If I am forever known as the crazy pink pearl apple girl, I’ll gladly accept it. On Instagram, I tried to give myself the title “unofficial pink pearl apple ambassador” so it sounds less obsessive but honestly, I am truly, madly, deeply in love with these fruits.

What’s my favorite chocolate chip cookie, you ask? It’s from Jacques Torres Chocolate in New York City. Ask for it warmed and it’s heavenly. Crispy on the edges, chewy in the middle, and most importantly, with delicious melty puddles of chocolate. Sadly, I’m not in NYC often enough to get my fix, so, luckily, there is a recipe. To celebrate National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day, I decided to test it out.

This tart is my ode to the Twix bar. It has always been my favorite because it reminds me more of a dessert than candy. I like the different textures. Creamy and crunchy. When I was a kid, I used to get the jumbo bar pack at Costco. I got to know my dentist very well.

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The lattice top pie will always remain a classic, but I wanted to try something new this season. I got inspired by the cover of the Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen’s Pie Cookbook to do a twisting ribbon top. It held up really nicely after baking. While writing the recipe for the filling, I realized, the measurements really depend on the fruit. My berries were incredibly juicy and sweet, so I scaled back on the sugar and bumped up the thickener a bit. Taste, taste, taste. Get a feel for the fruit and adjust accordingly. If you don’t get it just right, remember they’re berries. Can’t mess them up.

Swirled Ribbon Berry Pie
9″ pie, serves 8-10

Ingredients:

1 batch of crust, makes enough for top and bottom

2/3 cup granulated sugar, depending on sweetness of berries
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
7 cups olaillieberries or blackberries
2 tablespoons, cold, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1 egg beaten, for egg wash
Vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream for serving

Directions:

For the crust:

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let stand for 5 minutes. Place 1 dough disk on your work surface and roll out approximately  1/4″ inch thick. Transfer to the pie dish and gently press the dough into the dish. Trim the edges, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold under the excess dough and, using your thumb, decoratively flute the edges.

For the top crust, roll out the remaining dough disk in the same manner. With a pastry cutter, cut 3/4-inch wide strips. If the dough gets too soft, place the strips on a sheet pan and chill in the fridge for a few minutes. You don’t want them to get too cold or you won’t be able to twist them. Then twist each strip to resemble a cheese straw. Set aside while you prepare the filling.

For the filling:

Combine the sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, juice and salt in a small bowl.

Place the berries in a large bowl. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the berries and toss together gently just until distributed. Immediately pour the berries into the pie dish. Scatter the cubes of butter on top of the berries.

To decorate the top, starting in the middle working outward, coil the twisted strips of dough until you reach the edge of the pie. Connect individual strips by pinching together with your fingers. Brush the crust gently with egg wash.

Place the pie in the fridge for 30 minutes until the top crust is firm. This will help it retain it’s shape when baking.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Place the pie dish on a half sheet pan and place on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling. Transfer the pie dish to a cooling rack and let cool completely. I like to serve slices at room temperature with scoops of vanilla ice cream.

I’m really into square-shaped treats right now and with the arrival of strawberries, I decided to update last year’s cheesecake tart to square format. The filling is a blend of cream cheese and mascarpone for a richer flavor. The homemade graham crust is baked till crisp and holds up nicely. For the topping, this is your chance to show off juicy, summer berries. I picked strawberries but feel free to use whatever is sweetest.