APPLE BUTTER SPICE CAKE W/ MASCARPONE FROSTING

It’s been about a month since my last post (sorry!) but I guess you can say that I’ve been busy with a good amount of traveling as well as exploring more areas in the state of Maine. At the beginning of September, Alex and I flew back to California for two full weeks to see family and friends for the first time since May, which I felt very lucky to do. It was a first for both of us flying during the pandemic and it was exactly what you think it would be like: stressful, and I have no intention of doing that again anytime soon. I also got to experience another pandemic first: getting tested for Covid, and not only once, but a total of three times (twice in CA and once when we were back in ME). Fortunately, every test came back negative and I’m actually impressed by how easy the whole experience was in both states. If you’re still worried about getting a test since it can be kind of daunting, don’t worry about it, I seriously thought it wasn't a big deal. But if you’re being smart and continuing to wear a mask, you need not worry about that!

Fall foliage on full display at Grafton Notch State Park

Adidas: sponsor me.

In other news, fall foliage is here in Maine and it’s been equal parts exciting and nerve-wracking planning trips to see all the beautiful colors. This is my first time experiencing the changing of the leaves to this extent so I want to see as much of it as possible before it’s over, hence the worrying on my part. This past Sunday, we drove two hours to western Maine to Grafton Notch State Park and hiked in one of the most stunning places I’ve ever visited (Sedona is up there for me as well). We chose a pretty challenging trail, Table Rock, but the moment we made it to the top, we were rewarded with a sea of colorful trees ranging from red to yellow to orange and in between; it was so beautiful that I actually started to tear up a bit. If you’re able to see the fall foliage this season, definitely don’t miss out on it… it makes you forget about all the crap we’re going through right now, even if it’s just for an hour.

One fall activity that I have yet to accomplish is apple picking but I did do the next best thing: shopped at a farm stand filled to the brim with dozens of local apple varieties. I kind of went crazy and bought 5lbs. worth of apples including an heirloom variety called Frostbite (aka the cute baby ones featured in the pictures), along with fresh apple butter and of course, a couple of apple cider doughnuts. It was at this farm stand where I found inspiration for today’s recipe which led me to the super cozy and fall-friendly apple butter spice cake. I actually posted a similar recipe last year with my pear spice cake with mascarpone, but the two recipes differ in a couple of ways. In today’s recipe, there is no fresh fruit utilized, only the apple butter component; I added a frosting on top to really drive home the decadence that we start to see when the weather gets cooler; and the mascarpone cheese is not found within the cake ingredients, but actually only in the frosting. I’d been wanting to make mascarpone frosting for a while now and I knew it would pair perfectly with the intense apple flavor from the apple butter and the array of spices. Luckily for me (and you), the cake and frosting complemented one another perfectly.

Let’s talk about the main component of today’s cake: the apple butter. Do you have to make it yourself? Of course not! I obviously didn’t make it for this recipe, but I did go out of my way to purchase one that was made locally here in Maine that also wasn’t loaded with high fructose corn syrup, which is what you’ll usually get stuck with when shopping at regular grocery stores. So if you can’t make your own (here’s the link to my apple butter recipe, along with a recipe for apple cider doughnuts), then maybe try to buy it at your local farmers market. If either options are out of the picture for you (hello, Covid, I know you’re still around), then go ahead and buy the store bought version. But promise me you’ll make your own apple butter this season!

Moving on to the mascarpone frosting, I’m going to be honest and say that you actually don’t need to have it with the cake; that’s just how delicious I think the cake is on its own. Like I mentioned earlier, I had been wanting to make a mascarpone frosting for a while now and felt a spice cake would be perfect with it (which it is!), but if you’re wanting to have this cake with a little less sugar and/or intend on making this for breakfast to enjoy with a hot cup of coffee, then by all means, leave the frosting off! In turn, I would simply do a light dusting of confectioners’ sugar with fresh apple slices which makes the presentation a bit more exciting, even though you might just be making the cake for yourself.

Apple Butter Spice Cake with Mascarpone Frosting

Yields (1) 8-inch round or square cake

Recipe adapted from Life as a Strawberry

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 3/4 tsp. ground ginger

• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg (or freshly grated)

• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves

• 1/4 tsp. allspice

• 2 tsp. baking soda

• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

• 1/2 cup (1 stick, 4oz.) unsalted butter, melted

• 3/4 cup apple butter, store bought or homemade

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the frosting

• 3 oz. (3/4 a stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 6 oz. mascarpone cheese, room temperature

• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

• Pinch of kosher salt

• 1 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

  Directions

For the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease an 8-inch round or square cake pan with either cooking spray or butter, then line it with parchment paper with some overhang.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour, spices, baking soda and salt together until combined. Set aside.

3. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer), mix the melted butter, apple butter and sugar together for a couple of minutes on medium speed. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix again. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Try not to over mix the batter.

4. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan and spread it evenly using a spatula (an offset spatula is best). Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out cleans. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing it and transferring to a cooling rack. Let the cake cool completely before frosting it.

For the frosting:

1. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer), combine the butter, mascarpone, vanilla extract and salt until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and mix on low for about 10 seconds before increasing the speed. Beat until everything is incorporated and smooth.

2. Spread the frosting in an even layer on top of the cooled cake (you may not use all of the frosting). Finish the cake with a dusting of ground cinnamon (or whatever spice of your choice) and thinly slicked apples. Enjoy!

DEEP DISH APPLE PIE

The time has finally come: today I am giving you my FIRST pie recipe after having my blog for over 1.5 years!!! I’ve mentioned numerous times before that pies are just simply not my strong suit and therefore why I’ve been putting it off for so long. My initial goal was to have this recipe up before Thanksgiving, mostly because I promised you all that I would, but of course, with my luck, this didn’t happen. I had made a pie to shoot for this post and although it tasted incredible, crust included, the pie pretty much fell apart while baking. In the end, I simply couldn’t use it to photograph for the blog. To say that I was bummed out is a serious understatement because I had zero time to redo it before the holiday, but mostly because I knew that the recipe was great but I just had trouble executing it. So this last Friday, my very generous and skilled pie-maker aunt, Katia, came over and showed me the way to reach pie success and I couldn’t be happier with the final result. Moral of the story: when all else fails, hopefully you have an aunt that will help you.

Despite my mishap with my prior bake, I actually know a lot (re: TOO MUCH) about pie dough, pie filling, etc. After much research and comparing various recipes across the internet and in my personal cookbook collection, I’ve pulled together tips that I think will give you the most successful pie. If I could conquer cheesecakes and all the nuances that comes with baking those monsters, I knew that pies had to be my next mountain to conquer. I believe, after multiple failed attempts, I have tackled pies.

Apple pie à la mode has been in my top 5 favorite desserts for as long as I can remember. Strawberry pie’s great and chocolate silk pie is delicious and decadent but apple pie? Apple pie is perfection. With beautifully baked apples, hints of warm spices, and a flaky, buttery double-crust, no other pie beats apple pie. Therefore, it was an obvious choice for which pie recipe to introduce you all to first on The Vivid Kitchen.

Much like my cheesecake recipes where I gave you multiple tips to executing a perfect cheesecake, I also have a laundry list of tips when it comes to the pie dough, as well as actually baking the pie. Here they are:

1. When making the dough, you can either use your hands, a pastry cutter, or a food processor when it comes to cutting in the butter. I personally use a combo of a pastry cutter and my hands, which I think is your safest bet to avoiding overworking the dough. And when I add the ice water, I only use my hands so I could get a feel for whether I needed more water or not. It’s also vital that your ingredients, namely the butter and water, are very cold! I actually use frozen butter but straight from the fridge is fine.

2. After making your pie dough, you need to refrigerate it for at least two hours before rolling it out. Once properly chilled, allow the dough to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes so it won’t be brittle when rolling out. You can refrigerate the dough for up to 5 days or freeze them for up to 3 months. Just make sure they are properly wrapped in plastic.

3. When rolling out the dough, roll the pin only away from you, not back and forth. This ensures that the dough will be rolled out evenly. Also, after every couple of rolls, rotate the dough (pick it up off the floured-surface and rotate it) as to prevent it from sticking.

4. When it comes to which kind of apple to use, I would suggest apples that are on the tart side, like Granny Smith or Pink Lady. Other options that are a bit sweeter are Honeycrisp or Braeburn. And when it comes to slicing your apples, which you want to be very thin, like 1/4” thick, I highly recommend using a mandolin. Equally thin apple slices will prevent under cooked apples.

5. Thicken the apple pie filling with flour. I know some people add cornstarch instead but I actually read that adding flour is best for apple pies in particular, because apples are a less juicier fruit. And in order to prevent the pie from being too sweet as well as keeping the apples from browning, add a bit of apple cider vinegar. You could use lemon juice instead if you don’t have it.

6. Once your pie is filled and the top crust is added (with whichever topping design you choose to do), freeze the entire pie for at least 30 minutes before popping it in the oven. This locks in the design that you’ve chosen as well as keeps the butter from leaking while baking.

7. Place a rimmed baking sheet in the oven while it preheats, and place the pie on it while it bakes. This helps not only if there is any juice spills from the pie but most importantly, it combats the dreaded “soggy bottom” that all pie bakers try to avoid.

8. Bake the pie at a higher temperature at first (425°F) in order to set the dough, and then bring it down to 375°F for the remainder.

9. Use a pie shield or a makeshift foil ring if the edges of the pie brown faster than the center.

10. When the pie is baked, allow the pie to cool COMPLETELY before cutting into it. This is very hard to do because I know we all want a piece of warm apple pie with melted vanilla ice cream on top, but you can always warm up each slice after cutting.

Not too bad, right?

If you have no desire to do a double-crust apple pie or it all seems like too much work, then simply half the pie dough recipe below and do a streusel/crumb topping. I have no complaints when it comes to an apple crumb pie.

I know we’re well past Thanksgiving but apple pie is definitely Christmas dinner appropriate, so hopefully this recipe and my tips will come in handy for you!

All-Butter Pie Crust

Makes enough for a double-crust pie

Recipe adapted from NY Times Cooking

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 tsp. fine salt

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold (preferably frozen) and cut into small pieces

• 1/2 cup ice water, may use more or less

Directions

1. In the largest bowl you have, mix the flour and salt together. Add the butter pieces and gently toss them so they get coated with the flour.

2. Using a pastry cutter and/or your hands, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture is crumbly and the butter pieces resemble the size of a pea.

3. Make a well in the center, and begin to add the water in 1 tablespoon at a time. After each addition, gently stir the water in with either your hands or a wooden spoon. Depending on the climate in which you are making the dough, you may use all of the 1/2 cup of water or even more (if it’s dry, the flour will need more water versus a humid climate that wouldn’t need as much). You’ll know when the dough is ready when a handful holds together and doesn’t crumble. The dough will not be wet or sticky, but still a bit dry.

4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it a couple of times until it comes together. Form the dough into a ball and cut it in half, and then form those halves into discs. Tightly wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours. The dough can refrigerate for up to 5 days and can be frozen for up to 3 months (thaw overnight if you choose to freeze them).

Deep Dish Apple Pie

Yields (1) 9-inch deep dish, double-crust pie

Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit Magazine

Ingredients

• All-Butter Pie Crust (recipe above)

• 3.5 lbs. apples, peeled and sliced very thinly (Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Granny Smith are good options) - *best way to get even, thin slices is by using a mandolin

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed (light or dark works)

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 3/4 tsp. cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg

• 1/8 tsp. allspice

• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

• 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice (I strongly recommend the former)

• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

• 1 large egg

• Turbinado sugar

• Vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce, to finish

Directions

1. Take out one of the pie dough discs from the refrigerator and let it sit out at room temperature for 10 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about a 13 inch diameter. Make sure to rotate the dough every couple of turns and to roll the rolling pin away from you, not back and forth.

2. Gently pick up the rolled out dough (best way to do this is by rolling it onto the rolling pin itself) and place it in a 9-inch deep dish pie dish (glass, ceramic, or aluminum work fine). Press the dough into the corners of the dish and leave the excess dough hanging over. Refrigerate while working on the apple filling.

3. Combine the apple slices, both sugars, flour, spices, salt and apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice) in a large bowl. Transfer the filling into the chilled pie dish - I would avoid just dumping the apples in and rather suggest using your hands to mindfully stack the apples into even layers as to prevent empty pockets. Do not flatten the apple slices but form them into a dome instead. Scatter the 2 tbsp. of butter pieces over the apples.

4. Take out the second pie dough disc, let it sit out for 10 minutes, and roll it out to about a 12 inch diameter. You have the choice to do whatever you want for the top crust… you can do a lattice like I did or leave it as is. If you’re not doing a lattice, make sure to cut about 4-5 slits around the center of the top crust to allow steam to escape. Place the pie in the freezer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°F, move the rack to the bottom of your oven, and place a rimmed baking sheet on top.

5. In a small bowl, whisk the egg and 1 tbsp. of water and brush this over the top crust. Sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar.

6. Bake the pie on the preheated baking sheet at 425°F for 30 minutes, then rotate the pie, drop the temperature to 375°F and bake for another 30-40 more minutes. The pie will be done when the crust is a deep golden brown and the juices are bubbling. If any part of the top crust is browning too quickly, gently tent foil over the top or use a pie shield.

7. Allow the pie to cool completely before cutting into it. Serve with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.

APPLE RICOTTA TARTS W/ HOMEMADE CARAMEL

This Sunday is my boyfriend Alex’s 33rd birthday and I cannot wait to shower him with all the love that he deserves. We’ll be celebrating with family on Saturday with a boat ride in Newport Beach, as well as a trip to Big Bear next weekend with a group of friends, so on his actual day, he and I are going to take it easy. I plan on starting his day off with bagels and cold brew, then hitting up the beach or going on a hike, and finally ending with dinner at one of his favorite restaurants, Nick’s in Laguna Beach. He also requested that I make my cheesecake for dessert (it’s his favorite recipe on this blog) and of course I am happy to oblige.

Like every year, Alex’s birthday also represents the beginning of autumn, which usually falls on his actual birthday, the 22nd, or the next day. Because of this, I believe it allows for the floodgates to open for apple recipes even though I’m fairly certain I could, and would, eat apple pie every day. So far on this blog, I’ve shared with you recipes for an apple brown butter buckle, apple muffins, apple cider doughnuts, and finally. a simple apple tart/galette. Today’s apple recipe may also be considered a ‘tart’ but differs in the fact that the base is not a pie dough, but actually puff pastry.

Puff pastry, also known as pâte feuilletée, is essentially a laminated dough, meaning the butter is incorporated into the dough by a series of folding and rolling, thus leading to multiple layers. When baked, the layers separate and puff up, leaving you with a very light and flaky texture. Making homemade puff pastry is a serious undertaking and something that I’m more than happy (at this point in time) to skip out on. What I’m trying to say is that today I am not giving you a recipe for puff pastry to go along with the tart - I am giving you instructions to go buy store bought puff pastry! I created this recipe for those who are 1) in a time crunch 2) don’t have the skills to make homemade puff pastry and/or 3) lazy! I don’t think anyone should feel bad for buying store bought components of a dish and I really believe that it’s the thought that counts.

Store bought puff pastry. which you can get at any grocery store including Trader Joe’s, makes you look like you’re an amazing baker, yet the secret is that you didn’t do more than thawing it, topping it with some ingredients, and baking it in the oven. And if you want, you can totally lie and tell your guests or whomever you’re serving this to that YES, the puff pastry IS made from scratch! Just make sure that you’ve gotten rid of any evidence of the Pepperidge Farm puff pastry packaging - burn it if you have to.

If you’re unfamiliar with buying puff pastry, you should know that it’ll be found in the freezer section of your grocery store and comes with 2 sheets of puff pastry (therefore you can easily double the recipe!), which will need to be thawed out for about 40 minutes before working with it. For my recipe, I ask of you to only use 1 sheet of pastry which you’ll cut into 6 equal rectangles. You could totally make it into one giant tart, but I really enjoy the look of baking them off as individuals and it also makes it much easier for serving purposes. Each puff pastry tart will get a spread of a ricotta cheese mixture that has cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla bean paste in it. If ricotta isn’t your thing, mascarpone or cream cheese could work as well; and if your grocery store doesn’t carry vanilla bean paste, vanilla extract is fine. I went with vanilla bean paste because Trader Joe’s just started carrying it and I thought this recipe would be perfect for it since it showcases the vanilla bean specks so well.

And once again, if you’re feeling guilty for using store bought puff pastry, all will be forgotten when you make your own caramel to top it off with. Homemade caramel is SO simple and requires only 4 ingredients and 10 minutes of your time, so you can make it while the apple tarts bake in the oven. Apples and caramel are a perfect pairing, and since the apple tarts themselves are barely sweetened, you can load up on as much caramel as you want.

Apple Ricotta Puff Pastry Tarts

Yields 6 individual tarts

Ingredients

• 1 puff pastry sheet, thawed and cut into 6 rectangles (I prefer Pepperidge Farm

• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese, homemade or store-bought

• 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

• 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 1/8 tsp. ground or fresh nutmeg

• 1 apple, cored and sliced thin (I used Granny Smith and Pink Lady, but Honeycrisp and Braeburn work as well)

• Brown sugar (light or dark)

• Caramel sauce, to finish (recipe provided below)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and place the 6 puff pastry rectangles onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a fork, poke holes in about 4-5 different places on each rectangle.

2. In a small bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, vanilla bean paste (or extract), cinnamon and nutmeg together. Add about 1 heaping tablespoon of this spread onto the center of each pastry. Try not to spread it out too much.

3. Place 2-4 slices of apple onto each pastry, right on top of the ricotta cheese mixture. Finish with a heavy sprinkling of brown sugar on top of the fruit.

4. Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes, or until the pastry has puffed up and is a golden brown color.

5. Transfer to a baking sheet to cool for about 5 minutes before finishing them with a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Simple Homemade Caramel Sauce

Yields 1 cup

Recipe adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction

Ingredients

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 6 pieces

• 1/2 cup chilled heavy cream

• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Directions

1. Place the sugar in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat. Using a wooden spoon, constantly stir the sugar until it completely melts and turns into a deep amber color. Before it melts, it will be very clumpy… this is good, just keep mixing!

2. Add the butter and mix it in with the melted sugar using a whisk. The mixture will begin to bubble vigorously.

3. Once the butter has melted, slowly pour in the heavy cream. Careful with this step because the cold heavy cream may cause the mixture to splatter. Allow the caramel to boil for about one minute, then take it off the heat and stir in the salt.

4. Carefully (it will be VERY hot) pour the caramel into your desired container (mason jar, tupperware, etc.) and store it in the fridge for up to 1 month - if it can last that long.