Spring officially began March 20, but way up north in Montana, Mother Nature pays no attention to the calendar. I joke that Montana's climate is bi-polar; it's as cold as the South Pole and as cold as the North Pole. I have endured yet another week of unwelcome spring snow, cold temperatures, and biting wind. To add insult to injury, our heater quit due to a flooded crawl space. I am insanely jealous of my sun-basking, sandal-clad southern friends who are reveling in the colorful profusion of spring flowers. Here I sit bundled in my snuggie, sipping hot tea next to a roaring fire, gazing out my window at depressing shades of gray. I am craving heavy comfort foods and am tempted to start baking some holiday pies just to keep in step with Mother Nature's wacky rhythms.
Desperate to infuse some color into the dreary monochrome of winter, I decided to try an orange pie featured in Ken Haedrich's cookbook. My dear friend Teresa who threw my 50th SurPIES party loves the color orange. I thought this pie would be perfect baked in the tangerine fiestaware dish I bought her.
The crust is a basic graham cracker recipe with an unusual added ingredient of pistachios which offer a fun flavor twist. The bright green hue of the nuts add some eye-popping color to the crust as well. The filling is akin to a key lime pie. You can use regular lime juice but I opted for key lime juice for that extra punch of citrus zing. This pie's happy color and sprightly taste reminds me of citrusy locales like Florida and California. Mother Nature may be stingy in delivering spring warmth up north, but this wonderful pie is my virtual ticket to the sunshine state and the golden state. For this shivering northern girl, it's a sure cure for the springtime doldrums.
Pistachio Graham Cracker Crust:
3/4 cups chopped pistachios
2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Big pinch of salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9 1/2 inch pie pan and set aside. Combine the nuts, brown sugar, and flour in a food processor and process in a number of long bursts until the nuts are very finely chopped. Dump the mixture into a large bowl. Run your fingers through them, breaking up any bigger pieces the machine might have missed. Stir in the graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon, and salt. Add the butter and incorporate well. Mix first with a fork, then with your hands, and rub everything together thoroughly to form evenly dampened crumbs.
Spread the crumbs evenly and loosely in the pie pan, pressing them into the bottom and up the side. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Place on the center oven rack and bake for 7 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
Filling:
2 cups fresh orange juice (or use a not-from-concentrate brand such as Tropicana)
2 cups (about 1 1/2 14-ounce cans) sweetened condensed milk
5 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons grated orange zest (optional)
Garnish:
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
Threads of orange zest
Bring the orange juice to a rapid boil in a medium saucepan. Continue to boil until reduced to about 2/3 cup; keep a heatproof measuring cup nearby to check. Pour into a shallow bowl and let cool briefly. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the condensed milk, egg yolks, lime juice, vanilla, and orange zest in a large bowl, whisking well to combine. Whisk in the reduced orange juice until evenly blended. Pour the filling into the cooled pie shell.
Place the pie on the center oven rack and bake for 20 minutes. Even if the filling does not appear solid, remove the pie from the oven; the filling will firm up as the pie cools. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool thoroughly. Cover with loosely tented aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably longer. Pipe the whipped cream decoratively over the pie, or simply smooth it over the top. Garnish with the orange zest, if desired, using a lemon zester or sharp vegetable peeler to peel off long threads. Slice and serve.
If almonds you adore, Amaretto-Amaretti pie you will amore. This recipe is another from pie master Ken Haedrich, but I've taken some creative license with it since I'm nuts about almonds. Each component of the pie is based on my favorite nut. The crust begins with amaretti which are dry Italian cookies found at most large supermarkets. If you can't locate amaretti, you can substitute plain biscotti. The pie filling and the whipped cream topping are laced with amaretto, a sweet Italian almond flavored liqueur. For an elegant presentation, I garnish the pie with chocolate dipped almonds.
The pie is more like a flourless chocolate torte. The nearly indiscernible crust melds lusciously into the dense chocolate filling. The light whipped topping perfectly complements the pie's rich flavor and deep color. I would serve this dessert as the grand finale to a romantic dinner. Break out your finest crystal and silver. Light some candles and play some Dean Martin love songs as mood music. With Dino crooning in the background, you'll be swooning over this decadent treat. When the moon hits your eye like a big amaretto pie, that's amore!
Amaretti Crumb Crust:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup ground almonds (I grind them in a coffee mill)
1 1/4 cups amaretti crumbs (can substitute biscotti crumbs)
2 tablespoons sugar
Combine butter and chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until melted. Cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, combine the ground almonds, amaretti crumbs and sugar in a medium bowl. Add the chocolate mixture and stir well. Transfer the crumb blend to 9 1/2-inch deep dish pie pan, pressing it into the bottom and up the side. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Filling:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 cup heavy or whipping cream
2 tablespoons amaretto
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Garnish:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon amaretto (can substitute almond extract)
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
16-20 whole almonds
Place the butter and chocolate in small saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly until melted. Remove from heat and cool. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, beat the sugar, eggs, and salt with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the mixture is thick, pale yellow, and foamy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the corn syrup, heavy cream, amaretto, vanilla and chocolate mixture until evenly blended. Pour the filling into the chilled pie shell.
Place the pie on the center oven rack and bake until it has puffed considerably around the edge and slightly less in the center, about 50 minutes. Rotate the pie 180 degrees halfway through the baking, so that the part that faced the back of the oven now faces forward. When done, the filling will be wobbly but not soupy in the center.
Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a small saucepan. Dip the almonds halfway in the melted chocolate and place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes to harden chocolate. Whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add amaretto and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Pipe or spread whipped cream onto cooled pie. Garnish with chocolate-dipped almonds. This pie can be served warm or at room temperature.
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum! I finish out my spirited pie theme with a rum infused coconut pie. Bursting with Caribbean flavors and a delicious coconut crust this pie is sure to turn the surliest pirate into a sappy pie-rate! The recipe calls for dark rum which differs from golden and light rum. Dark rum retains some of the residual molasses used in the distillation process and its deep flavor with hints of spice are best for this pie. I recommend Myers's rum not because Myers is my maiden and I might be distantly related to the founder of one of the most famous rum distilleries in the world, but because Myers Rum Company uses only pure Jamaican molasses and its quality is unparalleled. Arrr!
This pie can be made a week ahead and kept frozen until serving time. Make sure to add the pineapple slices and toasted coconut garnish just before serving. The pie's tropical flavor is reminiscent of a piña colada. It would be a perfect accompaniment to a luau, a Caribbean theme gathering, and dare I say a swashbucklin' pirate bash!
So ahoy, mateys! Tote this pie to your next grog fest. All yer hearties and scallywags alike will take a shine to your fine grub! Arrrgh!
Crust:
1 1/4 cup packed sweetened flaked coconut (reserve 1/4 cup for garnish)
1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 large egg white
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread coconut onto cookie sheet and toast for about 10 minutes until golden brown, stirring every few minutes to prevent burning. Set aside 1/4 cup for garnish. In small bowl mix coconut with graham cracker crumbs, butter and egg white. Press mixture into a 9 1/2 inch pie pan. Freeze 10 minutes. Bake crust until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cool. Place in freezer.
Filling:
1 (15 ounce) can cream of coconut (such as Coco Lopez) well blended
6 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
3 tablespoons dark rum (you can substitute 2 teaspoons of rum extract)
1 (16 ounce) can pineapple rings, drained
1/4 cup apricot preserves, stirred to soften
Whisk 1 cup cream of coconut, egg yolks, and lime juice in large metal saucepan. On medium low heat, whisk mixture continuously until candy thermometer registers 165 degrees, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Using electric mixer, beat mixture until cool and thick, about 5 minutes.
Whip heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add extract and remaining cream of coconut and whip until stiff peaks form. Fold cream mixture into egg mixture. Freeze until softly set, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours.
Spoon filling into crust, mounding slightly. Cover and freeze overnight. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Keep frozen).
When ready to serve, run a small knife around sides of pan. Arrange pineapple on top of pie in overlapping circles. Brush with preserves. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup toasted coconut.
I was blessed with many lovely gifts for my birthday. An especially appropriate gift made me chuckle when I opened it. I was the recipient of Martha Stewart's new edition of Pies and Tarts, fresh from the publishing house. My original Martha Stewart pie cookbook mysteriously disappeared years ago. I may have relegated it to a yard sale, but all I know is that the sadly neglected cookbook contained scads of recipes that never saw the light of day thanks to my pie-baking moratorium.
So far I have been very impressed with my lone pie cookbook by Ken Haedrich. But who am I to turn up my nose at Martha, the doyenne of domesticity? Flipping through the crisp pages of her Pies and Tarts, a tantalizing photograph of a vanilla cream pie caught my eye. Remember, my virgin voyage into pie making 37 years ago involved a vanilla cream disaster in Miss Miranda's home economics class. My recent reprise of Miss M's recipe was not much of an improvement. Could Ms. Stewart turn my vanilla cream nightmare into a vanilla cream dream? I set out to give her recipe the old junior high try.
Martha's vanilla cream pie is a grown-up version of my middle school recipe. For starters, it's laced with rum, infused with the seeds and pod of a vanilla bean, and uses a pastry crust versus a graham cracker crust. In true Martha fashion, she calls the crust Pâte Brisée, a fancy French name meaning "broken pastry" which refers to the cutting of the butter into the flour. For us common folks, it is simply a butter crust. Martha's recipe calls for the dough to be rolled on a floured surface. I use Ken Haedrich's tactic of rolling the pastry out on waxed paper which is easier and less messy.
I'd be curious to hear Miss Miranda's critique of this sophisticated, spiked version of her basic pie recipe. She may not approve of Martha's Stewart's adaptation of vanilla cream pie, but the proof is in the pudding, or more aptly, the custard. I was delighted with the deep vanilla flavor and the jazzy rum overtones in the smooth yet firm filling. Make this pie at your next dinner party and if you're feeling highfalutin, impress your guests by saying you made the Pâte Brisée from scratch.
Pâte Brisée:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup ice water
Pulse flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor (or whisk together by hand in a bowl). Add butter and pulse (or quickly cut in with a pastry blender) until mixture resembles coarse meal. Slowly drizzle 1/4 cup water over mixture. Pulse (or mix with a fork) until mixture just begins to hold together. If dough is too dry, add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, and pulse (or mix with fork).
Gather dough into a ball, wrap loosely in plastic, and press into a disk using a rolling pin. Refrigerate until firm, well wrapped in plastic, 1 hour or up to 1 day. (Dough can be frozen for up to 3 months; thaw in refrigerator before using).
On a sheet of lightly floured waxed paper, roll the 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, sculpting the overhang into an upstanding ridge. Crimp edge for a decorative touch, if desired. Place in freezer for 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line shell with foil; fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges begin to turn gold, 15-18 minutes. Remove weights and foil. Bake until crust is golden brown, 12-15 minutes more. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Filling: (Martha's recipe calls for the yolks to be added later but I added them to the milk mixture and cooked everything together as Ken Haedrich advises in his cream pie recipes)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups milk
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise and scraped, pod reserved
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon golden rum (2 teaspoons rum extract can be substituted)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons and softened
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
Combine granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk in milk, vanilla seeds, and yolks and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until bubbling and thick, about 7 minutes. Pour mixture through a fine sieve into a large bowl, and stir in 1/4 cup rum. Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking until melted. Let cool, whisking occasionally, about 10 minutes.
Pour custard into crust. Press plastic wrap directly on surface of custard. Refrigerate until custard is firm, about 4 hours or up to a day. Meanwhile, place cream and vanilla pod in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or up to a day. Just before serving, remove pod from cream and discard. Whip cream until soft peaks form. Add confectioners' sugar and remaining tablespoon rum and whip until stiff peaks form. Spread whipped cream over pie. Serve immediately.
I just returned from a fun-filled, family-filled and food-filled visit to Colorado. Montana has its good qualities and ethnic cuisine is not one of them. So to make up for my chronic state of Latin and Asian food deprivation, I departed the Treasure State and spent a week in the Centennial State to celebrate my semi-centennial milestone birthday where I feasted on Japanese and Mexican fare. I indulged in sushi and salsa, bento and burritos, tempura and tamales, green tea and green chili. My mother and sisters are extraordinary cooks, so I was in culinary heaven during my stay. Their tasty recipes were accompanied by my brother-in-law's amazing margaritas. Jose Cuervo and Jimmy Buffett take note. Dale's margaritas will blow off your sombreros and send your flip flops flying. I can't divulge Dale's secret recipe here, but I will share the recipe for the pie that was inspired by his margaritas.
This pie whips up quickly and can be made a few days ahead and stored in the freezer. I love the triple combination of the salty pretzel crust, the sweet, tangy filling and the sugared lime slices. If there ever were three amigos that got along famously, this trio would be it. This pie would make a great finale at a Cinco de Mayo fiesta.
Speaking of fiestas, my family threw a big birthday potluck party for me in Colorado. Needless to say, the menu featured my favorite Mexican and Japanese dishes. I contributed the margarita pie for dessert since it was easy, breezy but not quite Japanesey. This is where the Midori comes in for some Asian persuasion. Midori, a vibrant green melon liqueur, can be substituted for the tequila in this recipe. I hope you enjoy the refreshing taste and simple preparation of this pie. It truly is as easy as one, two, three or, shall I say, uno, dos, tres and ichi, ni, san.
Crust:
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter
1 1/4 cup thin salted pretzel sticks, crushed fine
1/2 cup sugar
Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in pretzel crumbs and sugar until well blended. Press firmly over bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Place in freezer until firm.
Filling:
1/4 cup tequila (can substitute lime juice) or 1/4 cup Midori liqueur
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup Fresca carbonated soda
1 tablespoon lime juice
Finely grated zest of 1 lime
1 1/4 cups cold heavy whipping cream
Lime slices dusted in granulated sugar for garnish
Combine the tequila and orange juice in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top and set aside.
Combine the eggs, sugar, Fresca, lime juice and lime zest in a small saucepan. Place over medium heat and cook, whisking continuously until the mixture thickens, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and blend in the tequila mixture, whisking to dissolve the gelatin. Scrape into a large bowl, transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until the mixture is cool to the touch, stirring occasionally.
When the custard is cool, using a chilled medium bowl and chilled beaters, beat the cream with an electric mixer until it is stiff. Fold about one-third of the whipped cream into the custard with a large rubber spatula. Add the remaining whipped cream and fold until the filling is evenly combined. Scrape the filling into the chilled pie shell and smooth the top. Cover loosely and place in freezer for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Let sit in refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving. Garnish with lime slices dusted in granulated sugar.
