The Everything Pie Cookbook (26 page)

you can fold in ½ cup of miniature chocolate chips for extra flavor.

IngredIents  | ServeS 8

1. In a large bowl, cream together the cream cheese, mint

6 ounces cream cheese, softened

extract, and powdered sugar. Mix until smooth, then set

½ teaspoon mint extract

aside.

1 cup powdered sugar

2. In a separate bowl, whip the cream with the vanilla

1 cup heavy cream

until it forms medium peaks. Fold the cream into the

½ teaspoon vanilla

mint mixture along with 1⁄3 cup of the crushed

1 (9-inch) Chocolate Cookie Crust, baked

and cooled (See Chapter 2)

peppermint candy until no streaks of cream remain.

½ cup crushed peppermint candy, divided

3. Pour the mixture into the prepared crust and garnish

with the remaining candy. Chill for 4 hours before

Powdered Sugar Decorations

serving.

When serving pies decorated with pow-

dered sugar, it is best to dust them just

before serving.

16 6

Cranberry Walnut Pie

If you prefer, you can use pecans or almonds for the walnuts in this pie, or even use peanuts.

IngredIents  | ServeS 8

1. Heat the oven to 375°F.

1 (9-inch) pastry crust, unbaked

2. Line the pie crust with parchment paper or a double

1½ cups chopped walnuts

layer of aluminum foil and add pie weights or dry

4 cups fresh cranberries

beans. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the paper and

1½ cups packed light brown sugar

weights and bake for an additional 10 to 12 minutes, or

2 tablespoons cornstarch

½ teaspoon cinnamon

until the crust is golden brown all over. Remove from

2 teaspoons orange zest

the oven and set aside to cool. Leave the oven on.

1 tablespoon orange juice

3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then spread

the chopped walnuts evenly over the sheet. Bake for 8

to 10 minutes, or until the nuts become fragrant. Cool

to room temperature.

4. In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries and

light brown sugar over medium heat. Cook, stirring

constantly until the berries burst and the mixture

thickens. Cool to room temperature, then stir in the

cornstarch, cinnamon, orange zest, orange juice, and

walnuts. Pour the mixture into the prepared crust.

5. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly

and thickened. Cool to room temperature before

serving.

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16 7

Cranberry Chiffon Pie

Tangy, sweet, and light as a cloud, this pie is sure to please your holiday guests!

IngredIents  | ServeS 8

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the

2 cups cranberry juice

cranberry juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a

1 tablespoon powdered gelatin

simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to

¼ cup cold water

½ cup, about 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

4 egg yolks

1

2. In a small bowl, combine the gelatin and the water.

⁄3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon orange zest

Allow to stand until completely bloomed, about 10

2–3 drops red food coloring

minutes.

4 egg whites

3. In a double boiler, combine the egg yolks, sugar,

¼ teaspoon salt

orange zest, and cranberry reduction. Cook the

¼ cup sugar

mixture, whisking constantly, until thickened and

1 (9-inch) pastry crust, baked and cooled

lighter in color. Remove from the heat and add the food

1 recipe Stabilized Whipped Cream

(See Chapter 3)

coloring and bloomed gelatin. Whisk until dissolved.

Allow to cool until it starts to thicken.

Cranberries

4. In a large, clean bowl, whip the egg whites with the salt

Cranberries are the fruit of an evergreen

until they are very frothy. Gradually add in the sugar,

shrub common to the northern United

States and southern Canada. Cranberries

beating constantly, until the whites form medium

are primarily harvested by flooding the

peaks.

bogs in which they grow. Once flooded, a

harvester removes the berries, which float

5. Working in thirds, fold the egg whites into the

to the surface of the water. Once floating,

they are scooped or pumped to trucks and

cranberry mixture, making sure no large streaks of egg

taken to be processed.

white remain. Pour the mixture into the prepared crust

and chill until firm, about 4 hours.

6. Once chilled, prepare the Stabilized Whipped Cream.

Top the pie and chill for 30 minutes before serving.

16 8

Eggnog Cream Pie

Eggnog made into custard and topped with whipped cream is a fun twist on the traditional holiday
beverage. Dust the top of the pie with a little fresh grated nutmeg for a special touch.

IngredIents  | ServeS 8

1. Heat the oven to 375°F.

1 (9-inch) pastry crust, unbaked

2. Line the pie crust with parchment paper or a double

2 cups eggnog

layer of aluminum foil and add pie weights or dry

¼ cup sugar

beans. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the paper and

1 tablespoon bourbon or rum

weights and bake for an additional 10 to 12 minutes, or

¼ cup cornstarch

3 egg yolks

until the crust is golden brown all over. Remove from

¼ teaspoon salt

the oven and set aside to cool.

½ teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

3. In a medium saucepan, combine the eggnog, sugar,

½ teaspoon vanilla

bourbon or rum, cornstarch, egg yolks, salt, and

2 tablespoons butter

nutmeg. Whisk until smooth, then cook over medium

1 recipe Stabilized Whipped Cream

(See Chapter 3)

heat, stirring constantly, until it begins to simmer and

thicken.

4. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and butter.

Stir until melted. Pour through a strainer into a separate

bowl, then pour directly into the prepared crust. Place

a layer of cling film directly on the custard and chill for

at least 6 hours or overnight.

5. Once the pie has chilled, prepare the Stabilized

Whipped Cream and top the pie. Chill for 30 minutes

before serving.

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16 9

Quick Mincemeat Pie

Traditionally mincemeat takes as long as a week to prepare while the fruit soaks in the brandy and fruit
juice. In this recipe, you cook the mincemeat to speed up the process without losing the flavor.

IngredIents  | ServeS 8

1. In a large saucepan, combine the apples, dark raisins,

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored,

golden raisins, currants, butter, sugar, brandy, orange

and finely chopped

juice, orange zest, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and

1 cup dark raisins

nutmeg. Cook over medium heat until it comes to a

½ cup golden raisins

simmer. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool to

½ cup dry currants

room temperature.

4 tablespoons butter, melted

½ cup sugar

2. Heat the oven to 425°F.

¼ cup brandy

2 tablespoons orange juice

3. Fill the Mealy Pie Crust with the cooled mincemeat

1 tablespoon orange zest

mixture. Brush the edge of the bottom pie crust with

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

the beaten egg so that the top crust will adhere. Top

¼ teaspoon allspice

with the Flaky Pie Crust and trim the dough to 1 inch of

1⁄8 teaspoon cloves

the pan’s edge. Tuck the edge of the top crust under the

1⁄8 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

edge of the bottom crust. Crimp the dough using your

1 (9-inch) Mealy Pie Crust, unbaked

fingers or a fork. Brush the entire top crust with the

(See Chapter 2)

beaten egg and cut 4 or 5 slits in the top to vent steam.

1 egg, beaten

1 (9-inch) Flaky Pie Crust, chilled

4. Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake for 30

(See Chapter 2)

minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F for an additional

30 to 40 minutes, or until the pie is bubbling and the

Decorative Top Crusts

juices are thick. Cool to room temperature before

For a special winter touch to your double-

slicing.

crusted pies, why not consider making your

top crust a snowflake? Simply fold the

dough for the top crust into quarters on a

lightly dusted work surface. With a sharp

paring knife cut small slits and holes into

the folded edges and center of the pastry.

When you unfold it, you will have a unique

snowflake design!

17 0

Raisin Pie

You can substitute dried cranberries, dried cherries, or chopped dates in this pie.

IngredIents  | ServeS 8

1. Heat the oven to 425°F.

1 egg

2. Mix the egg, sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, cloves,

1⁄3 cup sugar

nutmeg, molasses, and buttermilk until smooth. Stir in

2 tablespoons cornstarch

the chopped raisins until well mixed.

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

3. Pour the raisin mixture into the Mealy Pie Crust and top

¼ teaspoon cloves

with the pastry strips. Lay out 5 strips of pie dough on

¼ teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

top of the filling about ½ inch apart. Starting ½ inch

½ cup molasses

from the edge of the pie, fold back every other strip

½ cup buttermilk

and lay down 1 strip of pastry. Fold the pastry back

1 cup dark raisins, chopped

down and fold back the other pieces. Lay down a

1 (9-inch) Mealy Pie Crust, unbaked (See

Chapter 2)

second strip about ½ inch from the first strip. Repeat

1 (9-inch) Flaky Pie Crust, cut into 10

this process until all the strips are used. Trim the dough

(1-inch) strips (See Chapter 2)

to 1 inch of the pan’s edge. Tuck the edge of the top

1 egg, beaten

crust under the edge of the bottom crust. Crimp the

dough using your fingers or a fork. Brush the lattice

Gritty Raisins

with the beaten egg.

Ever buy a box of raisins that taste a little

gritty? That is due to the natural sugars in

4. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly

the raisins crystallizing. Crystallized raisins

in the center and the lattice is golden brown. Cool for

are usually fine to eat and bake with, and

you can remove the gritty texture by

30 minutes before serving.

quickly blanching the raisins in boiling

water or apple juice.

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17 1

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

After a big meal, this fluffy pie packs in the flavor without being heavy.

IngredIents  | ServeS 8

1. In a small bowl, combine the gelatin and the water.

1 envelope unflavored powdered gelatin

Allow to stand until completely bloomed, about 10

¼ cup cold water

minutes.

1 cup sugar

2. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, egg yolks,

4 egg yolks

cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg,

2 tablespoons cornstarch

¼ teaspoon salt

and pumpkin. Cook over a double boiler, whisking

½ teaspoon cinnamon

constantly, until thickened, about 12 minutes.

¼ teaspoon allspice

3. Remove from the heat and add the gelatin and vanilla.

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

1

Mix until well blended, then allow to cool until slightly

⁄8 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

warm.

1½ cups pumpkin purée

1 teaspoon vanilla

4. In a large, clean bowl, whip the egg whites with the salt

4 egg whites

until they are very frothy. Gradually add in the

¼ teaspoon salt

remaining sugar, beating constantly, until the whites

2 tablespoons sugar

form medium peaks.

1 (9-inch) Traditional Graham Cracker

Crust, baked and cooled

5. Working in thirds, fold the egg whites into the pumpkin

1 recipe Spiked Whipped Cream

(See Chapter 3)

mixture, making sure no large streaks of egg white

remain. Pour the mixture into the prepared crust and

chill until firm, about 4 hours.

6. Once chilled, prepare the Spiked Whipped Cream. Top

the pie and serve immediately.

17 2

Sweet Potato Pie

This pie is excellent when it is still just a little warm. Try it with a little cinnamon whipped cream!

IngredIents  | ServeS 8

1. Heat the oven to 425°F.

4 medium sweet potatoes, baked until

2. Peel the sweet potatoes and place the flesh into a large

fork-tender

6 ounces cream cheese, room

bowl. Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth.

temperature

3. Add the eggs, light brown sugar, maple syrup,

2 eggs

½ cup packed light brown sugar

cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, ginger, and vanilla

2 tablespoons maple syrup