In 2013 I decided to leave my job in the medical field to stay home with my two children. I started baking out of financial obligation. We were down to one income, so purchasing all treats from the grocery store wasn’t practical. From there, I really enjoyed baking and started experimenting with different flavors.
In early 2014 we found out we were pregnant. I was craving food but couldn’t figure out exactly what I wanted. Hence, I ventured further into experimentation for example apples, cream cheese, smoked Gouda, and sweet potatoes (not yams but white sweet potatoes). Delicious BTW.
In November 2015, I entered a dessert contest at our church and won first place. I had two people ask (and offered to pay) if I would make my cake for their Thanksgiving gatherings. I continued to receive requests for different baked goodies. In March of 2016, I started a baked goods delivery service. Unfortunately, with 3 young children and all of my responsibilities, it became too taxing to keep up solo. In 2017 I made a choice to close my business.
I still enjoy baking, I find it calming. I love the look on someone’s face when they try a treat I’ve made and it’s the best thing in the world for them. I will open the business again, hopefully soon.
As I mentioned before, it’s calming. Walking into a clean kitchen and pulling out all your ingredients and tools. Sometimes I work from a recipe and other times I just let it flow. For instance, if I’ve been to a restaurant and I like what I had, I’ll try to recreate it in my own style. Simply based on what I think was in the recipe. Honestly, it’s a form of expressive art for me.
In my circle, no one bakes from scratch anymore. It’s all store-bought or from a box. I bake everything from scratch. But what makes me unique is I create from the smell. It could be a candle or something someone is cooking. Somehow that translates to taste. I get the ingredients I know I smell and then I fill in the rest. It’s been a disaster a few times but most often it’s a hit. I have the ability to make things taste as they smell. It’s my superpower.
I’m a Seattle girl at heart but a southern girl in soul (shout out Alabama). I like to incorporate the flavors of PNW in my baking with a pinch of southern charm to give a warm cozy vibe. It’s hard to explain the feeling behind it. I just want it to taste like home.
Here is a taste of Western Washington with a down-home vibe.
Pie Crust:
1 cup unsalted butter
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp granulated sugar
¼ – ½ cup cold water
Filling:
2 tbsp salted butter
5 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced into small pieces
⅓ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar (light or dark)
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp orange zest
1½ tsp lemon zest
¼ cup maple syrup
2 tbsps honey
1 egg
1 tbsp milk
Pumpkin Spice Syrup:
1 cup granulated sugar
6 tbsps butter (salted or non)
½ cup heavy cream
¼ tsp salt
1½ tsp pumpkin spice
Directions, Crust:
Place the flour, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl, and mix to combine. Cut each stick of butter into pieces, add to the flour mixture; the mixture should resemble a coarse meal with small pieces of butter, the size of small peas, remaining visible.
Drizzle cold water over the flour-butter mixture, and blend. You may have to add more water: If the dough squeezed together holds its shape, you’ve added enough; if the dough crumbles, continue incorporating water, 1 tablespoon at a time, checking after each additional tablespoon.
Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Divide into two equal pieces, and place on two separate sheets of plastic wrap. Flatten, and form two disks. Wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Directions, Filling:
Melt butter in a skillet over low-medium heat. Add in the apples, sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, zests, syrup, and honey. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Allow simmering for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool for at least 30 minutes.
Directions, Pumpkin Spice Syrup:
Heat granulated sugar in a medium heavy-duty saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula. Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt and thicken. Be careful not to burn it.
Once the sugar is completely melted, stir in the butter until melted and combined. Be careful If you notice the butter separating or if the sugar clumps up, remove from the heat and whisk to combine it again.
After the butter has melted and combined with the caramelized sugar, stir constantly as you slowly pour in the heavy cream. After all the heavy cream has been added, stop stirring and allow to boil for 1 minute. It will rise in the pan as it boils.
Remove from heat and stir in the salt and pumpkin spice. Allow to slightly cool down before using. Caramel thickens as it cools.
Cover tightly and store unused portions.
Directions, Hand Pies:
On a lightly floured work surface(flour rolling pin as well), roll out one of the discs of chilled dough Turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls. At any sign of sticking, sprinkle some flour underneath then keep rolling. Roll out until it’s about 12 inches in diameter and about ¼ inch thick. Using a 3-3½ inch round cookie cutter; cut into circles. Re-roll and cut any scraps. Place cut circles in the refrigerator to keep cold. The colder the shaped dough, the easier it is to work with. Repeat with the remaining pie disk. Refrigerate cut circles for at least 15 minutes before filling the hand pies.
Arrange half of the pie circles about 3 inches apart on prepared baking sheets(for bottoms of pies). Cut two slits into the remaining circles(for the tops). Place about 2-3 Tablespoons of filling in the center of each bottom crust. Drizzle syrup over the filling. Place top crust on top. Press your fingers all around the edges to seal, then crimp with a fork. Some of the fillings may ooze out, no worries. Lightly brush the top of the pie crust with egg wash mixture. Sprinkle with coarse vanilla sugar, if desired.
Chill for 10 minutes before baking to hold the shape.
Bake for about 28-32 minutes or until they’re golden brown on top and around the edges. Rotate pans halfway through baking. Remove from the oven and allow the hand pies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool until ready to handle. You can serve warm or at room temperature. If desired, serve with a drizzle of warm Pumpkin Spice Syrup.
