Easy Bakes – Mae Bakes

Easy Banana Cream Pie

September 18, 2021January 6, 2022 maebakesatx

Do you know how incredibly easy it is to make your own vanilla pudding? I didn’t until a few weeks ago when I decided I had to make a banana cream pie. We were watching a show on Food Network when I got the inspiration to try another bake I knew nothing about. Vanilla pudding is the base for this creamy pie and once you see how easy it is to make, you’ll never buy store bought pudding again!

Below is the recipe for my quick and easy Banana Cream Pie. Keep scrolling for my Tips, Tricks, and Don’ts that I did.

Banana Cream Pie

Single Pie Crust Ingredients

1¾ cups All-purpose Flour
¼ tps Salt
⅓ cup Unsalted Butter (Room Temperature)
1½ tbsp White vinegar
6 tbsp 2% Milk

Pie Filling Ingredients

1¾ cups Whole Milk
½ cup Heavy Cream
½ cup Granulated Sugar
⅛ tsp Salt
4 Large Egg Yolks
¼ cup Cornstarch
2 tbsp Vanilla Extract
2 tbsp Unsalted Butter (Room Temperature)
4 bananas (Sliced)
Sprinkle of Ground Cinnamon (Optional)

Whipped Cream Ingredients

1 cup Heavy Cream
3 tbsp Powdered Sugar
1 tbsp Vanilla Extract

Instructions for Crust

In a small bowl combine the flour and salt.
Cut in butter with fork or dough blender until the mixture is crumbly.
Sprinkle mixture with vinegar.
Gradually add milk tossing with a fork until a ball is formed.
Cover with foil and refrigerate for 30 minutes until easy to handle.
After the pie dough has chilled, preheat oven to 375°F.
On a floured work surface, roll out the chilled dough.
Turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle 12 inches in diameter.
Carefully place the dough into a 9×2-inch pie dish.
Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth.
Use a small paring knife to trim excess dough off the edges.
Chill the prepared pie shell for 30 minutes. You'll want it very cold before blind-baking.

Instructions for Blind-Baking the Crust

Line the chilled pie shell with aluminum foil, making sure to cover the edges so they do not burn
Fill with pie weights or dried rice, then bake until the pie crust is very lightly browned, about 25 minutes.
Remove the foil (and weights) carefully and continue to bake the crust until it is a deeper brown, about 5 minutes more.
Transfer the pie shell to a wire rack to cool completely as you prepare the filling.

Instructions for Pie Filling

Combine the milk, heavy cream, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until all the sugar has dissolved, then bring to a gentle simmer, whisking occasionally.
Working quickly as the milk mixture begins to simmer, whisk the egg yolks and cornstarch together in a medium heatproof bowl until thick and smooth.
Very slowly stream in 1 cup (240ml) of the simmering milk to slightly warm the egg yolk mixture.
In a very slow stream, whisk the egg yolk mixture into the pan.
While continuously whisking, cook until the mixture is thick (pudding consistency) about 1 minute.
Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract and butter.
Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the warm pudding to prevent a film from forming on top. Allow to cool for 15 minutes.
Slice 2 bananas and arrange slices into the cooled pie shell. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Spread cooled filling on top. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the filling. Again, to prevent a film from forming. Refrigerate for at least 4-8 hours and up to 1 day.

Whipped Cream Instructions (when ready to serve)

Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.
Spread or pipe onto the chilled pie.
Slice the 2 remaining bananas and decorate the pie with slices.
Slice and serve.

Dessert

Banana Cream Pie

Tips, Tricks and Don’ts That I Did

Don’t skimp on the fridge time. This recipe is all about chill, chill, chill, and more chill. Chill the dough and chill the filling. Very cold dough is essential in making a flaky delicious crust.
Don’t let the homemade pudding (the filling) intimidate you. It’s so easy and comes together like magic. All you must do is follow the instructions.
Do play with crust and flavor options. This recipe is versatile. You can add vanilla wafers, blueberries, strawberries or even honey. The possibilities are endless.
I added a few bruleed bananas to the top of my pie for a little added flavor. You can too, here’s how https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI2HlJwAXJw
If you liked this recipe, check out my recipe for Easy Macarons here https://eats8.food.blog/easy-macarons/ (Pro Tip- you can use your egg whites from this recipe for your Macarons).
As always don’t forget to Enjoy!

Easy Bakes

Chocolate Mousse

August 27, 2021January 6, 2022 maebakesatx

I love chocolate. I love chocolate mousse. And of course I love trying new recipes. For this week’s bake I wanted to try something decadent that was also new to me. I’ve never made a real French mousse before and during my baking research decided I needed to try it out. This recipe is creamy and airy. Heavy on the chocolate flavor but light on texture. It’s a refined yet fun dessert that both kids and adults can enjoy. Below is my take on a French mousse that’s easy to make, yet hard to forget. Profiter!

Ingredients for Mousse

3 tablespoons of unsalted butter
6 ounces of semisweet chocolate, best quality
3 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of sugar
1/2 cup of heavy cream, cold
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Ingredients for Whipped Cream (for serving)

1/2 cup of heavy cream, cold
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
2 teaspoons of sugar
Chocolate shavings

Directions for Mousse

Place the butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl.
Break the chocolate into small pieces directly into the bowl. Microwave it in 20-second intervals, stirring between each bout of heat, until the chocolate is about 75% melted.
Stir, allowing the residual heat in the bowl to melt the chocolate completely.
Let the mixture cool for a few minutes, then whisk in the egg yolks one at a time, mixing until smooth after each addition. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy.
Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form (the peaks should be just starting to hold and will melt back into themselves after a second).
Gradually beat in 1/4 cup of the sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form (the peaks will stand straight up when the beaters are lifted from the mixture).
Using a large rubber spatula, fold the egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture until uniform. Set aside.
In another bowl, beat the heavy cream on medium-high speed until it begins to thicken up.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and the vanilla and continue beating until the cream holds medium peaks (when you lift the beaters or whisk out of the bowl, the peaks will slightly droop down, but they won’t lose their shape entirely).
Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Be sure it is fully incorporated but don’t mix any more than necessary.
Divide the mousse between 6 individual glasses, cover, and chill until set, at least 4 hours.

Directions for Whipped Cream (make up to a few hours before serving)

Add the heavy cream and vanilla into cold bowl.
Beat for 2 minutes until thick.
Add the powdered sugar.
Beat until fluffy peaks form (about 5 minutes).
Top with chocolate shavings and serve.

Servings: 6
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Total Time: 30 Minutes, plus at least 4 hours to chill

Tips, Tricks, and Don’ts That I Did

This recipe requires a ton of whipping. If you don’t have a stand mixer, a hand mixer will work just fine. Manual mixing the whipped cream is not recommended.
If you’re thinking of getting a Kitchen-aid Mixer, but haven’t pulled the trigger. Do it! This recipe will thank you. I bought mine a few years ago at Target and LOVE it more and more with every use. https://www.target.com/p/kitchenaid-professional-5qt-stand-mixer-kv25g0x/-/A-15840495?preselect=15764683#lnk=sametab
The chocolate will look a little odd when you first start mixing the eggs. Don’t panic! Once you fold in the cream it will look and taste amazing.
Don’t overmix your whipped cream. It only takes a few minutes to whip up the most light and airy whipped cream. Don’t set it and forget it!
The mousse can be eaten after setting for 4 hours, but it’s best to let it set overnight before enjoying.
If you liked this recipe, check out my recipe for a simple chocolate mousse pie. https://eats8.food.blog/new-year-new-mousse/
As always, don’t forget to enjoy!

Easy Bakes, Kids Bakes

Easy No-Bake Cheesecake with Rice Krispies Treats Crumbles

July 3, 2021January 6, 2022 maebakesatx

One of my all-time favorite summer treats is cheesecake! Especially a cool, creamy and easy no-bake cheesecake with Rice Krispies Treats Crumbles! I first made this recipe as a full cheesecake with a Rice Krispies crust but decided to make it kid friendly by filling mason jars with the cheesecake and using the Rice Krispies Treats crumbles for some added crunch. Below is my recipe for an easy no-bake cheesecake your family and friends will love!

Cheesecake Ingredients

2 cups of cold heavy whipping cream
3 (8- ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup of powdered sugar
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

Rice Krispies Treats Crumbles Ingredients

3 cups of Rice Krispies cereal
2 cups of mini marshmallows
2 tablespoons of butter

Directions for Rice Krispies Treats Crumbles

In large saucepan melt butter over low heat.
Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted.
Remove from heat.
Add KELLOGG’S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pour Rice Krispies mixture onto baking sheet.
Add another sheet of parchment paper on top and roll with a roll pin until your Rice Krispies are flat.
Pull or cut small pieces of the Rice Krispies and roll into small balls. (You can also use cookie cutters to shape them into fun shapes for the toppings)
Put to the side

Directions for the Cheesecake

In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Remove the whipped cream from the mixing bowl and set aside.
In the same mixing bowl, replace the whisk attachment with the paddle attachment. Mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract together on medium speed for 2 minutes, or until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
Remove the bowl from the mixer and using a rubber spatula, fold in the whipped cream evenly, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl completely.
Add cheesecake to 8 small 8 oz mason jars
Cover and chill for 4 hours or overnight.
Remove from refrigerator and top with Rice Krispies Treats crumbles

Easy No-Bake Cheesecake with Rice Krispies Treats Crumbles

Tips, Tricks, and Don’ts That I did

Put your bowl and whisk attachment into the freezer for 30+ minutes before making your whipped cream. This little trick helps make the creamiest whipped cream you’ll ever eat.
Another tip to ensure the creamiest whipped cream, make sure your heavy cream is very cold.
Take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator a few hours before you’re ready to start your cheesecake. It needs to be room temperature for this cheesecake to work.
Don’t forget to be very gentle when folding the whipped cream into the whipped cream cheese. This will ensure the cheesecake keeps its light fluffy texture.
You can make recipe as a full cheesecake instead of the smaller portions. Just double the recipe for the Rice Krispies and use a 9-inch round pan for the crust. Pack the bottom of the pan with the Rice Krispies and top with the cheesecake mixture, cover and chill overnight.
If you’re unsure where to buy mason jars; Target has a ton of options! I picked these super cute ones up last week. https://www.target.com/p/ball-8oz-4pk-aqua-vintage-regular-mouth-jars/-/A-54314698#lnk=sametab
If you like this recipe, check out these easy brown sugar chocolate chip cookies that are sure to WOW your friends and family just in time for 4th of July! https://eats8.food.blog/easy-brown-sugar-chocolate-chip-cookies/
As always, don’t forget to Enjoy!

Easy Bakes, Favorite Bakes

Easy Macarons

November 13, 2020January 6, 2022 maebakesatx

Ah, the Macaron. I’ve seen these colorful confections everywhere and eaten my fair share of them, but the thought of making macarons seemed too fancy for this new baker. Perfect circles? Bright colors? Light texture? Fluffy buttercream? My head was spinning. I could not stop thinking about these sweet treats and knew I needed to give them a try; I couldn’t believe how wrong I was. You don’t have to be an experienced pastry chef to make these delicate desserts. All you need some time and a little patience. It’s a bake I want to continue baking and perfecting. Below is my recipe for macarons along with my tips, tricks, and don’ts that I did.

Ingredients for Macarons

2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup almond flour, finely ground
1 teaspoon salt, divided
3 egg whites, at room temperature
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 drops teal gel food coloring

Ingredients for Vanilla Buttercream

1 cup unsalted butter, 2 sticks, at room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions for Macarons

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the powdered sugar, almond flour, and ½ teaspoon of salt, and process on low until extra fine.

Sift the almond flour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl.

In a separate large bowl, beat the egg whites and the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt with an electric hand mixer until soft peaks form.

Gradually add the granulated sugar until fully incorporated. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form (you should be able to turn the bowl upside down without anything falling out).

Add the vanilla and beat until incorporated.

Add the food coloring and beat until just combined.

Add about ⅓ of the sifted almond flour mixture at a time to the beaten egg whites and use a spatula to gently fold until combined. After the last addition of almond flour, continue to fold slowly until the batter falls into ribbons.

Transfer the macaron batter into a piping bag fitted with a round tip.

Pipe the macarons onto the parchment paper in 1.5-inch circles, spacing at least 1-inch apart.

Tap the baking sheet on a flat surface 5-6 times to release any air bubbles.

Let the macarons sit at room temperature for 1 hour, until dry to the touch.

Preheat the oven to 300˚F.

Bake the macarons for 20 minutes, until the feet are well-risen and the macarons don’t stick to the parchment paper.

Transfer the macarons to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.

Directions for Buttercream

In a large bowl, add the butter and beat with a mixer for 1 minute until light and fluffy.

Sift in the powdered sugar and beat until fully incorporated.

Add the vanilla and beat to combine.

Add the cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat to combine, until desired consistency is reached.

Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a round tip.

Add a dollop of buttercream to one macaron shell. Top it with another macaron shell to create a sandwich. Repeat with remaining macaron shells and buttercream.

Place in an airtight container for 24 hours before eating.

Tips, Tricks, and Don’ts that I did

Follow the recipe exactly. Step by step. Macaron batter can go south really quickly if it is not prepared correctly.

If you don’t have a food processor, don’t worry, but you’ll still need to move the flour and sugar through a fine-mesh sieve. The dry mixture needs to be free of clumps to get a smooth finish on the macarons.

Take your time with your folds and try not to be too aggressive when adding the dry mixture to the wet mixture. If you’re too fast you’ll run the risk of mixing out all of the air you just mixed in.

If you haven’t caught on, teal is my color, but you can play with any colors you’d like. Just be sure to use gel food coloring. Liquid color adds too much moisture to the batter.

When adding your batter or frosting to a piping bag, put the piping bag into a cup with the edges draped on the sides (I used a pint glass) and spoon the batter or frosting into the bag. I’m sure there are several ways to do this, but for me, this was the best one. (I can’t take credit for this tip, it was shared with me by a favorite and works like a charm)

It was really hard for me to get a perfect 1.5-inch circle for the macarons. I threw out my first batch and ended up downloading a 1.5-inch circle template. You can find a ton of free printable templates on Pinterest. I’ve also included a link here. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/25895766596923334/

Don’t rush. These bakes need time, time, and more time. I felt weird leaving them on the counter for an hour, but trust me they need every bit of the hour you give them. They’ll be oven-ready when the tops are dry.

Make sure your butter is at room temperature for your buttercream frosting. If it’s too cold you won’t get the smooth buttery texture we look forward to in a buttercream.

You can also play with filling flavors. I’m thinking of doing a lemon curd for my next batch. The possibilities are endless!

As always, don’t forget to ENJOY!

Easy Bakes, Favorite Bakes

Easy Peach Galette

July 25, 2020January 6, 2022 maebakesatx

For this week’s bake, I wanted to do something fun and easy, but also on a personal level, I needed a bake that could be a little bit therapeutic. Baking is my therapy and my flaky crust is my therapist. I’m sure I’m not the only one out there feeling the feels, but with all of the chaos happening in the world, my anxiety has been out of control. This week’s bake is inspired by my need to find my way in the new out of (my) control world and the bakes that get me through it. An easy peach galette that is sure to make you feel good.

This bake is a little unconventional, but super tasty. The fun part of a galette is it does not have to be perfect. It’s more of a rustic pie with a hint of tasty tart. AND since it’s the middle of peach season in Texas I had to do one last peach bake. Below is the recipe for my easy peach galette along with my tips, tricks, and a few don’ts that I did. Enjoy!

Flaky Crust Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
1 egg
2 tablespoons of milk
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

Directions for Galette

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.

Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until it is the size of peas and the mixture holds together when you squeeze it.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, vanilla, and milk. Add to the dough. Mix together with a fork until everything is evenly moistened. Knead briefly on a floured surface.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Divide the dough in half.

Roll out the dough halves in to 2 circles (they don’t have to be pretty)

Put on a baking sheet and refrigerate for another 30 minutes.

Ingredients and Directions for Pie Filling

4 cups of sliced peaches (about 5 medium peaches)

2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

2/3 cup of brown sugar

1 tablespoon of ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons of cornstarch

Combine all ingredients into a saucepan and cook on medium heat for 5-10 minutes.

Let cool for 20 minutes.

Putting it All Together

Preheat oven to 425

Pull dough out of the refrigerator.

Add peach mixture to the center of each circle, leaving about 2 inches around the edges.

Fold edges to the peach filling.

Whisk egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush egg wash on the sides of the galette.

Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 425 for 25 minutes or until the galettes are golden brown.

Slice and Enjoy!

Tips, Tricks and Don’ts that I did

I used peaches, but this recipe can be made with any fruit or combination of fruit you’d like. I made another one with strawberries and basil; it was divine!

If you use a fruit with a lot of water, be sure to add a little more cornstarch to soak up some of the extra moisture.

Don’t forget cold butter is key to this crust. If you feel your butter starting to melt while handling the dough, put it back in the refrigerator.

This recipe is very easy, but the dough can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator if you need a little extra time.

Serve these warm with a little homemade whipped cream or at room temperature.

As always, don’t forget to enjoy!

Easy Bakes, Favorite Bakes

Easy Cherry Clafoutis

July 10, 2020 maebakesatx

Cha Cha Cherry… Clafoutis! If you know how to pronounce Clafoutis without asking Google you know way more than I did before starting this bake. I had to look it up a few times and still have trouble.

This week’s bake was inspired by a couple of different elements. The first is an amazing beer we had last week. A local favorite brewery (Jester King) made a wild ale refermented with Cherry Juice and it was incredible! I had cherries on the brain for several days after having that beer so I knew I wanted my next bake to include cherries.

I was also inspired by the idea of baking something I had never heard of before. After a couple of days of research, I found the Clafoutis and was hooked by the name alone. Once I read what it actually was I knew I had to try and bake it. My Clafoutis is a little bit different because I wanted to make it dairy-free. I used oat milk instead of traditional whole milk and it turned out delicious. Below is the recipe for Cherry Clafoutis along with my tips, tricks, and don’ts that I did.

Ingredients

2 cups of fresh cherries, pitted and cut in half

4 large eggs

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup oat milk

1 tablespoon almond extract

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons of powdered sugar (for sprinkling after the bake)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9″ round baking dish with butter. Spread out cherries in an even layer in the bottom of the pan.

In a stand mixer, add eggs and sugar. Blend until frothy. Add oat milk, almond extract, flour, and salt. Blend until combined.

Pour batter over cherries.

Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 55 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature and dust with powdered sugar

Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free Cherry Clafoutis

Tips, Tricks and Don’ts that I did

Use fresh cherries. If you use cherries from a jar like maraschino, you’ll risk having a soggy bake.

Be careful when you remove the pits from your cherries. I found the best way is to pull the stem, slice in half, and pull apart. The pit should pop right out once the cherry has been cut in half.

You can definitely use whole milk instead of going dairy-free like I did. Keep in mind it may take less time to cook than with oat milk.

The Clafoutis is done when a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean. Due to oven variances be sure to watch your clafoutis the last 10 or so minutes left in the bake. It’s easy to under AND over bake this one.

If you’re local or ever planning a trip to Austin, do add Jester King Brewery to your must list. It’s a brewery on a farm with baby goats. They have great beer, tasty pizzas, and did I mention baby goats?

Don’t forget to Enjoy!