Challenge Two, Round Two - Poached Pears in Marsala

Ohhh, drunken pears! The last time I had fruit this alcohol-saturated was a better forgotten incident with the infamous Purple Jesus. It goes by several names but is almost certainly ladled out of a dirty cooler in a backyard. Unfortunately much of the fault for this failure lies in my hands. Not only did I make some poor substitutions, I blatantly ignored several of the instructions and thus we ended up with a sickeningly sweet, boozy dessert. Do not do any of the following: use vanilla extract in place of the bean; Sweet Marsala in place of Dry; forget to add the water; or become so engrossed in your current glass of wine that you forget the sauce is reducing filling your friends' apartment with smoke. I haven't gotten the nerve to try again with the leftover Marsala yet, but maybe someday.


Poached Pears in Marsala
2 cups dry Marsala
2 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise
2 long strips orange peel
6 7-ounce Bosc pears, peeled, stems left intact
8 ounces mascarpone cheese (optional)

Combine 2 cups dry Marsala, 2 cups water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, split vanilla beans, and orange peel strips in heavy large pot. Bring to boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add peeled Bosc pears. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover pot and simmer until pears are tender, turning pears occasionally, about 40 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to platter. Boil liquid in pot until reduced to 1 1/4 cups, about 12 minutes. Pour syrup over poached pears. Chill until cold, turning pears occasionally, at least 3 hours and up to 1 day.

Divide poached pears among 6 shallow bowls. Strain syrup; discard solids. Drizzle syrup over pears. Top each with dollop of mascarpone, if desired, and serve.

Challenge Two, Round One - Pear and Cranberry Empanadas

These were the winner! I made a berry version of these empanadas last summer and was instructed by some friends to bring them to every gathering going forward. We discussed several variations to suit each holiday and cooking methods to improve the already delicious treat. I first fell in love with this fun little folded treat after trying one last winter at tiny empanada shop in the neighborhood, and then again in Buenos Aires when The Beanpole and I visited on our honeymoon. They're incredibly versatile and hold up to just about any filling one can imagine, sweet and savory. I read through several pie recipes prior to baking the filling and played around with the ingredients to taste, so while it's not the most exacting of recipes but is a great jumping-off point for anyone who dares to try their own! The tartness of the cranberries perfectly contrasted with the sweet pears and was the perfect finishing touch to a fantastic Thanksgiving dinner.



Pear and Cranberry Empanadas
Dough
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup chicken stock
1 egg

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder and mix well. Add shortening and break it up by hand until it resembles cornmeal. Add chicken stock and knead until all is incorporated. Let it rest, covered, for at least 30 minutes in cooler.

Filling
3 large ripe pears, diced
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
1/4 cup sugar
dash of nutmeg
dash of orange zest
squirt of lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place all ingredients into pie dish and stir to combine. Bake about 15 minutes or until pears are tender and cranberries are slightly mushy. They will also cook slightly when frying empanadas and when reheating if needed so be careful not to overcook. Let cool slightly.

When dough has cooled, turn out onto slightly floured surface and roll to 1/4" thick. Cut circles from dough with 4" pastry cutter. (I had a 3" cutter on hand and used that, then rolled dough to about 1/8" thick as I like a less doughy empanada but either will work.) Spoon filling onto middle of each circle. Brush sides lightly with egg wash, fold into half-moon, and press sides together with fingers or tines of a fork.

Heat a pan filled with oil (I used Smart Balance) to 350 degrees. Fry empanadas until golden brown turning occasionally , about 4-6 minutes, and remove. To reheat, cover with foil and warm in 350 degree oven about 5-10 minutes. Dust lightly with confectioner's sugar if desired.

Apple-y Delicious!

I'm not a baker. Or so I thought. It's true, I've been converted. The Beanpole and I had both had lousy weeks with both being sick and not sleeping well and one of the best ways to combat that is good ol' comfort food. What's more comforting on a chilly fall day than hot apple pie and a cup of steaming cider? Exactly. I don't know either. Determined to make my own crust and the best apple pie possible I turned to none other than The Joy of Baking. And joyful it was! When The Beanpole went back for his second slice after inhaling the first and told me that we couldn't speak because it was "pie time" it was all worth it. The original instructions were a bit disorganized so I modified them below to clarify for us "non-bakers". Don't let the length of the instructions dissuade you! The recipe is really quite simple, just very descriptive...


Joy of Baking Apple Pie
Pate Brisee (Short Crust Pastry)
2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp white granulated sugar
1 cup butter
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup ice water
Apple Filling
2 1/2 lbs apples (about 6 large), peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/4" thick slices (I used 9 small-med apples)
1/4 cup white granulated sugar
1/4 light brown sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp cornstarch

To really bring out the flavor of the apples macerate them (to bring out their juices) prior to baking. Combine apples through salt in a large bowl, stir, and let sit at room temperature for about 2 hours. While the apples are sitting, start on the pastry crust.

In a food processor, combine flour, salt, sugar, and butter, and pulse for 10-15 seconds until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Once combined, stream in water slowly until dough just holds together when pinched. Turn dough out onto a flat surface and gather into a little ball. Divide ball in half and flatten each half into a disk. Cover each with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least an hour.

Once apples have macerated for two hours, turn them into a strainer and place over a large bowl to capture juices. Let them drain for 15-30 minutes or until you have about 1/2 cup of juice in the bowl. While juices are draining, place your first disk of dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to 12", working from the center and picking dough up and turning 1/4 with each roll to prevent sticking. Fold dough in half and gently place into pie pan, trimming any excess dough from around the edges. Cover with plastic wrap, return to refrigerator and remove second disk to take the chill off and return apples to bowl, saving juices. Meanwhile, spray a microwave-safe measuring cup with cooking oil. Pour in juices from apple mixture and add butter, microwaving for about 6-7 minutes until the mixture has reduced but about 1/3 and has thickened. Pour over apples, adding cornstarch, stir to combine, and pour into pie plate. Roll out second dough on a lightly floured surface and gently place on top of pie dish. If your pie dish has a ledge on which bottom crust is setting (mine didn't) brush lightly with water prior to adding top crust. Push dough together with fingers (to form the pretty ruffly edges) or crimp with a fork. Cut 5 small slices in top crust to allow steam to escape (this is what makes the pretty star on top!)

Place oven rack on lowest bars and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pie pan on a baking stone or a sheet pan to prevent the bottom from burning, and bake 40-50 minutes. Check the pie about 30 minutes in and cover the edges with foil to prevent burning. Once the pie is done baking, transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool 3-4 hours. Serve pie warm or at room temperature with ice cream or whipped topping.