Saturday, January 26, 2013

Starting 2013

What a year! 2012, as I predicted, held great things and many changes for my life. From becoming the co-owner of Upper Crust Desserts, with my absolutely awesome and incredible (definitely the better half), husband Jeff, to the amazing people that have shown such compassion and support for not only the bakery, but us as well.

I'm so excited to see what 2013 has in store for Upper Crust Desserts! We are going to be finding the best ingredients to make the best tasting, best for you, dessert.  Hmmm... anyone apposed to a little cayenne dark chocolate cookie?  Orange and clove spice? Maybe...

I also want to thank everyone who was so supportive of me after my accident. I really appreciate it more than words can describe.  I can't wait to get back to bakery and get to work! 

(For those who don't know...I tripped, fell down the stairs, and suffered a concussion. Not too serious, no internal bleeding or extreme swelling, but enough to put me out for a week)

Anyway, next week, we will do our best to be back on schedule!  Featuring Cookie Madness Tuesday, Gluten-Free Friday, and the Lake Mary Farmer's Market Saturday morning! See you all soon! 


P.S. I love this style of cake. 

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Christmas Time is Here!

Christmas Cookies!

I love this time of year. It's absolutely my favorite season. The smell of warm cookies, cheery smiles, more versions of Santa than I ever thought possible and of course the SNOW! Well, I guess not so much anymore. See, I'm from Cleveland, OH and as you might imagine, there was a lot of snow! I loved to shovel the drive way, throw salt on ice and watch it melt and sit next to the fire place.
I hope this season I can bring some of the classic Christmas spirit to tropical Florida.

One of the best traditions we had in my family was making the Anise cookies. My grandmother always made the dough and then my sister and I would cut out different holiday shapes. After we baked them, she would make the frosting and carefully using a butter knife, she spread the frosting on each cookie. My sister and I would then pile on as much sugar as we could. I remember the mess we would create with sugar all over the floor and food coloring staining our fingers.  It was always a good time.  Even though I personally don't care much for the taste of the cookies, I eat them anyway just to remember the good times with my family.

We also made Grandma's Rolls. The original name was "Refrigerator Rolls", but since my grandma was the only one in the family who could put them together properly, we started calling them Grandma's Rolls.  The dough is a sweet yeast dough that spends most of its rising time in the refrigerator. It's then rolled out and cut in triangles for crescent shaped rolls. They can be made just plain or with jams and fillings. My favorite is poppyseed filling. When my grandma would make the rolls I was always by her side...sticking my fingers in the poppy seeds and stealing pieces of raw dough. This would always upset my grandma, but she always saved me one last piece at the end of the dough.

I'm so excited for everyone to be able to enjoy all the sweet treats we are serving up this season.


  • Anise Cookies
  • Sugar Cookies
  • Harvest Cookies
  • Cinnamon Buns
  • Pumpkin Bread
  • Yule Logs
  • Gingerbread Men
  • Thumbprint Cookies
  • Grandma's Rolls
  • Clevie's Pumpkin Bars
  • Apple Snickerdoodles
  • Peppermint Pinwheels


That's just a small sampling of what we are making just for you!

Monday, October 29, 2012

Getting ready for Halloween!

It's just two days away from Halloween. The doorsteps are decorated, bowls are filled with candy, and costumes are being fitted. I love this time of year. All the spooky decorations and fun candies make me smile.  We are going to have a great Halloween day. Why? Because, we want to give you a cookie for coming to the store in costume! 


Halloween Day 
Come to the store in costume for a 
FREE COOKIE! 

We want to see your cutest, scariest, funniest, and wildest costumes! So bring your masks and friends! 
Limit one per costume :)


So everyone is wanting to know, what will Upper Crust Desserts be making for Halloween? Well....

Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Cups 
Decorated Sugar Cookies
M&M Cookies
Apple Pie
Eggnog Cookies
Pumpkin Bars
Pumpkin Cookies
Peppermint Cookies
Pumpkin Brownies

We will also have some of our classic items, chocolate chip cookies, banana bread, peanut butter cookies, heath cookies, blueberry scones, apple pie muffins, earthquake bars and more! 



Monday, October 22, 2012

Update on Upper Crust Desserts!

Time is flying by very fast this year. As it does with every year, I suppose.  I have been under the weather for the last 4 days. However, after some much needed sleep, green tea and time off I am ready to take on the holiday season!

Since my last post we have been making lots of fun desserts. Everything from decorated cookies, drop cookies, cupcakes, muffins, and scones to pies, bars, cheesecakes, chocolates, sweet breads, yeast breads, decorated cakes!

Here are some awesome photos!

Mountain of Earthquake Bars
Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate buttercream
GF Chocolate Mint Cupcakes
GF lemon cupcakes with strawberry frosting
GF chocolate cupcakes with PB frosting
TRUEBLOOD themed Birthday Cake
A 1st Birthday Cake. :) Happy Birthday Keagan!
A sassy birthday cake for a special Dad! 






Happy Birthday to Vriti the Gymnast! 

400 assorted mini desserts!
It's almost Halloween time and we will be making all sorts of Spook-tacular desserts! Get your dessert platters from us this Halloween. Your guests are sure to be impressed with any dessert from Upper Crust Desserts!









In the bakery we have been making fresh pumpkin pies. We make our crust by hand (of course), and we roast fresh pie pumpkins, puree the delicious pumpkin, and bake it into a fabulous pie! We also make a gf version using the fresh pumpkin and no pie crust, just delicious pie filling. This way of eating pumpkin pie was always a tradition in our house. My mother would by the big can of Libby's pumpkin puree, mix according to her recipe and then fill one pie shell. The remaining pumpkin custard mix was poured into a round glass baking dish and baked to perfection. We would sneak into the kitchen at all hours just to swipe one spoonful of pumpkin. All the while, thinking to ourselves, "No one will notice just one more bite taken out. What harm could that do?" And by the end of the day half of the bowl was empty!

Anyway, for Thanksgiving we are going to be making hundreds of pies. Only 4 flavors available. Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie, Cherry Pie, and Apple Pie!  (Perhaps, if you ask my husband very nicely, he might make his amazing Key Lime Pie.)
Pumpkin Pie
Apple Pie


Please pre order with 48 hrs notice.  Pick up is available for November 21 and 22. (The 22nd is Thanksgiving and we will only be open for a half day. 

Pricing is as follows

8" Pie - Serves 6 - $10
9" Pie - Serves 8 - $15
10" Deep Dish - Serves 10-12 - $20

50% deposit required at upon ordering. 





Monday, July 30, 2012

"Rickey Rat", Wedding Cupcakes and Key Lime Tartlets

After a long week of making cookies and being busier than a bumble bee, I am able to sit down to update everyone.  Last weekend we made a wedding cupcake tower for the beautiful Candy and wonderful Randy. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera. Leaving me unable to photo graph it. Sigh. Well I did photo graph the cupcakes themselves.



They were a light vanilla cake with a sweet raspberry jam and topped with French vanilla buttercream. Delicious!

Wedding Cake Cupcake filled with Raspberry Jam


We also have the Orange Ginger Cupcakes! Each time you enjoy one of these cupcakes a dollar will be donated to Making the Difference Outreach

Orange Ginger Cupcakes - $1 donation to Making the Difference


These are Jeff's Key Lime Tartlets. These are the best Key Lime Tartlets ever. Perfectly tart to make you face pucker while sweet and tangy. The crust is a crisp pecan macadamia crust and fresh, hand whipped cream  MmmmMM! I'm getting hungry just typing about it! 

Key Lime Tartlets with fresh whipped cream



We also made "Rickey Rat" cookies to be shipped off somewhere in the USA. I believe they were for a corporate company that was sending some employees to Disney World! How awesome of a surprise would that be! *mildly jealous*

Mickey Mouse Decorated Sugar Cookies


Sorry for the low quality picture. I got so excited about my work that I forgot to photograph it more.


As for tomorrow, I am looking forward to starting the new week and making all sorts of different treats. How does a Dark Chocolate Caramel Potato Chip Cupcake sound? Maybe a Blueberry and Craisin Cinnamon Bread? Or perhaps Irish Soda Bread?

I'll decide tomorrow.
And now I am off to bed. Early to bed, early to rise.


Friday, July 13, 2012

Gluten Free Baking

Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream
Gluten Free Desserts. They have baffled many pastry chefs, both beginners and life long bakers. I have been practicing baking since I was a small girl, just tall enough to reach the oven. Now that I have my own bakery I have realized that there is a real demand for Gluten Free desserts. Many bakers won't touch this idea with a 29 1/2 foot pole! However, I decided to jump in head first.


After many destroyed recipes made with "gluten free flour" mixes I realized something,  the mixes taste like cardboard and won't ever have the same effect that wheat flour will have.  So what is my solution? 
Don't use gluten free flour mixes.
Simple solution, right? :)

I have a go-to list of ingredients that are gluten free solutions.

Applesauce
Almond Flour
Almond Meal
Bananas
Egg whites
Eggs
Peanut Butter
Oatmeal
Oatmeal Flour
Corn Meal
Corn Flour
Rice Flour
Chocolate
Confectioners Sugar
Walnut flour
Walnut Meal
Hazelnut Flour
Rice Crispies
Nutella
Dutch Cocoa Powder
Coconut flour

I have used all of these ingredients in varying amounts to create some of my best gluten-free items ever.
So next time you're "googling" for a gluten free dessert, try searching for one of those ingredients.



Flourless Chocolate Cupcake with Vanilla Buttercream and Cherries on top!


Saturday, June 30, 2012

Best 4th of July Apple Pie

4th  of July Apple Pies!



The 4th of July is just around the corner! What does that mean? That means, sparklers, chips n' dip, friends and family, and of course APPLE PIE! 
Apple pie is one of the most important American desserts. It's perfectly tender apples drenched in a sweet cinnamon and butter glaze all wrapped perfectly in a flakey crust are a symbol of American pride. 

Now everyone has their own secret recipe for apple pie but today I'm going to share mine with you. 


For the Pie Crust

2 1/2 cups -- Flour
1 1/4  tsp -- Salt
1 TB, heaped -- Sugar
1 cup -- Unsalted Butter (2 sticks)
1/4 cup Milk
1/4 cup Buttermilk

Tools

Knife
Bowl
Bench Scrapper
Rolling Pin

Process

Sift together the flour, salt and sugar. Set aside.
Begin with very cold butter, right out of the frige is best. Cube the butter into medium size pieces. Toss the butter in the flour. When all the pieces have been coated in flour, gently turn ingredients on to a clean, dry work surface.  Using a rolling pin, roll the pieces of butter into the flour until each piece looks like a long scrap of paper. Refrigerate this for 10-20 minutes. 

Scale your milk and buttermilk just before you're ready to use it. Make a well in  the middle of the flour butter mixture. Pour all of the milk and butter milk directly into the well and using a spatula, gentle toss and fold the flour around so it all is lightly moistened. 

Turn out your dough on to a lightly floured surface. Your dough should be very crumbly and look "too dry" at this point. "Dough" not worry thought! (sorry for the lame pun, I couldn't resist!) 
Press your crumbly dough together to make it somewhat round.
Take the top half of this and fold it on top of the other half and press it down, GENTLY! Rotate the dough 90 degrees and repeat this process 3 more times for a total of 4 folds. This will help your dough have layers of buttery goodness.  Form the dough into a round again, and wrap in plastic wrap. 
Refrigerate for 1 hour, up to 3 days or 2 weeks frozen. 


For the Apple Filling

7-8 ea -- Granny Smith Apples
1 TB -- Lemon Juice, fresh squeezed, please
1/4 -- cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup -- Granulated Sugar
1 1/2 tsp -- Cinnamon
1/4 tsp -- Cloves
1/4 tsp -- Nutmeg, freshly grated
1/4 tsp -- Salt
2 1/2 TB -- Unsalted Butter
1 TB + 1 tsp -- Corn Starch

Tools

Peeler
Apple Corer
Knife
Cutting Board
Small Sauce Pan
Heat Proof Spatula

Process

Core, peel, and slice the apples, immediately toss them in the lemon juice. These will keep them from turning that gross brown color. Toss the apples in the sugar and spices. Keep the corn starch and butter for later. 
Refrigerate these for 30 minutes

apples have been tossed in the sugar mixture and are ready to be refrigerated. 


Remove from frige and strain the apples and keep the juice. Set aside the apple pieces. Put the juice into the sauce pan with the butter and corn starch. Melt the butter and cook this mix over medium heat for 1-2 minutes  while stirring, until it starts to reduce a little bit.


This is what the liquid should look like.



Remove from heat and pour it over the apple slices, toss until coated. 
Refrigerate until ready to fill the pie



For the Crumble

1/2 cup -- Flour
1/2 cup -- Brown Sugar
1 tsp -- Cinnamon
5 TB -- Unsalted Butter

Tools

Dough cutter 
Bowl 

Process

Mix together the flour, sugar and cinnamon. Cube the butter and cut it into the flour mix. Set aside until you're ready to assemble the pie. 


Pie Crumble, Cut and ready for baking

Assembling the Pie

Preheat the oven to 375F

Take the pie dough out of the refrigerator and let it sit for 5 minutes. Turn out on to a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll out your dough to 1/4" - 1/2" thick. Rotate your dough while rolling to keep it from sticking. 
Gently lift up the pie dough, use your bench scraper if its stuck. Lay it across the top of a greased, glass pie pan. Do not stretch the dough, but gently form it to the shape of the pan. Trim the edges using a pairing knife. Pinch the edges for decoration or use a pie crust former. Dock the bottom and sides of the crust. 



Pie dough, ready for rolling!


(If you have extra pie dough scrapes, lay the pieces one on top of the other and roll out to 1/2" thick. Use a knife or pizza cutter to cut the dough into stripes. Brush with egg wash, coat with cinnamon sugar, and bake until golden brown for a tasty treat <3)


Pie dough strips. 


Take the apple filling out of the fridge, remix it so the apples are coated again. Now, for the filling of the pie their are two methods, both work well. 
1. Gently pour the apples into the pie crust and even them out.  This creates a slightly domed and homestyle effect. 
2. Take apples out of the bowl by the handful and arrange them so they are all laying flat. This creates more of a layering effect. 

Toss your crumble just before putting it on top so it isn't compacted. Coat the top of the pie with crumble, do not press it down. Brush the edges of the pie crust with egg or milk if you'd like a glazed look. 


Just popped it into the oven! 

Cover the pie with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. 


This is what mine looked like after 30 minutes

After 30 minutes, remove the foil and let it bake for another 15-25 minutes, until the a knife or tooth pick test reveals the apples to be tender but not mushy. 

Let the pie cool on a cooling rack or a window sil for 3 hours. 



Serve with ice cream, whip cream or just as is!