TWD Nectarine Upside-Down Chiffon Cake

Apologies for the lack of activity these last few weeks.  Work has been crazy busy and it doesn't look like it will ease up any time soon.  However, I am committed to trying to stay current with Tuesdays With Dorie baking assignments.

This week's recipe, Nectarine Upside-Down Chiffon Cake, appeared promising on paper, but in reality turned out slightly disappointing.  Don't get me wrong, the chiffon cake and streusel filling were delicious; my issue was with the fruit topping.  When baked, the nectarine slices leaked too much juice and didn't meld with the butter and brown sugar in to a nice and thick caramel topping.  Instead I ended up with a pool of brown sugar sauce that made the cake soggy in the center.   Maybe next time I should precook it to ensure I get the consistency I want.  

To try the recipe out yourself please go this week's hosts: The Little French Bakery or The Double Trouble Kitchen.

TWD Blueberry Nectarine Pie

I would have never thought to combine blueberries and nectarines but for this week's Tuesdays With Dorie recipe they worked so well together.  It's not often I'm pleasantly surprised.

Good thing this pie was a snap to make because I've been engrossed in the Summer Olympics on tv as I'm sure the rest of you are.  I used blueberries I froze a few months ago and also white nectarines.  To ensure that the filling thickened and set properly I added a tablespoon of finely ground minute tapioca.  It did the trick beautifully and my pie sliced like a dream.    

Everyone knows the best part of a pie is going to be the crust and this version was flaky and buttery.  My only issue was that it was almost too tender to roll out, but I could think of worse things to happen.

Head on over to Manchego’s Kitchen or That Skinny Chick Can Bake for this delicious recipe.  It's definitely Olympic medal worthy!