Summer Baking Round-Up

The summer produce season is over.

It’s okay, because that means it’s apple season. But it also means it’s time to reflect on the last few months and think about what worked, what definitely did not, and what maybe needs a little tweaking. Then I’ll think a bit about some new ideas for next summer!

Favorites

Strawberry Cheesecake

This one was the true winner of the season. The roasted strawberry balsamic jam will become an early summer staple for me, and my first cheesecake was a huge success. The little details, like the whole strawberries on top and the pecans in the crust really made it a step above standard.

Swampy Strawberry Rhubarb Pandowdy

I’ve been trying to make some new fruit bakes, and this pandowdy came out so so delicious, even if it wasn’t the prettiest – but that’s ok! A pandowdy isn’t known for it’s beauty.

Peach Galette

The farm-fresh peaches and perfect all-butter pie crust really made this one something special. I will definitely be baking with peaches a lot more next year!

Cherry Strudel

My first foray into phyllo dough was a success! I got pretty ambitious with this strudel, making cherry pie filling, lemon curd, and seasoned ricotta, but the flavors all worked together. Delicious but a lot of work. Next time, I’ll go for a basic strudel.

Needs Work

Strawberry Basil Frozen Yogurt

The basil flavor was a little strong, but this one was actually pretty good. I could definitely tweak it a bit to make something spectacular. Plus, this adventure taught me how to make frozen yogurt in my ice cream maker. I’ll call it a victory.

Cherry Pie

I went with a whole wheat rye crust and tapioca in the filling. The whole pie had a little too much texture, and a few too many pits. I need to work on my cherry pitting skills, and next time I’ll use my cherry pie filling with a white crust for a more traditional taste, then attempt to up the ante later.

Lemon Curd Filled Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

These were absolutely delicious. I loved the extra bit of lemon the curd gave to the muffins. However, one change I’d make is to inject room-temperature lemon curd into baked muffins instead of baking the curd inside. It would just give a little more control, so the curd doesn’t leak out the sides.

Baking Failures

Rye & Pumpernickel Wheat Breads

I bought rye flour on a whim, in an attempt to try a new type of bread, but it just isn’t working yet. There are a lot of differences when working with rye flour as opposed to white, but combining it with whole wheat just wasn’t working. I’ll keep experimenting with the rye flour, but I’ll hold off on whole wheat rye combos for now.

Lemon Poppyseed White Bean Muffins

I was on a health kick for a little bit. I had made two successful batches of brownies, one using chickpeas and the other black beans. It was exciting coming up with healthier versions of treats, but these muffins went too far. They tasted bean-y, and did not rise at all. I’ll stick to flour, thanks.

 

Next Year’s Wish List

I’d like to prepare better for each fruit season next year. This was my first year back in upstate New York, and it was an adjustment to get used to the prime ripeness of each fruit up here. Here are a few ideas I’ve been floating around for next year:

• A savory dish featuring strawberries
• A muffin with cherries, maybe a streusel topping
• An ice cream focused around blueberries
• A fruit bake using mixed berries