There are 3 parts to making this pie.

• The Custard
• The Pie Crust
• The Whipped Cream

Ingredients For Chocolate Pie Filling

Sugar

We will use white sugar for the chocolate pie filling sweetening our cocoa powder. You could also substitute the sugar in the recipe with monk fruit sweetener.

Eggs

These eggs are going to create a nice chocolate custard by thickening and holding together all our other ingredients as they cook together. I do not recommend substituting this part of the recipe.

Cocoa Powder

You can use any brand of cocoa powder. Typically the cheaper ones are not as rich in flavor and the name brand more expensive ones like Ghirardelli, today I used Toll House and it turned out great. The better quality cocoa powder the less likely the chance of your chocolate tasting bitter.

Heavy Whipping Cream

For the filling I use heavy whipping cream but this could be partially substituted. You could use milk, half & half or cream for the custard part of the filling. We will however be folding in whipped cream into the custard to make it thicker and lighter. The heavy whipping cream cannot be substituted for making the whipped cream. So if you don’t have enough heavy whipping cream for both parts substitute for the custard and use your heavy whipping cream for the whipped cream.

Dark Chocolate Chips

You could use semi-sweet or milk chocolate but I think dark chocolate is the best for this recipe. Its slight bitter, rich flavor elevates our chocolate palate in this epic chocolate pie.

Butter

Unsalted butter is best for this recipe. I keep a pound or two of unsalted butter in the freezer for baking with. That way I don’t have to run to the store or hope something doesn’t turn out too salty.

Vanilla Powder

I like to use vanilla powder in place of vanilla extract. The two are equal in flavor, I believe the price for the powder is cheaper then the extract, but mostly I feel more confident in measuring out the powder than extract so its a lot easier for me to write recipes out using the powder.

How To Make Chocolate Pie Filling

Make The Custard

In a sauce pan combined sugar, eggs, cocoa powder, and 1 cup cream. Wisk together then use a spoon or spatuala to continually stir as you heat it on medium heat till it thickens up. Be patient, this could take 20 or even 30 minutes. Keep an eye on it and don’t let it get to hot to quickly. You don’t want it to come to a boil, just barely a simmer. You may need to turn the heat up and down a little for best result.

The mixture with the heavy whipping cream is thick already. If you substitute for milk this step may take a little longer because milk has less of a fat content to it. It will get thicker as the eggs cook, that is our goal in this step.

Add Chocolate Chip, Butter and Vanilla

One the custard is thickened, turn it off the heat and put in the butter, chocolate chips and vanilla. Still to melted in.

Strain the Custard

Sometimes there are clumps of egg whites that don’t get mixed in properly. To make our pie as smooth as we can we will strain, or push though a mesh strainer. If the mesh strainer is to fine we will have a hard time with our thick custard. I suggest a medium mesh strainer. It will get all the egg bits out.

Refrigerate

Before adding in the whipped cream we need to cool our custard down. Let cool on the counter top for 15 minutes to so till its room temperature (or close enough) and place the bowl in the refrigerator to cool down till cold. Refrigerate for a least 1 hour, 2 is better.

Make Whipped Cream

Read below.

Fold 1/2 The Whipped Cream Into The Custard

Take about 2 cups or 1/2 of the whipped cream and fold in gently to the custard.

Pour Custard Into The Cooked Pie Crust

Pour the custard into the cook and cooled down pie crust.

Add The Rest of The Whipped Cream To The Pie

Take the rest of your whipped cream and plop it on top of the custard. Sprinkle a little cocoa powder on the top for fun!

Ingredients For Chocolate Crust

Flour

All-Purpose Flour. We are making a dessert so although most of the time I like to use whole grain flours for at least half of my recipe when making desserts I go for 100% all purpose flour. It will create a lighter dessert while also allow the sweet and chocolate flavors to come shine though without the extra flavor of whole grain flours.

Cocoa Powder

You can use any brand of cocoa powder. Typically the cheaper ones are not as rich in flavor and the name brand more expensive ones like Ghirardelli, today I used Toll House and it turned out great. The better quality cocoa powder the less likely the chance of your chocolate tasting bitter.

Baking Soda

Baking soda will give our crust a nice puffing rise that will collapse down on its self and creating almost a brownie or cookie like texture for our crust.

Softened Butter

Typically we use cold or frozen butter to make a pie crust but in this recipe we are using the baking soda and not the melting butter with its steam pockets to act as our rising agent.

White Sugar & Brown Sugar

In this recipe we will use both white sugar and brown sugar. You could use 100% white or brown for this recipe if you want or if you are out of one or the other. If you are out of brown sugar you could add a little molasses to the recipe to add the brown sugar flavor. (read here to find out more about making brown sugar from scratch) You could also substitute the sugar in the recipe with monk fruit sweetener.

Egg

We use 1 egg for our pie crust and this egg will help hold the pie together, along with the butter so we don’t end up with a crumbly crust.

Vanilla Powder

I like to use vanilla powder in place of vanilla extract. The two are equal in flavor, I believe the price for the powder is cheaper then the extract, but mostly I feel more confident in measuring out the powder than extract so its a lot easier for me to write recipes out using the powder.

How To Make a Chocolate Crust

Mix Dry Ingredients

In a bowl mix together flour, coco powder, baking soda, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla powder.

Add Wet Ingredients

Add the butter and egg and mix with a spatula or spoon and then eventually your clean, washed hands.

Form to Pie Pan

Plop on to your 9 inch pie pan and press with your hands molding it to the pan.

Bake & Cool

Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. When you take it out of the oven it will be puffed up quite a bit. You can let it collapse on its own or help it out by poking it with a fork. I like to poke it.

Ingredients For Homemade Whipped Cream

Heavy Whipping Cream

You need heavy whipping cream, not just cream, not half and half, not milk. The good thick heavy whipping cream. Its literally in the name whipping cream. That’s the one you want for whipped cream.

Powdered Sugar

Just a little powdered sugar. We don’t need to make our cream as sweet as our dessert we are putting it on, we just want to lighten it a little. If you don’t have powdered sugar you and make your own by added a cup of white sugar to you vita-mix blender, food processor or coffee grinder and blended till its powder.

Vanilla Powder

I like to use vanilla powder in place of vanilla extract. The two are equal in flavor, I believe the price for the powder is cheaper then the extract, but mostly I feel more confident in measuring out the powder than extract so its a lot easier for me to write recipes out using the powder.

How to Make Whipped Cream

Step One: Whip the Cream!

In your Kitchen Aid or a bowl and hand mixer or by hand whisk the cream by its self until it comes to a soft peak.

A soft peak is when the cream gets just thick enough to stand up yet still a little floppy, not firm enough to be molded.

Step Two: Add Powdered Sugar and Vanilla

Once your cream is at a soft peak add the powdered sugar and vanilla and whisk still the cream is firm. Don’t over whip your cream or it will start to separate the cream and the little bit of milk and start turning into butter. When firm you are done!

Storing Whipped Cream

Store you whipped cream in a air tight container with a little room on top. We don’t want to smash the cream down and lose its fluffiness. Keep in refrigerator.

You can keep your whipped cream in the fridge up until the expiration date on the whipping cream carton.

Chocolate Pie

Yield: 1, 9 inch pie

Prep Time: 2 hours

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Additional Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes

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Ingredients

Chocolate Pie Filling

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 4 Eggs
• 2 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder
• 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1 1/2 Cups Dark Chocolate Chip
• 1/4 Cup Butter
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Powder/Extract

Chocolate Pie Crust

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/2 Cup Softened Butter
• 1/3 Cup Sugar
• 1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1 Eggs
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Powder/Extract

Whipped Cream

Toggle ingredient group

• 2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
• 3 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Powder/Extract

Instructions

Make the Custard

1. In a sauce pan mix together the some of the filling ingredients. The sugar, eggs cocoa powder, and heavy whipping cream. Heat the custard on medium heat. Don't let it get too hot, stir continually till the custard is thick.
2. Once the custard is thick turn the heat off and pour in the chocolate chips, butter and vanilla. Stir in till melted.
3. Strain the custard in a medium mesh strainer to get any eggs clumps outs.
4. Refrigerate the custard for 1-2 hours.

Make the Crust

1. In a bowl mix together the dry ingredients, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, white sugar and brown sugar. Then add the butter, egg and vanilla. Mix with a spoon then eventually you'll want to use your hands.
2. Mold the crust into the pie pan with your hands.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. When you take it out of the oven it will be puffy it should collapse and come down. You can let it fall on its own or you can poke it with a fork.
4. Let cool competently before adding the filling.

Make Whipped Cream

1. In a bowl with a hand mixer or whisk or in
   your Kitchen Aid mixer, pour 2 cups of heavy whipping cream. Whisk on
   the highest setting till the cream forms a soft peak.
2. Once the cream is at a soft peak add the powdered sugar and vanilla and continue whipping until the cream is a stiff peak and whipped cream texture.
3. Divide the whipped cream in half.

Assemble The Pie

1. Gently fold in half of the whipped cream into the pie custard and pour into the cooled pie crust.
2. Take the other half of the whipped cream and spread or pipe it onto the top of your pie.
3. Refrigerate for 4 hours before serving.

The post The Best Chocolate Pie Ever appeared first on Embracing The Home.

Tips For Easy Pie Making

Buy An Apple Peeler

For the last couple years I have been making apple pie by peeling my apples by hand. I have enjoyed the slow peeling process and romanticized it a little so it never felt like a chore but a treat. This week I decided splurge and buy a $20 apple peeler, slicer and corer. Oh my word I was done so fast I didn’t know what to do with myself!

If you want to save time and energy this holiday season, especially if you make everything from scratch for Thanksgiving and Christmas I highly recommend buying a peeler. Its well worth it. Here’s the one I ordered.

Apple Peeler Corer, Long lasting Chrome Cast Magnesium Alloy Apple Peeler Slicer Corer with Stainless Steel Blades and Powerful Suction Base for Apples and Potato(White)

Make Your Crust The Day Before

The day before I want to make my pies I also make the crust. The crust turn our flakier and tender if the sit in the refrigerator for a least an hour before baking. You want the butter to stay as cold as possible when making your crust and storing it in the refrigerator for a day or 2 before baking with it helps tremendously. You can keep your crust in the refrigerator for up to 10 days if needed or you can freeze for 6 months.

Cook Your Filling Ahead of Time

My trick for not burning my crust while getting perfectly soft apples with thick syrup filling every time is to cook my apple pie filling ahead of time. This allows my to take the pie out of the oven as soon as the crust is done without having to guess if my filling is done.

When you cook, make sure you cook to the exact texture you want your apples to be with your apple pie. The apples will not get softer when you bake it. Once cooked and cooled something happens to the apples and they don’t ‘cook’ any more after the first cook. So Don’t under cook your apples or they will be crunchy in your apple pie.

Ingredients for Apple Pie Filling

Apples

Granny Smith Apples are the favorite for apple pies. They are firm in texture and cook to a tender soft apple while still keeping its form. They are more sour than a Fuji or Gala apples which adds a extra layer of flavor to our sweet apple pie.

Sugar

This recipe calls for both brown sugar and white sugar. Sugar is our sweetener of choice but honey, maple syrup or Monk Fruit sweetener is also a great alternatives. If you use the honey or maple syrup just be sure to cook for a long time at a medium to low temperature when you cook your filling on the stove top. Honey and maple syrup burn easier. They also have more liquid in them than cane sugar so you also might want to add another tablespoon of flour or cornstarch.

Cinnamon, All-Spice, Nutmeg & Salt

Our spices include cinnamon, nutmeg, and all-spice. These spices add so much flavor and you can easily adjust the amounts and create a whole new flavor. If you favor one flavor over the other you can experiment by adding a extra 1/4 teaspoon to the spice you want to stand out. Reduce another spice you want to be more subtle then the others.

I also really like freshly ground nutmeg. This is optional but if you have never tried grating your own nutmeg from whole cloves you are missing out. I love the taste of nutmeg and fresh nutmeg does not disappoint.

Vanilla Powder/Extract

You can use vanilla powder or vanilla extract. The vanilla is optional but I like the subtle background flavor it gives to my apple pies.

Flour/Cornstarch

The flour or cornstarch is what thickens the syrup of our filling. The sugar also makes it syrupy but because there is so much juice from the apples the flour or cornstarch thickens it up perfectly.

You can use either flour or cornstarch. I typically use flour because its quick and usually our already but If I’m making a gluten free apple pie I use cornstarch. Some people think the flour gives it a funny taste so they prefer the cornstarch but I have found that with apple pie I never taste the flour taste that you get in other pies like Raspberry Pie.

Lemon Juice & Lemon Zest

The lemon flavor is not strong but adds a balances the sweet and tangy flavors with the granny smith apples and the sweet sugar along with the warm spices.

How To Make Apple Pie

Step 1: Make a Crust

Like I mentioned before, I always makes my crust the day or two before. You can make the crust the same day but be sure to let it refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

I personally really like the gingerbread pie crust recipe with the apple pie but a classic pie crust works great too. I also have a gluten free pie crust recipe.

Step 2: Peel Apples

Peel, core and slice about 5lbs or 8 large apples for your apple pie. Again, I highly recommend getting an apple peeler to save so much time!

Step 3: Mix Pie Filling Ingredients

In a large pot combine the apples, sugar, lemon juice and zest, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, all-spice, salt and vanilla powder all together.

Step 4: Cook Filling on Stove Top

Cook the filling in a large pot covered with a lid for 30-60 minutes. Cooking the apples before baking insures an even bake between the apples and the crust. Get perfectly soft apples with thick syrup filling every time is to cook my apple pie filling ahead of time. This allows my to take the pie out of the oven as soon as the crust is done without having to guess if my filling is done. Do Not Under Cook The Apples.

Step 5: Let the Apples Cool

Cool the apples completely before adding them to your pie crust. If you’ve read my 5 tips on a perfect crust you will understand why. The butter in the crust needs to stay cool until its in the oven. You don’t want it to melt until its time for it to create the flaky air bubbles in the crust. So do not put warm apple pie filling in the crust or you might melt the butter too soon and the butter will absorb the flour and you will get a dense crust.

I have often made the filling the day before and let it sit in the fridge overnight before baking on Thanksgiving day.

Step 6: Bake Pie

Now its time to bake your apple pie. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes and then reduce the temperature to 325. We want the crust to get hot so that the butter can melt quickly and the steam can do its job in making a flaky crust, then we reduce the temperature so that we don’t burn the tops of the crust.

Step 7: Let Pie Cool and Enjoy

One the pie crust is completely cook your pie is done! Let cool on counter or refrigerator for at least 4 hours before cutting into. Enjoy with some ice cream, eggnog, whipped cream or caramel syrup!

Apple Pie Filling

Yield: 1, 9 inch pie

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Additional Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 5 hours 40 minutes

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Ingredients

• 5 lbs (8 Large) Granny Smith Apples
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup flour or cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon all-spice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

1. Make pie crust dough (Gingerbread Crust, Classic Pie Crust) and refrigerate.
2. Peel, core and slice 8 large apples.
3. In a large pot mix together all filling ingredients, apples, lemon juice, lemon zest, brown sugar, white sugar, flour, salt, vanilla powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and all-spice.
4. On the stove, heat your apple filling mixture on medium high for about 40 minutes or until the apples are soft and syrup is thick.
5. Cool your filling down completely. I often will refrigerate it over night and assemble and bake the pie in the morning but 1 hour is typically enough time.
6. Assemble pie crust and pour the pie filling in. Add the top crust and bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees and 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Shop This Recipe

Apple Peeler Corer, Long lasting Chrome Cast Magnesium Alloy Apple Peeler Slicer Corer with Stainless Steel Blades and Powerful Suction Base for Apples and Potato(White)

Monk Fruit In The Raw Sweetener Baker’s Bag, 16 oz., Keto Certified Monk Fruit Sweetener, Zero Calories, Zero Net Carbs, Non-GMO Project Verified

The Spice Way Nutmeg Whole – (4 oz)

Cook’s, Pure Vanilla Powder, World’s Finest Gourmet Fresh Premium Vanilla, 4.5 oz

Antenda Adjustable Silicone Pie Crust Shields – Baking Protectors Cover Ring Fits 8-11.4 Inch Pies

The post Simple Classic Apple Pie Recipe appeared first on Embracing The Home.

Are Chemical Cleaners Bad?

YES!!! VERY BAD! …okay, maybe I’m overreacting… Let me just say right now, I have Bleach and Comet (Natural version here) and even Windex in my house right now that I use. Now, you are not going to keel over and die from them as your spray your window to clean it. With the chemical store-bought cleaners the danger is in long term exposure. 

Lets use bleach for example. Breathing in bleach fumes irritates your lungs. Sometimes while cleaning with bleach you might cough a little, feel a burning in your noes or throat… that is the chemicals burning your lungs. The feeling might goes away with a drink of water or some fresh air but that doesn’t mean there’s no damage. Healing is needed. Breathing in bleach everyday keeps the healing from happening. The more chemical burn your experience the longer its going to take to heal. Then you get a cold… and your lungs struggle. The coughing hurts, it turns in to bronchitis and then it goes crazy and you have lung cancer. It’s the constant damage, without healing that causing tissue and cell damage. To learn more read “Is Breathing in Bleach Bad?“

Yes, I keep these bad cancer causing chemical cleaners in my house. No, I do not use them daily, or even weekly. My daily and weekly cleaning needs are met with all natural cleaning products.

Benefits of Lemon Vinegar Cleaner

Lemon Vinegar Cleaner is Natural

Both lemon and vinegar are natural products that you can literally consume. Not just are they edible but good for you! Although, I do not recommend drinking this cleaner, that would be gross. There are also different types of vinegar, and some are better to consuming over others. The best vinegar to use when cleaning is called cleaning vinegars. You could also use distilled vinegar or white vinegar. Apple cider vinegar, or cooking vinegar is not recommended for cleaning.
When you clean with lemon and vinegar you are not breathing anything harmful into your body. Nor will this citrus vinegar cleaner irritate your skin with like other store-bought cleaners can.

Lemon Vinegar Cleaner is Cheap

Another added benefit is that making your own cleaning products is so much cheaper. Like by a lot. 

Lets do some math…
1/4 gallon, Lysol All-Purpose Cleaner, Sanitizing and Disinfecting Spray, Lemon Breeze Scent, 32oz – $2.58
2.5 gallons, Homemade Lemon Vinegar All-Purpose Cleaner – Lemons free from my tree, Cleaning Vinegar 64oz – $2.62

So right there the vinegar is about 1/2 the price of the cleaner. But don’t forget, we are going to dilute the vinegar with water. The directions on the Cleaning Vinegar bottle say 1/2 cup vinegar to a gallon of water. With that math you can get 8 gallons of cleaner for lesson than $5 (depending on if you need to buy lemons or not). The Lysol cleaning is $2.28 for a quarter of a gallon.

Myself I don’t dilute the vinegar that much. I do a 2:1 ratio of water and vinegar. This gets me about 2.5 gallons of homemade vinegar cleaner for the cost of 1/2 gallon (64oz) of vinegar. That’s 10 times the amount of the Lysol bottle. To buy 2.5 gallons (320oz) of Lysol that would cost about $40.

So yeah, its cheap.

Lemon Vinegar Cleaner is a Antibacterial

Lemons and vinegar are both acidic creating a hostile environment for bacteria making them inactive but not always killing the germs… There’s a lot of different thoughts on this. We are all taught and know that there are good germ and bad germs but its not always easy to know when to kill germs and when to embrace them. This cleaner is simply a cleaner, not a disinfectant, but it still has antibacterial properties. Disinfectants kills all germs both good and bad. Cleaners remove dirt, debris, grime and germs, making some germs inactive but does not kill them. Cleaners make it so germs don’t grow. 

If you want to make your vinegar cleaner a disinfectant you can add rubbing alcohol.

How to Make Lemon Vinegar Cleaner

Step 1: Juice Your Lemons

For the cleaner we only need the lemon rind (peel). So juice your lemons and make some lemonade! If you are interested in more things to do with your lemon juice, I have more idea’s here.

Step 2: Place Lemon Peels in Jar

After you have juice you lemons, take all the lemon rinds and put them in a quart or 1/2 gallon size jar.

Step 3: Fill Jar With Vinegar

Fill the jar up with vinegar to the top. You want all the lemons rinds to be fully covered.

Step 4: Wait 2 Weeks

Seal the jar with a lid and let the lemons and vinegar sit for two week before using.

Step 5: Dilute with Water in Spray Bottle

Once all the oils have released from the lemons the vinegar is ready to use. Pour Into a spray bottle 1/3 full. Fill it the rest of the way with water. Use a strainer when pouring just in case any little lemon pieces get in and clog the spray bottle. Now you are ready to clean!

FAQ

Can I use any vinegar to clean with?

There are lots of different types of vinegar and not all of them are ideal for cleaning. Cleaning Vinegar, or distilled white vinegar are you two best vinegar for cleaning. I personally wouldn’t use Apple Cider Vinegar, or Rice Vinegar, or any other cooking vinegar for cleaning with.

What types of lemons are best?

Any type of lemon works for cleaning. I have a Meyer lemon tree and although the rinds are thinner and the lemon less acidic then most it still cleans great. Meyer, Citron, Eureka they all work the same.

Can I use other Citrus in place of lemon?

Yes! You can use any type of citrus peels, orange peel, lime peels, and even grapefruit peel for you natural cleaners. 

Can I use essential Oils in place of citrus rinds?

Yes! You can use any citrus essential oils instead of socking the rinds in the vinegar. Use 10 to 15 drops of essential oils in your 1/2 cup vinegar and 2 cups water in a reusable glass spray bottle. Here are more essential oil cleaner recipes.

Do I need a glass all purpose cleaning spray bottle or can I use plastic?

No, you don’t have to use a glass spray bottle for your lemon vinegar cleaner but I do recommend it. The vinegar and acid from the lemon will brake down the plastics over time. If you use essential oils in your cleaner be sure to use a reusable glass spray bottle, or the power of the essential oil will absorb into the plastic.

Can I add soap to a vinegar cleaner? 

Yes, Castile soap is a great way to boast the cleaning power of your homemade lemon cleaner. Just add a tablespoon of Castile soap to your spray bottle and remember to mix/shake your own cleaning spray bottle before use.

What can I NOT clean vinegar with?

Vinegar is an all purpose cleaner but there are a few things to avoid cleaning with vinegar.

• Natural Stone. The acid in the vinegar can cause pitting in natural stones like Marble or Granite.
• Grout. Vinegar can cause deterioration of grout.
• Stainless Steal. Again, the vinegar can cause pitting the the steal.
• Waxed or unfinished wood should not have full strength vinegar but diluted is fine. The vinegar can cause discoloration if full strength.
• Cast Iron. Again, the vinegar can cause pitting.
• TV’s, Computers or other screen as the vinegar will take off the anti glare coating.
• Rubber. Rubber with lots of exposure to vinegar will start to deteriorate. A little here and there wont hurt it too badly.
• Hardwood Floors. Vinegar can dissolve the finish on the hardwood. For hardwood I suggest Murphy’s Oil Soup

What is safe to clean with vinegar?

• Glass, windows and mirrors. Mix a little rubbing alcohol for with the vinegar and you will get a quick dry, streak free cleaning.
• Toilet. For a deep clean you can put 2 cup of vinegar in your toilet and let sit for 2-3 hours. Clean with a toilet brush to help remove/prevent hard water lines and odor. Dust some baking soda on the floor around the toilet and let sit for 20 minutes or longer spray with your vinegar cleaner let it bubble and do its work then wipe up.
• Bath/Showers. Your vinegar helps prevent and remove watermarks as well as preventing mildew. Use your cleaner for weekly wiping down of your shower and bathtubs. For deeper cleaning use undiluted vinegar.
• Faucets. If you have hard water cleaning your faucets with vinegar is almost a must. The hard water build up can ruin your new faucets and daily or weekly cleaning with vinegar can prevent hard water build up to keep your
• Floor. Except hardwood floors or waxed floors. All other floors are safe for cleaning with vinegar.
• Dishwasher. Again, keep your dishwasher safe from hard water build up and crud with vinegar.
• Appliances. Microwave, stove tops, oven, refrigerator etc, vinegar is a great cleaner for these appliances. I also have such a peace of mind cleaning around my food with a safe, natural cleaner.
• Laundry. Deodorize your clothes, sheets, rags by washing your laundry with vinegar. Just be sure to not mix bleach and vinegar in the same load.
• Coffeemakers. Run equal parts of vinegar and water through your coffee maker for a good cleaning.
• Wood. If you want to clean natural wood with vinegar add an equal part of olive oil to your vinegar.
• Carpets and Upholstery. Spot clean you carpets with with vinegar. The profession carpet cleaner we use at our church told me to use vinegar for coffee spill and hot water and dish soup for sugar based spills (soda, lemonade).

Homemade Lemon Vinegar All-Purpose Cleaner

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Materials

• Lemon Rind/Peels
• Cleaning Vinegar

Tools

• Glass Jar with Lid
• Spray Bottle

Instructions

1. Juice your lemons and place the peel in a 2 quart or 1/2 gallon jar.
2. Fill the jar with cleaning vinegar covering the lemons.
3. Let sit for 2 weeks on the counter, top of the refrigerator, under the sink. Anywhere safe.
4. Combine a ratio of 1 part lemon vinegar to 3 parts water into a spray bottle and start cleaning!

All Purpose Cleaner

• 3:1 Water & Lemon Vinegar

Disinfectant Vinegar Cleaner

• 1:1 Ratio Water, Lemon Vinegar & Rubbing Alcohol

Wood Cleaner

• 1:1 Ratio Olive Oil & Lemon Vinegar

The post How To Make Lemon Vinegar All Purpose Cleaner appeared first on Embracing The Home.

Ingredients

• Milk.
  Whole milk is best for the creamiest results but 2% or even fat free still works. The quality of the texture of your ice cream is depended on the milk you choose. There is a difference and whole milk taste better but for my own healthy needs I often choose fat free and it still works.
• Cream.
  Yes, milk and cream. Not whipping cream, just normal heavy cream. If you don’t have cream half and half will also work. The fat in the cream helps keep the ice cream from freezing completely, keep your dessert from getting icy and allowing for smooth scooping. So using heavy cream is best but half and half will also work. I have also make this recipe without cream or half and half, just fat free milk and it does turn out, but it’s not rich and creamy, just milky. The texture is not perfect but my kids still loved it. If you try to make your ice cream too healthy by using fat free milk, reducing the sugar and leaving out the eggs you will get icy hard ice cream. Not ideal.

• Chocolate Chips
  Dark, chocolate, milk chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, mint chocolate…. its up to you what type of chocolate chips you want. The chocolate chip helps bring out a rich chocolatey flavor. The chocolate flavor depends a lot on the quality of your cocoa powder but the chocolate chips will help give a solid base for success in case the quality of the cocoa powder is not as excellent as you would want.
• Cocoa Powder
  Good Cocoa Powder is important. The quality of the flavor of your chocolate ice cream depends on the quality of your cocoa powder. A cheaper poorer quality of cocoa results in more of a bitter mild chocolate taste. Good quality cocoa powder will result in a richer, deeper flavor.

• Sugar
  Sugar doesn’t just make the ice cream sweet, it also, along with the cream, helps keep the texture creamy. Sugar will change the freezing point of the milk. Keeping the ice cream from solidifying completely making it easy to scoop and delicious to eat!
• Salt.
  Just a little, but just enough to bring out the flavor in your ingredients.

• Egg Yokes. In the quick uncooked ice cream method these eggs will be raw. If you don’t like the idea of that stick with the custard method or don’t add them. The flavor and texture of with the eggs is just so much better. I’ve made ice cream enough times without eggs to know that leaving them out is not worth it. So I very much encourage not skipping this ingredient.

How to Make a Quick (No Cook) Ice Cream

Now, I say quick but It still takes at least 1 hour because your frozen dessert needs to freeze.
This method is simple.

• Mix ingredients together in a blender.
  First mix the dry ingredients together in the blender. Your goal is to make the chocolate chips as small as you can. Unless you want more chocolate chunks in your ice cream then you can leave them big. I prefer them blended into a powder. You can also hand mix these ingredients but your chocolate chips will be whole. Once your dry ingredients are the desired consistency add your wet and ingredients until fully mixed together.

• Pour into an ice cream maker and churn for 20 minutes.
  If you are using a KitchenAid Ice Cream bowl and attachment, turn the mixer on stir. Do not go any faster. You want to churn your ice cream slowly. If you are using an old fashioned ice cream maker or an electric ice cream maker follow the directions that came with your machine. Sadly I am not versed with every brand.

• Freeze for 20 minutes.
  The longer you churn the warmer your bowl is going to get. So I put it back in the freezer for 20 – 30 minutes to help keep everything cold. Leave the blade/mixer in the bowl.
• Churn again for another 10 minutes.
  When I bring it back out of the freezer I first break it up a little with a spoon. I don’t want it to be so hard that the mixer doesn’t work. It will seem at this point that it’s getting softer at first and not as frozen but then the ice cream will seem to increase and in my case, overflow a little bit. This is good.
• Freeze for another 20 minutes before serving.
  By this time it might be close to a soft serve texture and you can serve it if you like. I will give my kids a spoonful and then place back in the freezer for another 20 minutes (or longer) to solidify a bit more. After that scoop away!

How to Make a Frozen Custard

This method requires you to cook your ice cream ingredients before churning it. A true custard would be a few more eggs then my recipe, making things a big thicker but for ice cream I find 3 is enough. If you want it thicker, more custardy, add 2 more egg yokes and cook until it starts to become thick. This method takes closer to 2-3 hours to complete due to the cooking and cooling process.

• Mix ingredients all ingredients
  Mix together in a blender or mix by hand in a pot. Either way as you will be cooking and melting everything together on the stove.
• Heat on medium to medium high heat.   
  Heat the ingredients on the stove to a light simmer and let simmer for about 10 minutes. The goal is to get the sugar to melt and the eggs to be cooked. Stir continuously and don’t let it come to a full boil. If you want a thick custard like consistency you may need to add 2 more egg yokes and cook a little longer. I find when making ice cream it doesn’t matter too much if you get the mixture to become a full custard before placing it in the ice cream maker or not. Our goal is ice cream, not custard.
• Let cool completely.
  You really don’t want to put a hot mixture in your ice cream machine. It won’t freeze. So pour into another bowl, cool on the counter till it stops steaming then place in the refrigerator for an hour. Once completely cool you can start the churning process.
• Pour into an ice cream maker and churn for 20 minutes.
  If you are using a KitchenAid Ice Cream bowl and attachment, turn the mixer on stir. Do not go any faster. You want to churn your ice cream slowly. If you are using an old fashioned ice cream maker or an electric ice cream maker follow the directions that came with your machine. Sadly I am not versed with every brand.
• Freeze for 20 minutes.
  The longer you churn the warmer your bowl is going to get. So I put it back in the freezer for 20 – 30 minutes to help keep everything cold. Leave the blade/mixer in the bowl.
• Churn again for another 10 minutes.
  When I bring it back out of the freezer I first break it up a little with a spoon. I don’t want it to be so hard that the mixer doesn’t work. It will seem at this point that it’s getting softer at first and not as frozen but then the ice cream will seem to increase and in my case, overflow a little bit. This is good.
• Freeze for another 20 minutes before serving.
  By this time it might be close to a soft serve texture and you can serve it if you like. I will give my kids a spoonful and then place back in the freezer for another 20 minutes (or longer) to solidify a bit more. After that scoop away!

How to Hand Churn Ice Cream.

If you don’t have an ice cream maker do not fret! The ice cream maker makes things real easy and quick(er) but hand churning is very possible. Here’s how you do it.

• Mix all ingredients, cook or no cook (choose a method from above)
• Place in freezer for 30 minutes.
• Stir slowly for 1 minute.
• Freeze for 20 minutes.
• Stir slowly for 1 minute.
• Freeze for 10 minutes.
• Stir slowly for 1 minute.
• Freeze for 10 minutes.
• Stir slowly for 1 minute
• Repeat the 10 minutes in the freezer and stirring pattern a few more times until it gets to a soft serve/ice like consistency.

If it doesn’t seem to be getting to the consistency you think it should be that’s okay, just give it more time in the freezer and don’t feel like you need to keep stirring all day. Give it an hour then just let it freeze.

The timing is not the important part of the method its the consistency of slowly stirring the ice cream. The reason why I have you wait 30 minutes at first, then 20 and then go down to 10 instead of just saying stir every 10 minutes for an hour is because I believe the churning/stirring doesn’t seem to really do anything until the cream starts to freeze. It needs to be cold and 10 minutes in the freezer doesn’t get it there fast enough. All that to say, If you want to simplify it even more for yourself you can just stir it every 10 minutes and eventually you will get there.

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

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Ingredients

• 3 cups whole milk
• 1 cup cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 3 egg yokes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Quick 1 hour (no cook)

Mix all ingredients together in blender

Poor into ice cream maker

Churn for 20 minutes

Place the bowl and all into the freezer for 30 minutes

Churn for another 10 minutes

Freeze again for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Custard 2+ hours (cooked)

Mix all ingredients together in a pot

Bring to a simmer for 10 minutes while continuously stirring

Let cool completely on counter and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Poor into ice cream maker

Churn for 20 minutes

Place the bowl and all into the freezer for 30 minutes

Churn for another 10 minutes

Freeze again for at least 20 minutes before serving.

The post Easy Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream appeared first on Embracing The Home.

5 Tips You Don’t Want to Skip

(Especially number 4)

Tip # 1: Cold butter.

The colder the butter the better. I freeze my butter for pie crust. Often I cut the butter in cubes and then freeze before adding to my flour. Keeping the butter cold keeps the water that’s in the butter from absorbing into the flour too soon. We want the steam from the water in the butter to make lots of air pockets in order to create glorious flakes in our crust. If you let the butter get warm the flour will absorb the water and you will get a dense crust.

Tip # 2: Cold Apple Cider Vinegar

The acids in apple cider vinegar slow down the gluten production and keep the dough from becoming elastic like. If your dough is worked too much the gluten molecules will activate and your dough will become tough. Apple cider vinegar will slow this down to insure a tender, flaky pie crust. Don’t worry, your crust will not taste like vinegar. Remember to use COLD apple cider vinegar, if your liquid is cold your butter will also stay cold.

Tip # 3. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

By now I hope you realize we want things to stay cold. After you mix all the ingredients making your dough but before you roll it out make sure you refrigerate for at least one hour. This will help solidify the butter again after it is worked into the flour. Don’t let your dough sit on the counter for too long, always put it back in the refrigerator.  Once I’ve rolled out my pie crust and placed it in the pie pan I always put them back in the refrigerator until I’m ready to put the filling in. If the is filling the crust and the oven is not preheated yet, I put it all back in the refrigerator. Keep it cold.

Tip # 4: Do Not Overwork.

I believe this is the number one reason people have tough, dense pie crusts. When you overwork your dough the butter melts and the gluten actives. So if you remember anything from this post, remember this. Do No Overwork The Dough! This often happens when we try to make the fancy, pretty crust we see on Pinterest. But don’t worry, you can still make the pretty crust, I have a tip for that as well.

Tip # 5. Freeze Your Decorative Pie Crust

When making a fun decorative top for your pie we often work it too much, melting the butter and activating the gluten molecules resulting in a tough, dense pie crust. Follow these steps. Mix your dough according to the recipe, refrigerate the dough for 1 hour, roll out the dough on wax or parchment paper for easy transporting. Freeze for 10 minutes. Cut out your pretty shapes and place them back in the freezer till you are ready to assemble them on your pie.

If you have scraps from the cut outs that you want to use place them in the freezer as well for 10 minutes before working them again. Don’t combined them into a ball to roll out again but instead try to layer them on top of each other then roll out. Again, don’t overwork. The shapes you make with the scraps wont turn out as well as the first set. They have been worked more, so that is just how it is.

If you like Raspberry Pie…. Check our my Raspberry Pie Recipe Recipe here.

How To Make A Perfect Pie Crust

First you will need a food processor. I’ve personally never made pie crust without one and I do not know what I’d do without it. The food processor combines the butter and flour quickly with out overworking or melting the butter. You will also need a rolling pin, but that will come later.

Ingredients & Directions

• Flour
• Sugar
• Salt
• Cold Butter
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Water
• & An Ice Cube

1. First combine the water, apple cider and the ice cube in a small bowl. You want to use cold ingredients to make your pie crust. If you don’t have an ice cube you can simple combine and place the bowl in the freezer for a few minutes till it is cold.
2. Add flour, sugar and salt to your food processor. Pulse to mix together.
3. Cut your cold or frozen butter in cubes and add to food processor. It can be hard to cut frozen butter so sometimes I cut the butter then place in the freezer for 10-20 minutes before adding to the flour mixture. I want the butter to be as cold as possible before this step because this is when it is most worked. Pulse a few time until it it starts to combine with the flour mixture.
4. Add the cold water/cider mixture 1 tablespoon at a time while continuing pulsing
   the food processor till you dough starts to look like little beads. Don’t overwork.
5. Place the crumbly dough on floured surface and bring together into a disc. Again, don’t overwork. do not knead the dough. Just simply combine together and form into a disc.
6. Wrap dough in plastic wrap or a zip-lock bag and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour. I have also used a Pyrex glass container to store my dough but the zip-lock bag is my favorite to use. I often make my dough the day before I plan on making my pies. You can leave your dough in the refrigerator for up to a week and it will stay good. You can also place it in the freezer for up to 6 months.
7. When you are ready to make your pie roll out the dough on a floured surface and place in pie pan. Follow your pie recipes for baking instructions. If you are making a decorative top for you pie don’t forget to remember the tips for decorative pie crust above.

Perfect Pie Crust

Yield: 2 Pie Crust

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

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Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup or 2 sticks of cold or frozen butter
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 6 tablespoons water
• 1 ice cube

Instructions

1. Combine, water, apple cider vinegar and ice cube in a small bowl to get cold.
2. Add flour, sugar and salt to your food processor. Pulse to mix together.
3. Cut you cold or frozen butter in cubes and add to food processor. Pulse a few time till it it starts to combine with the flour mixture.
4. Add water/cider mixture 1 tablespoon at a time while continuing pulsing the food processor till you dough starts to look like little beads.
5. Place dough on floured surface and bring together and divide into two discs.
6. Wrap discs in plastic wrap or a zip-lock bag and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
7. Roll out dough and place in pie pan. Follow your pie recipes for baking instructions

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