mascarpone pumpkin pie

 

happy virtual pumpkin party!!!! i think this might be the best day of the year in the food blogging world. all of us food bloggers (okay not ALL, but a lot of us) have come together to blow up the internet with our favourite pumpkin recipes! from sweet to savoury to everything in between, we have you covered. this is my first year to the party & i am bringing this mascarpone pumpkin pie! it is my little twist on the classic pumpkin pie. the mascarpone offers a lighter filling & i topped it with a marscapone whip because if you are splurging on this fancy cheese you might as well go all out. i used my classic crust of half butter + half shortening, but if you wanna keep it simple just use a store bought crust! anyways, enjoy the pumpkin party & check out all the other bloggers creations on sarah's blog cake over steak or aimee's blog twiggstudios. these two girls put together quite the round up this year!

ingredients

for the crust

  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold & cubed
  • 1/3 cup vegetable shortening, cold
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup ice water
  • 1 egg, for egg wash (optional)

for the filling

  • 1 cup fresh pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup turbinado sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup mascarpone cheese
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

for the whipped cream

  • 2 cups whipping cream, cold
  • 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
  • 1 tablespoon condensed milk
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

directions

for the crust

  • using a food processor pulse the flour, salt and sugar. add the cubed butter, shortening and vanilla. pulse until a crumb like mixture forms.
  • add the cold water one tablespoon at a time until the crumbs begin to come together. turn out onto a pastry board and shape dough into a disk. if dough seems wet, add a bit more flour. if the dough seems dry, add a bit more water.
  • wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for minimum 2 hours.
  • roll out to 1/4 inch thick & line the pie plate.
  • use remaining dough to create crust & top design.
  • place in fridge until filling is ready.

for the filling

  • in a mixing bowl whisk together the pumpkin puree, sugar, eggs & mascarpone cheese until fluffy.
  • stir in the ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt & vanilla.
  • pour into lined pie dish and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until the filling has set.
  • let cool before serving.

for the whipped cream

  • in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment add the whipped cream. whisk until soft peaks are formed.
  • add the mascarpone cheese, condensed milk, sugar & vanilla. whisk until stiff peaks are formed.
  • add a generous amount to each slice!

happy virtual pumpkin party 2016!!!!

a nespresso morning in modest house

 

today i am partnering with Nespresso to share my Nespresso morning routine in the newly lived in modest house (yay!!!!). the small town life is night & day compared to the city life i left behind this past summer. but with big changes comes new routines & new morning rituals. no more stepping outside my condo & being surrounded by the latest bakery, cafe or coffee shop that has opened up. while there are always going to be some things i miss about living in downtown toronto, i can safely say these changes are for the better. i am now able to do things i couldn't even dream of in the city, let alone the fact that i get to shoot in an actual KITCHEN. the kitchen has become not just a place to cook & bake, but my studio for all my freelance photography work as well. you are kind of getting a sneak peak in today's post with that beautiful brass cedar + moss pendant light hanging above the sink, but you will have to wait a little bit longer to see the rest of it (still working on the faucets, chandelier + reclaimed open shelving being installed).

on my weekday mornings, i start my day off by brewing a fresh cup of Nespresso in my VertuoLine Evoluo machine before pulling out the necessary props & ingredients needed for my shoot that day. the VertuoLine Evoluo machine is the perfect size as it is not bulky nor does it take up much counterspace. even as a freelance worker, i try to stick to a monday to friday schedule so my weekends are clear for justin & i. my two favourite blends of Nespresso are the newly added "solelio" & "giornio". i love the shiny & bold colours of the capsules as it adds some bright colour to my mornings & counter tops. the giornio is my go-to weekday blend for it's floral & velvety taste. it is a medium roast with toasted cereal tones that gives me all the energy i need to get through the work day, okay maybe an extra dose at lunch is needed sometimes too. on relaxed weekend mornings, i opt for the bright yellow solelio capsule. solelio is a fruity & lightly-bodied blend enriched by delicate red fruit aromas. it is perfectly balanced & light for my relaxed weekend mornings. my parents are always excited to come over & pick which nespresso capsule to brew. i have an assortment of colours & it truly feels like picking from a fancy box of chocolates every single time!

my absolute favourite thing these days is to enjoy my morning cup of coffee cozied up in a blanket out on the front porch every saturday & sunday morning with justin. we people watch & see all the friendly people of the town walk by with their big shaggy dogs or little kiddies being pulled in wagons. this is certainly something i didn't get to experience on a tiny eleventh floor condo balcony & i have never met such friendly people in my life! for now, the porch is all decked out & looking super cute for the fall with a ton of pumpkins i picked up at the pumpkin patch last week. i always go a little over board when picking up my fall decor & i can't wait to carve them next week! i am already dreaming of & collecting decorations/lights for the christmas season next too!

this post was created in partnership with Nespresso! thank you for supporting the brands that keep me doing what i love. you can find my two favourite capsules of choice here: solelio & giornio. share your Nespresso Morning  + Moments & find the Nespresso Boutiques here

apple pie in a jar a.k.a apple butter

 

i FINALLY made it to the apple orchards this season! there is the cutest place called the apple bin around the corner from my house & they have acres + acres of apple trees. i got a huge buschel to get through the season (okay, more like the week) of baking with freshly picked apples! they even sell fresh apple cider, so i treated myself to a gallon of that too. wait till you see all the apple recipes i have in store for you! drinks, pies, more pies & this apple butter. it literally taste like apple pie in a jar & you can put it on just about anything. toast, pancakes, waffles or if you are anything like me.. a giant spoon! it is very easy to make, but a bit of a lengthy process so i would even suggest doubleing the recipe & gifting mason jars full of apple butter to friends! next i am off to the pumpkin patch tomorrow to purchase WAY too many pumpkins for the porch. it is an obsession & i can't get over how whimsical the white pumpkins are, they look like they come straight out of cinderella. have a great weekend, i hope you find yourself at an apple orchard or pumpkin patch too.

p.s. look at that shiny knife rack! i have been dying to have my collection of shun knives on display & peg + awl makes the coolest magnetic rack out of reclaimed wood. i just need one more knife for that last spot! i was scared we were going to crack the backsplash installing it, but we bought a stone/granite drill bit & it worked out perfectly!

ingredients

  • 4 pounds apples, peeled & chopped into cubes
  • 2 cups fresh apple cider (no-sugar added)
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

directions

  • in a pot add the apples, cider, brown sugar & sea salt. simmer for 20 minutes until the apples have softened.
  • pour mixture into a blender & add the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, vanilla & lemon juice. puree until smooth.
  • add mixture back to the pot & cook in the oven at 250 degrees for two to three hours. stir every half hour.
  • remove from oven & let cool before placing into weck or mason jars.
  • refrigerate for up to two weeks.