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Ingredients:

Crust:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
3-4 tablespoons cold water
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Filling:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 pounds mix of baking apples (I used Granny Smith and Pink Lady), cut into 1/4″ slices
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Crumb Top:
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

Directions:

For the crumb topping:

In a food processor, blend the oats, granulated and light brown sugars, until coarsely ground. If you wish, you can skip this step and leave the oats whole. Add the flour and salt. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture clumps together. I like to use my hands to squeeze together some bigger and some smaller pebbles for textural contrast. Chill in the freezer.

For the crust:

In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter and pulse until the size of peas.

Add the cornstarch to the water and stir until dissolved. Drizzle the liquid into the food processor, pulsing as you go, until the dough starts to clump together. If it feels dry and crumbly, add an additional teaspoon of water until its the right moisture level. Dump the dough onto a work surface and form a disc. Place in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 2 hours. Meanwhile, prepare the filling.

For the filling:

In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the apple slices, light brown and granulated sugars, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cover and cook over medium heat about 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook another 5-10 minutes, until the apples are just tender. Remove from heat. Make a slurry with the lemon juice and cornstarch. Add to apples, along with the salt. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature or place in the fridge to speed up the cooling process.

To assemble:

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper.

Remove the dough from the fridge and let thaw on the counter for 10-15 minutes or until pliable but still cold. Roll out to 1/8″ thick. Line a 9″ standard pie dish with the dough. Trim any excess and crimp the edges.

Add the cooled apple filling and spread evenly into the dish. Add the crumb topping, covering the entire surface. Transfer to the prepared sheet pan and place in the middle of the oven.

Bake for 15 minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 350 F. Continue baking another 45-50 minutes, until the apple juices start bubbling and the crumb top is golden. The edges of the pie crust may darken towards the end. In that case, remove the pie and cover the edges with foil, before returning to the oven to finish baking.

Let the pie cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 8.

I’ve said it before that shortbread are my favorite holiday cookie. It’s classic and simple, but this pan makes them just a bit more special. I love the intricate design and how the result is one GIANT cookie. There is a recipe booklet included and the recipes are very simple, all 4-5 ingredients. I’ve adapted one here and added more details about how I prepared the cookies.

Giant Lemon Shortbread Cookie/Wedges
Recipe adapted from the shortbread pan packaging

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, unsifted
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 cup all-purpose flour, unsifted
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2-3 teaspoons lemon juice (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 F.

In a stand mixer, cream the butter on medium speed until it is light, about 1-2 minutes. Cream in the confectioners’ sugar and lemon peel, until fully incorporated. Add the flour and salt all at once and mix on low until all mixed in. If it looks a little dry, add a bit of lemon juice to bind it. It also adds extra citrus flavor.

Knead the dough on an unfloured board until nice and smooth. (I did this very minimally because I didn’t want to overwork the dough.)

Spray the shortbread pan lightly with a non-stick baking spray. Use a pastry brush to make sure the spray gets into all the design details. Firmly press the dough evenly into the pan. Prick the entire surface with a fork.

Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until lightly browned. I placed my shortbread pan on a sheet pan which gave it a more even color because the sheet pan absorbed some of the heat. You can place the shortbread pan directly on the oven rack and that will yield crisper edges but could have a less even coloring. It tastes delicious, though!

Let the shortbread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before loosening the edges with a knife. Flip the pan over onto a wooden cutting board. If the shortbread does not come right out, gently tap one edge of the pan to loosen it. While still warm, cut the shortbread into wedges. Place on a baking rack to cool completely. Serves 8.

Let the shortbread pan cool before washing.

When the weather gets cooler, I like nothing more than warming up by turning on the oven and trying a new recipe. I’ve compiled a list of cookbooks out this fall and holiday season that I’m most excited about. Hope this inspires you to add to your collection or gift to a fellow cook or baker. Note: I’ve tried to link to the author’s personal page if possible so you can get a bit more info about the book.

flour + water’s Pesto Recipe
Recipe by Chef Thomas McNaughton

Ingredients:

2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup (118ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 clove garlic, sliced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions:

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Have ready a bowl of ice water.

Blanch the basil leaves in the boiling salted water for 30 seconds. Remove the leaves with a spider (or other handheld strainer) and quickly shock them in the ice water bath to stop the cooking (this sets the chlorophyll and helps keep the vibrant green color).

When the leaves are completely cool, remove them from the ice water and gently squeeze them to remove excess moisture. Be careful not to squeeze too hard, as you don’t want to remove the delicate and flavorful essential oils. Let dry on paper towels.

Put the basil leaves, olive oil, and garlic in a blender and puree until completely smooth, about 90 seconds. The blending step will also warm the puree to nearly 120F, which will bring ou the bright green color. Transfer the puree to a mixing bowl and fold in the salt and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Fresh pesto should be served within a day or two after it’s made. Store refrigerated.

Makes about 1/2 cup.

Recipe re-printed with permission from Thomas McNaughton’s Flour + Water Cookbook, (Ten Speed Press, 2014).