Apple Pot Pie as seen on George Hirsch Lifestyle

georgehirsch August 25, 2025

Make your day a little sweeter with my Apple Pot Pie

Apple Pot Pie

Makes 2 servings or 4 if sharing

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Ingredients

2 baking apples, such as Granny Smith or Gala

1 egg, beaten well for egg wash

1 sheet of puff pastry (store bought) cut into 2 pieces.

Butter, Brown Sugar, Graham Cracker or Cake Crumbs, Granola, Raisins, Brandy optional

Peel apples. Core apples 3/4 through, leaving the bottom intact.

Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the bottom of a small but deep heavy-duty casserole or cast-iron pan. I adapted a cast iron butter melting pot, the perfect size for an apple.

Add 1 teaspoon of graham cracker crumbs or cake crumbs.

Add 1 teaspoon of brown sugar. Place cored apples on top of the sugar and crumbs.

Repeat, add on top of the apple—1 tablespoon of butter, 1 teaspoon of graham cracker crumbs, and 1 teaspoon of brown sugar. Top with 1 tablespoon of granola, raisins, 1 teaspoon of graham cracker crumbs, and 1 teaspoon of brown sugar.

Repeat until flavorings are 3/4 up the side of the pie dish. Finish with a teaspoon of maple syrup added to the top of the apple.

Optional: 1 Tablespoon of brandy, or apple or orange juice.

Cut a sheet of puff pastry into a 6 x 6-inch square. Lightly drape over the apple pie dish, allowing it to lightly hang over the inside. Repeat on the second apple pot pie. Cut excess dough about 1/2 of an inch below the top of the pot pie.

With the tip of a paring knife, “dock” (poke holes) the top of the dough to allow steam to escape during baking. Brush pastry lightly with egg wash, do not puddle.

Refrigerate pot pies for 20 minutes. The pastry should be cold when placed into the oven.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake for 20 minutes until done. Allow to rest 5 minutes before serving or serve at room temperature.

Serve warm with freshly whipped cream.

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Late Summer Cobbler

George Hirsch July 19, 2025

A peach berry cobbler is one of my favorite desserts, especially during the summer when the fruit is at peak ripeness. This cobbler combines a variety of summer fruits, and the natural sugars from the soft, ripe fruit provide just the right amount of sweetness.

Baking it in a cast-iron skillet makes serving a breeze at any barbecue. With plenty of summer left, you'll want to make this delicious treat before the season bids farewell.

George’s Warm Peach Berry Cobbler

Makes 4 –6 servings

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For Topping:

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup flour

3/4 cup rolled quick oats

1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1/2 cup melted butter

Mix all sugars, flour, oats, and nuts. Pour in butter and mix until the topping looks like wet sand. Do not over-mix; the topping should have a lumpy consistency.

For the Filling:

4 cups Fresh Peaches- sliced and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces.

2 pints of Fresh Blueberries or mixed berries

1 loaf of pound cake, sliced thin

1/3 cup water or *simple syrup

Preheat a 375-degree oven.

Grease small individual ramekins, or a 9-inch ovenproof casserole, or better for baking and serving, a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Line the bottom of the pan with sliced pound cake. Add peaches, blueberries, and simple syrup. Top with a generous amount of crumb topping. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until the crumb topping is crisp and light brown.

Serve warm, topped with powdered sugar, whipped cream, or ice cream.

*To make simple syrup:

1 cup of water

2 cups of sugar

1 orange, cut into quarters

Place all ingredients into a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. Remove and cool.

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***Enjoy my perfect summertime garden accompaniment to the late summer cobbler***

Strawberry Cornbread Shortcake

George Hirsch July 2, 2025

This Southern strawberry shortcake is baked in a black iron skillet, giving it a crunchy crust—the perfect foil for berries and sweetened whipped cream. Using cake flour will give the shortcake a lighter, more tender texture. If you have any strawberries left over, you may want to try my Rosé Sangria from George Hirsch Lifestyle.

Strawberry Cornbread Shortcake

Makes 6 - 8 servings

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For the Cornbread:

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup cake flour or all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

2 eggs. lightly beaten

1/4 cup sweet butter, melted

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the whipped cream:

1 cup heavy cream

2 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

2 pints mixed fresh strawberries and optional blueberries

1/2 pint fresh blueberries

Granulated sugar, if necessary

Strawberry Shortcake

Preheat oven or grill to medium temperature or 375 degrees F.

Combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix the milk, eggs, butter, vanilla, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until no particles of the dry ingredients remain. Do not over-mix.

Spoon the mixture into a well-greased, 8-inch, black iron skillet or cake pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool the cornbread for 5 minutes in the pan; remove and cool completely on a rack.

Beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add the confectioners’ sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Wash the strawberries and pat them dry gently with a paper towel. Cut half of the strawberries into slices and leave the rest whole. If the berries are not sweet, toss with a small amount of granulated sugar.

Slice the cornbread in half horizontally. Spread the lower half with half the whipped cream and sliced strawberries and blueberries. Replace the top half and cover with the remaining whipped cream and berries.

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Gather 'Round the Grill Cookbook, Vintage (new)

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George Hirsch Living it UP! cooking & lifestyle book

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Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake

George Hirsch June 29, 2025

A pound cake is a type of cake traditionally made with a pound of each of four ingredients: flour, butter, eggs, and sugar. The addition of ricotta makes this cake moist, while the lemon gives a hint of freshness.

***Wrapped loaves of pound cakes as a special gift.***

If you're looking for the best pound cake, this is it—full Stop. If you are planning a special cake to gift or happen to be entertaining family or friends, the lemon ricotta pound cake is an outstanding dessert with broad appeal. It's perfect for finishing a special dinner or for an afternoon tea. I created this recipe knowing it would be one of those cakes that improves with age, meaning it tastes even better the day after it’s baked.

Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake

It makes one large loaf or three demi-loaves

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1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup sweet butter, softened

1 1/2 cups (15 oz container) fresh whole-milk ricotta, drained

1 1/2 cups Turbino or granulated sugar

3 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350°F degrees. Grease and flour 9-inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth and light. Fold in ricotta in three parts. Scrape the bowl well with a spatula. Mix dry ingredients- flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to butter and sugar and mix just until flour is absorbed with eggs one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition. Add lemon juice and vanilla.

Scrape the downsides of the bowl, and mix on low speed for 30 seconds just until the batter is completely mixed. Do not over-mix. Over-mixing will toughen the cake and produce air pockets. Pour the batter into greased pan and smooth on top. Once the pan is filled with batter, tap the pan against a table or counter to remove air pockets.

Bake for 45-55 minutes. After 40 minutes, lower to 325 degrees until done. Allow cake to cool in pan for 5-10 minutes. Remove from pan; finish cooling on wire rack. Top with confectioner’s sugar before serving.

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13 EPISODES on 4 HD-DVD Disk Set, season one

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Gather 'Round the Grill Cookbook, Vintage (new)

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George Hirsch Living it UP! cooking & lifestyle book

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George Hirsch Lifestyle Apple Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Lemon Squares

George Hirsch June 24, 2025

I have shared many desserts in my cookbooks and TV series, and I am excited to present one of my most requested desserts.

This is the classic dessert, although it’s also a popular choice during the summer months. I’ve been told that my recipe strikes the perfect balance of sweetness, lemony tartness, and buttery shortbread. Make a batch and share this refreshing treat at your next gathering.

Lemon Squares, aka Lemon Bars

Makes one dozen eight-inch square pan

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Shortbread Crust:

1/2 cup sweet butter, room temperature

1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

pinch cinnamon

A square tip: (lining the pan with parchment paper is helpful for removing squares after baking)

Grease an 8-inch square pan with butter, line it with parchment

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

For the Crust: With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Mix the flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon by hand to form a light dough. Press the dough into a greased pan and bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until it is lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan.

Lemon Filling:

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1 Tablespoon grated lemon zest

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

pinch salt

For the Lemon Filling: Mix the sugar, flour, salt, and eggs with a wire whisk until well combined and smooth. Add fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla just until combined. Do not overmix, or too much air will affect the filling. Pour the filling over the cooled shortbread crust and bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees or until the filling is set.

Remove from oven and cool. After cooling at room temperature, refrigerate. To serve, cut into squares and dust with powdered sugar. Chill lemon squares until ready to serve.