Browsing Tag

fruits-and-berries

Sides

Roasted Cranberry Peach Chutney

It’s snowing here, whilst I am up in Maine for the weekend, and given that it is November, I am ok with that. It also means that it is coming right up on Thanksgiving. As many longtime followers will know, pretty much every year, I try a new take on Cranberry Sauce. Some years, it been with champagne or port wine, some years, I have added other fruit, which is where we are today: Roasted Cranberry Peach Chutney. A bit of late summer sunshine (the peaches), tilted to fall. A bit of late summer sunshine (the peaches), tilted to fall with those tart, crisp cranberries.

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16. November 2025
Desserts, Sweet Snacks

Walnut Pear Shortbread Crumble Bars

Crumble bars are my go-to treat when I need something straight forward, can be eaten out of hand and are easily shared. As you know by now, the base recipe is flour, sugar, melted butter and vanilla and then anything else goes — one fruit, one “add in” (nuts, mini-chocolate chis, even oatmeal). It being autumn and all, I thought that I would go with pears and walnuts this time. Do you think that is fall-esque enough? The pear jam had just a hint of cinnamon too.

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31. October 2025
Desserts, Sweet Snacks

Crispin Wave Apple Pie

As I mentioned the other day, autumn is for pie! As we head toward Thanksgiving in the US, here is another example of a pie that y’all could investigate for your own dessert tables: Crispin Wave Apple Pie, using Crispin Apples. To be honest, I am using more of a Pink Lady, Honey Crisp or even Granny Smith baker when it comes to pie, but I was pleasantly surprised by these Crispins. Held their shape; a little sweeter than most of my apple pies. The wave design sort of happens by itself as you pinwheel the narrow strips of pie dough around the top. Break out the vanilla ice cream!

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29. October 2025
Desserts, Sweet Snacks

Browned Butter Vanilla Bean Blueberry Pie

Autumn is for pies. OK, I guess specifically Thanksgiving seems to be for pies, but seeing it was Thanksgiving in Canada this week, I figure this pie counts. This Browned Butter Vanilla Bean Blueberry Pie is overly decadent. Browned butter lends a luscious, nutty taste. The vanilla bean, that rich undertone. The blueberries — have to be the small, tart, wild Maine variety — are sweet but tart. I made the exact same tart back in the summer, when fresh blueberries were at their peak, but made a follow up pie with frozen Maine blueberries and the result was equally as delicious.

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16. October 2025
Breads, Breakfast/Brunch, Sweet Snacks

Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts with Sea Salt Caramel Glaze

The weather is definitely turning autumnish and we’re even expecting a Nor’easter here in Southern New England today and for the new 36 hours (remember: a nor’easter is not an indicators of snow; merely a strong wind event with the wind coming from an atypical wind directions … but I digress). So I went to the apple orchard one last time for the season yesterday which inspired me to make apple cider donuts today. And I have to say (no offense to the folks at Russell Orchards, mine were better. Here’s recipe:

And before I get a lot of questions again about “what is apple butter”, it has nothing to do with butter. It’s a old fashioned word for jam or a spread. You can buy it in the shops (not all of them, but I got this in a regular store), but if you can’t find it, take 3/4 cup apple sauce over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring all the time to drive off any additional liquid. It will darken in color to almost mahogany, become thicker and after 10 minutes, you should have the 1/2 cup that you need. Stir frequently otherwise it will scorch.

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12. October 2025