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.
