apple tart + spiced pastry cream + cinnamon shortbread

"Down the last rolling hill where the perfect untrampled grass met the erratic dirt, the maple trees blushed. The wind blew a subtle sweetness through the woods and it mixed with the grass as it came up and filled the air with the scent of autumn."

That's a snippet of the book I'm trying to write with my brother. But it's also a testament to how busy this past year has been. I just want to say thank you to everyone who has made our recipes and followed us from the very beginning. Over this past year, I've come across nothing but warmth and support from all of you in the food blogging universe, which you may be familiar, is notorious for being intensely cutthroat and competitive (or so I've been told, I'm still new to this). 

With our one year anniversary in concurrence with the official start of the autumn season I thought it would only be proper to make something that epitomizes the elegance and flavors of the new harvest. This decked out apple tart consists of a cinnamon shortbread tart shell, filled with a pastry cream spiked with autumn spices and topped with sliced apples. I mean does it get any better? (no it doesn't)

spiced caramel swirled ice cream

This Thanksgiving I'll be showing you how to make your own ice cream. That's right! But now just any ice cream, a Spiced Caramel Ice Cream. Once you go Cold and Creamy you won't go back! Not only is this ice cream easy to make, but it costs a billion times less than in the supermarkets (statistics not to scale). 

I spiked this classic creamy vanilla ice cream with autumn spices and smooth thick caramel. You'll be kicking yourself in the head why you ever purchased store bought caramel in the past after you try this recipe. And by the way, to anyone reading this blog it's not carmels. Never pronounce caramel carmel, there's an extra letter after the r. You know what happens when you leave off an extra letter, your dessert becomes a desert.