Perfect Pies & More: All New Pies, Cookies, Bars, and Cakes from America’s Pie-Baking Champion

A pick-me-up cup of coffee or tea in the midafternoon generally isn’t noteworthy, but accompany it with a piece of Sour Cream Coffee Cake and that little coffee break might just be enough to brighten your whole day.

This chapter is chock-full of my favorite little day-brighteners that I love keeping on hand for my family to nibble on. They’re also great for entertaining. Serving up a nice cup of coffee with Cranberry-Orange Walnut Bread will make your guests feel positively pampered, and it requires little time or preparation on your part. Many of the tea breads featured in this chapter also freeze well, which means you can keep a loaf in the freezer ready to pop out at just the right moment.

Breads and cakes are wonderful because they’re so diverse. During my pregnancy I indulged in the rich Double Chocolate Bundt Cake to satisfy frequent chocolate cravings. Blueberry-Lemon Tea Cake and Zucchini Nut Tea Bread are a lighter alternative, and these wonderful, flavor-filled treats can fulfill a wide variety of roles, from a sweet breakfast treat to a light dessert.

I am particularly proud of my Connecticut Specialty Food Association prizewinning Banana Tea Bread, Pumpkin Bread, and Zucchini Nut Tea Bread, all featured in this chapter. The pumpkin bread, especially, is a showstopper and one of my personal favorite desserts of any variety.

Apple Pockets

Think of an Apple Pocket as your own personal handheld apple pie. This recipe uses the same filling and crust as a traditional apple pie, but offers all of those comforting flavors in a more compact package. There’s something unexpected about pocket pies that makes them feel like a very real treat. As with apple pie, Apple Pockets go great served warm with a dollop of ice cream or homemade Whipped Cream.

Makes 4 apple pockets

Level: Moderate

Crust

1 egg (for the egg wash to glaze the crust)

2 tablespoons water (for the egg wash to glaze the crust)

Dash of salt (for the egg wash to glaze the crust)

½ recipe Traditional Pastry Piecrust dough

Filling

¾ cup sugar

1½ tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

Dash of ground nutmeg

4 medium-size apples (I prefer Cortland), peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch slices (2 cups)

1 tablespoon salted butter, cut into 4 equal pieces

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

To prepare the egg wash, in a small bowl, whisk together the egg, water, and salt. Set the egg wash aside.

Lightly sprinkle a rolling surface with flour, making sure that the entire surface is covered. Divide the disk of dough into 4 smaller disks. Roll out each small disk of dough into a circle about 7 inches in diameter. Set aside.

To prepare the filling, in a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup of the sugar, the flour, the cinnamon, and the nutmeg. Place the apples in a large bowl and sprinkle the sugar mixture over them. Toss the apples so that they are evenly coated.

Using a pastry brush, apply the egg wash to the edges of the dough circles. Measure out four ¾-cup batches of the apple mixture and place 1 batch in the center of each of the 4 dough circles. Dot each of the 4 batches of apples with 1 of the small pieces of butter. To form the pockets, fold the circle in half to enclose the apples. Using the tines of a fork, seal the edges of the circle so that the apples are completely enclosed in the dough pocket. Use a pair of kitchen scissors or a pantry knife to cut a ½-inch hole in the center of the pocket for ventilation (you can also vent the pocket with a fork if you prefer).

Place the apple pockets on the lined baking sheet. Brush the tops of the apple pockets with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup sugar.

To bake, place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and bake the apple pockets for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the crust turns a golden brown and the apples are tender. Insert a knife into 1 of the pockets to check the firmness of the apples. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the apple pockets to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Apple Pockets are best served the day they are made, but they can be kept overnight at room temperature. Serve as is or warmed with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to garnish.

Applesauce Cake

I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who loves entertaining quite as much as my family does. Whether it’s brunch, lunch, or dinner, no event is too small to create an unbelievable spread. Applesauce Cake makes frequent appearances at these gatherings. With dried fruits and chopped nuts accenting its warm flavors, this is a good cake to serve in the fall.

Makes 1 cake, 12 to 15 slices

Level: Easy

1½ cups walnuts, chopped

1 cup chopped dates

1 cup raisins

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

2½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted

2 teaspoons baking soda

8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, softened

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1½ cups applesauce

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9 × 3-inch Bundt pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the walnuts, dates, raisins, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Add the flour and baking soda, mixing until the nuts and dried fruit are thoroughly coated. Set the mixture aside.

Using an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat the butter, eggs, and sugar until they have achieved a light color. Stir the vanilla into the applesauce, then combine it with the ingredients in the electric mixer, again at medium speed. Pour the nuts and dried fruit mixture into the cake batter and mix on low speed. Once the ingredients are well combined, pour the batter into the Bundt pan.

Place the applesauce cake into the oven and bake it for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for at least 30 minutes before running a knife around the edges of the cake to easily remove it from the Bundt pan. Place the cake on a wire cooling rack until it has cooled completely.

Wrap the Applesauce Cake tightly in plastic wrap to store at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Why Use a Bundt Pan?

Bundt pans are a type of tube pan. They are round, several inches deep, with a hollow tube in the middle and scalloped sides. This tube isn’t just for decoration; it ensures that the cake bakes all the way through, which can be tricky with deep, moist cakes such as Applesauce Cake. Aside from their practical purpose, Bundt pans also result in a very elegant finished product. Note that fluted cake pans and Bundt pans are interchangeable.

Banana Tea Bread

Over the years I have found that people tend to have very specific ideas about which ingredients should and should not be included in Banana Tea Bread. In an effort to satisfy everyone, I carry two versions of banana bread in my store: one with chopped walnuts and one with chocolate chips. I’m sure that, just like my customers, you will also have some very distinct ideas about how banana bread is best. Although the base recipe for Banana Tea Bread always remains the same, its taste can be utterly transformed with the addition of a mere ½ cup of walnuts or chocolate chips. And, of course, if you happen to be bipartisan, you can include both walnuts and chocolate chips.

Makes 1 loaf

Level: Easy

8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1⅓ cups ripe bananas, mashed

1 teaspoon whole milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ cup chopped walnuts and/or ½ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips (depending upon your preference)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8 × 4-inch loaf pan and set aside.

To prepare the batter, using an electric mixer set on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar together until they are light and creamy. Beat the eggs in, 1 at a time. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure that all of the ingredients are incorporated.

In a separate medium bowl, mix together the bananas, milk, and vanilla. In another separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. With the mixer set on low speed, alternately add both the banana and flour mixtures to the creamed butter just until combined. Again, be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl several times to incorporate all of the ingredients. If you are adding walnuts or chocolate chips, fold them into the batter. Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

To bake, place the pan in the oven and bake it for about 1 hour, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the loaf to easily remove it from the pan. Place the bread on a wire cooling rack to continue cooling.

Wrap the Banana Tea Bread tightly in plastic wrap to store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This bread also freezes well; to freeze, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and keep it in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Why It’s Important Not to Overmix

When making tea bread, it’s very important to mix ingredients only until the point where they are just combined. The batter may appear lumpy, but don’t worry, that’s okay! You want to stop mixing as soon as the dry ingredients are moistened. Overmixing will result in tough tea bread; you want your tea bread to be tender and moist.

Blueberry Crumb Cake

The great thing about this recipe is that it’s so universal. If you’re a purist, omit the fruit altogether for an equally satisfying plain crumb cake. If you want to opt for something other than blueberry, apples, cranberries, and even peaches all work well in crumb cake. I recommend switching the fruit out according to what’s fresh and in season, to make this cake a stupendous after-dinner treat or breakfast pick-me-up all year long. Also consider adding your favorite nuts, such as walnuts or pecans, to this cake’s crumb topping.

Makes 1 cake, approximately 12 slices

Level: Easy

Topping

1 cup Cinnamon Sugar Crumb Topping

Cake

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ pound (2 sticks) salted butter

2 eggs

¾ cup whole milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen (I prefer fresh)

¼ cup confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9 × 13-inch baking dish and set aside.

To prepare the batter, in a medium bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, and baking powder. Use a pastry blender to blend the butter into the flour mixture until it forms pea-size pieces. Remove 1½ cups of the flour mixture and add it to the cinnamon sugar crumb topping and toss well to fully combine.

Transfer the remaining flour mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer set on medium speed and add the eggs, milk, and vanilla. Mix until combined. Fold the blueberries into the cake batter. Spoon the cake batter into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the batter.

To bake, place the baking dish on a baking sheet and place the sheet on the middle rack of the oven. Bake the cake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove the baking dish from the oven and allow the cake to cool for at least 1 hour before serving.

To serve, dust the top of the cake with sifted confectioners’ sugar.

Blueberry Crumb Cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days when wrapped tightly with plastic wrap.

Blueberry-Lemon Tea Cake

Have you ever gone blueberry picking only to find that you don’t know what to do with all those scrumptious blueberries once you get them home? Enter Blueberry- Lemon Tea Cake (which, by the way, is also delicious with frozen blueberries). The combination of tangy lemon and blueberry is just as bright as a summer’s day. This light but satisfying treat is great for brunches or picnic lunches during the warmer months. Be sure to take the final step and add the lemon glaze to this tea cake; the extra three minutes are definitely worth the effort!

Makes 1 loaf, 8 to 10 slices

Level: Easy

Cake

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) salted butter, softened

1⅓ cups sugar

2 eggs

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons)

¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)

1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup whole milk

1¼ cups blueberries, fresh or frozen (I prefer fresh)

Glaze

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 to 2 lemons)

⅓ cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons sugar, for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour an 8 × 4-inch loaf pan and set aside.

Using an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat the butter until it achieves a creamy consistency. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice, continuing to blend until all of the ingredients are well combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then add it to the lemon mixture in the electric mixer. Slowly add the milk while beating on low speed until it’s thoroughly incorporated. Fold in the fresh blueberries. Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake the cake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of the tea cake comes out clean. Remove the tea cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the tea cake to easily remove it from the pan. Place it on a wire cooling rack set over a sheet tray to continue cooling for 20 to 30 minutes. While the tea cake is still slightly warm, begin to prepare the glaze.

To prepare the glaze, in a small saucepan off of the heat, combine the lemon juice and ⅓ cup sugar. Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly for about 3 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves. Remove the glaze from the heat and immediately pour it over the tea cake. If you would like a final sweet-and-sour finish, you can also combine the lemon zest with 2 tablespoons of sugar and sprinkle them over the top of the glaze.

Blueberry-Lemon Tea Cake is best eaten immediately, but you can also wrap it tightly in plastic wrap to store at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Double Chocolate Bundt Cake

Double Chocolate Bundt Cake has been another lifesaver for pregnancy chocolate cravings. Although I make this cake to satisfy my own need for chocolate, it’s also the one type of cake that my husband is pretty much guaranteed to hoard: It’s survival of the fittest in my house when Double Chocolate Bundt Cake is up for offer! Not only does this cake use chocolate as the foundation of the batter, but it also incorporates chocolate chips for that extra-layered punch of chocolate. Be sure to eat Double Chocolate Bundt Cake warm to maximize its satisfying chocolate richness.

Makes 1 cake, 12 to 15 slices

Level: Moderate

5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1½ cups granulated sugar

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) salted butter, softened

4 eggs, separated

1½ cups cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Garnish

Chocolate Ganache, warm

¼ cup confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 9 × 3-inch Bundt pan.

In a double boiler over high heat, melt the unsweetened chocolate until it’s smooth, stirring frequently. Set it aside to cool.

Using an electric mixer set on medium speed, cream together the granulated sugar and butter until the mixture becomes light in color. Set the egg whites aside and add the egg yolks, again on medium speed.

In a separate small bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and cinnamon.

Add half of the sifted flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture and mix on low speed until they are just combined (it’s important not to overmix). Add half of the milk and mix again until just combined. Repeat again, adding the second half of the sifted flour mixture and the remaining milk, continuing to take care not to overmix the batter.

On low speed, add the melted chocolate and the vanilla. Finally, add the chocolate chips and mix until they are thoroughly combined. Set the mixture aside.

In a separate medium bowl, beat the egg whites until they become stiff. Fold the beaten egg whites into the cake batter until all of the ingredients are combined. Spoon the batter into the Bundt pan.

To bake, place the Bundt pan on a baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and bake the cake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the cake to easily remove it from the pan. Place it on a wire cooling rack to cool for at least 1 hour more.

Pour the warm ganache over the cake just before serving. Dust the ganache with the confectioners’ sugar.

If you have not yet garnished the cake with ganache and confectioners’ sugar, Double Chocolate Bundt Cake can be covered tightly with plastic wrap and kept overnight at room temperature. If the ganache has been poured over the cake, place the cake in the refrigerator to store for up to 3 days.

Cranberry-Orange Walnut Bread

Cranberry-Orange Walnut Bread is in constant rotation at my house in the autumn months. I like to include walnuts, for the simple fact that they provide a bit of additional texture to this bread. This recipe works perfectly well without the walnuts, though, so feel free to omit them if that’s your preference. The orange provides natural sweetness, but if you like things a little sweeter, sprinkle some Cinnamon Sugar Crumb Topping on top of the bread just before baking. If you enjoy starting your day with muffins, this recipe can easily be transformed; follow all directions as provided for the bread, fill the muffin cups to two thirds of the way full, and shorten the baking time to twenty to twenty-five minutes.

Makes 1 loaf, 10 to 12 slices

Level: Easy

2 eggs

¾ cup whole milk

½ cup vegetable oil

¾ cup sugar

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 tablespoon grated orange zest (from about 1 orange)

1 cup whole cranberries, fresh or frozen

¼ cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour an 8 × 4-inch loaf pan and set aside.

Using an electric mixer set on medium speed, combine the eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and sugar. Once they are combined, add the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange zest. Being careful not to overmix, mix again on medium speed until the ingredients are just combined. Add the cranberries and walnuts and mix on low speed. Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 60 to 65 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the middle of the bread comes out clean. Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the loaf to easily remove it from the pan. Place it on a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.

Cranberry-Orange Walnut Bread can be served immediately or, once completely cooled, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This bread can also be stored in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Maple Pecan Cake

As a child of New England, I have always had maple syrup at my fingertips. Growing up, I took it for granted; but once I got a bit older I began to truly appreciate that great maple taste, whether it was delivered on top of my pancakes or as the foundation of a dessert dish. As you can tell by this cookbook, I love incorporating maple into my own creations. It always takes me back to those early days of Michele’s Pies, when the business was run out of my tiny kitchen in Vermont, home state of all things maple. As always, I prefer to use Grade B pure Vermont maple syrup for this cake, but Grade A will also work. If you’re a real maple nut, be sure to top this cake with Maple Whipped Cream.

Makes 1 cake, approximately 12 slices

Level: Moderate

2 cups pecan halves

3 cups sugar

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ pound (2 sticks) salted butter, cold, plus 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted

5 eggs

1 cup whole milk

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup Grade B pure Vermont maple syrup (you can also use Grade A)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 × 13-inch baking pan and set aside.

To toast the pecan halves, place the pecans on a baking sheet and bake them for 5 minutes. Leaving the oven on, remove the pecans from the oven and set them aside while you begin making the batter.

To prepare the batter, in a large bowl, combine 2 cups of the sugar, the flour, the baking powder, and the cold butter. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into pea-size pieces. Place this mixture in the bowl of an electric mixer, then add 2 of the eggs, the milk, and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla. Begin to mix on medium speed until all of the ingredients are just combined; be sure not to overmix. Set the batter aside.

In a separate medium bowl, on medium speed, mix together the maple syrup, the 3 remaining eggs, the melted butter, the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla, and the remaining 1 cup sugar. Mix until all of the ingredients are well combined. Using a spatula, fold this maple syrup mixture into the cake batter and mix well. Finally, fold in the toasted pecan halves. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.

To bake, place the pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove the baking pan from the oven and allow the cake to cool for at least 30 minutes.

Maple Pecan Cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days when tightly covered in plastic wrap.