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Overview
Cute, Delicious&Fun Mini Desserts for Every Occasion
Whether you want something sweet, fruity or savory, Easy as Pie Pops has the perfect bite-sized treats that'll be a hit with family and friends.
Andrea Smetona, the owner of Cakewalk Desserts, shares for the first time her most in-demand pie pop recipes. And with some of her most coveted cake pop and mini loaf recipes included, this book is a necessity for any person looking to make talk-of-the-town, miniature pastries that are the next dessert sensation.
Pie pop recipes include:
- Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Strawberry Limeade
- Nutella S'more
- Gouda-Broccoli Quiche
- Caramel AppleBlack Forest
- Coconut Cream
- Pizza Pocket
- Crème Brulee
- Peppermint Pudding
- Vegetable Roll
- Peachy Keen
Cakewalk Desserts have been enjoyed at events hosted by celebrities such as Gwen Stefani and Laila Ali, as well as featured in Town&Country Weddings, The Knot, the popular blog, Style Me Pretty, and on the cover of Ceremony magazine.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781624140235 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Page Street Publishing |
| Publication date: | 11/12/2013 |
| Sold by: | Macmillan |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 176 |
| File size: | 6 MB |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
Easy As Pie Pops
Small in Size and Huge on Flavor and Fun
By Andrea Smetona
Page Street Publishing Co.
Copyright © 2013 Andrea SmetonaAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-62414-023-5
CHAPTER 1
Fresh & Fruity Pie Pops
These were the first pie pops I included on my pastry menu, and for good reason. They are easy to make, easy to bake and so colorful, fun and eye-catching — not to mention yummy! They are familiar and fresh, exciting and crowd-pleasing. In fact, I can't think of anyone that doesn't like fruit pie, or at least have one that is preferred or enjoyed above all others. So, I wanted to include all the old favorites, plus a few new combinations to add a little something special to my repertoire. These portable pocket pies are especially popular for their signature "peek-a-boos" and have made my business famous nationwide since they were added to my shop. They are also the easiest of all my pies to make as "low-sugar" or "sugar-substituted" and are easy to make completely organic. Win-win, in my book!
The peek-a-boo crusts do take a little more care and patience when preparing, but the payoff is well worth it. You can use any of the designs for any of the fruit flavors interchangeably, or add different designs altogether. Some favorites that I do seasonally are: Christmas trees, fall leaves, snowflakes and jack-o'-lanterns! I also do numbers or letters/monograms for adding a custom touch to birthday parties, weddings and anniversary celebrations. A stroll through the baking section of your nearest craft store will give you loads of possibilities for getting creative with the crusts. The fruit pies are typically the only ones that I recommend doing "peek-a-boo" crusts for, simply because of the nature of their pie filling. Fruit pies tend to overflow less while baking than some of the sweet or savory pies.
Even if you decide on doing most of your fruit pie pops with solid crusts, adding a few with "peek-a-boos" for a touch of flair easily livens up your pastry bouquet!
Cherry Tart
I don't think any cookbook would be complete without including cherry pie. It's simple yet full of flavor, if executed in the right way. Cherry Tart is one of my most popular (and most famously featured) pie pops, and with good reason. I use sour cherries for that added tart punch, and the signature heart peek-a-boo crust is adorable, fun and easily versatile. Of course, you can use the heart peek-a-boo crust on any of the berry pie pops, but the red cherry heart just fits so beautifully. Bake them with love.
YIELD: 2 DOZEN PIE POPS
1 recipe Homemade Pie Pop Crust (see here), or 4 unbaked store-bought or homemade 9" (23 cm)-diameter piecrusts
CHERRY FILLING
3 ½ C (580 g) pitted fresh sour cherries
6 tbsp (88 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 C (192 g) granulated sugar
1/3 C + 1 tbsp (59 g) Clear Jel, or 10 tbsp (94 g) cornstarch
1 1/3 C (316 ml) cold water or cherry juice
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp almond extract
6 drops red food coloring (optional)
1 large egg white, beaten, for brushing
Coarse sugar, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Grease and flour a large baking sheet.
To prepare the filling: Bring ½ gallon (2 L) of water to a boil. Meanwhile, wash the cherries under cold water in a colander, picking out any leaves or stems. Pit the cherries and place in cold water until just covered, with the 4 tablespoons (59 ml) of the lemon juice to prevent browning. Blanch the cherries by placing them in the boiling water and bringing it back to a boil for 2 minutes. Drain the cherries and keep them covered in a large bowl.
In a large pot, combine the granulated sugar, Clear Jel (or cornstarch), cold water (or cherry juice), cinnamon, almond extract and food coloring. Stir the mixture over medium heat until it thickens and begins to boil. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons (29 ml) of lemon juice and, stirring, continue to boil for 1 minute.
Remove from the heat and fold the berries into the hot mixture, stirring gently. Let cool to room temperature. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and pulse for 4 to 5 seconds. Set aside.
To assemble the pie pops: Flour both sides of the two piecrusts, then roll flat with a rolling pin. Using a 3-inch (7.6 cm) round cookie cutter, cut twenty-four rounds from the dough, twelve for the bottom crust and twelve for the top crust. If doing peek-a-boo, stamp out a heart peek-a-boo from each of the twelve top crusts, using a heart-shaped Linzer cookie cutter.
Lay out the twelve bottom crusts on the prepared baking sheet. Brush each bottom crust with beaten egg white, using a silicone basting brush. Press an 8-inch (20 cm)-long cookie stick firmly on top of the center of each bottom crust.
Dispense a 1 ½-inch (about 4 cm) dollop of cherry filling in the center of each bottom crust. Place a top crust over each bottom crust and press firmly around the sides only, sealing the filling inside.
Create a cookie stick dowel by cutting a 1-inch (2.5 cm)-long piece off the end of an 8-inch (20 cm) cookie stick. Use this dowel to crimp the sealed edges of the pie pop by pressing firmly on each side of the stick first, then move counterclockwise around the edges. This will keep the stick from moving around once the pie pop is baked.
After each pop is sealed and pressed, carefully brush more egg white on each top crust, except over the filling inside the peek-a-boo opening. Finally, sprinkle the top crusts with coarse sugar.
Bake the sheet on the center rack of the oven for 15 minutes, until the crust is nice and golden. Then place the individual pops on a cooling rack and let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Caramel Apple
When the fair came into town, part of the whole experience was to buy a caramel apple and have it all over your face by the time you were finished. I wanted to duplicate this nostalgic treat in a pie pop with less mess to clean up afterward. You can always make homemade caramel, but I favor the ease of the prepackaged candy caramels. These little pops are great for any fall-themed party or celebration and are a great way to steer clear of the expected!
YIELD: 2 DOZEN PIE POPS
1 recipe Homemade Pie Pop Crust (see here), or 4 unbaked store-bought or homemade 9" (23 cm)-diameter piecrusts
TAFFY
½ C (100 g) light brown sugar, packed
¼ C (57 g) butter, melted
1/3 C (33 g) all-purpose flour
CARAMEL APPLE FILLING
5 C (900 g) thinly sliced Granny Smith apples
1/3 C (128 g) granulated sugar
3 tbsp (18 g) all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
10 caramels, halved
2 tbsp (29 ml) milk
1 large egg white, beaten, for brushing
1:1 mixture of coarse sugar and ground cinnamon, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Grease and flour a large baking sheet.
To prepare the taffy: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, melted butter and flour. Mix well and set aside.
To prepare the filling: Place the apples in a large bowl with the lemon juice and toss. Add the granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon and milk. Toss until all the ingredients are well mixed and the apples are thoroughly coated.
Spoon half of the apple filling into a 9-inch (23 cm)-diameter deep pie dish. Top with a layer of half of the caramels and then with a layer of half of the taffy mixture. Repeat the process with remaining apple mixture, caramels and taffy mixture.
Cover with foil and place in the oven with a baking sheet underneath to catch any overspills. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature, then blend the entire pie filling in a food processor or blender until the apples are well blended. Increase oven temperature to 375°F (190°C).
To assemble the pie pops: Flour both sides of the two piecrusts, then roll flat with a rolling pin. Using a 3-inch (7.6 cm) round cookie cutter, cut twenty-four rounds from the dough, twelve for the bottom crust and twelve for the top crust. Using an apple-shaped Linzer cookie cutter, make twelve cutouts of dough from the scrap dough to garnish the top crusts.
Lay out the twelve bottom crusts on the prepared baking sheet. Brush each bottom crust with beaten egg white, using a silicone basting brush. Press an 8-inch (20 cm)-long cookie stick firmly on top of the center of each bottom crust.
Dispense a 1 ½-inch (about 4 cm) dollop of caramel apple filling in the center of each bottom crust. Place a top crust over each bottom crust and press firmly around the sides only, sealing the filling inside.
Create a cookie stick dowel by cutting a 1-inch (2.5 cm)-long piece off the end of an 8-inch (20 cm)-long cookie stick. Use this dowel to crimp the sealed edges of the pie pop by pressing firmly on each side of the stick first, then move counterclockwise around the edges. This will keep the stick from moving around once the pie pop is baked.
After each pop is sealed and pressed, brush more egg white on each top crust. Center a mini apple cutout on each top crust, pressing it down and brushing it with egg white. Finally, sprinkle the top crusts with the cinnamon sugar.
Bake the sheet on the center rack of the oven for 15 to 18 minutes, until the crust is nice and golden. Then place the individual pops on a cooling rack and let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Vintage Blackberry
When I think of a classic pie, I immediately think of the handmade woven lattice crust. This traditional and bold berry pie makes for a perfect centerpiece at any celebration and using a lattice mold makes the "woven" effect quick and foolproof! If you are not partial to seeds, you can strain them out, using a sieve or food mill; however, I always leave them in for that fresh-picked taste. Don't forget to garnish with coarse sugar on top for that added sparkle and finishing touch.
YIELD: 2 DOZEN PIE POPS
1 recipe Homemade Pie Pop Crust (see here), or 4 unbaked store-bought or homemade 9" (23 cm)-diameter piecrusts
BLACKBERRY FILLING
5 C (497 g) fresh blackberries
½ C (96 g) granulated sugar
¼ C (38 g) Clear Jel, or 10 tbsp (94 g) cornstarch
1 C (236 ml) cold water
1 tbsp (14 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 large egg white, beaten, for brushing
Coarse sugar, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Grease and flour a large baking sheet.
To prepare the filling: Bring ½ gallon (2 L) of water to a boil. Meanwhile, wash the blackberries under cold water in a colander, picking out any leaves or stems. Blanch them by placing them in the boiling water and bringing it back to a boil for 2 minutes. Drain the berries and keep them covered in a large bowl.
In a large pot, combine the granulated sugar, Clear Jel (or cornstarch) and cold water. Stir the mixture over medium heat until it thickens and begins to boil. Add the lemon juice and, stirring, continue to boil for 1 minute.
Remove from the heat and fold the berries into the hot mixture, stirring gently. Let cool to room temperature. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and pulse for 4 to 5 seconds.
To assemble the pie pops: Flour both sides of the two piecrusts, then roll flat with a rolling pin. Using a 3-inch (7.6 cm) round cookie cutter, cut twenty-four rounds from the dough, twelve for the bottom crust and twelve for the top crust. If doing peek-a-boo, stamp out a lattice peek-a-boo from each of the twelve top crusts, using a lattice pie mold or press.
Lay out the twelve bottom crusts on the prepared baking sheet. Brush each bottom crust with egg white, using a silicone basting brush. Press an 8-inch (20 cm)long cookie stick firmly on top of the center of each bottom crust.
Dispense a 1 ½-inch (about 4 cm) dollop of blackberry filling in the center of each bottom crust. Place the top crust over each bottom crust and press firmly around the sides only, sealing the filling inside.
Create a cookie stick dowel by cutting a 1-inch (2.5 cm)-long piece off the end of an 8-inch (20 cm)-long cookie stick. Use this dowel to crimp the sealed edges of the pie pop by pressing firmly on each side of the stick first, then move counterclockwise around the edges. This will keep the stick from moving around once the pie pop is baked.
After each pop is sealed and pressed, carefully brush more egg white on each lattice top, except over the filling inside the openings. Finally, sprinkle the top crusts with coarse sugar.
Bake the sheet on the center rack of the oven for 15 minutes, until the crust is nice and golden. Then place the individual pops on a cooling rack and let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Blueberry Bouquet
My grandmother always grew blueberries in her garden, and I remember she once tried shipping me a bushel of blueberries so I could enjoy them when we were unable to visit that summer. Unfortunately, they arrived mashed and spoiled, but I never had the heart to tell her that they didn't make it. Fortunately, I've found a great way to commemorate her in this beautiful blueberry pop featuring an adorable flower peek-a-boo! This pop is dedicated to you, Grandma Dorothy.
YIELD: 2 DOZEN PIE POPS
1 recipe Homemade Pie Pop Crust (see here), or 4 unbaked store-bought or homemade 9" (23 cm)-diameter piecrusts
BLUEBERRY FILLING
4 C (397 g) fresh blueberries
¾ C (143 g) granulated sugar
1/3 C + 1 tbsp (59 g) Clear Jel, or 10 tbsp (94 g) cornstarch
1 C (236 ml) cold water and/or blueberry juice
3 ½ tsp (17 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 large egg white, beaten, for brushing
Coarse sugar, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Grease and flour a large baking sheet.
To prepare the filling: Bring ½ gallon (2 L) of water to a boil. Meanwhile, wash the blueberries under cold water in a colander, picking out any leaves or stems. Blanch them by placing them in the boiling water and bringing it back to a boil for 2 minutes. Drain the berries and keep them covered in a large bowl.
In a large pot, combine the granulated sugar, Clear Jel (or cornstarch) and cold water (or blueberry juice). Stir the mixture over medium heat until it thickens and begins to boil. Add the lemon juice and, stirring, continue to boil for 1 minute.
Remove from the heat and fold the berries into the hot mixture, stirring gently. Let cool to room temperature. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and pulse for 4 to 5 seconds.
To assemble the pie pops: Flour both sides of the two piecrusts, then roll flat with a rolling pin. Using a 3-inch (7.6 cm) round cookie cutter, cut twenty-four rounds from the dough, twelve for the bottom crust and twelve for the top crust. If doing peek-a-boo, stamp out a flower-shaped peek-a-boo from each of the twelve top crusts, using a flower-shaped Linzer cookie cutter.
Lay out the twelve bottom crusts on the prepared baking sheet. Brush each bottom crust with egg white, using a silicone basting brush. Press an 8-inch (20 cm)long cookie stick firmly on top of the center of each bottom crust.
Dispense a 1 ½-inch (about 4 cm) dollop of blueberry filling in the center of each bottom crust. Place a top crust over each bottom crust and press firmly around the sides only, sealing the filling inside.
Create a cookie stick dowel by cutting a 1-inch (2.5 cm)-long piece off the end of an 8-inch (20 cm)-long cookie stick. Use this dowel to crimp the sealed edges of the pie pop by pressing firmly on each side of the stick first, then move counterclockwise around the edges. This will keep the stick from moving around once the pie pop is baked.
After each pop is sealed and pressed, carefully brush more egg white on each top crust, except over the filling inside the peek-a-boo opening. Finally, sprinkle the top crusts with coarse sugar.
Bake the sheet on the center rack of the oven for 15 minutes, until the crust is nice and golden. Then place the individual pops on a cooling rack and let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Strawberry Limeade
I remember going to the local Sonic Drive-In as a teen and getting a big strawberry limeade drink during those hot Texas summers (and winters, as a matter of fact). The flavors are actually very complementary with the sweet and sour, and are just as tasty served warm. I love to display these pie pops in a clear vase filled with small limes, for a beautiful pop of green. They're also perfect for barbecues and are super easy to bring along for picnics!
YIELD: 2 DOZEN PIE POPS
1 recipe Homemade Pie Pop Crust (see here), or 4 unbaked store-bought or homemade 9" (23 cm)-diameter piecrusts
STRAWBERRY & LIME FILLING
3 ½ C (33 g) strawberries, hulled and sliced
¾ C (143 g) granulated sugar
¼ C + 1 tbsp (122 g) Clear Jel, or 10 tbsp (94 g) cornstarch
1 C (236 ml) cold water
3 ½ tbsp (51 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp (9 g) lime zest
¼ C (59 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice
1 large egg white, beaten, for brushing
Coarse sugar, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Grease and flour a large baking sheet.
To prepare the filling: Bring ½ gallon (2 L) of water to a boil. Meanwhile, wash the strawberries under cold water in a colander, picking out any leaves or stems. Blanch them by placing them in the boiling water and bringing it back to a boil for 2 minutes. Drain the berries and keep them covered in a large bowl.
In a large pot, combine the granulated sugar, Clear Jel (or cornstarch) and pcold water. Stir the mixture over medium heat until it thickens and begins to boil. Add the lemon juice and, stirring, continue to boil for 1 minute.
Remove from the heat and fold the berries, lime zest and lime juice into the hot mixture, stirring gently. Let cool to room temperature. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and pulse for 4 to 5 seconds.
To assemble the pie pops: Flour both sides of the two piecrusts, then roll flat with a rolling pin. Using a 3-inch (7.6 cm) round cookie cutter, cut twenty-four rounds from the dough, twelve for the bottom crust and twelve for the top crust. If doing peek-a-boo, stamp out a star-shaped peek-a-boo from each of the twelve top crusts, using a star-shaped Linzer cookie cutter.
Lay out the twelve bottom crusts on the prepared baking sheet. Brush each bottom crust with egg white, using a silicone basting brush. Press an 8-inch (20 cm)long cookie stick firmly on top of the center of each bottom crust.
Dispense a 1 ½-inch (about 4 cm) dollop of strawberry limeade filling in the center of each bottom crust. Place a top crust over each bottom crust and press firmly around the sides only, sealing the filling inside.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Easy As Pie Pops by Andrea Smetona. Copyright © 2013 Andrea Smetona. Excerpted by permission of Page Street Publishing Co..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
INTRODUCTION,1: Fresh & Fruity Pie Pops,
2: Sweet & Sophisticated Pie Pops,
3: Scrumptious & Savory Pie Pops,
4: Cake Pops — A Piece of Cake,
5: Tea Time Mini Loaves,
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS,
SUPPLIERS,
ABOUT THE AUTHOR,
INDEX,