Embrace the galettes and puddings, don't try anything too complicated, and avoid the food influencers on social media. Those are the last-minute Thanksgiving baking tips pastry chef Claire Saffitz shared with Boston Public Radio on Wednesday.
Saffitz is a chef, author, YouTube host and former editor of Bon Appetit. But even with all of her success, Saffitz said she feels the same pressure to please as everyone else walking into a family gathering with a homemade dessert.
"Food media is so ubiquitous ... it's everywhere on our social media streams. I think it creates a certain level of expectations for people," she said. "I try to in many ways correct for that or reset people's expectations."
Cooking and baking can be tricky, so she said it's normal for something you make at home to look different than how the recipe looked online.
The key to success, she said, is keeping it simple. She wants her cookbooks to challenge the idea that baking is a mysterious puzzle to solve rather than a process allowing for love and expression. Saffitz said she really tried to embrace the idea of approachability in her new book, “What’s for Dessert: Simple Recipes for Dessert People.”
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“I don’t buy that it’s necessarily more difficult. I think that it can have a higher barrier of entry because you do tend to require more specialized equipment. … But my first book, ‘Dessert Person,’ was really making the argument that baking can be every bit as expressive, creative, flexible and improvisational as cooking can be. But you just have to follow particular rules,” Saffitz said.
She recommends amateur bakers to try an apple galette for Thanksgiving and dinner parties.
“[Pie] can be really ambitious for people. If you’re short on time or just wanting to start with a simpler recipe overall. I think an apple galette is a spectacular dessert, but it’s really easy but it’s free-form so you don’t need a particular pan,” Saffitz said.
And if apples aren't your style, try a pudding. Saffitz said pudding doesn’t get the credit it deserves on the dessert table.
“They’re kind of homestyle but the texture is creamy and delicious. They’re rich but not too rich. I think that that's a totally great direction to go in for Thanksgiving, and you can make it completely ahead,” Saffitz said.
So, if you're making a last-minute dessert today, just remember: reach for something simple.
