Black Girl Baking Cookbook review plus a delicious recipe for Brûléed Buttermilk Pie!
I was sent a copy of this cookbook to review. And I’m happy I got it. In addition to watching cooking shows on public access television, I grew up reading cookbooks like most teens read novels. My bookshelf overflows with cookbooks but there’s always room for one more – especially this one.
The book is complete with unique recipes and beautiful photography. I was already following the author, Jerrelle Guy, over on her blog Chocolate for Basil and had been captivated by her moody photos and creative flavor combinations. The cookbook includes a variety of mouthwatering recipes like Fudgy Flourless Brownies, Peaches and Cream Cake, Blacker Berry Crostada, and Mango Lime Coconut Cake. She also shares several savory options like Griddled Cornbread Muffins and Grits and Greens souffle which make my southern heart smile!
[clickToTweet tweet=”Review: Black Girl Baking Cookbook + Brûléed Buttermilk Pie” quote=”Review: Black Girl Baking Cookbook + Brûléed Buttermilk Pie”]
Because I’m not much of a baker, I don’t know the baking rules. I love that the book includes lots of different substitution ideas to work for people following a vegan or dairy free diet or simple substitutions to work with what you might already have on hand – like different oils, sweeteners like sugar or syrup, nuts, or flours.
Luckily, she gave me the opportunity to share a recipe with you! It’s not a healthy recipe but I believe there’s room for treats in life! And I love a buttermilk pie – particularly at the holidays. But she took a basic buttermilk pie and elevated it with this brulee topping that’s just incredible.
Brûléed Buttermilk Pie
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup (120g) whole wheat pastry flour, plus more for dusting
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 tbsp (84 g) cold butter, cut into ½" (1.3-cm) cubes
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) cold buttermilk
Filling
- 1½ cups (355 ml) buttermilk
- ⅓ cup (75 g) pure cane sugar
- 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (30 g) flour
Top Layer
- 6 tbsp (72 g) pure cane sugar
- Fresh berries, for serving
Instructions
- To make the crust, in a mixing bowl, stir together the flour and salt, then toss in the cubes of cold butter to coat. Using your thumb and index finger, squish the pieces of butter to flatten, and continue to break the butter up until 50 percent of the butter is crumbly, but not completely uniform in texture; you want there to be chickpea-size nuggets of butter still present.
- Add the cold buttermilk 1 tablespoon (15 ml) at a time, blending and gathering the mixture with your hands until a dough is formed. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. While the dough is chilling, prepare the filling.
- To make the filling, add the buttermilk, sugar, vanilla, salt and flour to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Let the filling rest while the dough chills. Have ready a 9-inch (23-cm) pie dish.
- Once the dough is chilled, roll it out on a lightly floured surface or between 2 sheets of parchment paper into a 20-inch (50-cm) round. Wrap the dough around the rolling pin to help ease it into the pie dish, then crimp the edges into a pattern with your fingers or a fork. Place the crust in the freezer to harden for another 10 to 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C or gas mark 4) and position a rack in the center of the oven. Remove the unbaked crust from the freezer and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the pie turns light golden brown. Remove from the oven and pour in the filling mixture. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the center is set and doesn’t jiggle when shaken. Remove from the oven. I like to serve mine warm from the oven, but if you’d prefer it chilled, place it in the fridge for at least 2 hours or until ready to serve.
- For the top layer, when it’s time to serve, add the sugar to a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the sugar begins to brown and bubble. Swirl the pan to help any uncooked sugar liquefy and cook for a few more seconds, then pour it out over the cold buttermilk pie. Working quickly, carefully tilt the pie dish to evenly distribute the browned sugar over the top. Allow to cool and harden for about 5 minutes, and serve immediately by cracking the top and slicing. Top with fresh berries, if desired.VEGAN OPTION: Replace the butter with dairy-free butter. See page 200 for vegan buttermilk.
Leave a Reply