Cake Pop Bouquet

Happy Valentine's Day! Whether today was a day spent with family, friends, significant others, or relaxing at home, I hope each and every one of you felt loved. 

Flowers and chocolate seem to be the staples of any valentine gift. What girl doesn't love the two? I'm personally a huge fan of flowers. But my favorite flowers are ones that dry well or keep growing. These pops are a little bit of a twist on that- incorporating flowers, chocolate, and cake! 

These are great to give to a friend, galentine, boyfriend, girlfriend, family member, or to treat yo-self. Not only are these cake pops a pretty treat, but they taste great! I used a delicious caramel buttercream for the cake, which tastes much better than any store-bought icing.

Cake Pop Flowers

Scrap Cake

Caramel Buttercream (click for the recipe)

1/2 cup White Candy Melts/Chocolate

2 tbsp Coconut Oil

1/4 cup Red Candy Melts/Chocolate

1 tbsp Coconut Oil

1. Mix the baked scrap cake with some caramel buttercream until the cake becomes pasty and doughy. 

2. Roll the cake into balls, about 1 tbsp of cake for each. Place onto a lined sheet pan and freeze.

3. Melt the chocolate, and stir in coconut oil. 

4. Take lollipop sticks and dip one end into the chocolate, and push it into the cold cake ball. Place the pop into the freezer to chill slightly. 

5. Once the chocolate has solidified, holding the cake in place, dip your pops. You can get a cool swirl pattern by drizzling stripes of red and twisting the pop as you dip and raise it from the white. 

6. Once the pop is dipped, gently shake off excess chocolate and stand to harden. Repeat for all of the pops. 

7. with the remaining chocolate, use a small paring knife and 2" thick strips of parchment paper to create petals. Dip the knife into the chocolate, and place the edge lightly onto a strip of parchment at a 45 degree angle. Slide the knife off the paper, without creating a hole in the chocolate layer. You can make multiple petals on a strip of parchment

8. Take the strip of parchment and place it somewhere so that it is curved and the petals can harden. Once hardened, remove the petals from the parchment, and dip in chocolate to glue to the bottom of the pops. 

9. This process must be done quickly and gently, so that the petals do not melt or break. It may take a few tries to get right, but the final product is well worth the effort!

Christmas Cookies

 

Merry Christmas! I hope everyone has had a great holiday so far! I'm sorry I haven't gotten to posting anything new for the past couple of weeks. I've been overwhelmingly busy with a new project. I'm looking forward to sharing with everyone- keep an eye out for Sunday's post!

Christmas is one of my favorite holidays of the year. It's a great time of celebration, family, and remembrance. We got to enjoy Christmas Eve dinner at my dad's house with our annual Christmas hot pot. After dinner, we got to enjoy eggnog, cookies, and drinks. My little (4 and 5 year old) siblings set aside some cookies for Santa- although I feel like they probably wanted to eat them for themselves.

I don't blame my siblings for reaching for and grabbing extra cookies for themselves. These cookies are delicious! They're not too sweet, crispy on the edges, and soft and chewy in the center. The flake salt on top is the perfect touch. It brings out the sweetness of the chocolate, all while contrasting with a lovely salty flavor. I love toll house cookies, but I'd probably have to choose these delicious treats over them. The gooey chocolate and little bit of saltiness just can't be beat!

Chocolate Chip Cookies (makes 18 cookies)
1 stick Butter, Softened
2 tbsp Honey
2 tbsp Sugar
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
4 oz Dark Chocolate
1/4 tsp Salt
3/4 tsp Baking Soda
1 3/4 cup Flour
Flake Sea Salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cream butter, sugar, honey, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add egg and vanilla extract and incorporate well.
4. Chop up dark chocolate into bite-size chunks. Add into the batter.
5. Add the salt, baking soda, and flour. Mix until combined into a dough. Do not overmix the dough to keep a soft texture.
6. Scoop the dough onto a sheet pan, about 2 inches apart. You should scoop about 2 tbsp of dough for each cookie.
7. Sprinkle some flake sea salt over the top of each cookie.
8. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool slightly, then serve.

Who doesn't want to eat chocolate chip cookies on Christmas Day? (I'm sure Santa loves them). The best part about these cookies, is that the chocolate doesn't harden for a while. Chocolate chips are made to keep their shape, but the chunks in this cookie stay untempered. Using real chocolate will give you a yummy, gooey cookie that pairs perfectly with a cold glass of milk!

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions? I love getting to spend time with family, sharing food and creating memories.

Easter Egg Macarons

Happy Easter! I had a busy Sunday- starting at 6AM to prepare Easter brunch at the hotel, and then leading to a 4pm service at 4pointes church. It was a refreshing service filled with celebration and remembrance.

I brought some Easter egg-shaped macarons to church with me, and they were a big hit! These macarons are festive, delicious, and adorable! It's made almost the same way as any macaron, with a slightly different piping technique.

Vanilla Orange Easter Egg Macarons (makes about 30)
 Shells
100 g Almond Flour
120 g Confectioner's Sugar
50 g Granulated Sugar
70 g Egg Whites (2 large whites)
Orange and Red Gel Color

1. Pulse almond flour and powdered sugar in a food processor until very finely ground. Be careful not to grind too long, because it will release all of the oils, ruining your final product.
2. Sift the powder with a medium-mesh sieve.
3. Place the particles that are too large to fit through the sieve back into the food processor, pulse, and sift again. Throw out the excess pieces.
4. In a grease-free bowl, place your egg whites and sugar. Allow to sit for a few minutes to begin to dissolve.
5. Use grease-free beaters on high speed to whip the egg whites to stiff peaks. Add in the gel color. You want a very full color because the added almond flour and sugar will dull the color.
6. Use a rubber spatula to fold the powdered sugar and almond flour into the meringue until the batter moves slowly, like lava. If you run your spatula through it, it should fall together after 5-7 seconds.
7. Put the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (3/8 inch). 
8. Pipe rounds that are about an inch apart onto a nonstick baking mat (silpat) that is placed onto a cookie sheet. 
9. Do this by holding the bag straight up about half an inch above the silpat, applying pressure to the bag until about 3/4 inch in diameter, and then lessen the pressure as you drag backward. Once you reach the desired length, quickly move the bag in the opposite direction that you dragged it, to leave a smooth edge. Make sure there is enough space to spread.
10. Rap your cookie sheet/sheet pan on the table a few times to make sure there are no bumps on the macaron shells.
11. Let rest until dry to the touch (about 30-45 minutes, longer on rainy days).
12. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. If you have a convection oven, use convection.
13. Bake macaron shells on the second shelf of the oven for 14-17 minutes, until they do not wiggle when nudged.
14. Remove from oven and allow shells to cool completely before removing from the silpat.

Buttercream Filling
1 Egg White
1/4 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Butter 
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 cup Orange Juice

1. Fill a pot with some water and begin to boil.
2. Place the egg white and sugar into a medium sized, heat proof, grease-free bowl. Place the bowl on top of the pot of boiling water.
3. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved (110 degrees F). Check by rubbing the mixture between your fingers to feel for sugar granules.
4. Mix on high speed to make a meringue.
5. When cool to the touch, add softened butter and mix until it comes together.
6. It will break apart and look like scrambled eggs. Continue to mix until it becomes a soft paste.
7. Add the vanilla extract.
8. Reduce orange juice in a frying pan until it becomes thicker- it will look like a puree or sauce.
9. Place the frying pan into the refrigerator to cool the orange reduction.
10. Add the orange reduction to the buttercream and whip until completely incorporated.  The buttercream may become broken like scrambled eggs again, but it will come back together.


Assembly
1. Pair the shells by size. You should have about 20 pairs of shells.
2. On the surface of the bottom of the shell, place a small pinch of apple butter in the center. It should be enough for a small surprise. 
3. Put the buttercream into a piping bag with the same tip that you used to pipe the macarons.
4. Pipe the buttercream so that it is covering about 1/2 of the surface of the bottom of the shell.
5. Put the pairs together to create a "sandwich". 
6. Place in the fridge overnight to allow the flavors to develop.

7. Melt white chocolate and pipe designs onto the macarons. Place them back into the fridge to set up.
8. Let the macarons come to room temperature before you serve them.

These macarons are interesting and fun. They're a great play on the classic creamsicle, with a fun twist. The piping technique takes a few tries to get just right, but it's worth practicing! How cute are these? Once again, Happy Easter everyone!

Deep Dish Cranberry and Apple Pie

I hope everyone had a restful Christmas! I celebrated with friends and family throughout the month of December. It was a great way to close out the year, and the month has been filled with much reflection and excitement, looking toward the new year!

I went to a Christmas potluck last week, and brought a yummy deep dish cranberry and apple pie. It was a great way to present a classic with a slight twist. The pie is baked in a cake tin to achieve a thicker pie. The filling is sweet from the apples with a great tartness from the cranberry. It's a great way to close out the holiday season!

Deep Dish Cranberry and Apple Pie (Makes 1 Pie)
For the Crust
12 oz All Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
2 Stick Cold Butter
4 oz Ice Cold Water

1. Cut the cold butter into small cubes (1cm x 1cm).
2. Put the pieces into the flour and salt. Make sure each cube is coated.
3. Press the butter to flat pieces.
4. Rub the butter between your fingers to make flakes. Continue until the butter chunks are about the size of a lima bean.
5. Create a well in the center of the flour and pour your cold water into it.
6. Bring your flour towards the center of the well a little bit at a time, until it is completely incorporated.
7. Flatten your dough slightly and wrap it in plastic. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes to 1 hour, until it is chilled.

Cranberry and Apple Filling
6 Apples
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ginger
1/2 cup Water
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 tbsp Corn Starch
Pinch Salt
1/2 cup Dried Cranberries
1/4 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Water
1/4 cup Spiced Rum

1. Peel and medium dice the apples. Place into a large pan.
2. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and water. Mix together, and heat on medium heat.
3. Cook until the apples tenderize slightly. Then, add the cornstarch and mix.
4. Continue to cook until the mixture thickens, and apples are tender.
5. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
6. In a small pot, bring sugar and water to a boil. Remove from heat and add cranberries and rum.
7. Allow the cranberries to soak for about 5 minutes. Then, add to the apple mixture.
8. If there is excess liquid, put the apples back on the heat and allow it to cook out. Otherwise, just mix it well together.

Making the Pie
Pie Dough
Cranberry and Apple Filling
Egg wash (2 Eggs, 1 Yolk, a pinch of Salt, and a couple splashes of Water)
Cinnamon Sugar (1/4 cup Sugar, 1/4 tsp Cinnamon)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Lightly grease your cake pan with butter.
3. Roll out half of your pie dough to about 1/4 inch and place into the tin. Trim the edges.
4. Use a fork to poke holes so that steam can escape.
5. Place the filling into the crust.
6. Brush the outside edge of the crust with egg wash.
7. Roll out the remaining dough into a rectangle. Cut strips about an inch wide. You will need enough to weave a pattern onto the pie.
8. Alternate and weave the dough strips to create a basket pattern. Do this quickly so that the dough is easy to handle and does not stick to the egg wash.
9. After you weave the dough, brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
10. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden, and the filling begins to ooze out.
11. Allow to cool slightly, and serve warm.

This pie is perfect to eat with a big scoop of ice cream or a cup of eggnog! Enjoy the rest of 2014, and see you all in 2015! :)

Holiday Eggnog

 

What's more reminiscent of the holidays than eggnog? The sweet, creamy, spicy flavor reminds me of the winter. With Christmas around the corner, it's the perfect treat for any time of day!

This recipe is very simple. It doesn't take too many ingredients, and can be made within an hour. The eggnog does need should cool overnight for the best flavor, but can be put over an ice bath for immediate use.

Holiday Eggnog (Makes 12 servings)

2 quarts Milk
1.75 cup Sugar
1.5 cups Egg Yolks
2 cups Heavy Cream
2 tbsp Vanilla
1/2 cup Spiced Rum
1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Cinnamon

1. In a large pot, pour milk and half the sugar. 

2. In a large bowl, whip the remaining sugar and the egg yolks until it is pale in color. 

3. Heat the milk until it boils.

4. As the milk boils, slowly add it to the egg yolks, while stirring. Then, pour the yolk mixture back into the pot. 

5. Reduce the heat to low, and stir until it thickens. It should coat the back of a wooden spoon. 

6. Remove the mixture from the heat and strain into a clean bowl. 

7. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and rum. 

8. Gently stir in the cream and refrigerate until cold. 

9. Serve cold in a chilled glass. 

I like to garnish my glasses with a candy cane. It's festive, and it adds another dimension of flavor to the drink. The minty candy increases the chill and adds a gentle peppermint that deepens the flavor of the spices.

This drink is the best for any holiday party. You can add more rum or skip the rum altogether- whatever best fits the occasion. This recipe makes a lot, so it's a great option to take to a potluck!

Pepero Day (Redux)

Flavors: White Striped, Coffee, Orange Zest, Sprinkled

Today's 11/11 again! That means Pepero Day! Pepero is a popular Korean cookie shaped like sticks. They resemble the number 1, so 11/11 was somehow deemed pepero day. It's a day when people share pepero with their friends and loved ones.

I made pepero this year again! I dipped Pringles Sticks into melted chocolate and sprinkled them with an array of toppings! They're similar to last year, but I changed them up slightly this year!

Flavors: Green Tea, Earl Grey, Sprinkles!

Post pictures on the Facebook Page or in the comments section of the pepero you made! And check out the post from last year!

Baby Back Ribs

4th of July is right around the corner! This means grilling, barbecue, and fireworks :) An independence day tradition at my mom's house is baby back ribs! She slathers the ribs in barbecue and grills them to perfection! All the while singing the baby-back ribs song from Austin Powers :) Sadly, I don't have a grill in my home, so I am including an oven recipe!


Baby Back Ribs
1 rack Pork Loin Back Ribs
1 tbsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
1 tbsp Garlic Powder
17 oz bottle Barbecue Sauce
1/4 cup Honey
1/4 cup Sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Rinse the ribs with cold water to remove excess blood.
3. Place ribs onto a sheet pan and sprinkle on both sides with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
4. Bake for about 20 minutes, flipping the ribs halfway.
5. In the meantime, mix sauce, honey, and sugar together to incorporate.
6. Spoon and spread the mixture onto the ribs after the first 20 minutes. Flip after about 10 minutes, and then coat the other side the same way. 
7. Allow the sauce to thicken slightly on each side and then repeat the process.
8. Remove from the oven and slice the ribs into individual slices.
9. Lay the ribs down on their sides and coat the sides with sauce. Allow to bake for another 5-10 minutes and repeat on the other side, so that you use the rest of the sauce.
10. Turn off the oven and allow the sauce to glaze over in the heat. This will ensure that the barbecue flavor seeps into the meat.
11. Once the sauce glazes over, serve. That process should take about 10 minutes.

If you don't have a grill, don't worry! You can make delicious barbecue style food in the oven :) These ribs also can easily be grilled, with a similar process. The time that it cooks should be slower, and sauce should be spread more often. Once cooked, slice and allow the ribs to get a glaze in the oven.

Eggnog Macarons

Holiday season is almost over, but winter flavors have not yet left! Here's a creative way to use eggnog before they're taken off the shelves! It's been a long time since I've put up a macaron post, so I wanted to share a recipe that I made over the holidays. These macarons are complex with the spiciness of the cinnamon and nutmeg, the creaminess of the eggnog, and the sharp, subtle whiskey flavor.

Eggnog Macaron

Shells

100g Almond Flour
120 g Confectioner's Sugar
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
50 g Granulated Sugar
70 g Egg Whites (2 large whites)

1. Pulse almond flour, spices, and powdered sugar in a food processor until very finely ground. Be careful not to grind too long, because it will release all of the oils, ruining your final product.
2. Sift the powder with a medium-mesh sieve.
3. Place the particles that are too large to fit through the sieve back into the food processor, pulse, and sift again. Throw out the excess pieces.
4. In a grease-free bowl, place your egg whites and sugar. Allow to sit for a few minutes to begin to dissolve.
5. Use grease-free beaters on high speed to whip the egg whites to stiff peaks.
6. Use a rubber spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the meringue until the batter moves slowly, like lava. If you run your spatula through it, it should fall together after 5-7 seconds.
7. Put the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (3/8 inch). 
8. Pipe rounds that are about an inch apart onto a nonstick baking mat (silpat) that is placed onto a cookie sheet. 
9. Do this by holding the bag straight up about half an inch above the silpat, applying pressure to the bag until about 1 inch in diameter, stopping pressure, and then removing by moving hand in a very small circular motion to release the tip from the macaron shell. Make sure there is enough space to spread.
10. Rap your cookie sheet/sheet pan on the table a few times to make sure there are no bumps on the macaron shells.
11. Let rest until dry to the touch (about 30-45 minutes, longer on rainy days).
12. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. If you have a convection oven, use convection.
13. Bake macaron shells on the second shelf of the oven for 14-17 minutes, until they do not wiggle when nudged.
14. Remove from oven and allow shells to cool completely before removing from the silpat.
   

Eggnog Spiced Ganache

4 oz White Chocolate
2 oz Eggnog
1 tbsp Whiskey
pinch Cinnamon
pinch Nutmeg

1. Place chocolate into a bowl.
2. Heat the eggnog until it boils.
3. Pour the hot eggnog over the chocolate. Gently stir until combined.

4. Add the whiskey to the ganache and mix to incorporate. Sprinkle the spices lightly on the top.

5. Cover the ganache with a piece of plastic wrap. Allow the wrap to touch the surface of the ganache so a film does not develop on the surface of the ganache.
6. Allow to cool to room temperature before using. If it is soft, allow to harden further in the fridge.

Assembly
1. Pair the shells by size. You should have about 20 pairs of shells.
2. Put the ganache into a piping bag with the same tip that you used to pipe the macarons.
3. Pipe the ganache so that it is covering about 3/4 of the surface of the bottom of the shell.
4. Put the pairs together to create a "sandwich". 
5. Place in the fridge overnight to allow the flavors to develop.
6. Let the macarons come to room temperature before you serve them. 

Though macarons are not easy to make, they are well worth the time and effort. They are delicate and sensitive, but the end product reveals the hard work and love put into it.

Holiday Green Beans

Green beans are great for any holiday party! Many people use canned green beans because they are cheap and easy, but when fresh green beans are in season, they're just at cheap and far more delicious... not to mention nutritious! This is a simple recipe to create an extra-ordinary green bean dish that can wow any guests! Almonds and cranberries add a great contrast in color, while the balsamic and olive oil compliment the green beans with a tartness that pleases any palate. This recipe is perfect for the Thanksgiving meal. It has an acidity that will help to balance the saltiness and richness of the Thanksgiving table. It's also quick and simple (I finished in about 15 minutes!)

Holiday Green Beans
1 lb Fresh Green Beans
1 tbsp Olive Oil 
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/4 cup Cranberries (dried or fresh)
1/4 cup Slivered Almonds
1 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

1. Trim the ends of the green beans by breaking them off. Then, rinse the green beans.
2. Heat a medium-large pot on medium heat, and then pour in the olive oil.
3. Once hot, add garlic. Spread around the garlic, and then pour in the green beans. Be careful, they will cause the oil to splash (because of the water you rinse with).
4. When the green beans are about halfway done cooking (5 min) add the cranberries and almonds.
5. Allow to finish cooking until tender.
6. In a large bowl, mix oil and vinegar until emulsified.
7. When the green beans are finished cooking, add them to the bowl and mix until the vinaigrette covers the green beans.
8. Move to a serving platter and serve!

This recipe would be great with some crumbled goat cheese and rosemary if you want to dress it up further and impress your guests. This can be served warm or cold, too (although I prefer it warm).

I hope everyone is having a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving! Enjoy the time with family and friends and be sure to eat lots and lots! Once again, I am so thankful for everyone who has taken the time to look at the blog, like the Facebook page, share any posts, and recreate dishes! I hope you all begin to see food as an experience and a story as I am sharing mine with you! Happy Thanksgiving everyone :)

Cranberry Sauce

THANKSGIVING! A time to be thankful, but better known as the holiday about food! In commemoration, I decided I would write a few Thanksgiving posts! I mean, this is a food blog, after all. The Facebook page also will have links to recipes you can make for the holiday dinners/potlucks, so go check it out!!!

Thanksgiving dinner is usually complete with cranberry sauce. I remember growing up, we would purchase the canned cranberry sauce. I wasn't very fond of the gelatinous wiggly thing that would fall out of the can onto a plate to then be sliced to look slightly more appealing. So, I began to make my own cranberry sauce. I like to brighten up the normal cranberry sauce by adding clementines to create a tangy, tart flavor that perfectly compliments any Thanksgiving feast. Clementines are smaller, and sweeter than oranges (but they also happened to be the only citrus at my grandfather's house). I got cranberries for $2 (so worth it!) at my local grocery store. They should be easy to find because they are in season. Try this simple, inexpensive recipe for your Thanksgiving dinner!

Cranberry Sauce
12 oz package Fresh Cranberries
2 Clementines
1/4 cup Sugar
2 tbsp Honey
1/2 tsp Salt

1. Rinse and pour cranberries into a small saucepan.
2. Zest the 2 clementines and add it to the sauce. If you want larger pieces, you can use a vegetable peeler to remove the zest and then cut it smaller with a knife.
3. Place the zest into the pot with the cranberries.
4. Cut the clementines in half and squeeze all of the juice from them. It is okay to have the pulp in the sauce, since it will cook down.
5. Add sugar, honey, and salt to the pot.
6. Heat on low heat, stirring occasionally. The heat will begin to open the cranberries. Remove from the heat when all of the cranberries have opened.

You can make this sauce days before, refrigerate it, and then reheat it when you're ready to serve it. You can also use this as a spread for post-Thanksgiving sandwiches (the best way to use Thanksgiving leftovers). Make this cranberry sauce as a healthy, fresh alternative to the canned jelly-sauce.

Lastly, I am extremely thankful for all of my readers! I hope that you all enjoy your holiday! Be sure to create and share these dishes with your close friends and family to let them know you are thankful for them as well! Stay tuned for more Thanksgiving recipes!

Pepero Day

11/11 is a Korean "holiday" called Pepero (빼빼로) Day! This is because the numbers look like Pepero sticks (kind of). The day is similar to Valentines Day. People give Pepero to their friends and loved ones. Here's pictures of the ones I made with my friend, Nate!

We used Italian breadsticks/crackers and coated them in melted chocolate. We put a variety of toppings for lots of yummy flavors! Try them for yourself!

 Semisweet chocolate: (from left to right) orange peel/lemon peel, toasted coconut, sprinkle, "hot" chocolate, toasted almond

 White chocolate: Coconut, toasted almond, green tea (matcha), orange peel/lemon peel


Thanks for reading! Have a wonderful Pepero Day!

4th of July Apple Pie

Happy 4th everyone! July 4th is a day to celebrate America. What could be more American than an apple pie?

I personally am not a huge fan of pies. I don't like the filling-to-crust ratio of most pies. I'm also not too fond of the mushy cooked fruit that goes inside. I decided to make a pie that's a slight twist on the traditional apple pie made with thinly sliced apples, almond cream, and salted caramel.

Salted Caramel Apple Pie (makes 1 9-inch pie)
For the Crust
6 oz All Purpose Flour
1/4 tsp Salt
1 Stick Cold Butter
2 oz Ice Cold Water

1. Cut the cold butter into small cubes (1cm x 1cm).
2. Put the pieces into the flour and salt. Make sure each cube is coated.
3. Press the butter to flat pieces.
4. Rub the butter between your fingers to make flakes. Continue until the butter chunks are about the size of a lima bean.
5. Create a well in the center of the flour and pour your cold water into it.
6. Bring your flour towards the center of the well a little bit at a time, until it is completely incorporated.
7. Flatten your dough slightly and wrap it in plastic. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes to 1 hour, until it is chilled.

Frangipane (Almond Cream)
1 Stick Butter
4 oz Sugar
3 oz Almond Flour
1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 oz All Purpose Flour

1. Cream butter, sugar, and almond flour together in a bowl.
2. Add egg and vanilla.
3. Scrape the bowl to make sure that the ingredients are well incorporated.
4. Add flour and mix until incorporated.

Salted Caramel Sauce
1/2 cup Sugar
2 tbsp Water
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 cup Cream
1/4 stick Butter 

for a more traditional flavor, you can omit the salt. 

1. Place sugar, salt, and water in a clean pot and heat. Stir only until it begins to boil.
2. If needed, brush the sides of the pot with water to wash down any sugar crystals. Do not stir.
3. Heat cream in the microwave for 20 seconds to warm. 
4. Allow the caramel to get to a dark golden/amber color.
5. Turn off the heat, add warm cream, and stir. Be careful, because there will be a lot of hot steam!
6. Add butter to caramel and mix to incorporate.
7. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool.

Apple Filling
4 Green Apples
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 cup Sugar 

1. Peel the apples.
2. Cut each apple in half. Cut at the stem. Cut the top and bottom off of each apple half.
3. Use a melon baller to core the apples.
4. Cut 1/8 inch slices starting from the top of the apple, so that if you look at the apple standing up, the slices are horizontal.
5. Put slices into a bowl with lemon juice. Toss slightly.
6. Mix cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over the apples. Toss slightly.

Making the Pie
Pie Dough
Frangipane
Apple Filling
1/4 Stick Butter
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Lightly grease your pie tin with butter.
3. Roll out your pie dough to about 1/4 inch and place into the tin.
4. Use a fork to poke holes so that steam can escape.
5. Spread the frangipane into an even layer.
6. Place a layer of apples on top of the frangipane layer. Then, place another layer on top, to make a decorative pattern.
7. Cut up butter into small cubes and sprinkle over the top of the apples.
8. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes, until golden. This seems like a long time, but because of the moisture of the apples, the pie bakes very slowly.
9. Reheat caramel sauce in microwave, 20 seconds at a time until it is  runny.
10. Brush the hot pie with salted caramel sauce to glaze. Cool slightly and serve warm.

Enjoy this dish after lots of BBQ with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream while you watch the fireworks! :)