The Boozy Baker: 75 Recipes for Spirited Sweets (7 page)

But because the prospect of making piecrust from scratch can be more than a little daunting (especially for novice home bakers), I’ve also included a number of recipes in this chapter for pies and tarts with graham cracker, cookie, and press-in crusts. The fillings are sauced with assertive or sweet alcohols, such as scotch or framboise, which stand up to flavorful fruits and complex chocolate. Some recipes are perfect for holiday feasts, such as Hard Cider Apple Pie and Cranberry, Chocolate, and Pecan Pie, while others—like the Rustic Fig Galette and the Plum and Hazelnut Tart—are perfect for casual cookouts in the summer months.

A final note: All pies are better served à la mode. And à la booze!

Hard Cider Apple Pie

M
AKES
8
SERVINGS

MY MOTHER AND I LIKE RAISINS IN OUR APPLE PIE
,
but my father and my brother don’t. I have a vivid childhood memory of watching my mom divide a bowl of sliced apples in half, add raisins to one, and then pour them both side by side into a piecrust. She’s a genius, I thought. Like whoever invented half-cheese, half-pepperoni pizza.

This recipe is a boozy take on apple cider pie, a classic New England dessert made by simmering apples in cider before pouring them into the crust. I’ve left out the raisins, but you can certainly stir in half a cup with the lemon zest if you prefer.

FOR THE CRUST:

2½ cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

½ teaspoon salt

¼ pound plus 4 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, well chilled and cut into ½-inch cubes

1 tablespoon vodka

6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 tablespoon raw sugar (optional)

FOR THE FILLING:

2½ pounds (about 5 medium) Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ¾-inch slices

⅔ cup plus 2 tablespoons hard cider, divided

⅓ cup packed dark brown sugar

⅓ cup granulated sugar

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons cornstarch

Zest of 1 lemon

TO MAKE THE CRUST
,
combine the flour, sugar, and salt in the work bowl of a food processor. Give it a few good pulses to combine. Add the cubes of butter, a few at a time, and pulse until the mixture looks like wet sand. Add the vodka and then the ice water, a tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the dough comes together in large clumps. Gather the dough into a ball and divide in half. Flatten each half into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill for 30 to 60 minutes.

TO MAKE THE FILLING
,
combine the apple slices, ⅔cup hard cider, the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large saucepot. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, stirring often, until the sugar has dissolved and the apples are thickly coated, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons hard cider with the cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the cornstarch mixture to the apples and boil for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the liquid is thick and clear. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon zest, and allow the mixture to cool for 30 minutes.

Remove both halves of the pie dough from the refrigerator. On a clean, well-floured work surface, roll one disk of the dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer it to a 9-inch pie plate. Pour the apple mixture into the crust.

Roll the second half of the dough into a 12-inch circle and transfer it to the top of the pie. Pinch the edges of the top and bottom crusts together. Trim any excess dough, leaving ½-inch overhang. Crimp the edges decoratively with a fork and cut three 2-inch vents in the center of the top crust. Transfer the pie to the freezer and chill for 1 hour, or until it is very cold and the crust is firm to the touch.

Preheat the oven to 425°F and arrange a rack in the lower third. Brush the top of the pie with the heavy cream and sprinkle with the raw sugar, if using. Bake the pie 20 minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and continue to bake another 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling. (If the edges of the pie brown too quickly, tent them with aluminum foil.)

Cool the pie on a wire rack before serving.

SHAKE IT UP:
Substitute beer or lambic (Belgian raspberry beer) for the hard cider.

Cherry Pie with Scotch and Walnut Crumble

M
AKES
8
SERVINGS

ON MY TWENTY-SECOND BIRTHDAY, A FRIEND OF MINE
bought me a glass of scotch at a bar. It was the first time I’d ever tasted the stiff stuff, and I could barely get it down. In fact, it took me the entire night to finish that one drink! Scotch is bracingly strong. For an easy-drinking cocktail, it’s best to blend it with sweet, fruity ingredients, such as cherries and lemons. Like someone who’s had a bit too much to drink, this pie can be a bit “wobbly kneed,” and you may not be able to cut perfect slices. No one I’ve served it to has ever complained.

FOR THE CRUST:

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, well chilled and cut into ½-inch cubes

1 tablespoon scotch whiskey

2 to 4 tablespoons ice water

FOR THE CHERRY FILLING:

3 (12-ounce) bags frozen sweet cherries

½ cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons tapioca flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

¼ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons scotch whiskey

Freshly grated zest of a large lemon

FOR THE WALNUT CRUMBLE:

½ cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup chopped walnuts

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

⅓ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ½-inch cubes

TO MAKE THE CRUST
,
combine the flour, sugar, and salt in the work bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the cubes of butter, a few at a time, and pulse until the mixture looks like wet sand. Add the scotch and then the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the dough comes together in large clumps. Gather the dough into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.

Roll the dough out on a floured work surface into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate and crimp the edges with a fork. Transfer the crust to the freezer and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425°F and adjust the rack to the bottom third.

TO MAKE THE FILLING
,
gently toss together the cherries, sugar, tapioca flour, cornstarch, salt, scotch, and lemon zest in a large bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes.

TO MAKE THE WALNUT CRUMBLE
,
combine the flour, chopped walnuts, oats, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the butter and rub the mixture with clean fingers until it forms moist clumps.

Remove the piecrust from the freezer and fill it with the cherry mixture. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the filling. Bake the pie for 15 minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 400°F and continue to bake another 20 to 30 minutes, or until the topping is
golden and the fruit is bubbling (if the edges of the crust are browning too quickly, tent them with aluminum foil). Cool the pie on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before serving.

SHAKE IT UP:
Substitute bourbon for the scotch.

Cherry Swizzle

2 ounces scotch whiskey

1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice

1½ teaspoons superfine sugar

Dash of bitters

Club soda

Cherry, for garnish

Combine the scotch, lemon juice, sugar, and bitters in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain in to a glass over ice. Top with club soda, and garnish with the cherry.

M
AKES
1
DRINK

Preppy Pink and Green Pie

M
AKES
8
SERVINGS

E
VERY
A
UGUST
I
GO TO
M
ARTHA’S
V
INEYARD
for vacation. The island gets very crowded in the summer, and at times you can’t walk two feet without bumping into someone wearing the preppy, Lily Pulitzer-inspired color combination of carnation pink and lime green. I decided to try to capture the feeling of a New England beach vacation in a pie, which of course wouldn’t be complete without a splash of some sort.

FOR THE CRUST:

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ½-inch cubes

1 tablespoon vodka or gin

2 to 4 tablespoons ice water

FOR THE FILLING:

1¼ pounds fresh rhubarb, trimmed

1 cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ cup berry liqueur

¼ cup cornstarch

½ cups strawberries, hulled and sliced

FOR THE CRUMB TOPPING:

½ cup all-purpose flour

⅔ cup rolled oats

¼ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup packed light brown sugar

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup chopped unsalted pistachios

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced

TO MAKE THE CRUST
,
combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter, and pulse until coarse. Add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the dough comes together in large clumps. Gather the dough into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

On a floured surface, roll the dough to a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate and crimp the edges decoratively with a fork. Put in the freezer while preparing the filling.

TO MAKE THE FILLING
,
combine the rhubarb, sugar, and cinnamon in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the rhubarb begins to soften and the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the berry liqueur and cornstarch and stir until smooth. Add to the rhubarb mixture and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, transfer to the refrigerator, and cool for 30 minutes.

TO MAKE THE CRUMB TOPPING
,
combine the flour, oats, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and pistachios in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter until it forms coarse crumbs. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375°F and position a rack in the lower third. Remove the crust and the rhubarb mixture from the refrigerator.

Stir the strawberries into the rhubarb mixture, and pour the mixture into the crust. Sprinkle with the crumb topping and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the crust is crisp and golden and the fruit is bubbling.

SHAKE IT UP:
Substitute port for the berry liqueur.

Blueberry Rum Pie

M
AKES
8
SERVINGS

T
HIS PIE IS AN ABSOLUTE BREEZE
.
The crust is baked very briefly and the filling comes together on the stovetop, making it perfect for hot, humid days when you’d rather be outside than in the kitchen. While fruity drinks are usually made with light rum, such as blueberry mojitos, I found the flavor came through much better in this pie when I used dark rum. Serve with scoops of lemon sorbet or fresh mint ice cream.

FOR THE CRUST:

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, well chilled and cut into ½-inch cubes

1 tablespoon dark rum

2 to 4 tablespoons ice water

FOR THE BLUEBERRY FILLING:

⅔ cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup dark rum

⅓ cup water

4 cups fresh blueberries, divided

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

TO MAKE THE CRUST
,
combine the flour, sugar, and salt in the work bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the cubes of butter, a few at a time, and pulse until the mixture looks like wet sand. Add the rum and then the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the dough comes together in large clumps. Gather the dough into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.