Southern Living - Southern Living Best Fall Baking

FALL BAKING

CONTENTS

Tips and tricks from our kitchen to yours

Seven gorgeous fall desserts with delicious surprises inside

An ode to showstopping regional desserts

Youll want to keep these treats on hand for family and friends

As with most great Southern recipes, these three cakes come with sweet reminders of home

Theres something for everyone here, from classic chocolate chip to a cake-inspired version

Seven new treats starring the Souths favorite nut

Sensational desserts that could upstage even the pumpkin pie on your familys Thanksgiving table

Our secret is baking it in a piping-hot cast-iron skillet

A flavor match made in heaven, this seasonal duo will have you bobbing for new ways to enjoy them

These pretty offerings are always well received

Try it for yourself and we feel certain youll agree

Three delicious twists on a seasonal treat

ON THE COVER:

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY ANTONIS ACHILLEOS

FOOD STYLING TORIE COX

PROP STYLING KAY E. CLARKE

PRO TIP

Pie Baking Tips

Test Kitchen baker extraordinaire Deb Wise shares her tips for mastering these classics

Apple

SLICE THE APPLES evenly so they all will bake in the same amount of time.

AVOID THE GAP between the top crust and the filling by partially cooking apples in a skillet before you add them to the pie. Uncooked apples will shrink during baking.

COOL THE FILLING before pouring it into the bottom crust. This will keep the butter firm, which makes for a flakier crust.

Pumpkin

WHISK THE SPICES into the plain pumpkin puree; they will be incorporated more evenly in the filling.

WATCH THE PIE carefully at the end of the baking time. Remove it from the oven when the center (about a 3-inch circle) is still wobbly like gelatin. As the pie cools, it will firm up but remain creamy and silky.

ADD AN EXTRA EGG to the pumpkin filling for softer, more custard-like results.

ENSURE A CRISP CRUST by baking the pie on a rack in the lower third of the oven.

Pecan

DONT OVERTOAST the pecans. Spread the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet, and toast at 350F for 5 to 6 minutes or until just fragrant.

CHOP PECANS instead of using whole nuts, which make it harder to cut clean slices of pie.

USE LIGHT CORN SYRUP and granulated sugar for a rich, buttery taste, or mix dark corn syrup with packed brown sugar to achieve a deeper caramel flavor.

REMOVE THE PIE from the oven when a knife inserted in the center comes out with a clear coating of the filling that is not grainy or lumpy. The filling will firm up as it cools.

KNOW-HOW

The Right Way To Make Whipped Cream

You can choose between heavy cream and whipping cream. Heavy cream has a higher fat content, which makes sturdier whipped cream. Whipping cream beats up a bit silkier and lighter.

Whipped cream comes together much faster if everything is cold. Start with chilled cream, and pop the mixing bowl and beaters (or whisk) in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Use confectioners sugar or superfine granulated sugar for the smoothest texture.

ADD EXTRA FLAVOR

Start with 2 cups whipped cream, and then gently fold in 1 tablespoon of any of these ingredients.

Finely minced crystallized ginger

Ground cinnamon

Fresh orange zest

Almond extract

GREAT GEAR

Baking Tools that Hit the Sweet Spot

Before whipping up sugary confections, add these three helpers to your list

1. 19-INCH FRENCH ROLLING PIN

Why we love it: A tapered, handleless wooden pin is easy to clean and flattens out dough for pies and cookies like a dream. $22.50; whetstonewoodenware.com

2. GIR ULTIMATE SPATULA

Why We Love It: This silicone spatula feels great to hold, and the angled tip scrapes up every last bit of batter from a bowl. Bonus: It can be used for high-heat cooking too. $12.95; gir.co

3. OXO GOOD GRIPS OFFSET ICING SPATULA

Why we love it: Once youve frosted a cake or cupcake with this sturdy yet flexible offset spatula, youll never go back to using a butter knife again. $9.99; amazon.com

PANTRY PRIMER

Baking Essentials Breakdown

Stock up on must-have ingredients to get you through the sweetest season

Vanilla

1. VANILLA EXTRACT: Best for recipes that dont require long cooking times, which can degrade its delicate flavor. For oven-baked goods, such as cakes and cookies, imitation vanilla gives more bang for your buck.

2. VANILLA BEANS: Use vanilla beans for their rich, concentrated flavor and beautiful black seeds. One bean is roughly equal to 3 teaspoons of extract.

3. VANILLA BEAN PASTE: This syrupy liquid has a strong vanilla flavor and is speckled with real vanilla seeds. If a recipe calls for one vanilla bean pod, use 1 tablespoon of paste. If the recipe calls for extract, use the same amount called for.

Cocoa

4. LEFT: Smoother and more mellow, this cocoa is treated to remove acidity.

5. RIGHT: Since this cocoa hasnt been treated, its more acidic and has a reddish color and a sharp, almost fruity flavor.

Butter

6. UNSALTED: We often recommend unsalted butter for baking. If a recipe calls for unsalted and you have only salted, simply omit half of the salt you would add.

TEST KITCHEN TECHNIQUES

Fill a Piping Bag Like a Pro

Easy instructions for making a tricky job much less messy

STEP ONE

Fit a piping bag with an icing tip. Place the empty bag, tip side down, in a glass about 3 inches shorter than the top of the bag. Let the top of the bag fold over the edge of the glass.