Confucius said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." My journey of fifty pies began with a wild hair, a worthy cookbook, and a wish for sweet success. Eleven months, 25 pounds of flour, 15 pounds of sugar, 12.5 pounds of butter, and 13 quarts of cream later...I am pleased to announce {{{INSERT TRUMPET FANFARE HERE}}}, I can bake a good pie!
Over the past few weeks, I've been pondering what my 50th pie would be. Cream, custard, fruit or nut? Pastry, cookie or cracker crust? With multiple recipes under my proverbial belt coupled with my increased confidence, a worthy grand finale pie could certainly be created. It had to be magnificent, no doubt, and perhaps complex enough to challenge my newfound pie making prowess.
In the end I decided to come full circle, flashing back to 1974 and Miss Miranda's 7th grade home economics class at Watson Junior High. There I made my debut into pie making society, if you will, and fell miserably flat on my face. My dismal pie skills deserved no less than a big fat pie in the face pitched by Miss Miranda herself. I tried to locate her, to inform her that her most inept baking neophyte had redeemed herself. A Google search and a call to my junior high school were fruitless. Miss Miranda, wherever you are, I hope you stumble upon this blog and are deliriously overjoyed that you've inspired a student to pie aplomb, albeit 37 years later.
My 50th pie is a combination of the cream pie recipe variations that Miss Miranda assigned: vanilla, chocolate, butterscotch, coconut, and banana crowned in glorious mounds of whipped cream. This pie makes a spectacular presentation when sliced. The multiple cream layers showcase strikingly against the voluminous whipped topping. The flavor combination is beyond luscious. Any two of the flavor components, for instance chocolate and coconut or butterscotch and banana, make a delicious duo. However, all five unify into a harmonious taste quintet. A grand finale pie indeed!
It's hard to believe my resolution to make 50 pies in 2011 to commemorate my 50th year on earth is now officially resolved. It's a bittersweet feeling that lingers on much like its chocolate counterpart, yet I've thoroughly enjoyed every flour-tinged step of the journey. My footsteps were at first tentative with some slips along the way. Forging forward I gained a firmer foothold. Now I stride with sure-footed confidence along the pie path. From that first faltering step taken on January 1 to reaching my final destination of Pie #50 on November 26, I can now do the happy dance.
Thank you, family and friends and esteemed cookbook author and pie impresario Ken Haedrich, for accompanying me on my quest, for bravely taste testing my creations, and for offering excellent tutelage and constructive criticism. 2011 is coming to a close and what is that I see ahead? Why, it's a fork, not the one that has dug into fifty pies but rather a fork in the road that leads into 2012, another year that begs for another resolution. Suggestions, anyone?
Crust:
1 1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 tablespoons butter, melted
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix all crust ingredients together and press evenly into a 9 1/2 inch deep dish pie pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool.
Vanilla Cream Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1 1/8 cup half and half
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix the sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a medium heavy saucepan, preferably nonstick. Whisk in the half and half and egg yolks. Place over medium heat and cook, whisking virtually nonstop, until the mixture starts to thicken and comes to a low boil, 5-7 minutes. Continue to whisk and heat until quite thick, about 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla.
Immediately pour the filling into the cooled pie shell. Gently press a piece of plastic wrap directly against the filling, leaving no gaps or air pockets, to prevent a skin from forming. Place in refrigerator while making next layer of filling.
Chocolate Cream Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1 1/4 cup half and half
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
Mix the sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a medium heavy saucepan. Whisk in the half and half and egg yolks. Place over medium heat and cook, whisking virtually nonstop, until the mixture starts to thicken and comes to a low boil, 5-7 minutes. Continue to whisk and heat until quite thick, about 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla, then whisk in the chocolate until smooth and fully melted. Remove pie from refrigerator and remove plastic wrap. Slowly pour the filling over the vanilla layer. Spread chocolate mixture evenly and replace plastic wrap over the filling again. Place pie in refrigerator while making the next layer.
Butterscotch Cream Filling:
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1 1/4 cup half and half
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix the brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a medium heavy saucepan. Whisk in the half and half and egg yolks. Place over medium heat and cook, whisking virtually nonstop, until the mixture starts to thicken and comes to a low boil, 5-7 minutes. Continue to whisk and heat until quite thick, about 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla. Remove pie from refrigerator and remove plastic wrap. Slowly pour the filling over the chocolate layer, spreading evenly. Replace plastic wrap over the filling again. Place pie in refrigerator while making the next layer.
Coconut Cream Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1 cup half and half
2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup Coco Lopez canned cream of coconut, well stirred
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix the sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a medium heavy saucepan. Whisk in the half and half, egg yolks, and the cream of coconut. Place over medium heat and cook, whisking virtually nonstop, until the mixture starts to thicken and comes to a low boil, 5-7 minutes. Continue to whisk and heat until quite thick, about 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and extracts. Remove pie from refrigerator and remove plastic wrap. Slowly pour the filling over the butterscotch layer. Spread evenly and replace plastic wrap over the filling again. Chill for several hours or overnight.
Topping:
2 cups heavy or whipping cream, well chilled
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
3 large bananas
Using a chilled medium-size bowl and chilled beaters, beat the cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add confectioner's sugar and continue beating just until stiff. Slice the bananas about 1/4' thick and place all over the pie. Mound the whipped cream over the bananas. Slice and serve. Chill remaining pie in the refrigerator.
Christmas is just around the bend and it's definitely beginning to look a lot like Christmas in my neck of the woods. The ski mountain has a good dusting of snow, pine garlands and wreaths are cropping up on business storefronts, and yuletide-loving neighbors have already bedecked their homes in twinkling lights.
I love this time of year not only for the festive sights but for the flavors and scents that are indelibly infused in the holiday. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice are autumn classics that segue perfectly into the Christmas season, but it's peppermint that is perhaps the exclusive scent and flavor of December. It's hard to not be peppered with peppermint during the holidays. Coffee shops feature peppermint mochas, Dairy Queen offers its peppermint blizzard, Coffee Mate sells peppermint creamer, and York markets its famous peppermint patties in festive red and green foil.
Logically, to keep in step with the peppermint theme, a peppermint pie must be included in my pie blog. It didn't take long to find a delicious recipe, one that pairs peppermint and chocolate, a most deliriously delicious combination. The recipe is delightfully simple but make sure to allow for ample chilling time for the filling and the topping. And don't be shy about garnishing with the peppermint candies. The more the merrier!
Crust:
3 cups Oreo cookies (about 20 cookies)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2-3 teaspoons milk
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place the Oreo cookies in a ziploc bag and crush with rolling pin to make fine crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a large bowl. Add the butter and mix well. Add the milk and mix until crumbs clump together when pressed between your fingers. Transfer the crumbs to a 9 inch pie pan, pressing them into the bottom and up the side. Refrigerate for 10 minutes, then place on the center rack of oven and bake for 6 minutes. Cool thoroughly.
Filling:
1 bag (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup butter, cut into pieces
1 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
8 hard peppermint candies, crushed
In medium microwavable bowl, place chocolate chips, half-and-half and butter. Microwave on high 2 to 2 1/2 minutes or until melted, stirring once or twice. Stir in peppermint extract. Beat with electric mixer or whisk until well blended. Refrigerate 45-60 minutes or until thickened.
Pour mixture into cooled crust. Sprinkle crushed peppermints over chocolate mixture. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
Topping:
1 cups white vanilla baking chips
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
Peppermint candies for garnish
In small microwavable bowl, place white vanilla baking chips and whipping cream. Microwave on high 1 1/2 minutes or until smooth, stirring once or twice. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about two hours.
In medium bowl, beat vanilla mixture with electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy. Be careful not to overbeat as mixture will separate. Carefully spoon and spread evenly over chilled chocolate mixture. Refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours. Just before serving, garnish pie with peppermint candies. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pie.
Eggnog is a traditional holiday beverage in my house. As a child I looked forward to sipping the thick slurry spiced with nutmeg each Christmas season. My parents would make their own adult version called Tom and Jerry, a warm eggnog drink spiked with brandy and rum. Whether trimming the tree, decorating sugar cookies, or hosting a neighborhood open house, eggnog was ever present and indelibly infused into each Christmas memory I have as a child.
I carried on the eggnog tradition after I got married. The Christmas of 1985 (right on the heels of my Thanksgiving pumpkin pie fiasco), I purchased a carton of eggnog to sip while decorating the Christmas tree. Much to my dismay, I discovered that my husband Joe detested eggnog. This did not deter my resolve to make it a holiday standard, however. A few years later, after my firstborn Kara was a toddler, I was delighted that she fell in love with eggnog after her first sip. My son Drew, however, inherited his dad's distaste of it. Oh, well. I'll have to settle for 50% of the family being pro-eggnog.
Kara adores all things Christmas, so much so that every year we launch prematurely into the holiday hoopla by trimming the tree the first weekend of November. Of course, eggnog is the first holiday food purchase of the season. As I write this on November 4, I am anticipating my daughter's upcoming visit this weekend where we will continue the tradition of decking the Coco halls early.
In honor of this tradition, I have baked an eggnog pie. The filling is rich with a dense, creamy texture, almost like a cheesecake. I decided upon a crust made with, of all things, 7-Up soda. I had a recent conversation with a woman who went through life trying to perfect her pie crust. She at last found the 7-up crust recipe that she claimed was her pie salvation. When I found the recipe online, I read a hilarious quote about it. "If your pie crusts tend to look like Frankenstein's monster, this recipe will cure it." Indeed, I discovered my pie crust rolled out easily and didn't shrink, buckle or devolve into a contorted wreck while baking.
This year, a slice of eggnog pie will go along with a mug of eggnog. Perhaps a new tradition has been born!
Crust:
2 3/4 - 3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup shortening, chilled
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold 7-Up soda
Cut butter and shortening into 2 3/4 cup flour. Add 7-Up. Mix until flour is moistened through. Add more flour if dough is too sticky. Form dough into two discs. Wrap one well in plastic wrap and freeze for a later use.
On a sheet of lightly floured waxed paper, roll the pastry into a 12-inch circle with a floured rolling pin. Invert the pastry over a 9-inch pie pan, center, and peel off the paper. Tuck the pastry into the pan, without stretching it, and sculpt the edge decoratively over the pan rim. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove and line pastry shell with foil and place dried beans or pie weights into foil to prevent pastry from puffing up during baking. Pre-bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees. Remove foil, beans or pie weights and then prick the pastry all over the bottom with a fork. Lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees and continue to bake the pie shell for 10-12 minutes. Watch carefully. If the pie shell starts to puff up, prick the problem spot with a fork. Remove from oven and cool.
Filling:
1 1/2 cups dairy eggnog (do not use canned)
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon rum extract
Whipped cream and nutmeg for garnish
In 1-quart saucepan, place 1 cup of the eggnog. Sprinkle gelatin evenly over eggnog; let stand 1 minute to soften. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat; set aside.
In large bowl, beat powdered sugar, butter and cream cheese with electric mixer on low speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in nutmeg, rum extract, gelatin mixture and remaining 1/2 cup eggnog. Beat on high speed until smooth. Refrigerate about 15 minutes or until mixture mounds slightly when stirred.
Pour filling into cooled crust. Refrigerate pie until firm, about 4 hours. To serve, top each serving with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pie.
Mincemeat pie has never wooed me. In fact, it has shooed me. Perhaps it's the integral ingredient of beef suet that keeps me a good distance away. Mincemeat pie begins with good intentions: the delectable medley of fruit, nuts, spices and spirits creates a harmonious combination. Then, like a jolting sour note, beef suet barges into the symphony. Beef suet, in case you want the gory details, is the raw fat typically found around the kidneys. It must be extracted from the bloody connective tissue before use. Sound appetizing?
Sweet pies should woo, not moo.
As Thanksgiving and Christmas approach, however, I must include a recipe for mincemeat pie. Mince pie, as it is sometimes called, can be traced back to the 13th century when European crusaders, bearing exotic spices and cooking methods, returned home from the Holy Land. Mincemeat pie has since become a classic pie served at Christmas in many British households.
Hence, a pie with such a longstanding history deserves a spot in my pie-baking quest. As I researched mincemeat pie recipes, I wasn't overly "moooved" at the notion of procuring beef suet, removing the bloody connective tissue, and rendering the fat. Therefore, I settled on a recipe that uses prepared mincemeat which is readily available in the baking aisle of most supermarkets. The brand I found is called "None Such" and is sold in a 27 ounce jar. It contains a combination of apples, raisins, citrus peel, and spices. Appearing near the end of the ingredient list is beef. Tentatively sampling it, fearing that I might be repulsed by it, I was tempted to exclaim, "Where's the beef?" There was absolutely no hint of meaty flavor, much to my relief.
Despite my deep skepticism and trepidation, my mincemeat pie turned out surprisingly well. And although for me, mincemeat will still not woo, at least now I have a clue and I no longer eschew. Who knew?
Crust:
2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
6-8 tablespoons cold water
Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the shortening, breaking it into smaller pieces and tossing it with the flour. With the mixer on low speed, blend the shortening into the flour until you have what looks like course, damp meal, with both large and small clumps. Sprinkle on half of the water. Turning the machine on and off, mix briefly on low speed. Add the remaining water in 2 stages, mixing slowly until the dough starts to form large clumps. If you're using a stand mixer, stop periodically to stir the mixture up from the bottom of the bowl. Do not overmix.
Divide the dough into 2 pieces. The bottom crust piece should be slightly larger than the other. Place each piece on a sheet of plastic wrap. Flatten the dough, with floured hands, into disks about 3/4 inch thick. Wrap them in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight before rolling.
On a sheet of lightly floured waxed paper, roll the larger portion of dough into a 12-inch circle with a floured rolling pin. Invert over a 9-inch pie pan, center, and peel off paper. Tuck the pastry into the pan, and let the overhang drape over the edge.
*Filling:
1 (18-ounce) jar prepared mincemeat pie filling
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
2 medium sized apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries (Craisins)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup rum or brandy
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Combine mincemeat, walnuts, apples, craisins, brown sugar, lemon juice and rum in a bowl. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Take filling out of refrigerator and let come to room temperature. Stir filling well and pour into bottom pie crust shell. Top with second crust. Top crust may be placed in a lattice design or decorative cut-outs can be made on the top crust.
Bake for 40-50 minutes until filling is bubbling and crust is golden brown.
Remove from oven and cool for about an hour. Serve at room temperature and store pie in refrigerator.
*Make sure to prepare the filling first a day before because it requires an overnight stay in the refrigerator.
I am a pecan pie purist. I prefer the classic pie made with traditional ingredients and not tainted with chocolate, liquor, coconut or any other kind of distraction. I have sampled such gussied up pecan pies, and although they aren't distasteful, they fail to impress me.
My love affair with pecan pie is a dangerous one. I can't recall my first encounter with this luscious pie, but I do know that I must have been smitten at first bite. I have since learned that I must exercise extreme discipline around pecan pies. The sweet gooey filling encrusted with crunchy nuts and encased in an ultra flaky crust is enough to send me devouring the pie's entirety with reckless abandon. And because the pie is highly caloric, refraining from overindulgence is of utmost importance lest my waistline expand into epic proportions.
Hence, I allow myself to enjoy pecan pie once or twice a year, at Thanksgiving and perhaps once again at Christmas. My Thanksgiving slice has always been at our church potluck. The dessert table is heavily laden with big slices of pies galore: pumpkin, apple, mincemeat, sweet potato, and of course, pecan. I always grab a slice before even hitting the buffet line. A Thanksgiving without a slice of pecan pie is like a Thanksgiving without turkey, at least in my estimation...
...which brings to mind the Thanksgiving potluck of 2006 when (GASP!) no one brought a pecan pie to share. I, along with Marilyn the church secretary, stood next to each other, mouths agape, reeling in a state of disbelief. Marilyn, a pecan pie aficionado herself, commiserated with me. We must have bemoaned loudly enough for some sweet bystander to take notice. Within half an hour, a pecan pie miraculously appeared. The angelic rescuer, bless his or her soul, had zipped over to the grocery store and purchased a pecan pie, thus putting a prompt end to our mourning.
I've chosen a shortbread crust for this recipe. I adjusted Ken Haedrich's recipe by reducing the sugar to better complement the ultra sweet filling which calls for browned butter. Mr. Haedrich claims browning the butter imparts an extra nutty flavor to the pie, giving it more depth and definition. I wholeheartedly concur. This pie nearly brought happy tears to my eyes, and I celebrated my success by indulging in one huge slice, a whole month before Thanksgiving, for heaven's sake!
Shortbread Crust:
6 tablespoons butter, slightly softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cold water
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, egg, and salt together in a large bowl until well blended. Gradually add the flour until all of it has been added and the mixture comes together into a ball. Add the water and slowly beat it in.
Divide the dough into 3-4 pieces and place into 9-inch pie pan. Press dough evenly across bottom and up side of pan. Place in freezer for 15 minutes while preparing filling. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Filling:
1 stick unsalted butter
3 large eggs
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
Using a shiny skillet, so you can easily see what's happening in the pan, melt the butter over medium to medium-high heat. With wooden spoon in hand, stir the butter as you keep a close eye on it, waiting for it to brown. Once that starts to happen, it will go very quickly. Make sure to catch the butter while it is dark golden brown and before it gets too dark and begins to burn. As soon as the butter reaches this point, in 2-4 minutes, pour it into a bowl and let cool slightly.
Combine the eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup, honey, vanilla, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Whisk well to blend. Add the browned butter and whisk again until evenly combined. Stir in the pecans. Pour the filling into the chilled pie shell. Using a fork, gently rake the nuts to distribute them evenly.
Place the pie on the center oven rack and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake until the filling, including the very center, is set, 25-30 minutes. When done, the pie will have puffed slightly and developed cracks around the perimeter.
Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool thoroughly. Serve at room temperature, or cover loosely with foil, refrigerate, and serve slightly chilled.
Pumpkin pie provokes a flurry of memories, some of them bitter and some of them sweet. A memory harking back to 1985, one that I recounted in my first blog entry, is a memory that prompted me to embark on this fifty pie quest. That pumpkin pie that I baked as a new bride was an utter disaster and left a lingering bad taste for pie baking
Walking further down memory lane, there was the horrendous pumpkin pie food poisoning episode my little sister and I suffered during one of our mid 1970's family Thanksgivings. We couldn't blame the turkey or the stuffing since everyone had consumed that and weren't afflicted. As I recall, my sis and I pretty much polished off the entire pumpkin pie between the two of us, and although we had never heard of anyone getting poisoned by an innocuous pumpkin pie, we placed the blame there, as if gluttonizing on eight pumpkin pie slices wasn't the cause of our gastrointestinal distress.
A much more pleasant memory I cherish is indulging in pumpkin pie, and several other kinds of pie, at my friend Cindy's home in Havre, Montana. For several Thanksgivings in a row, we made the trip over the river and through the woods and across the blustery Eastern Montana plain to spend the holiday with Cindy and her family. Cindy is a gregarious hostess, an accomplished cook, and pie-baker extraordinaire. Each of those Turkey Days we spent with her, she prepared at least a dozen pies, all from scratch, all of them scrumptious. I should have taken careful notes or at the very least picked Cindy's brain for pie tips and tricks; but in my stupor induced by sampling umpteen slices of her heavenly pies, I was worthless.
Another Thanksgiving is just around the corner and with 44 pies under my belt, I feel confident enough to tackle the pie that was my demise nearly three decades ago. That pie was a spectacular failure of epic proportions, so how befitting that I redeem myself with a recipe titled Spectacular Pumpkin Pie. It borders on the difficult with multiple ingredients and steps, but I've baby-stepped my way to nearly 50 pies. It's about time I ratchet up the difficulty level.
The crust recipe is Ken Haedrich's. He incorporates cake flour into his basic recipe which prevents the crust from shrinking and also ensures an extra tender and flaky texture. The filling, with its layer of crushed gingersnaps and a pecan streusel topping, is a jazzed up version of the pumpkin pie classic.
As I prepared this pie, flashbacks of my past pie debacles haunted me. I fretted that history would repeat itself. But as the pie baked and the heavenly aroma of cinnamon and ginger wafted through the house, my fears lessened. When the pie emerged from the oven, nearly picture perfect, I nearly cried. And after chilling the pie, carefully slicing it, and tentatively taking the first bite, my fears were totally assuaged. I did the happy dance in celebration!
Extra-Flaky Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cake flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
5 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
1/4 cup cold water
Combine the flours, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and toss with the flour. With the mixer on low speed, blend the butter into the flour until you have what looks like coarse, damp meal, with both large and small clumps. Add the shortening and repeat. turning the mixer on and off, add half of the water and mix briefly on low speed. Add the remaining water, mixing until the dough starts to form large clumps. If you're using a stand mixer, stop periodically to stir the mixture up from the bottom of the bowl. Do not overmix.
Test the dough by squeezing some of it between your fingers. Add water, a teaspoon at a time, if the dough seems dry and not packable. Using your hands, pack the dough in a ball. Knead once or twice, then flatten into 3/4-inch thick disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for an hour before rolling.
On a sheet of lightly floured waxed paper, roll the dough into a 13-inch circle with a floured rolling pin. Invert over a 9 1/2-inch pie pan, center, and peel off paper. Tuck the pastry into the pan, sculpting the overhang into an upstanding ridge. Place in freezer for 15 minutes while preparing the filling. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Filling:
2 cups crushed gingersnaps
1 cup pecans, finely chopped
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 15-oz. can pumpkin
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Stir together crushed gingersnaps and next 3 filling ingredients. Press mixture on a bottom and 1/2-inch up sides of piecrust. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, stir together pumpkin and next 6 ingredients until well blended. Pour into prepared crust. Place pie on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Prepare pecan streusel while pie is baking.
Pecan Streusel:
3/4 cup pecan halves, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons melted butter
Stir together all ingredients. Remove pie from oven after 30 minutes. Sprinkle streusel around edge of crust. Bake 40-45 minutes or until set, shielding edge with foil during last 25-30 minutes of baking, if necessary. Let cool completely on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Dollop each piece of pie with Ginger-Spice Topping and dust with ground cinnamon.
Ginger-Spice Topping:
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
I have an affection for confections if you haven't already noticed. My sweet tooth loves this time of year when Halloween candy abounds. At the top of my favorite candy list you will find turtles, the decadent melding of soft caramel, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate, and toasted pecans.
I've always been curious as to why turtles were named thus. I thought perhaps consuming the chewy candy was a slow process, much like the ambling of a turtle. Try biting into, chewing, and swallowing a turtle candy quickly. It's nearly impossible to do and quite honestly, a shame to even attempt. A turtle begs to be consumed slowly, each nibble savored to the max. As I did some research, I discovered that the candy got its name due to its resemblance to a turtle's body, shell and legs. Nuts peek out from under the domed top of the candy which resemble four turtle legs under a shell. Melted chocolate poured over the top of the candy forms shapes similar to a turtle's head and tail.
In deference to one of my favorite confections, I bring to you Bittersweet Chocolate Turtle Pie. I've paired the luscious filling with a new-fangled cereal crust featuring Rice Krispies. The crunchy, light crust is a perfect complement to the rich pie filling. It's not a terribly difficult recipe and the end result with the multiple layers is lovely. Make sure to serve small slices, as the richness of this pie packs a wallop. Just as in eating a turtle candy, this pie begs to be consumed slowly and deliberately and with great relish. Enjoy!
Rice Krispies Crust:
1/3 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 cups Rice Krispies cereal
Gently melt the butter in a medium saucepan. When the butter is nearly melted, add the chocolate chips with the heat at the lowest possible setting. Leave the pan alone for 1 minute, then turn off the heat, swirling the pan so that the butter runs over the chips. Let sit undisturbed for 5 minutes, then whisk to smooth. Add the cereal and stir until evenly mixed. Gently press the mixture into the bottom and up the side of a 9 1/2-inch deep dish pie pan. Let cool to room temperature, then place in the freezer until firm, about 15 minutes.
Filling:
30 caramels
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons water
8 ounce package full-fat cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping:
3 tablespoons water
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine the caramels, butter, and water in a medium saucepan over very low heat. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the caramels have melted. Whisk well to smooth, then pour over the nuts, covering the pie shell evenly. Refrigerate.
Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese in a medium-size bowl until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth. Scrape this mixture over the chilled caramel, smoothing it with a spoon. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Make the topping. Combine the water and chocolate in a small, heavy saucepan over very low heat, stirring frequently until the chocolate has melted and is smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
Beat the heavy cream in a large bowl until it holds soft peaks. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until stiff but not grainy. Add the cooled chocolate to the remaining whipped cream and fold it in until evenly blended. Spread evenly over the pie. Cover with loosely tented foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Slice and serve.
It's early October which means Halloween is just around the corner which means huge bags of candies are spilling over store shelves in anticipation of the trick-or-treat crowd. Despite the fact that my kids are grown and live elsewhere, and despite the fact that my tucked away small neighborhood cul-de-sac rarely sees trick-or-treaters, I still stock up on sweet treats to indulge my sweet tooth and to placate my peanut-butter-chocolate-loving hubby.
With a pantry full of candy and yet another pie to bake on my fifty pie quest, it's obvious that I should incorporate candy bars into my pies. I found a whimsical recipe in Ken Haedrich's pie cookbook, ideal for those with young children who love to help out in the kitchen. There is no baking involved, and the easy assembly steps are perfect for the budding young cook.
We are in the midst of the huge cupcake rage which amuses me to no end. Everywhere I turn, I am assaulted by cupcakes. Cupcake cookbooks, aprons, specialty bakeries, TV shows, wrapping paper, ornaments, jewelry and on and on ad nauseum. I defiantly exclaim that these miniature pies can hold their own against the cupcake deluge. If you happen to have a cupcake display stand, you can perch the pies on it and make a bold anti-cupcake statement. They look every bit as cute as their ridiculously popular rivals.
Crust:
6 mini store-bought graham cracker crusts
Filling:
One 8-ounce package full-fat cream cheese, slightly softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
One 2.1-ounce Butterfinger candy bar, finely chopped
Reece's Pieces for garnish
Place the crusts on a baking sheet, prebaking them according to the package directions. Set aside on a wire rack to cool thoroughly, then refrigerate until ready to use.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and brown sugar and beat until smooth, scraping down the bowl once or twice. Add the peanut butter and vanilla and beat again until smooth. Wash and dry the beaters, then refrigerate for a few minutes.
Add the whipped cream to the peanut butter mixture and blend briefly on low speed. Finish by folding the mixture by hand with a large rubber spatula until evenly combined.
Sprinkle some of the chopped Butterfinger in the bottom of each chilled pie shell. Spoon some of the filling into each shell, dividing it evenly among them. Sprinkle more of the Butterfinger over each pie. Garnish with a few Reece's pieces. Put the pies on a small baking sheet and refrigerate for 1-2 hours, or longer if desired.
My September apple pie theme comes to an end, and I am practically speechless over this caramel apple pecan pie. I am a cream pie aficionado, but this gooey decadent concoction has me seriously considering my allegiance to my first love. It's a super sweet pie, and those with sweet teeth will certainly appreciate it. As store shelves are loading up on Halloween candy, it's a perfect time to pick up a few bags of caramels and give this pie a whirl.
The recipe is another of Ken Haedrich's with one slight alteration. I added more cornstarch to the filling to thicken it further. The golden delicious apples I used must have been extra juicy which warranted the extra cornstarch. Ken states that you may use another type of apple, but the Golden holds its shape well during baking. If you prefer, substitute 1 or 2 Granny Smiths or other tart apples in the recipe. Interestingly, as I plopped several golden apples into my shopping bag, the produce clerk bee-lined over to me and exclaimed what good pies the apples make as he had just baked one himself the day before. His assessment was spot on. The apples produced a phenomenal pie!
Serve the pie warm with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream, and prepare to be wowed!
Crust:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup cold water
Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter, tossing it with the flour. With electric mixer on low speed, blend butter into the flour until you have what looks like coarse, damp meal. Turning the mixer on and off, add half of the water. Mix briefly on low speed. Add the remaining water, mixing slowly until the dough starts to form large clumps. Do not overmix.
Test the dough by squeezing some of it between your fingers. Add water, a teaspoon at a time, if the dough seems dry and not packable. Using your hands, pack the dough in a ball. Knead once or twice, then flatten into 3/4-inch thick disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for an hour before rolling.
On a sheet of lightly floured waxed paper, roll the dough into a 13-inch circle with a floured rolling pin. Invert over a 9 1/2-inch pie pan, center, and peel off paper. Tuck the pastry into the pan, sculpting the overhang into an upstanding ridge. Scatter the caramel pieces in the pie shell and place in freezer for 15 minutes while preparing the filling. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Filling:
7 cups peeled, cored, and sliced Golden Delicious apples
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine the apples, brown sugar, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Mix well, then set aside for 5-10 minutes to juice. Mix the granulated sugar and cornstarch together in a small bowl. Stir the mixture into the fruit along with the cinnamon and vanilla. Scrape the filling into the chilled pie shell, smoothing the fruit with your hands. Put the pie on the center oven rack and bake for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the crumb topping.
Pecan Crumb Topping:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup pecan halves
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
Combine the flour, pecan halves, granulated sugar, and salt in a food processor. Pulse several times, chopping the nuts coarsely. Scatter the butter over the dry mixture and pulse the machine again until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a medium-size bowl and rub the mixture between your fingers to make damp, gravelly crumbs. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Remove the pie from the oven and reduce the temperature to 375 degrees. Carefully dump the crumbs in the center of the pie, spreading them evenly over the surface with your hands. Tamp them down lightly. Return the pie to the oven, placing it so that the part that faced the back of the oven now faces forward. Just in case, slide a large aluminum foil-lined baking sheet onto the rack below to catch any drips. Bake until the juices bubble thickly around the edge, 30-40 minutes. If necessary, cover the pie with loosely tented aluminum foil for that last 15 minutes to keep the top from getting too dark.
Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool for about 1 hour.
While the pie is still warm - approaching the 1-hour mark - prepare the caramel.
Caramel and Garnish
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon water
30 caramels
Large handful of pecan halves
Combine the butter, water, and caramels in the top of a double boiler. Melt the caramels over, not in, barely simmering water. This may take 10 minutes or more. To facilitate the melting, press down on them as they start to soften and melt. When melted, whisk the mixture until it is smooth, then drizzle the caramel over the entire surface of the pie. Immediately press the pecan halves into the caramel in a random fashion. Let cool for another hour before serving.
Whenever I think of applesauce, I chuckle. Applesauce makes me think of my dearest friend from my military wife days, Erin Flores Dawley. I met her while our Marine husbands were stationed together at 3rd Recon Battalion in Okinawa, Japan. We instantly bonded after first meeting. Erin was of English descent with a penchant for Asian culture. I am of Asian descent with a love of all things British.
As our husbands spent many months in rigorous training, we spent many hours in conversation over a hot "cuppa" of perfectly brewed English tea. We planned exquisite tea parties that became weekly affairs. We dubbed ourselves the ladies of F.A.T. - Friday Afternoon Tea. That day became an oasis in my week, a day where I could connect and commiserate with dear friends while our husbands defended our freedoms in faraway war zones. I had a newborn and a toddler and was scared witless to have Joe fighting in the midst of Operation Desert Storm. The tea ladies became my family, my lifeline, my anchor, my escape during those uncertain times.
Being military wives in a foreign land, we all experienced the rich and diverse culture of Okinawa, Japan and the oftentimes hilarious encounters of being a military dependent in a foreign country. It was one of these encounters that Erin shared with me over tea that will be indelibly etched into my brain and will surface whenever applesauce is mentioned.
Erin's son, an infant at the time, was having tummy troubles. Erin took him to the base clinic and as anyone who has ever experienced socialized medicine can attest, you get what you get in terms of medical treatment. The doctor that tended to her son was a Chinese man with a thick accent. The way Erin described him, I envisioned a short man with buck teeth and a thick shock of jet black hair fringing his coke bottle lens glasses. After poking and prodding the infant and inquiring about his symptoms, he recommended that Erin feed him Epsom salts to relieve the gastrointestinal distress.
Erin stared at him in disbelief. "Epsom salts??", she exclaimed.
"No, no, no!" the doctor retorted in an exasperated tone, his buck teeth jutting, his shock of black bangs flinging over his glasses as he shook his head. "Not Epsom salts. Epsom salts!"
It finally dawned on Erin that the doctor was saying "applesauce", but in his thick Chinese accent, she was hearing "Epsom salts"!
We both had a good laugh and to this day every time applesauce is mentioned, I fondly think of Erin, our wonderful teas, the fun conversations and the heartwarming experiences we shared being military wives in the Land of the Rising Sun. This applesauce pie recipe is in her honor. And I halfway assume that the applesauce in it will quell any tummy troubles.
Just make sure not to substitute Epsom salts in the recipe.
Crust:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
1/4 cup cold water
Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Toss well by hand to mix. Scatter the butter over the dry ingredients and toss to mix. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut or rub the butter into the flour until it is broken into pieces the size of small peas. Add the shortening and continue to cut until all of the fat is cut into small pieces. Sprinkle half of the water over the mixture. Toss well with a fork to dampen the mixture. Add the remaining water, 1 1/2-2 tablespoons at a time, and continue to toss and mix, pulling the mixture up from the bottom of the bowl on the upstroke and gently pressing down on the downstroke. Dough made my hand often needs a bit more water. If necessary, add water 1-2 tablespoons at a time until the pastry can be packed.
Using your hands, pack the pastry into a ball as you would pack a snowball. Knead the ball once or twice, then flatten the ball into a 3/4-inch-thick disk on a floured work surface. Wrap the disk in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight before rolling.
On a sheet of lightly floured waxed paper, roll the pastry into a 12-inch circle with a floured rolling pin. Invert the pastry over a 9-inch pie pan, center, and peel off the paper. Tuck the pastry into the pan, without stretching it, and sculpt the edge so it is just slightly higher than the rim. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes and prepare filling.
Filling:
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 1/2 cups sweetened applesauce
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
Combine the eggs, egg yolk, and sugars in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, blend the ingredients on medium speed until well mixed, about 30 seconds. Add all the remaining ingredients and beat again until evenly blended. Carefully pour the filling into the chilled pie shell.
Place the pie on the center oven rack and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake until the filling is set, about 30 minutes more. Rotate the pie 180 degrees, so that the part that faced the back of the oven now faces forward, about 15 minutes before it is done. The pie's surface should have a flat finish, although the center will still be glossy. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool thoroughly. Cover with loosely tented foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
I'm three pies into my September apple pie theme and the further I research the amazing apple, the more I realize just how entrenched the apple is in American culture and how it symbolizes some of our country's strongest values. Health is reflected in the saying "an apple a day keeps the doctor away". Education is the focus when we gift a teacher with a shiny red apple on the first day of school. Our core values of family and freedom ring true when we hear the saying "as American as the flag and apple pie".
However, it appears other countries are vying for a slice of apple pie goodness. There's German apple pie which incorporates cream into the filling. Swedish apple pie lacks a bottom crust but boasts a crunchy top crust. French apple pie has a traditional bottom crust with a nutty crumb topping. And the pie I shall feature next is a Dutch apple pie whose spicy filling is sprinkled with a scrumptious brown sugar streusel. I dubbed this pie a Double Dutch Deluxe because it's baked in a deep dish and is studded with dried cranberries, a wonderful complement to the spicy apple filling.
I used Chrystal's never-fail pie crust recipe. It makes four crusts which allowed me to freeze extra for future pies. I wrapped the extra pastry dough well. It thawed beautifully and baked to flaky perfection. As the pie baked, my whole house was filled with the autumnal scents of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. This pie would be a great contribution to a Labor Day picnic or a tailgate party, both all-American pastimes. So why not take a Dutch apple pie to serve, perhaps along with French vanilla ice cream? It would certainly be a delicious twist on an American tradition!
Chrystal's Never Fail Pie Crust (Makes 2 2-crust or 4 1-crust pies)
4 cups flour
1 3/4 cup shortening
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 egg
1 1/2 cup ice cold water
Mix flour, shortening, sugar and salt with a fork. Beat egg, vinegar and water together and add a little at a time to flour mixture (you may not use all the liquid). Use a fork or cut in with a wire dough cutter until the right consistency (flour clumps into pieces the size of small peas). Divide dough equally into four sections. Pat three sections into 3/4-inch discs, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze for future pies.
Roll out the remaining dough section into a 13-inch circle between sheets of wax paper. Transfer to a 9 1/2 inch pie pan and refrigerate while preparing the filling. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
8 cups peeled, cored, and sliced Granny Smith apples
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons butter
Mix the sugars, cornstarch, salt and spices together in a small bowl. Set aside. Combine the apples and lemon juice in a large bowl. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of the sugar mixture evenly over the chilled pie shell. Arrange a single, compact layer of apples, flat side down, in the shell. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the sugar mixture and some dried cranberries. Arrange a second layer of apples over the first and sprinkle with another tablespoon of the sugar mixture and more dried cranberries. Continue until all the apples, sugar mixture and cranberries have been used. Dot with 2 tablespoons of butter. Lay a sheet of aluminum foil lightly on top of filling but do not seal. Bake in 425 degree oven for 10 minutes and prepare streusel topping in the meantime.
Streusel Topping:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup oats
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup butter
In medium bowl combine flour, cinnamon, brown sugar, oats and lemon zest. Mix thoroughly, then cut in 1/2 cup butter until mixture is crumbly. Remove filling from oven and sprinkle streusel on top.
Reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake an additional 35-40 minutes until streusel is browned and apples are tender. Cover pie loosely with aluminum foil to prevent excess browning.
It's September in Montana. Autumn is sneaking in on summer's turf, nudging it away. The sun seems tired, slipping into the horizon earlier each evening and hoisting itself into the sky later each morning. The trees, in response to the nippy air's bite and the waning sunlight, are donning garments of gold, orange, and vermillion. It's a melancholy time for me as I bid my favorite season adieu and swap sandals and sundresses for sweaters and scarves. But there is one thing about autumn that I adore.
Apples!
I'm fortunate to live in the region of the United States where apple orchards thrive and where I have access to countless varieties. As I began my research on apples, I discovered there are 7500 varieties worldwide. The United States grows 2,500 of these of which 100 are grown commercially. Some of them are perfect for eating out of hand, like the Fuji or Honeycrisp. Others are ideal for cooking, like the Cameo or Rome, or for cider making, like the Dabinett. And at the risk of sounding like an apple snob, there are apples that simply look pretty but offer little in flavor, texture or cooking utility, like the Red Delicious which is a misnomer, in my opinion.
The names of these countless varieties of apples are delightful. There are regal sounding names such as Edward II, King of Tompkins, and Lubsk Queen. There are foreign names such as Couer de Boeuf and Muscadet de Dieppe. Maybe on Sunday you can partake in the varieties with religious titles such as the Reverend Morgan, the Reverend Wilks, and the Revival. But perhaps you better steer clear of the Nonnetit Bastard and the Red Devil. For a feminine dose, try the Pink Pearl, the Pink Sparkle, or the Pink Princess. And temper those with their masculine counterparts, the Chieftain, Captain Kidd, and Cardinal Von Galen. Twist your tongue with the Red Bietigheimer, the Delbarestivale, or the Itzstedster Apfel. And indulge your inner Dr. Seuss with the Peasgood Nonsuch, the Fallawater Pippin, and the Goof.
Had I known the vast extent of apple varieties available and the great versatility of this ubiquitous fruit, I could have reached my goal of baking 50 pies using apples alone. Apples pair amazingly well with other fruits such as blueberries, pears, and cranberries. Applesauce and apple butter are also ideal ingredients for the pies. Apples also freeze well in pies and dehydrate beautifully to be enjoyed year round.
So to take advantage of the availability and versatility of the amazing apple, I will feature it in my next few pies. And I won't let Carl Sagan's words intimidate me. "To make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe."
A dear woman in my church recently passed away. Chrystal Fern Hunt lived 96 glorious years on this earth. She was a tireless missionary, a fervent prayer warrior, and a devoted wife and mother. She was a pillar of tradition yet passed no judgment on those who were counter culture. She accepted with kindness all who crossed her path, and strangers and friends alike were blessed by the countless prayers Chrystal prayed on their behalf. To know Chrystal was to know God's love and compassion and grace. Earth has lost a dear soul.
Chrystal was also a marvelous cook. She excelled at baking pies, hundreds and perhaps thousands of them during her near centennial lifespan, and she shared her pie-making expertise at church. Women young and old would flock to her pie-making classes, seasoned cooks and unseasoned novices alike, hoping to glean some pie wisdom from this sweet woman. As I reminisce, I realize what a wonderful gift it was for Chrystal and the elderly women in our church to guide and mentor their younger sisterhood. The older generation has so much to offer and in my opinion, represents what is so honorable and good about tradition. Our society today is so lacking in proper etiquette, modesty, graciousness, and patience and so quick to discount the older generation as stodgy, irrelevant, and behind the times. What if we all sought out godly mentors, soaked in their teachings and skills, then went out into this fallen world to practice what they taught us and to pay it forward? I dare say that this battered world would be a vastly improved place.
It's with great regret I never had a pastry-making lesson with Chrystal. But fortunately her daughter-in-law Jody gifted me with the cherished recipe on my 50th birthday. So although the first 50 years of my life have been sadly lacking in pie-baking ability, I am reassured that with Chrystal's recipe, my next 50 years, God-willing, will abound in glorious pies! It's not merely Chrystal's pie making skills I want to emulate. I can only hope to bear the fruits of the spirit that she embodied and lived out to ripe fullness: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Thank you, Chrystal, for your never fail pie crust recipe. But mostly, thank you for being the beautiful embodiment of God's unfailing love.
Chrystal's Never Fail Pie Crust (Makes 2 2-crust or 4 1-crust pies)
4 cups flour
1 3/4 cup shortening
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 egg
1 1/2 cup ice cold water
Chrystal's crust recipe contains an egg. It's an unusual ingredient but I believe it's what makes her recipe truly a never fail one. I chilled the shortening before cutting it into the flour since it was a very hot day when I prepared the crust. Make sure to use ice cold water and handle the dough as sparingly as possible. I was delightfully pleased at the flaky deliciousness of this crust! I imagine Chrystal smiling down from heaven, nodding her head in approval.
Mix flour, shortening, sugar and salt with a fork. Beat egg, vinegar and water together and add a little at a time to flour mixture (you may not use all the liquid). Use a fork or cut in with a wire dough cutter until the right consistency (flour clumps into pieces the size of small peas). Divide dough equally into four sections. Pat 2 sections into 3/4-inch discs, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze for a future pie. Wrap one of the remaining sections of dough in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator.
Roll out the remaining dough section into a 13-inch circle between sheets of wax paper. Transfer to a 9 1/2 inch pie pan and refrigerate while preparing the filling. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Filling:
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
7 cups peeled, cored, and sliced Granny Smith apples
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Egg yolk, beaten, for crust glaze
Coarse sanding sugar for sprinkling
The filling recipe is a hybrid of Martha Stewart's and Ken Haedrich's apple pie renditions. Granny Smith apples were on sale and they indeed are a good type of apple for pie. They are firm and tart, perfect for the extended baking time. Ken's version uses just one crust with a streusel topping, but I preferred Martha's double crust classic version. So I paired Ken's filling with Martha's double crust option and of course opted for Chrystal's crust recipe. I'm happy to admit the end result was near perfect!
Mix the sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a small bowl. Set aside. Combine the apples and lemon juice in a large bowl. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of the sugar mixture evenly over the chilled pie shell. Arrange a single, compact layer of apples, flat side down, in the shell. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the sugar mixture. Arrange a second layer of apples over the first and sprinkle with another tablespoon of the sugar mixture. Continue until all the apples and sugar mixture have been used.
On a separate sheet of floured waxed paper, roll the other half of the pastry into a 10-inch circle. Lightly moisten the rim of the pie shell. Invert the top pastry over the filling, center, and peel off paper. Press the top and bottom pastries together along the dampened edge and crimp edges together. With a paring knife, cut slits in top of dough. Brush pie with egg yolk and sprinkle generously with sanding sugar.
Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake until crust is golden brown and juices bubble, 60-75 minutes more. If the top crust browns too quickly, tent pie with foil. (The high temperature helps the crust set quickly, keeping it from becoming soggy. Reducing the heat allows the apples to cook through without burning the crust). Transfer pie to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, if desired.
Chrystal Fern Hunt
The paternal side of my husband's family has deep roots in the deep south. Papa Coco grew up in New Iberia, birthplace of the famous Tabasco sauce, and I credit the Coco clan for my love of spicy fare. My relationship with Cajun cuisine has been a sizzling one. I've eaten my way across the New Orleans area a number of times, keeping syncopated step with Dixieland music and jazz while cavorting with po boy sandwiches, dirty rice and gobs of gumbo all doused with that ubiquitous Tabasco. It's a good thing I don't live in the Big Easy for I would surely be as big as a bayou.
The pièce de résistance of Louisiana fare, however, is the dessert. Beignets with chicory café au lait and pralines are the perfect chasers after a spicy meal. I'm not a Starbucks fan, but if Cafe du Monde ever become a franchise chain, I would probably be the first to buy in! With coffee and caramel pecans as my inspiration, I present to you Louisiana Mudslide Pie. It's a frozen ice cream pie, an ideal counterpoint to the peppery fire of a Cajun dinner and the sultry southern summer heat.
Pecans are incorporated into the pie crust and can also be used as a garnish. A premium coffee flavored ice cream is a requirement, and if you can find it studded with chocolate pieces, that's all the better. Purchase a good quality caramel sauce as well as a thick hot fudge sauce. I've included my recipe for fudge sauce which is easy to prepare and can be stored for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator. This is the sauce I used in my Love Potion pie, and I'm not so humble to say, this sauce is swoon-worthy!
Bon appétit!
Crust:
1 1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup pecans, finely ground in a coffee mill
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup butter, melted
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix all crust ingredients together and press evenly into a 9 1/2-inch pie pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool.
Filling:
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons caramel sauce
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons hot fudge sauce (you can use bottled, but recipe is below)
1/2 gallon coffee ice cream, softened
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans for garnish (optional)
Spoon 1/3 cup of caramel topping and into cooled pie crust and freeze for about 15 minutes. Remove from freezer and spread half of ice cream over the caramel sauce. Spread another 1/3 cup of caramel sauce and 2/3 cup of hot fudge sauce over the ice cream. Sprinkle with 1/4 cups chocolate chips and then spread remaining ice cream into the pie pan. Spread remaining 2 tablespoons each of the caramel and hot fudge sauce over top of pie. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips and sprinkle with pecans if desired.
Freeze at least 4 hours before serving.
Fudge Sauce:
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Heat the milk, chocolate chips and sugar to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Reserve 1 cup of sauce for the pie and store the remaining sauce in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for another use.
