Baby Girl and Galettes

This week I (and a glass of red wine) healed my bruised 15-year old kitchen relationship with my Baby Girl.

It started with a knock on the door…

BG: Dad said that I should maybe ask you if you could help me make a pie for Pie Day at school tomorrow.

I. Could. Barely. Cap. all.my.enthusiam. Seriously.

You see, Baby Girl–and everyone else in my house–would rather do a million other things than cook with me in the kitchen.

Up until yesterday (cause I’m reformed, y’all–I am) I was a boss in the kitchen. At work and, unfortunately, at home. I knew no other way. I’m focused. I’m quiet. I like quiet. Don’t talk to me.  Do it right. Go faster.  But don’t make any mistakes. Now. Please. And thank you.

But this week ushered in a New Me.

It may have had to do with the fact that Papa Bear and I worked on and filed our taxes…with help, and therefore, without divorcing. Lines through the door on Saturday at the bakeshop made me anxious about all the improvements needed to make the space more efficient…and all the money needed to make it happen. Because the week was long and over-scheduled, I foolishly sacrificed my soul mate–meditation–to get a faster start and end to the day.

By Sunday morning, my bed–which speaks to me with an Italian accent–had entirely seduced me into staying longer…lazing the day away, whispering that it loved me and needed me like it needed no other ever. Never ever. Called me Amore and everything.

I see you, bed. I see you.

I rose only to make a delicious lunch of guacamole, tortilla chips, and a glass of wine…cause I’m all about balance.

By the time Baby Girl’s knock reached the door… the wine had settled in …and the rest caressed all the important parts (my feet!).  And you know, when she peeked through the sliver of my bedroom door looking like a 6-year old…all needy and vulnerable, nothing could have kept me from her.

Me: Of course, love.

I amazed myself. Y’all should have seen me…

Me: You are in charge, baby girl. Tell me what you need me to do, and I will do it.

She didn’t know what to do with herself. Control by another had never been had in my–I mean, our kitchen. What I loved most was giving her the opportunity to handle it. And she did.

I took so many pictures of her making this galette…I kept saying, “Look at my baby girl!“. She eventually started making pretend “I’m so annoyed” faces. But she loved it. So did I.

Baby Girl made an apple galette and topped it with salted caramel for her pie day at school. She even made tweaks to the original recipe. I am keeping her recipe her secret. Maybe one day she will share it with you. For now, enjoy my Blueberry Galette with an Orange Blossom Coconut Whipt Cream.  It is perfect on a lazy Sunday afternoon, but if you’re like me…it’s perfect any day…any time.

Until next time, y’all. Reine

Blueberry Galette with an Orange Blossom Coconut Whipt Cream

Pie Crust

• 2.5 cups all-purpose four
• 2 TBSP sugar
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup Spectrum Organic Shortening, cold and cubed
• 1/2 cup Earth Balance (soy free, vegan margarine), cold and cubed
• 1/2 cup ice water
• 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar

Directions for the pie crust:

1.  Stir together your flour, sugar and sea salt and and place in the freezer for 15 minutes.
2.  Remove your dry ingredients from the freezer and add your cold and cubed shortening and margarine. Using a pastry cutter, fork, your fingers, or a stand mixer, cut your fat into your dry ingredients until it looks crumbly.
3. Add your apple cider vinegar to your ice water, then add this mixture to your dry ingredients and blend until a ball forms.
4. Wrap this dough in plastic wrap and place in your refrigerator for atleast one hour.

Blueberry Galette filling

• 3 cups frozen blueberries
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• pinch of sea salt
• 2.5 TBSP corn starch mixed with 1.5 TBSP water
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 1/2-3/4 tsp ground cardamom

Additional ingredients:

• 1 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
• pastry brush or your fingers

Directions for your filling:

1. Place 2 cups of blueberries in a pot set over medium heat. Add your maple syrup and bring to a slight boil.
2. Add your sea salt, orange zest and cardamom and stir.
3. Mix your corn starch and water and pour into the cooking blueberry mixture, stirring constantly.
4. Stir and cook for 4-5 minutes as the mixture thickens.
5. Remove from heat and add your remaining 1 cup of frozen blueberries.

To assemble your galette…

1.  Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

2.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out your pie crust into a circle…you want the thickness to be about 1/8 of an inch.

3.  Spray a flat cookie sheet with non-stick baking spray (I like Baker’s Joy), and place your rolled out pie crust on it. Place your blueberry filling in the center of your crust.

4. Cut away excess dough before you fold your edges into around the filling…be sure not to completely cover the blueberry filling in its entirety.

5. Brush the exposed crust with extra-virgin olive oil and bake for 35-40 minutes.

Orange Blossom Coconut Whipt Cream

1.  Place one can of full-fat coconut milk in your freezer for 1 hour.
2. After an hour, remove the can from the freezer, open and scoop off the full-fat cream from the very top of the can.
3. Add 1-2 TBSP of orange blossom water and 1-2 TBSP powdered sugar and whip by hand or in a food processor.

Slice your pie and top with your coconut cream…and a sprig of fresh mint…’cause you fancy.