- ½ cup sugar
- 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 large eggs
- 1 15-oz. can pumpkin puree
- 1½ cups yoghurt
- 1 pie crust

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and cloves. Mix well.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer for about 3 minutes or until pale. Add pumpkin puree and spice mixture and mix well. Add yoghurt and mix until well combined.

3. Pour batter into pie crust. Bake pie at 425° F for 15 minutes, then lower temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 40 to 45 minutes, until pie is set in the center. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

Notes: Made my own pie crust!


Adapted from: Mountain High's Pumpkin Yoghurt Pie
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Filling
- 1 pre-baked pie crust
- 1 package cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Apples
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 apple, sliced

Directions:

1. Slice apples and season. Arrange in pie crust.

2. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and mix well. Blend in the egg and vanilla extract and process until smooth.

3. Pour mixture evenly around apples.

4. Bake at 450 F for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 400 F. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and filling is almost set. Remove from oven and cool. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar and serve at room temperature.


Notes: The tart pan I had was relatively small so I halved the recipe for the filling. I took the picture under the kitchen light and the tart looks really brown and burnt but it's actually not!

Adapted from: Joy of Baking's Apple Tart
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- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

2. Combine all ingredients. Stir together with fork. Pat mixture into bottom and up the sides of the pan. Poke holes in bottom and side of crust.

3. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until light brown. Use as directed in pie recipe.


Adapted from: All Recipe's Easy Pie Crust
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Ingredients
- 4 cups sliced apples
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Grease an 8x8 inch baking dish.

2. Place apples in prepared dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Pour water over all. In a bowl, cream together sugar and butter. Blend in flour. Sprinkle mixture evenly over apples.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until apples are tender and crust is golden.


Notes: I used my microwave to bake for the first time! The settings were a bit tricky. It took so long to preheat that I just put the cobbler in and waited until it looked ready. It took around an hour.

Adapted from: All Recipe's Apple Crisp III
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Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, halved
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 2 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup milk, room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons sugar

Directions:

1. Melt 1/2 cup butter in 10 inch baking dish; set aside.

2. In a saucepan, heat sugar and water until sugar melts; set aside.

3. Place flour in a mixing bowl; cut in remaining butter until fine crumbs form. Add milk, stirring with a fork until dough leaves sides of bowl. Turn out onto a floured surface; knead three or four times.

4. Roll dough out into two squares. Place first piece of dough in the butter; sprinkle dough with cinnamon and sugar. Spread berries over dough. Place second piece of dough on top of berries; sprinkle with cinnamon.

5. Pour sugar syrup on top of dough (syrup will be absorbed). Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes. Sprinkle sugar over top and bake 15 minutes more. Serve warm or cold.



















































Notes: We put in an extra 1/2 cup of berries than the original recipe called for. Yum!

Adapted from: All Recipes Blackberry Cobbler
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Filling
- 2 cans of peaches
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Crust
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
- 1/4 cup boiling water

Topping
- 3 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

2. In a large bowl, combine peaches, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Toss to coat evenly, and pour into a baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour, 1/2 cup white sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in butter with your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined.

4. Remove peaches from oven, and drop spoonfuls of topping over them. Sprinkle entire cobbler with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Bake until topping is golden, about 25 minutes.



















Notes: We added juice from one of the cans of peach and two more tablespoons of cornstarch. We simmered the dish in the oven until the liquid was evaporated. The fruit ended up being too sweet; will use less sugar in the filling.

Adapted from: All Recipe's South Peach Cobbler
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Yield: 2 dozen

Shortbread Tarts
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or rice flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt

Chantilly Cream
- 1 3/4 cup cream, for whipping, chilled
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Garnish
Any combination of berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries) or other fruit such as slices of kiwi.

Note: Cornstarch (corn flour) or rice flour replaces some of the all purpose flour to produce a more delicate and fragile shortbread.

Directions:

1. Lightly butter, or spray with a nonstick vegetable spray, pan. Set aside. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (170 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven.

2. In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together (approximately two minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour, cornstarch and salt and mix just until incorporated.

3. Divide the dough into 2 even pieces so both batches of tarts will be even. With your fingertips, press the dough up the sides of the cups so there is an indentation in the center. Once filled, place the tart pan, with the unbaked shells, in the freezer for about 10 minutes so the shortbread can become firm. (This will help to prevent the shortbread from puffing up during baking.)

4. Bake for approximately 18 - 20 minutes or until lightly browned. About halfway through the baking time, lightly prick the bottom of each shortbread, with the tines of a fork, if they have puffed up. Check again after another five minutes and prick again if needed. Once they are fully baked, remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. When completely cooled, remove the tarts from the pan. (These may be made in large quantities and frozen.)















Notes: I made these on christmas day, but assembled them at simon's on boxing day. I added kiwi, mango and cherries as garnish. Then I drizzled chocolate sauce on top of the cream. I brought the leftovers to the cottage for a board game weekend. We added blackberries, asian pear and bananas.

Adapted from: Joy of Baking Shortbread Tarts filled with Cream Read more...

Yield: 36 mini tarts

Shortbread Tarts
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or rice flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Filling
- 1 8-oz. package cream cheese - softened
- 1 14 ounce (396 grams) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/3 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- Zest of one lemon
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Garnish
Any combination of berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries) or other fruit such as slices of kiwi.

Note: Cornstarch (corn flour) or rice flour replaces some of the all purpose flour to produce a more delicate and fragile shortbread.

Directions:

1. Lightly butter muffin pan. Set aside. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and place rack in the center of the oven.

2. In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together (approximately two minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour, cornstarch and salt and mix just until incorporated.

3. Divide the dough into 36 even pieces and place one ball of dough in the center of each muffin tin. With your fingertips, press the dough up the sides of the individual muffin tin so there is an indentation in the center. Once filled, place the tart pan, with the unbaked shells, in the freezer for about 10 minutes so the shortbread can become firm. (This will help to prevent the shortbread from puffing up during baking.)

4. Bake for approximately 18 - 20 minutes or until lightly browned. About halfway through the baking time, lightly prick the bottom of each shortbread, with the tines of a fork, if they have puffed up. Check again after another five minutes and prick again if needed. Once they are fully baked, remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. When completely cooled, remove the tarts from the pan. (These may be made in large quantities and frozen.)

5. Use electric mixer to beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Add the condensed milk, lemon juice, zest, and vanilla and process until smooth. Transfer the filling to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until serving time. It is best to make the filling at least a day in advance to give it time to become firm and for all the flavors to mingle.

Notes: The filled tart shells can be made several hours in advance and refrigerated. Just before serving top with fresh berries or cut up fruit.



















Adapted from: Joy of Baking Shortbread Tarts filled with Cream Read more...

Yield: 4 dozen

Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease cookie sheets.

2. In a large bowl, cream together butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. Stir in flour until well blended. Drop dough into mini muffin pan. Make an indentation in the center with a thimble, fill with preserves, or press candy into center.

3. Bake for 15 minutes in preheated oven. Cookies should be pale.

Notes: I made these with Katie for Christmas family gathering. We used strawberry jam and green sprinkles.

Adapted from: All Recipes Cream Cheese Cookies I
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