
11. Bake cookies one pan at a time for 15-18 minutes, rotating the pan midway through the baking process, until they are lightly golden in color. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking tray.
12. Line a large tray or baking sheet with parchment paper.
13. Dip the ends or sides of the cookies in the melted chocolate. Lightly sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of toasted coconut on the cookies before the chocolate sets. Allow cookies to set completely before serving and/or storing in a tightly sealed container.

Notes: (1) Instead of making S-shaped cookies, you can make 3" to 3 1/2" spritz finger cookies. Your yield on the cookies will almost double. Baking time may need to be adjusted. (2) While one baking sheet is in the oven, place the other in the refrigerator to allow the cookies to chill. (3) If you like dunking your cookies in milk or coffee, skip dipping them in the chocolate. (4) When toasting the coconut, place the coconut directly on the pan. If you place it on parchment paper, it will take slightly longer to toast.

Roses blooming in downtown Birmingham, Alabama (November 2018)

Spiced Pecan Banana Bread

For those you who are invited guests at the home of your family or friends for Thanksgiving this year, congratulations. You have escaped the joy and madness of preparing the Thanksgiving dinner. For those of you who are lucky enough to be hosting the BEST holiday of the year meal, congratulations. You also get to enjoy the second BEST meal of the year. Otherwise known as the day after Thanksgiving leftovers. Quite possibly that second meals is the best reward for schlepping through grocery stores getting all of your ingredients, making second or even third trips to the grocery store because you had forgotten an essential ingredient, spending all that time on your feet making the meal, getting up early to get the turkey in the oven, and fretting over whether or not everyone will love the meal you pour your heart and soul into.

With everyone's attention on turkey, the sides, and pies, why on earth would I post a new recipe for a banana bread this week? Especially when there are already two of them in the blog's archives. Consider it my way of subtly suggesting a hostess gift idea for those of you who want to bring something other than a bottle of wine or candle to your Thanksgiving hosts and/or hostesses. Or maybe I just couldn't wait to share it with you. Either way you now have yet another Banana Bread recipe in your life to make. One you need to make so you decide if it rivals your favorite.

The funniest thing happened when I posted a couple of photos of this Spiced Pecan Banana Bread on my Facebook page over the weekend. At least five, maybe six of my friends, offered to share their favorite banana bread recipes for me to make as well! Little did I know I had so many friends passionate about their banana bread recipes! With claims of converting non-banana lovers and breads having a great crunch on the outside while being super moist on the inside, it looks like visions of over ripe bananas rather than sugar plums are in my immediate future. Which could mean that instead of three banana bread recipes posted to the blog, it's possible that number could climb in the months ahead! 

I actually set out to make a chocolate chip banana bread but changed my mind at the last minute. The scent of the spiced autumnal candle burning in the kitchen may have influenced the creation of this spiced, nutty banana bread. Or maybe it was being bombarded by images of pecan pies in the last couple of weeks that caused me to have pecans on the brain. With almost a dozen overly ripe bananas in the house, I was inspired to bake up a new, different, possibly better version of the banana breads already in my life. See notes below for the chocolate chip version of this banana bread.

The riper the bananas, the deeper the flavor. This recipe calls for four ripe bananas. Unlike other banana bread recipes where all of the bananas are added in to the batter at once, this one adds them in two different stages of the batter making process. Two are beaten with granulated and brown sugars and two are mashed and folded in with the nuts at the end. 

The Spiced Pecan Banana Bread bakes in a preheated 350 degree (F) oven for 60 to 75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. To ensure the banana bread bakes evenly rotate your baking pan midway through the baking process. 

Allow the banana bread to rest in its' pan on a cooling rack for at least 10 minutes before removing and transferring to a cutting board or platter.

And the verdict on this banana bread version? Before I answer that I should probably tell you about the article "It's Okay to Be Good Not Great" someone sent me recently. One that has me now rethinking, over thinking, or thinking twice about throwing out the word 'great'. I wonder how long it will be before someone writes an article on the use (overuse) of the word 'epic'. Because if I have to sparingly use words like great, epic, and maybe even best, I will definitely have to step up my creative use of adjectives, analogies, hyperboles, and metaphors game. Okay, now back to the verdict. I liked it more than this first Banana Bread recipe posted on the blog and just slightly more than the Banana Bread Version 2 recipe. In other words I will probably be making this Spiced Pecan Banana Bread recipe more often than either of the other two. Not because the other two aren't good, but because this moist on the inside, slightly crunchy on both the inside and outside banana bread is pretty gosh darn awesome! Especially lightly sprinkled with confectionary sugar! And, if by chance there were beauty contest awards for banana bread, this one would be a serious contender for taking the crown.

As an added bonus, thick one inch slices of the Spiced Pecan Banana Bread would make for great french toast! Just saying.

Happiest Thanksgiving wishes and blessings to all of you. I hope your holiday is filled with some of your favorite foods, with the company of those you love, and the spirit of gratefulness. Safe travels to those of you traveling over the holiday weekend.

For those of you still deciding on which desserts or sides to serve on Thanksgiving, I posted a Round-Up of my favorite Thanksgiving desserts for the past two years. You can find them here and here. And you can find some ideas for Thanksgiving sides here.

Recipe
Spiced Pecan Banana Bread (inspired by multiple sources)

Ingredients
4 overly ripe bananas, divided
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 cup (12 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch of cloves
1 cup pecan halves, toasted, and coarsely chopped
Optional: 1 - 2 Tablespoons Sanding or sparkling sugar
Optional: Confectionary sugar for dusting slices

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a 9" x 5" inch metal loaf pan with parchment paper. Butter any exposed sides. Set aside.
2. In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Whisk to combine and set aside.
3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment place two of the bananas and the sugars. Beat at medium-high speed for approximately 3 minutes to create a fluffy, creamy mixture.
4. Add in the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla. Beat well to combine.
5. Mix in the dry ingredients until just incorporated. Be careful to not over beat.
6. In a small bowl, mash together the remaining two bananas.
7. Fold in the chopped pecans and mashed bananas using a rubber spatula.
8. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with sanding or sparkling sugar if using. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 60-75 minutes, rotating the baking pan midway through the baking process or until golden brown. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clear.  Note: My baking time was 67 minutes.
9. Remove banana bread from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before removing from the pan and slicing.
10. Serve thick slices lightly dusted with confectionary sugar.
11. Cover the cooled banana bread with plastic wrap or aluminum foil if not serving immediately. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator. Warm slices in the toaster or in the microwave before serving.

Note: (1) I subsequently made a second loaf of the banana bread, a chocolate chip version. Instead of using one cup of coarsely chopped toasted pecans use one cup of miniature chocolate chips. Omit the nutmeg and ground cloves, but use one teaspoon of cinnamon. This version was even more heavenly than the spiced pecan version. So there you have it, now you two new banana bread recipes in a single post!

Autumn color in Michigan (November 2018)

Sweet Potato Meringue Pie

What would Thanksgiving be without pie? Simply the fourth Thursday in November. Pie is considered to be one of those quintessentially required desserts on the Thanksgiving table. Depending on which region of the country you reside, which pie is most likely to make a holiday appearance varies. Although in spite of these regional differences, pumpkin, pecan, and apple pies are generally considered to rank highest amongst favorites. But did you know Sweet Potato Pie places somewhere in the top ten? And I would venture to guess it might be in the top three if you are from or live in the South. Of the many things learned living in Mississippi for a short while was such a thing a Sweet Potato Pie. Up until that point in my life, my Thanksgiving sweet potato consumption was limited to baked or casserole versions. 

After my first bite of a Sweet Potato Pie I realized just how deprived my sweet potato eating life had been. My first one was an unadorned version. One not even accompanied by a dollop of freshly whipped cream or the non-dairy whipped topping usually found in the frozen food aisle. Regardless of the absence of a creamy topping, I was smitten. Dare I say I liked the flavor and texture of a sweet potato pie better than pumpkin pie?

I didn't think a Sweet Potato Pie could get any better until I saw one topped with a toasted meringue. I may or may not have been drooling at the sight of it.

In my collection of clippings from magazines was a Sweet Potato Pie recipe from a very old issue of Bon Appetit. It came from Nita's Place, a restaurant in Savannah, GA. It's owner and chef Juanita Dixon became legendary in the 1990s for creating some the most savory soul food ever to have been served in the South. Unfortunately that restaurant is no longer in existence, although fortunately some of her recipes were published in various publications. Thus keeping the legacy of Nita's Place alive. Thankfully I saved the recipe for it's Sweet Potato Pie. After making Juanita's pie for the first time year back, I never looked for another sweet potato pie recipe again. Because despite of my limited sweet potato pie eating experiences, I believed this was the pie to end all pies.

For the most part, the filling for the pie is relatively easy to make with the sweet potatoes cooked not in the oven but in the microwave. You could certainly roast them in the oven if you wanted.

The recipe called for making the filling in a food processor. Instead I decided to assemble it using a bowl and whisk. My way of paying homage to all of the sweet potato pies made centuries ago.

The recipe shared in Bon Appetit called for the use of a frozen pie shell (thawed and pre-baked). Was it because Juanita didn't want to share her pie dough recipe? Or was this one of her secret shortcuts? I am guessing it may have been the former not the later. Almost everyone skilled at making pies will tell you there is a world of difference between a store-bought and homemade pie crust. And for good reason. A homemade dough helps us to live our best pie lives. There are many different pie dough recipes out there. The one I share below comes from the recently published cookbook "Sister Pie" Make this pie using this recipe or the one you love most. Just make this pie.

Like a Pumpkin Pie, this Sweet Potato Meringue Pie requires the pie crust be blind baked. Often referred to as pre-baking the crust before adding the filling. To learn more about blind baking, take a few minutes to read this how-to piece published by King Arthur Flour as it's filled with some really good tips. In the directions below I share how I blind baked this pie crust.

Once your pie shell is blind baked and allowed to cool slightly, it's filled with the luscious sweet potato pie filling. Baking time for the pie will range from 40-45 minutes or until the edges are puffed and the center is just set. This pie is ready to be enjoyed as soon as it cools. But if you are looking to take your Sweet Potato Pie eating experience to a completely new level or seeking to create a show-stopper pie, you need to top it with toasted meringue. Trust me when I say you will be happy you did.

If you can make pie dough from scratch, you can make this meringue. Even if you can't make pie dough, you can still make this meringue.

Unlike a French meringue where you beat the egg whites and sugar until the mixture is light, airy, and soft or a Swiss meringue where you begin by beating egg whites and sugar over boiling water, this meringue is made by drizzling a 240 degree (F) sugar syrup into lightly beaten egg whites, then beating at a medium-high speed until it almost quadruples in volume, is shiny, and holds medium to firm peaks. If you have never had an Italian meringue before, you are in for such a treat! Once made, the meringue is first piped or spread onto a cooled Sweet Potato Pie then lightly browned using a kitchen torch. The final step in transporting you to Sweet Potato Pie heaven.

You may never want to eat Pumpkin Pie again after you taste this Sweet Potato Meringue Pie. But don't feel free you have to give up one for the other. There is room in the pie world and on your Thanksgiving table for both of them.

This may be the most heavenly, borderline decadent, jacked up, drop the mic version of a Sweet Potato Pie on the planet. Creamy, slightly custardy in texture with it's flavor deepened from brown sugar and warm spices, a flaky buttery crust, and oh, that fluffy, toasted meringue topping makes for one highly irresistible pie. And it might be the BEST Sweet Potato Pie you have ever tasted. Your Thanksgiving is about to get happier!

Recipe
Sweet Potato Meringue Pie (Recipe for the sweet potato filling is a slightly adapted version of a very old Bon Appetit Sweet Potato Pie recipe; recipe for the dough is based on the All-Butter Pie Dough from the cookbook "Sister Pie"; and lastly, the recipe for the Italian meringue is adapted from one shared by recipe developer, pie diva Erin McDowell)
Makes one 9" pie

Ingredients
Dough (Makes enough for two crusts. See notes below)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter, cubed, preferably European-style, straight from the refrigerator
1/2 cup ice cold water-vinegar mixture (See note below)
Egg wash: one large egg very well beaten

Pie Filling
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon mace (or if not available, use allspice)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup frozen non-dairy whipped topping (such as Cool Whip), thawed

Meringue (see note below)
1 cup caster or granulated sugar
1/3 cup water
3 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
Dough
1. In the bowl of a large-sized food processor, add in flour, sugar, and salt. Pulse to blend.
2. Add in cubed ice cold butter, and pulse until mixture has pea-sized pieces of butter.
3. Slow pour in a half-cup of the cider-vinegar/water mixture. Process until dough just starts coming together. Be careful not over process. Note: If the mixture isn't coming together, add more of the vinegar-water mixture, one teaspoon at a time.
4. Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and briefly knead until it forms a ball. Cut the ball in half, Pat each ball into a 2" thick disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Chill for at least 90 minutes or up to 2 hours.
5. When ready to blind bake your crust, preheat oven to 450 degrees (F).
6. On a lightly floured surface, place one of the disks. Roll out the dough to a 13-14 inch circle (about quarter inch thickness). Roll up the dough and place in your pie tin/plate. Roll any dough hanging out from the pie tin under itself. Shape and/or crimp your pie crust as desired. Place pie crust back in the refrigerate for at least 30 but up to 2 hours.
7. Line the pie shell with aluminum foil, lightly fold the aluminum foil over the edges of the pie plate. Fill to the top with dried beans or pie weight.
8. Bake for 25-27 minutes or until edges are a light golden brown. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Let rest for 6 minutes before removing the foil and beans. Brush the edge of the pie shell with an egg wash and return pie shell to oven and bake for 2-4 additional minutes to set up the base. Note: If the dough puffs up, puncture it with a fork.
9. Let pie shell cool briefly before pouring in the pie filling. Bake pie according to directions below.

Pie Filling
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
2. Cook the sweet potatoes in the microwave on high until a knife pierces the center easily (approximately 7 minutes per side). Note: Choose sweet potatoes having a similar size.
3. Cut sweet potatoes in half and allow to cool slightly or until you can handle them. Scoop out the flesh and place in a bowl. Mash until no large chunks remain. Measure out 1 1/3 cups of mashed sweet potatoes. Set aside.
4. In a medium sized bowl, add in eggs, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, melted butter, sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mace. Whisk until blended.
5. Add in the mashed sweet potatoes until well combined and smooth.
6. Fold in the thawed whipped topping. Whisk until no white streaks remain. Pour mixture into your cooled blind baked pie crust. Smooth the top. Place pie plate on a baking sheet and put into the preheated oven.
7. Bake until the filling is puffed at the edges and just set in the center (approximately 40-45 minutes). Remove from oven and let cool on a rack.

Meringue
1. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add in the egg whites and cream of tartar. Mix briefly to combine. Set aside.
2. In a small heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Over medium heat, stir only until the sugar has dissolved. Continue to cook the sugar-water mixture until it reaches a temperature of 235 degrees (F) on a candy thermometer (approximately 4-5 minutes). 
3. Begin whipping the egg whites on medium speed so they are lightly whipped and foamy by time the sugar-water mixture reaches 240 degrees (F). As soon as the mixture reaches 240 degrees, remove the pot from the heat and begin to slowly pour the hot sugar syrup along the sides of the mixing bowl. Increase speed to medium-high, add in salt and vanilla, and continue whipping until the meringue almost quadruples in volume and reaches a medium peak (approximately 3-4 minutes.
4. Prepare two or three pastry bags fitted with an assortment of tips (e.g., open star, closed star, French star, round). Divide the meringue between the bags. Pipe meringue on top of the cooled to room temperature sweet potato pie. Completely cover the pie in meringue or make a wreath-like design (leaving the center of the pie exposed).
5. Using a kitchen torch, toast the meringue to your desired state of brown. 
6. Serve immediately or within 2-3 hours. Once topped with the meringue the pie is best enjoyed the same day. If you carefully cover any leftover pie with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator, it is still really, really delicious.

Notes: (1) You will have enough for two pies or a single pie with a top crust with this dough recipe. If not making two pies or a top crusted pie, keep dough well wrapped in the refrigerator for a couple of days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. (2) If you don't want to make your own pie (although I would encourage you to), use a refrigerated pie crust. Instead of blind baking, bake the crust until lightly golden brown at 450 degrees (F) for approximately 7-9 minutes. (3) To make the water-apple cider vinegar mixture, put 2 measured Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into a one-cup measuring cup. Fill to the cup line with ice cold water. Keep the chilled water-apple cider vinegar mixture in the refrigerator until ready to use. (4) Topping the Sweet Potato Pie with the meringue is optional (but turns the pie into a showstopper). If not topping with meringue, serve the pie with some lightly sweetened whip cream or simply serve plain.

Three Oaks, Michigan (November 2018)

Baked Spiced Cranberry Preserves

Considering that many view adding any new or replacing any beloved dishes to the Thanksgiving dinner table as lying somewhere between an unforgivable sacrilegious act or a punishable crime, it's a wonder there is a such a proliferation of Thanksgiving recipes shared on foodblogs, in magazines, or on social media at this time of the year. As the expectations for the dishes gracing the Thanksgiving table are often so deeply rooted in childhood memories, mothers and/or fathers often feel compelled to recreate a second Thanksgiving dinner for their families when the first one fails to live up to the twelve month anticipation. Just ask anyone who sat at a Thanksgiving table where the mashed potatoes and stuffing weren't homemade but came from a box or where the cranberry sauce was different than the one treasured for generations. For some, messing with Thanksgiving dinner traditions and revered family recipes can be discombobulating. Yet, for others the changes can be refreshing.

The stakes are usually pretty high for anyone who likes to break some of unwritten rules around the family Thanksgiving dinner. And for those making their 'first' holiday meal for family and friends, the pressure can feel almost insurmountable. Yet, in spite of this, we forge ahead with menu planning. Making certain the wine choices will garner rave reviews. Because at the end of the day, if someone doesn't like the food, they can always have more wine to numb their Thanksgiving dinner disappointment.

I fall somewhere between needing to have certain Thanksgiving dishes on the table to looking forward to making or discovering something new. My father's sage-y bread stuffing must be on the table, but that doesn't mean there won't also be a cornbread mincemeat sausage one too. We abandoned the canned cranberry sauce decades ago (no offense to those of you who are canned cranberries aficionados). After years of searching for the prefect cranberry side dish, this Spiced Cranberry and Dried Fruit Chutney emerged as the family 'it better be on the table' favorite. In spite of making this cranberry recipe discovery, I can't help but wonder if there might be one even better. So every year I get sucked into the Thanksgiving recipe rabbit hole. 

A few months back, a friend living in Colorado, one I have yet to meet but hope to some day, casually mentioned one of her favorite cookbooks, "Fancy Pantry". Any mention of a cookbook I don't own is akin to dangling a bag of my favorite chocolates in front of me. The urge to resist is a challenge, especially if I am hangry. Within days after hearing of this cookbook, there was an Amazon box sitting on my doorstep. As I thumbed through the cookbook, a number of recipes seemed to call my name. But the one screaming at me was for Baked Cranberry Preserves with Orange and Cardamom.  I knew it wasn't going to replace the Thanksgiving cranberry chutney, God forbid, yet rather it would give me another reason to add more cranberry to the meal as well as to my holiday entertaining options. Yes, these Baked Spiced Cranberry Preserves were destined for the cheese board. Maybe spread on some brie or served alongside some other favorite cheeses (like goat or Port Salut). But beyond making an appearance during the appetizer course, these preserves would be also be perfect spread on a toasted English Muffin or atop a toasted bagel schmeared with cream cheese. 

I happen to LOVE everything about cranberries. From their deep red color to their tartness, I seriously experience a bit of rush when they first appear in the grocery stores. This recipe Baked Spiced Cranberry Preserves recipe brings the total number of recipes on the blog featuring cranberries to fourteen! So I guess you can say I am a little cranberry obsessed.

I made several changes to the Baked Cranberry Preserves with Orange and Cardamom recipe from the cookbook "Fancy Pantry". I reduced the amount of sugar from three cups to two cups because the ratio of sugar to cranberries (only 4 cups) seemed disproportionate; added some kosher salt to ramp up the flavor; and, increased the amount of cardamom from 1/8 teaspoon to 1/4 teaspoon. Additionally I added both ground cinnamon and ginger to create a slightly more spicy preserve. 

Other than the cranberries, what attracted me to the inspiration recipe was the fact that these preserves were baked in oven, not made on the stovetop. If roasting was good for vegetables, it had to be equally as good for fruit too, right? Turns out roasting the cranberries not only made for incredibly flavorful preserves, the roasting process helped to keep cranberries relatively intact.

If you bought a jar of these Baked Spiced Cranberry Preserves in the store, you might expect to pay anywhere from $10 and $20. Yes, they are really that better than store bought good. But now you can create your own 'fancy pantry' preserves for a fraction of that cost!

These Baked Spiced Cranberry Preserves had a perfect tart-sweet balance along with a subtle citrusy flavor, while the warm of the cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger add spicy undertones. Serve them atop some Brie or alongside/over goat or other creamy, mild cheeses to create a cheese course experience everyone will be talking about long after the meal ends. Put a jar of these preserves on your breakfast table and watch it disappear. Or make any recipe calling for the use cranberry preserves better with them. The possibilities for these preserves are almost endless.

If you were looking to add one new thing your Thanksgiving pre-dinner or holiday entertaining menus, definitely consider making these Baked Spiced Cranberry Preserves. I am fairly confident they will be making repeat appearances throughout the winter and at next year's Thanksgiving.

Thank goodness I was paying attention the day my Colorado friend mentioned a cookbook. And had not social media connected us in a roundabout kind of way, I wouldn't have ever known such baked cranberry preserve deliciousness existed. Nor would have this connection been possible. 

Recipe
Baked Spiced Cranberry Preserves (several adaptations to the Baked Cranberry Preserves with Orange and Cardamom recipe from the cookbook "Fancy Pantry" by Helen Witty)
Makes approximately 2 cups

Ingredients
4 cups (13 1/2 ounces or 386 g) firm-fresh cranberries, picked over and rinsed
2 small mandarin oranges or 1 medium seedless orange
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup water

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
2. Spread cranberries in a 12 inch oval cast iron pan or 9 inch square glass baking dish. Note: Do not use an aluminum pan for roasting the cranberries.
3. Cut each orange into 4 pieces. Place in a small food processor and finely chop. Note: If using a thicker skinned medium seedless orange, remove the skin from the orange and scrape the white pith from the inside. Place the peels and pulp of the orange in the food processor. Note: I didn't want my oranges pureed into a liquid, so I stopped the food processor while there were still some chunks of the skin remaining. I removed them and chopped them smaller with a knife.
4. Stir the chopped orange, sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and salt into the cranberries, mixing thoroughly.
5. Pour the water over the mixture, cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes.
6. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees (F), remove the pan from the oven, remove aluminum foil cover, stir gently with a spatula and return to the oven.
7. Continue baking (uncovered) for 45-50 minutes, stirring gently every 15 minutes. Cranberries should be translucent and the syrup should have thickened.
8. Remove from the oven and spoon the hot preserves into a clean canning jar or jars. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Place cover on jar and refrigerate the preserves. Preserves be stored tightly covered in the refrigerator for 4-6 weeks.

Notes: (1) These preserves would pair well with creamy cheeses. They would make for a great topping on a round of brie (top skin removed) or served in a small dish on a cheese platter. Additionally, they would be perfect atop a toasted English Muffin or Bagel. Use these preserves in place of other preserves used in your favorite jam muffin recipe.  (2) Mandarin oranges are seedless. Use only seedless oranges. (3) I made the following changes to the original recipe: decreased the amount of sugar from 3 cups to 2 cups, increased the amount of cardamom from 1/8 teaspoon to 1/4 teaspoon, and added cinnamon, ginger, and kosher salt.

Driving along the back roads in central Wisconsin (November 2018)