Creme Brulee Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

4-6 Medium Sweet Potatoes

Crème Brulee Filling:

1 c Whole Milk

8 Egg Yolks

1/2 c Sugar

2 Tbs. Cornstarch

2 1/2 c Heavy Cream

1 Vanilla Bean

Dusting Sugar:

1/2 c Sugar

1 tsp. Pumpkin Spice

Bake sweet potatoes until tender. Let rest until ready to use.

Place egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in bowl whisk until smooth. Add heavy cream and whisk until smooth.

Place milk in saucepan and heat until just warm and bubbles start to form around the edges. Do NOT boil.

Pour milk into egg and cream mixture slowly to temper. Pour mixture back into pot. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into mixture. Cook on medium heat stirring constantly until mixture begins to thicken and bubbles form in the center.

Do NOT boil. This mixture will break and you will have to start over!

Chill mixture completely in refrigerator.

Reheat potatoes until warm. Cut slit into potatoes longways and make well in the center. Sprinkle inside with dusting sugar. Spoon crème brulee filling in well. Dust with sugar and torch until golden brown. Allow to cool for 1 minute. Serve as a side dish or dessert!

Apple Blondies

Its HOT as Hell in Georgia right now. I just needed a little fall in my life. I wasn’t ready for pumpkin spice just yet so I opted for a cinnamon spiced apple recipe. The tart of the granny smith apples is delicious with the buttery and sugary blondie filling. Try an apple blondie square topped with vanilla ice cream and I promise you will feel a crispness in the air that wasn’t there before.

Blondies:

1 stick Butter

2 c Brown Sugar

1 1/2 c White Sugar

3 Eggs

1 Tbs. Vanilla

1 tsp. Cinnamon

3/4 Tbs. Baking Powder

3 c Plain Flour

3 Granny Smith Apples (peeled, cored, and diced)

Icing:

1 c Powdered Sugar

1 Tbs. Mayonnaise

2 Tbs. Half and Half

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with nonstick spray.

Melt butter and place in mixing bowl with brown sugar and white sugar. Mix well. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.

In a separate bowl mix flour, cinnamon, and baking powder until combined. Add to sugar mixture and mix until just combined. Batter will be very thick. Add apples and fold in.

Pour into prepared dish. Pat the batter into the corners. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. The top will be golden brown and slightly gooey in the center.

Mix powdered sugar, mayo, and half and half with whisk until smooth. Pour over warm blondies.

Allow to cool completely before you slice.

I can never wait to slice so mine always has big scoops missing out of the corners.

Variations:

Add 1 cup of pecans or walnuts

Lemon Meringue Pie

Nothing pairs better with the pure dog days of summer than a refreshing lemon pie. I have always been intimidated by lemon meringue pies. So many things can go wrong! The pie crust might be a tad too brown, the filling too runny, the meringue might weep or turn grainy. Do not be afraid! The recipe below is fool proof, and the towering meringue can make any cook look like a pro.

This recipe makes two pies, as I believe one pie is never enough!! Make one for your next event and keep one for home! The recipe does call for two whole lemons which does go against every grain of culinary student still trapped inside my 35 year old body. I was taught never to allow the bitter white pith of lemon rind to mar the delicate flavor of lemon zest. However, I love the vibrant flavor of this pie and I attribute that lively flavor to using two whole lemons!

2 9inch Deep Dish Pie Crust

Filling:

2 Whole Lemons

3 c Sugar

4 Tbs. Flour

6 Tbs. Cornstarch

2 c Water

1 c Lemon Juice

1 tsp. Salt

10 Egg Yolks

3 Tbs. Butter

Meringue:

10 Egg Whites

1/2 c Sugar

1 Tbs. Cream of Tartar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prick pie crust with a fork and cook until barely brown (approximately 8-10 minutes).

Prepare filling: Place sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt in non-reactive pot. Mix well. Add water, lemon juice, and egg yolk. Mix with a whisk until all egg yolks are incorporated. Quarter whole lemons and remove the seeds. Place in blender/food processor and pulverize. Add to egg yolk mixture. Place over medium heat and stir constantly until mixture bubbles and becomes thick. Do not allow to boil. Remove from heat and whisk in butter. Pour into prepared pie shells.

Prepare meringue: Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in mixer with whip attachment. Beat until stiff peaks form.

Top pies with meringue. Bake at 350 degrees for 10- 12 minutes or until meringue is golden brown. Allow to cool and set before slicing.