Summer Strawberry Pizza with Sauteed Ramps, Crumbled Gorgonzola, Shaved Speck, Baby Arugula, + a Balsamic Reduction Drizzle on Multigrain Pizza Dough

Every time Summer starts to creep around, I begin to crave a rustic pizza with fruit as the star ingredient. It might sound delicious to some of y'all... and it might sound absolutely-down-right-disgusting to the rest. But bless your heart, you couldn't be more wrong. Just take my word for it. This pizza came about on a Saturday at our local farmer's market. Don't you love when dishes just come together so spontaneously? We saw  lusciously ripe, ruby red strawberries and some perfectly pungent (yet still mild) wild ramps and I thought, well heck, let's marry those two flavors. I am on a real ramp kick lately. I can't find them at grocery stores in our hood, but at the edge of Spring, you can find them by the barrel, freshly pulled out of the ground by your friendly local farmer. They are the loveliest combination of a leek, green onion, shallot, and garlic. And when they are sauteed, they just mellow out a bit and give any extremely rich recipe a itty bitty kick. So, I spread a thin pesto-like sauteed ramp base on the pizza dough before I loaded it up with a bunch of different cheeses. I crumbled the ever-so-sticky gorgonzola cheese on top for an extra pop of flavor. It perfectly paired with the sweet strawberries. UM YUM. The pizza is finished with shaved Speck, which we prefer to Prosciutto, if you get in a pickle, just use that instead... no biggie. Baby arugula is scattered across the top for its' peppery bite, and anyway, it goes amazingly with strawberries and gorgonzola. And no fruity pizza would be complete without a drizzle of syrupy balsamic reduction. It just wouldn't. So take our word for it, this is something that can't be missed during these hot summer months. I guarantee it!! Enjoy :)

For the Strawberry Pizza:

1 Ball of Multigrain Pizza Dough (regular or whole wheat dough can be substituted)

1 Small Bunch of Ramps, Chopped

2T Extra Virgin Olive Oil

8oz Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella (sliced, torn into small pieces, or shredded)

4-8oz of Ripe Strawberries, Thinly Sliced

¼C Crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese

¼t Dried Red Pepper Flakes

4oz Shaved Prosciutto (we actually used Speck just because we prefer it over prosciutto)

2T Fresh Basil, Minced

Homemade Balsamic Reduction, For Drizzling

1-2 Handfuls of Baby Arugula, For Garnishing
Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to its hottest setting, around 500-550 degrees, and arrange a rack in the middle of the oven. Let your pizza stone heat up in the oven for at least 30-45 minutes.

2. For the Sautéed Ramps: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add in olive oil, red pepper flakes, and chopped ramps. Sauté until they become fragrant and translucent, but still slightly crunchy and sharp. This usually 5-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set them aside to cool before you spread them on the pizza dough.

3. For the Strawberry Pizza: Create a 12inch round of dough on a semolina dusted pizza peel and spread the sautéed ramps over the top. Place the torn fresh mozzarella evenly across the dough, and then add on the sliced strawberries, crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, some red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and fresh cracked pepper. Slide the pizza onto the heated pizza stone and bake for 12-15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese has melted and begun to caramelize. Remove it from the oven and immediately lay small piles of the thin slices of speck (or prosciutto) over the hot pizza. Just before serving, scatter the baby arugula on top, followed by a drizzle of balsamic reduction.

4. Cut into slices and serve immediately!

Gourmet S'more Pie with Chunky 'Nilla Wafer-Graham Cracker Crust, Espresso Infused Brownie Truffle Filling, + a Toasted Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallow Topping

Look at me, being all crazy-like by talking about how spring is already here and what a glorious season it is... and then one week later, I'm on the summer bandwagon. But when a recipe, like this one, turns out so good that you can't stop eating it, well you just have to post it! S'mores are the absolute... the essential... the ultimate representation of what truly makes summer the best time season of the year. We have made a bunch of s'more inspired desserts, like this over-the-top s'mores layer cake or these gourmet s'more brownie bars, just to name a few. But this version easily takes the cake (or pie) for this summer sweet treat. There are are a few upgrades (because, well, I always like to put my own spin on every dish I make) and I think you'll love 'em just as much as we did! Now when talkin' s'mores, everybody and their grandma know the three necessary components... graham crackers, toasted marshmallows, + chocolate. Let's talk about the crust, baby. Don't get me wrong, I love a graham cracker crust just as much as the next guy, but I wanted a more toothsome + crunchy base to our filling. I know you're asking yourself, "How on earth is this crazy food blogger going to one of the best, classic pie crusts even better"? Well all the magic happens by simply adding in Vanilla Wafer Cookies. I have to insist that you don't pulverize the 'nilla cookies; you want them chunky and almost pebble-like in size. Add the cookie pebbles into a mixing bowl along with graham cracker crumbs (very fine, not chunky at all), a stick of melted browned butter, and a pinch of salt. So for all you naysayers out there upset about my minimal use of graham crackers... just chill a little bit, you will still get that iconic flavor + perfect texture in your crust. Press this mixture into a 9inch spring-form pan (like the one you use to make cheesecake) and work some of the crumbs up the sides until the whole-damn-thang is compacted in there. Okay it's onto the good stuff here, people. It's what y'all have all been waiting on... the espresso-infused brownie truffle filling. Yeah I know, I used so many delicious words to describe the chocolate middle layer. But it's all true, I found the so called "unicorn" of the culinary world. You can thank me later. Back to this crazy brownie filling, it has bittersweet chocolate, butter, dark cocoa powder, espresso powder, heavy cream, and Kahlua liqueur. Once your brownie filling is done + lusciously smooth, you're going to follow my lead and add in about a cup (or more if you're so inclined to do so) of some of those crunchy 'nilla wafer cookie pebbles right into the batter. This gives it a bit of crunch here + there, which I love because it's just like a little present every time you take a bite! After baking it just enough until it perfectly cooked with a semi-crackly top and a chocolate-like truffle filling, let it cool completely. Now, here on H+H, making homemade marshmallows is a top priority and one of my favorite things to whip up. So why not do it for the top of a gourmet s'more pie? This recipe makes a semi-thin layer to completely cover the brownie truffle filling, and that might be just enough for you, but it isn't for us. In the end, I decided to add a rim of good 'ole mini marshmallows (straight from the store). Not only did it give the pie a retro feel to it, but it doubled the ratio of amazing marshmallow goodness, and we all love the sound (and taste) of that. Before you get to toasting the top, you need to let the layer of marshmallow chill and firm up in the fridge. Guess what, you're essentially done, all you have to is melt, toast, or char (or all three) dem 'mallows until you've reached your favorite doneness. But unfortunately, this is start of that dreadful waiting game. As someone who has taken part of this mind game, you'll make it. I mean I did, long enough to tell the tale. All you gotta do next is slice up this masterpiece of a pie and completely inhale, all done respectfully of course. And just a quick trick for those who will be enjoying this gourmet s'more pie for a few days, you can make it taste exactly like the day you made it by heating it in the microwave until the marshmallow begins to melt and gets all-gooey-like. Don't forget because you will regret it!! Enjoy :)

For the Chunky ‘Nilla Cracker Crust:

4C Crushed ‘Nilla Water Cookies (make it a rough texture, for that perfect crisp crust)

10T Unsalted butter, Melted

½C Sugar

½t Kosher Salt

For the Chunk ‘Nilla Wafer-Graham Cracker Crust)

2C of the Chunky ‘Nilla Crust (already prepared above)

1C Graham Cracker Crumbs (pulverized into fine crumbs in a food processor)

1 Stick of Unsalted Butter, Melted

Generous Pinch of Kosher Salt

 

For the Espresso Infused Brownie Truffle Filling:

2 eggs

¾C Granulated Sugar

½t-1t Kosher Salt

4.5oz of 72% Chocolate, Roughly Chopped

6T Unsalted Butter, Cut into Tabs

¼C Cake Flour

3T Dark Cocoa Powder

1T Espresso Powder

½C Heavy Cream + 2T Kahlua Liquor

1C of the Chunky ‘Nilla Wafer

For the Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallow:

1t Unflavored Gelatin

½C Cold Water (separated into two ¼C)

¾C Sugar

¼C Light Corn Syrup

¼t Vanilla Extract

1 Vanilla Bean Pod, Sliced & Scraped For Seeds 

1 Bag of Mini Marshmallows (optional)

Directions:

1. Beginning of the Crust: Preheat your to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine the crushed/chunky ‘Nilla wafer cookies, butter, sugar, and salt. Toss until everything is well incorporated. Set this aside until you are done with the graham cracker crumbs (and if you can wait, preferably 8-12 hours, so the cookies soak up all the butter). This batch of crunchy cookie piecrust yields enough for two pies; so you can save them for a rainy day baking project, press them into muffin tins for mini pies, or just some casual nibbling on the side. Also, make sure to save 1-2C of these vanilla wafer cookie crumbs to add into the brownie filling later on in the recipe.

2. Prepping of the Crust: While you wait for your ‘Nilla wafer crust cookies to soak up the butter and the granulated sugar has each piece nicely coated, place a sleeve of graham cracker cookies into a food processor and have become finely ground (almost like a thick sand). Keep doing this until you have reached 1C of graham cracker crumbs. If you don’t want to go through this process, no problem! Just go buy a box of store-bought graham cracker crumbs.

3. Finishing the Crust: Get out a 9-inch spring form pan (one that you use for a cheesecake) and spray heavily with Baking Pam Spray all around the edges. Combine the 2C crunchy ‘Nilla wafer cookies + 1C of the graham cookie sand together in a bowl. Now, like the crust couldn’t get any better, it’s time to add more butter (YESSSSSS, but shhh, don’t tell anyone). It’s totally worth every calorie. Press the ‘Nilla wafer + graham cracker cookie crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, packing it tightly, evenly, and firmly into the prepared spring form pan. Set this crust aside while you make the Espresso Infused Brownie Truffle Filling.

4. For the Espresso Infused Brownie Truffle Filling: Combine the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl, and gently melt them together on low for 30-50 second. Use a heatproof spatula to stir them together, working until the mixture is glossy and smooth. Combine the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, and whip together 3-5 minutes or until the mixture is fluffy and pale yellow and has reached the ribbon state. Replace the whisk with the paddle attachment. Dump the chocolate mixture into the eggs and briefly mix together on low speed. Increase the speed to medium and paddle the mixture for 1 minute or until it is brown and completely homogenous. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and sift in the cake flour, dark cocoa powder, espresso powder, and a pinch of salt. Paddle this mixture on low speed for 45-60 seconds. There should not be any clumps, if there is, paddle it again for another 30 seconds. Stream in heavy cream + Kahlua on low speed for 30-45 seconds, just until the batter has loosened and the white streaks from the cream have fully mixed in. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Gently fold in the 1-2C of the chunky cookie crust (these crumbs add a little burst of flavor and texture into the pie filling).

5. Assembling the Pie: Pour the Espresso Infused Brownie Truffle Filling into the base of the chunky ‘Nilla wafer-graham cracker crust. Smooth out the top of the brownies. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the edges begin to puff slightly, yet still remain jiggly in the center. Cool the pie completely before finishing it.

6. For the Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows: Make the marshmallow topping by adding ¼C to the bowl of a standing mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment.  Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let it stand firm, for about 1 minute or so. Stir together the sugar, corn syrup, a pinch of salt, remaining ¼C cold water, and 1 vanilla bean pod (sliced and scraped for seeds) in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring until the dissolved. Keep boiling this mixture until a candy thermometer registers at 260 degrees, roughly 6-8 minutes. Begin beating the gelatin mixture on medium speed, and then carefully pour the syrup in (make sure to keep pouring in a slow steady stream, while trying to avoid the paddle and sides of the bowl). Once all he syrup has been added, continue beating it on medium speed until the marshmallow fluff has tripled in volume. Add in the vanilla and beat it until it has just combined, and then immediately pour the marshmallow on top of the brownie filling. It should be loose enough to evenly spread itself, but if not, use a well-greased rubber spatula or spoon to help aide in the process.

7. Finishing the S’more Pie: Refrigerate the pie for 1 hour, uncovered, and then cover it with plastic wrap that has been lightly coated in Pam Spray. And again, return the pie to the refrigerator and let it chill for 3 more hours. After the long chilling process, preheat the broiler to its highest heat setting. Once the oven is extremely hot, remove the plastic wrap, place the pie onto a cookie sheet, and distribute small mini marshmallows in a circle around the outside edge of the pie. We really love marshmallows, so we wanted to add more and I also love the retro vibe it gives off. Carefully rotate the pie/sheet pan about 3-4inches from the flame until the top is perfectly golden brown and melty underneath. This can take about 3-5 minutes to reach that toasted-charred-marshmallow-goodness.

8. Serving the S’more Pie: Allow the pie to cool for about 10-15 minutes before slicing it. In order to get a good, clean slice, dip your knife into hot water and spray it with Baking Pam Spray. This helps to avoid making a mess and getting all sticky from the marshmallows. Enjoy while it is still warm!  Keep in mind that after you have had some of the pie and have a few slices left, it is still just a delicious a couple days later. Cut a slice, plop it into a microwave (about 30 seconds or so), and your pie will be a dense like a fudge brownie + on top you will have an extra ooey-gooey marshmallow waterfall flowing down the slice. UM YUM!

Mixed Citrus Salad with Thinly Shaved Shallots, Cubed Feta Cheese, Fresh Mint Chiffonade, a Drizzle of Homemade Spicy, Fresh Cracked Pepper Honey and Champagne Vinegar Vinaigrette, Olive Oil, + Fleur de Sel

Okay guys, prepare yourself mentally... I'm really going out of the box today with this recipe. It doesn't have butter, it doesn't have bacon, or buttermilk, or a crispy outer coating, or anything southern really ((let the shock set in for a few seconds)). This is something healthy and gorgeous and vegetarian. Woah, I know. At the peak of winter, every citrus fruit is practically at its best, so why not use them to our advantage? I bought multiple citrus... blood oranges, cara cara oranges, navel oranges, ruby red grapefuits, clementines, tangelos, meyer lemons, and limes (and probably more that I can't even think of). I'm not going to lie to you, prepping the citrus for the salad can be tedious and time-consuming, but if you're willing to eat a piece of artwork, like this dish, it's so worth it. Pretty much, you have to remove the rind and the bitter pith, leaving behind gorgeous "carpaccio" style slices. After you've done every citrus, the hard work is pretty much done! Arrange a plate with the prepared citrus in any colorful manner you like. I decided to do a rainbow/ombre pattern and I think it looked fabulous! Next, I whipped up a delicious and easy-breezy dressing to drizzle over the top. It's made with honey, raspberry champagne vinegar (you can use any flavor really though), dried red pepper flakes, and fresh cracked pepper. Cube up or crumble some fresh feta over the top of the citrus, followed by a drizzle of the homemade honey dressing and olive oil. I finished it all off with a scattering of mint chiffonade and a sprinkle of fleur de sel. The salad is so juicy and practically explodes in your mouth. The cheese offsets all of the acidity and heat because of its delicious creaminess, while the spicy + peppery honey perfectly accents all of the other components. Finally the fresh mint gives the dish a final herbaceousness that should not + cannot be missed. I really hope y'all get around to making this unique salad because it is so different than anything that I have made before. I imagine it would be fabulous during the spring or summer as well... with a bottle of white wine!! Enjoy :)

For the Spicy Fresh Cracked Pepper Honey + Champagne Vinegar Vinaigrette:

¼C Orange Blossom Honey

2T Champagne Vinegar

½t Fresh Cracked Pepper + Dried Red Pepper Flakes

 

For the Mixed Citrus Salad:

3 Blood Oranges

1 Ruby Red Grapefruit

1 Cara Cara Orange

1 Navel Orange

2 Clementines or 1 Tangelo

1 Meyer Lemon

1 Lime 

Cubes or Crumbles of Fresh Feta Cheese

Fresh Mint, Chiffonade

1-2 Shallots, Thinly Shaved

Prepared Honey Vinaigrette (listed above)

Drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Flakes of Fleur de Sel, For Sprinkling

 

Directions:

1. For the Homemade Honey Vinaigrette: In a mason jar, add the honey, champagne vinegar, fresh cracked pepper, and dried red pepper flakes. Shake the heck out of it until the dressing is cohesive, the honey has dissolved into the champagne vinegar, and the pepper/red pepper flakes are speckled throughout the vinaigrette. Set it aside until you are ready to use.

2. Preparing the Citrus: Slice the different citrus fruit into rounds, and then using very sharp kitchen scissors, carefully cut off the rind, making sure to get rid of the white bitter pith. Gently remove any seeds. Continue until all of the citrus have been finished and resemble a citrus “Carpaccio”.

3. Preparing the Salad: Cut the big block of fresh feta cheese into small cubes (or you can also decide to crumble it as well if you prefer). Shave a few shallots, using a kitchen mandolin, until you have thin slices of the onion. Chiffonade the fresh mint into small strips.

4. Assembling the Salad: Scatter a thin layer of the shaved shallots on the bottom of your serving dish. Shingle and layer the prepared citrus rounds in an overlapping fashion, so that they cover the entire plate (we decided to go in a rainbow colored scheme, but you could also do random or strips of color if you please). Place the cubes of feta into any holes that you see that need to be filled on the plate. I also scattered some crumbles on top, just for a little extra. Drizzle as much of the spicy honey vinaigrette as you want all over the salad, making sure to get all of the fresh cracked pepper + dried red pepper flakes (these ingredients really balance against all of the sweet flavors of the dish). Drizzle a few spoonfuls of olive oil on top of the dressing as well. Finish by garnishing with a sprinkling of fleur de sel and chiffonade mint.

5.  Enjoy this refreshing salad with a glass of white wine!

Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream with Bourbon Caramel Swirls + Praline Bits in PRETZEL CONES

Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream with Bourbon Caramel Swirls + Praline Bits in PRETZEL CONES

I feel like I have been so busy lately. Wedding planning has taken over my life... and to top all of that, I found out that I have Shingles again. I have literally had it twice in less than 10 months. Kill me now. What 25 year old has something that 60 year old's get? Me. That's who. But you know what cheers me up when I don't feel good? Ice cream. Cool, creamy, dreamy ice cream. And one of my favorite flavors has to be salted caramel. Matter of fact, triple the salted caramel ice cream. It starts off with a salted butter caramel custard base, and then cluttered with even more caramel-y goodness. I mean, who doesn't like praline? It's like crunchy caramel. It's perfection. The praline bits give the ice cream some crunch + texture, which I adore. And then there's the bourbon caramel sauce that is swirled in as well, which makes it even more luscious. I can't even tell you all the millions of reasons as to why you need to make this right-friggin'-now. Summer is coming to an end in about a month and you can't miss out on this treat before it starts to get cold. My favorite element of the whole dessert though... are these fabulous Pretzel Ice Cream Cones. You have to order them online, but trust me, they are so worth the purchase! Head over to Pennsylvania General Store to get you some gurrrllllll (or guys). When you open the packaging, the most intoxicating maple-like smell wafts through your nose. But then when you bite into it tastes like a LEGIT PRETZEL. No joking here. This has to be the most ingenious idea ever. So go buy some now because I'm pretty sure it would pair beautifully with any ice cream you have in your freezer!! Enjoy :)

For the Praline Bits:

½C Sugar

¾t Smoked Sea Salt (I prefer Maldon)

For the Bourbon Caramel Swirls:

1C Sugar + ¼C Water

½C Heavy Cream

1T Bourbon

Heavy Pinch of Smoked Sea Salt 

For the Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream Custard:

2C Whole Milk, Divided

1 ½C Sugar

4t Salted Butter

½t Smoked Sea Salt

1C Heavy Cream

5 Large Egg Yolks

1t Vanilla

1T Bourbon

Directions:

1. For the Praline Bits: Spread the sugar in an even layer in a medium-sized, unlined heavy saucepan; I use a 6-quart pan. Line a baking sheet with a silpat. Heat the sugar over medium heat until the edges begin to melt. Use a heatproof utensil to gently stir the liquefied sugar from the bottom and edges towards the center, stirring, until all the sugar is dissolved (or most of it-there may be some lumps, which will melt later). Continue to cook stirring infrequently until the caramel starts smoking and begins to smell like it’s just about to burn. It won’t take long. Without hesitation, sprinkle in the ¾ teaspoon salt without stirring (don’t even pause to scratch your nose), then pour the caramel onto the prepared baking sheet and lift up the baking sheet immediately, tilting and swirling it almost vertically to encourage the caramel to form as thin a layer as possible. Set aside to harden and cool.

2. For the Bourbon Caramel Sauce: Simmer sugar and ¼ cup water on medium heat, swirling pan (NOT stirring) for about 15 minutes, or until a deep amber color is reached. Then turn off burner, remove from heat and slowly add in cream while stirring. Add pinch of salt and bourbon and place back on still-warm burner for another minute while stirring. Transfer to a heat-safe dish or bottle and let cool. Store covered in the refrigerator, and bring to room temperature or heat in a warm water bath before using (if needed).

3. For the Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream: Make an ice bath by filling a large bowl about a third full with ice cubes and adding a cup or so of water so they’re floating. Nest a smaller metal bowl (at least 2 quarts) over the ice, pour 1 cup of the milk into the inner bowl, and rest a mesh strainer on top of it. Spread 1½ cups sugar in the saucepan in an even layer. Cook over moderate heat, until caramelized, using the same method described in the praline bit process. Once caramelized, remove from heat and stir in the butter and salt, until butter is melted, then gradually whisk in the cream, stirring as you go. The caramel may harden and seize, but return it to the heat and continue to stir over low heat until any hard caramel is melted. Stir in 1 cup of the milk. Whisk the yolks in a small bowl and gradually pour some of the warm caramel mixture over the yolks, stirring constantly. Scrape the warmed yolks back into the saucepan and cook the custard using a heatproof utensil, stirring constantly (scraping the bottom as you stir) until the mixture thickens. If using an instant-read thermometer, it should read 160-170 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour the custard through the strainer into the milk set over the ice bath, add the vanilla, then stir frequently until the mixture is cooled down. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or until thoroughly chilled. Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

4. Assembling the Ice Cream: While the ice cream is churning, crumble the hardened caramel praline into very little bits, about the size of very large confetti (about ½-inch). As soon as the mixture is done churning, pour or scoop in one-third of the ice cream into a large container, and then spoon some of the bourbon caramel sauce on top of the ice cream. Using the spoon, smooth it out into any even layer and swirl it some for a pretty marbling effect. Scatter in more of the crushed praline during this layering process. Repeat this process until all of the ice cream and caramel sauce (and as much praline bits as you want) have been used. Once it has been assembled, store in the freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.

5. Enjoying your Masterpiece: To take the dessert to a’whole’nother level, scoop your salted butter caramel ice cream into a Pretzel Ice Cream Cone (by The Cone Guys) and enjoy this ultimate salty + sweet treat!

source: salted butter caramel ice cream.