Pumpkin pie might seem a little intimidating and a little challenging, but it’s actually one of the simplest desserts to make, so we’ve decided to challenge ourselves and add another ingredient: cheesecake!

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup almonds, crushed
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 3 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 8 ounces goat cheese
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 16 ounces cream cheese
• 1 1/4 cup pumpkin
• 3/4 cup yogurt
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix the flour, crushed almonds, 1/4 cup brown sugar, baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon together in your mixing bowl.
3. Stir in butter until mixture is even. Pour the mixture into your non-stick spring form bakeware pan and press firmly into the bottom.
4. Bake until crust is set, about 10 minutes.
5. In a separate bowl, beat together goat cheese and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar using your Think Kitchen hand mixer.
6. Add in cream cheese and beat for 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients and beat until mixture is very smooth.
7. Transfer batter to prepared pan and bake on a rack positioned in middle of oven for about 1 hour, 15 minutes or until cake is set.
8. Allow it to cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4-5 hours.
9. Cut and serve and top with whipped cream.
10. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Filling:

2 lb Granny Smith Apples, cored and peeled

1 tbsp white flour

1/2 cup white sugar

2 tbsp lemon juice 

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Crumble Topping:

1 cup rolled oats / oatmeal 

1 cup white flour

1 cup brown sugar (loosely packed)

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Pinch of salt

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F/180C.

Peel apples, then cut into 1.5cm/ 3/5” cubes.

Place apple in a bowl. Sprinkle with flour, sugar and cinnamon, then pour over lemon juice. Toss, then spread out evenly in a 1.5 litre baking dish. 

Place the ingredients for the toppings in a bowl. Mix until clumps form. Spread the topping over the apples, crumbling with fingers if required to get that crumbly finish.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove, cover loosely with foil to keep warm and let stand for 10 minutes before serving to give a chance for the apples to set.

The only way we recommend serving this is with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top! If you make this recipe and want to share with us, tag us on Instagram @stokesstores and use the hashtag #StokesMoments.

Fall gives us the opportunity to change the way we think about food. In the warm months we look for something cool, crisp and light, whereas in the fall, we crave something a little more filling, warming, and comforting. Luckily, the best of this season’s harvest are ingredients we use to create meals that are exactly that: Comfort foods! We find joy in staying in and cooking in our warm kitchens. The one catch is that cold weather recipes can be a lot more time consuming than throwing together a salad or even expertly constructing a sandwich. Soups, stews, casseroles, pies and pasta, take more cooking time, but are amongst our top favourite foods during the cold season in Canada!

This week, we have a new recipe that will have you enjoying a warm and filling meal, but with a twist that makes it a breeze to make. Get ready for a tasty dish; we’re making a beet, parsnip and goat cheese Galette! Also known as a free-form pie, you may have already heard of it before, seen its sweet and fruity sister-version on Instagram, or tried the traditional Québecois dessert Galette du Roi (the only similarity is in the name, this one is more of a cake).

Thanks to Amanda Ing, the content creator behind @theingdex, we see how easy and delicious creating a savoury Galette and a filling fall meal can really be! Perfect for beginner bakers, Amanda shows us that the best thing about a galette is that it has all the great tastes of a homemade pastry pie, minus the headache of getting the top crust right. Plus, without the pie dish to deal with, you can simply place the filling into the middle of your dough on a flat baking sheet (Amanda used our new Remy Olivier Diamond Baking Sheet) and fold it in. This allows for the dough to cook faster, leaving your filling tender, but not at risk to be overcooked. Keep in mind that the beets and parsnips will bake best if they are thinly sliced–a mandoline would be the perfect tool for getting the job done!

Curious about what else you can do with a savoury Galette? This recipe also makes a great option as an appetizer! Just cut it like a pizza (the slices are perfect hand-held sizes) and serve it as a starter at a holiday party or your next potluck!

Helping you keep meal time warm and comforting,

By day, Amanda is a communications specialist and, by night, she’s a digital content creator. She was born and raised in Ottawa and continues to call the nation’s capital her home. Amanda has been named one of the Most Aesthetically Pleasing Ottawa Insta-Bloggers by Ottawa Life Magazine and her photos have been featured in Narcity city guides.

As the daughter of two local restauranteurs, food has always been a focal point in Amanda’s life. Now, she enjoys crafting her own recipes as well as tasting creations from talented chefs around the city and the world (including, of course, her parents).

Follow Amanda’s Instagram page, @theingdex, to see more of her food, travel and lifestyle photography.

If you want to save money and go the DIY route, chocolate apples are the way to go. They’re far easier than caramel apples and can be customized to look how you want.

This is a simple recipe that explains how to make simple chocolate apples from home. All you need is a double boiler, apples, chocolate and a baking sheet for easy clean up.

Yes, it does take a bit of time, but the steps are simple and you can’t really go wrong. Plus, if the decor ends up being a bit messy looking, they’ll still taste delicious!

How to Decorate Chocolate Apples:

Again, these are so easy to customize to your liking. Use white, milk or dark chocolate (or a mix). Add candy or nuts. The possibilities are endless! Here are a few ideas:

• Dark chocolate with a white chocolate drizzle
• Milk chocolate with a dark or white chocolate drizzle
• White chocolate with milk or dark chocolate drizzle
• White chocolate with a white chocolate drizzle and silver candy or sprinkles
• Add crushed nuts (if there are no allergies!)
• Add crushed candy, such as M&M’s (choose colors that match your wedding!)

Whether you’re looking for a simple fall wedding favor, a fun project with kids or just a good treat to enjoy at home this season, chocolate apples are always a good option.

Notes:
If you’re not adding a chocolate drizzle, add the other toppings (nuts, candy, etc.) before placing the chocolate apples in the fridge to harden.

It’s best to use melting chocolate for this recipe to get the smoothest look possible. Not every chocolate is created equal. Also, if your chocolate is hard to drizzle, add a small amount of melted coconut oil.

Follow @unsweetened.caroline for more tasty recipes like these ones and don’t forget to tag @stokesstores in your photos!

Fall is the season of pies. And who doesn’t love pie? With so many opportunities for entertaining right around the corner, they make a perfect option for finishing off an elegant meal. So what do you look for in such a dessert? Of course you want it to be delicious, family-friendly, easy (enough) to do and loaded with seasonal tastes. Many classic recipes that fit just that come to mind: pumpkin pie, apple pie, pecan pie and sugar pie—and those are just some of falls greatest hits! But what about a dessert that, on top of all the traditional qualities pies get so right, might be described by your guests as unique, inventive, or even unexpected? If having a dessert that is new and different appeals to you, then you’ll be pleased to know that we have the perfect recipe for you to try!

This week, we teamed up with Instagrammer, recipe developer, and chef Sohel Emmanuel Pokidko Ayoub to create a Thanksgiving dessert that will be sure to exceed the expectations of your guests: A Butternut Squash Pie! Sohel devised a recipe that is just the thing for a season that sometimes overdoes pumpkin flavoured everything–it hits all the same tasty high notes, but keeps your Thanksgiving menu edgy and avant-garde. With cinnamon, ginger, brown sugar, and cloves, this treat will satisfy all those PSL lovers out there, while taking everyone’s taste buds on a new adventure.

In the mood to get baking yet? The pie pastry is an essential element and we all know it can get a bit tricky. To mix the dough, Sohel used our beautiful ruby red Promix Stand Mixer, which he absolutely adores! With the season for holiday baking in sight, this kitchen staple and countertop classic will be a go-to. Don’t forget the pie dish! This recipe requires one that is about 9 to 10 inches in diameter, so if you are in need, the pie dish from our new Remy Olivier Zig Zag Bakeware collection will help you make a pie that will be sure to please.

So get ready to bring your best pie-game and make your Thanksgiving meal extraordinary from start to finish!

Top with whipped cream before serving for an extra special touch. Bon appétit!

@iamsohel

Of Russian and Lebanese origin, Sohel grew up in Africa with his family where he quickly developed a curiosity and a love for food. Passionate about the arts in general, he devoted himself to singing and dramatic art during his adolescence. A few years later, not knowing what path his career would take and having cultivated a passion for cooking, he decided to enroll at l’école des métiers de la restauration et du tourisme de Montréal, where he graduated in 2013.

After graduating, Sohel worked for some time at the catering service Agnus Dei and later decided to redirect his career towards culinary styling, where he discovered his true strength and passion. His creativity and love of the visual arts made his work vibrant and quickly propelled him as one of the top Montreal ‘Foodies’ on Instagram. In 2016, he joined the Montreal company Cook It, where he works as a chef and recipe developer. Most recently, he started working as Chef for private events in Deloitte Tower in Downtown Montreal. He has been featured in several video collaborations with Québec personalities such as Mitsou, Joël Legendre, Virginie Coossa, Florence K and many others. Sohel also has a few television appearances, including Dragon’s Den Canada & L’Épicerie on Radio-Canada. Follow him on Instagram at @iamsohel for more!