Peaches and Blueberries - Is It a Cake or a Pie

OK - so it is a cake or a pie? I mean what is the real definition of either? I know, I can go to Wiki and they'll hand me some bogus "dictionary" blurb on what a cake means, but that doesn't take texture into account. This particular recipe comes from what seems to be my most popular source - Epicurious.com. They call it a Peach Blueberry Cake http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Peach-Blueberry-Cake-232507 but I'd argue that it's really more like a pie. I may have made a cake like this unintentionally in my earlier cooking days, way back when I was eight, but there's no way I'd make one this way now on purpose (even though I guess I did), so it's gotta be a pie.

As you can see, the cake part is more like a shortbread crust in texture and dry as a bone, so it's gotta be pastry right? For heavens sake, in the recipe they even call it pastry. I shoulda' paid attention. I wanted a cake - more like what's in an upside down cake....you know A CAKE. I suppose if I'd really used my brain I'd have realized that without liquid this effort wasn't going to be what I wanted it to be. Just, what was I thinking?

I've got to admit though, the filling is amazing. It has very little sugar in it, which means the flavor of the peaches and blueberries really comes through. I also learned the trick of grinding sugar, flour and quick cooking tapioca together in the coffee grinder to use as a thickener - this makes the filling almost crystal clear. Cornstarch would never make it through the long cooking time, because it breaks down with extended cooking. Oh about that. The recipe calls for baking the "cake" at 375 for 1 hour and 45 minutes. In my book that was too hot for too long, even though I used my best and heaviest springform pan. I baked it at 350 for one hour, reduced the heat to 325 and cooked it for 20 minutes more. It was still too long. It needed at least a half a quart of icecream to make it better, but hey we're watching what we eat.

I can hear you all now - so if you're on a diet, what are you doing making a cake in the first place? Well, you see I had these really ripe peaches in the fruit basket and they were crying to be used. I know, the big guy said it too - "so why didn't you just slice them and put 'em in a bowl?". Good question...you tell me!

I also know you're thinking, since you had "cake" for dessert, what did you spring for as the entree? Well people, we had Creamy Cauliflower Soup - it's a Sunset magazine recipe and worth a whopping 131 calories per serving. http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1865448  See my heart was in the right place! Pretty good recipe too, though I added a tablespoon of dijon, a dash of fresh nutmeg, used 3 cups of chicken stock instead of 4, added 1 cup of whole milk and garnished it with shavings of cheddar and crumbled bacon bits.

OK - so it wasn't 131 calories when I was finished with it, but it musta' been close. Good thing the big guy fell for it this morning when I said I didn't know what would cause the scale to go up. Yikes, I ain't misbehavin' no more. Just can't get away with nothin'.

Comments

[gman]

And now I hear the whole story. Mmmm wonder what that's gonna cost you?

[Mags]

Cake? Pie? Sounds like you're having the same dilemma as me with my tart/quiche. That (hmmmm) 131 calorie soup looks delish.

[Fruit Basket Review Guy]

Pie or Cake? Doesn't matter. Looks DEE-LISH!

[JBug]

Thanks Fruit Basket Review Guy - it tasted better the second day, as the crust had absorbed some of the moisture from the filling. Shhh..don't tell anyone though, OK? I'm still on a diet.

[Mary from Apron Strings & Wedding Rings]

So exciting to see a dessert recipe on your blog June... THIS ONE WITH A SCOOP OF ICE CREAM is on my list! Hugs, Mary L.

[June]

Mary - I actually love to bake. The problem is that I love to eat what I bake which is why you don't see many desserts on my blog.