Strawberry-Blueberry Pie

I was down visiting relatives this past weekend in Iowa and fell under some trance where all I wanted to do was camp out in the kitchen and make tons of comfort foods.  I ran to the local grocery store and bought up all kinds of goodies, which included my latest pie obsession: strawberry-blueberry.  Please understand that my hosts did not have a food processor, and I honestly would never make my own pie crust if I didn't own one - so the next best thing was to purchase pie dough, which actually isn't the end of the world - although there truly is a taste difference.  Now that everyone has picked up their jaws (store-bought pie dough is not a sign of end times) - here is the filling:

2 qt containers strawberries, hulled and rough chopped

2 pt. containers blueberries

zest and juice of one lemon

3/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. vanilla

4 tsbp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted.

Egg wash and sugar for finishing top crust

In a bowl mix together the berries with the lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, salt and vanilla.  Pour into a pie dish that has been fitted with one of the rounds of pie dough (obviously you can make your own as well).  Make sure to adjust filling so there are no large open spaces and that it is somewhat even on the top.  Drizzle melted butter over top.  Score top round with vents to steam can escape and place on top of berry mixture.  Tuck edges under bottom crust edge and seal the edge however you desire.  Place into refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Before you pull the pie out of the refrigerator, whisk together one egg and 1/4 c. milk, 1/2&1/2 or cream - preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Remove pie from refrigerator and brush top with egg mixture, then sprinkle generously with 1/4 c. sugar.  Place into oven and bake for 20 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 25 more minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool before slicing - this will assure your liquid inside the pie sets up fully and does not run all over.  

Blackberry-Blueberry Mini, Deep-Dish Pies

Will post the recipe shortly.

Maple Syrup Pie with Walnut Crust

Maple syrup says home and family to me, it is a comfort condiment.  I figured why not take maple syrup and create a pie for occasions that celebrate family and friends.  Paired with a crust made from walnuts, it is destined to be a standard at all of your celebrations.  You can use pecans in the crust if you desire as that also would pair well with maple syrup.

Walnut Crust:
1 1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup walnuts (or pecans)
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
8 tbsp cold, unsalted butter - sliced
2-3 tbsp. cold water

In a food processor, pulse together flour, nuts, sugar and salt until nuts are finely ground.  Add sliced, cold butter and pulse until combined - then with the food processor on, slowly pour in water through feed tube.  Mixture should come together.  If it does not, remove top and stir with fork to move mixture around then put top back on and pulse until it comes together.

Place dough onto a large silpat and form into a disk right away.  Place a second large silpat on top and using a french rolling pin, roll dough into roughly a 12" round.  Remove top large silpat and then grabbing the lower silpat with dough attached, turn upside down over (on top) of your pie dish, laying centered over pie dish.  Slowly remove silpat and then gently lift edges of crust and push crust into corners.  Roll hanging edge up and under to create crust and crimp as desired.  Using a fork, prick bottom crust to ensure no bubbling occurs.

Maple Syrup Filling
1 1/4 cups quality, maple syrup
3/4 cup heavy cram
3 large eggs
1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)
1 tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk together to ensure it is well mixed.  Slowly pour into prepared pie crust and place into a 350 degree, preheated oven.  Bake for 40-50 minutes depending on your oven.  Filling should be puffed up and the center will wiggle a little.  Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Bourbon-Sweet Potato Pie with Spiced, Brown-Sugar Meringue

2 medium sweet potatoes (1.75-2.0 lbs.) (2 1/2 - 3 c.), peeled and cut into 2" cubes

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon fresh-grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

5 large eggs, separated
2/3 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 cup half and half

1/4 cup unsalted butter, plus 1/2 cup melted

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup Maker's Mark bourbon

1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter - for whipping egg whites

Crust

8 sheets frozen phyllo dough , thawed in refrigerator
1 stick, unsalted butter - melted
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup granulated sugar
(reserve 2 tbsp. of mixture to put into meringue)

Put cubed potatoes in pressure cooker along with ½ cup water and set for six minutes. When pressure cooker is done, do a quick pressure release to release steam and once it is all out you can remove the top.

Place cooled, cubed potatoes into a ricer or food processor and mix until smooth - place into a mixing bowl.  Add ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon, mixing to combine.  Add vanilla, salt, egg yolks, bourbon, flour, butter and brown sugar; set aside.

Put egg whites and cream of tartar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on high speed until almost stiff peaks and foamy.  Gently fold egg whites into sweet potato mixture.  Set aside.

Brush 1 phyllo sheet with melted butter. Sprinkle lightly with spiced-sugar mixture. Fold in half; then half again so you have a rectangle.  Place first rectangle laying in the middle of pie dish.  Fit subsequent rectangles into pie pan, placing with corner pointing into center of dish and edges of phyllo draping over edge of pan, allowing a for a 2" overhang. Repeat with other layers, overlapping sheets to cover bottom.

Pour sweet potato mixture into phyllo covered pan and fold edges up and over to slightly cover the filling. Bake pie until puffed and just set in center, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven; cool completely before putting meringue on.

MERINGUE:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tbsp. reserved sugar/spice mixture
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
7 egg whites

Place egg whites into bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment.  In a separate bowl mix together sugars, cornstarch, and cream of tartar.  Turn mixer on high and once whites begin to foam, slowly pour in sugar mixture.  Once whites form stiff peaks and are shiny, add vanilla and beat momentarily to combine.  Spread onto cooled pie and place in a 375 degree-preheated oven for 15 minutes to brown - rotating pie if necessary.  Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before serving.

ALTERNATIVELY - you can roast your sweet potatoes by placing them in a 400 degree oven for roughly 45 minutes - toss them with some olive oil and stir every 10-15 minutes.

Dark Chocolate Cream Pie

Intense and dark, this chocolate cream pie is sure to satisfy even the most, devout chocoholic around.  This deep flavor is created by using unsweeted cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate.  To keep the whipped cream stable I place half a package of unflavored gelatin in with the mixture, adding the gelatin to half of the heavy whipping cream, heating it up in the microwave in a liquid measuring up to activate the gelatin, then letting it cool to room temperature and finally adding it to the remaining cold cream and whipping it in a chilled bowl.

Crust:

1 1/2 cups flour

2 tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

8 tbsp. cold, unsalted butter - diced

2 tbsp water.

In a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar and salt until combined - then add diced butter and pulse until butter is in small, pea-sized pieces. Drizzle water over mixture and then pulse until mixture holds together. Form into a ball and place on a silpat, flatten into a round disc and then place a second silpat on top and using a french rolling pin, roll into a 12" circle and place into a 9" pie pan trimming edge and finishing/crimping to your desire. Use a form to prick holes in bottom and place in refrigerator to chill while you make filling.

After chilling for 15-20 minutes, line pie dish with foil and fill with dried beans - this is called blind baking, and bake in a 350 degree-preheated oven for 20 minutes, then remove foil and beans and place back into the oven for another 15-20 minutes until crust begins to lightly color.

Filling
3 cups half & half
2/3 cup sugar
3 tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup cocoa powder
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tsp. vanilla
Topping:
2 cups heavy cream
1 tbsp. vanilla-bean paste
1/2 package unflavored gelatin (if desired)

In a large saucepan, place half & half, salt, cornstarch and eggs over medium heat and using a whisk, stir continually so the mixture does not burn, brining to a boil to thicken.  Once it begins to bubble, add chocolate and stir again with whisk to melt chocolate.  Once chocolate has melted, remove from heat and add butter and vanilla to combine.

Pour into pre-baked and cooled pie shell.  Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to chill, at least four (4) hours.

Bourbon-Orange Pecan Pie

I am always trying to see traditional recipes in different ways.   I love pecan pie, but most recipes are light on the pecans.  This pie is packed with plump, pecan halves and infused with bourbon and orange zest.  An amazing marriage that is sure to please anyone. 

Crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
8 tbsp. cold, unsalted butter - diced
2 tbsp water.

In a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar and salt until combined - then add diced butter and pulse until butter is in small, pea-sized pieces.  Drizzle water over mixture and then pulse until mixture holds together.  Form into a ball and place on a silpat, flatten into a round disc and then place a second silpat on top and using a french rolling pin, roll into a 12" circle and place into a 9" pie pan trimming edge and finishing/crimping to your desire.  Use a form to prick holes in bottom and place in refrigerator while you make filling to chill.

Filling:
3 large eggs
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup bourbon
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tbsp. vanilla bean paste
grated zest of 1/2 an orange
1/4 tsp. sea salt
2 cups pecan halves

In a large bowl, combine eggs, corn syrup and bourbon with a whisk - then add brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla-bean paste, zest and sea salt - whisking to combine fully.  Place pecan halves into mixture and using a spatula, fold them in.

Pour into chilled pie dish and place in a 350 degree, preheated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes depending on your oven, turning pie midway if necessary.  Center will be set.

Mini Autumn Butter Pecan Whoopie Pies with Vanilla Bean, Nutmeg Filling

What a fun way to celebrate Autumn than with these fun, embossed miniature whoopie pies.  Butter pecan batter baked into little autumnal cakelets in the shapes of walnuts, pinecones, pumpkins and acorns.  Filled with a decadent mixture of creamy butter, vanilla-bean paste and nutmeg to complete this remixed version of the classic whoopie pie into scaled-down fun adaptations.  Enjoy!

Butter Pecan Batter

Jefferson Davis Pie

For any of you looking for an alternative to the usual pumpkin pie at the Holidays, your answer is here! This little-known Dixie dessert is a rich, caramely brown sugar custard pie that hides a delightful puree of dried fruits and nuts.

In your food processor, puree the following until finely ground:

1/2 cup raisins (red or golden)
1/2 cup dates
1/2 cup pecans
Press ground mixture into an even layer in a 9-inch pie shell and chill for at least 30 minutes


Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Combine the following:
3 tblsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. salt

With a mixer on medium, combine:

1 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted, softened butter
then add one at a time:
5 egg yolks

Add flour mixture, then:
1 1/4 cups heavy cream (I prefer Schroeder)
Mix only until combined - do not overmix.

Pour filling over fruit/nut mixture and bake in a 375 degree oven until surface center jiggles slightly when pie is shaken - 55-65 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack, and serve.

Sour Cream Raisin Pie

When I was in college, there was a restaurant in town that made the most delicious sour cream raisin pie I had ever had. I got the recipe from them many years later and have tweeked the recipe to my own liking. I love the creamy filling topped by the meringue. I know in some places they top it with whipped cream, but I still prefer the light meringue.

3 egg, separated - yolks for filling, whites for meringue
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 cup raisins
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

In a medium saucepan add raisins to boiling water. Boil for 10 minutes. Drain. (this will make the raisins plump and soft)  Separate the eggs and save the whites for the meringue topping. Beat eggs in medium bowl, then add sugar to combine.  Add sour cream to egg mixture and whip, then add nutmeg, salt and lemon juice.  Fold in raisins until incoporated.  Whip sour cream and fold into egg mixture.

Place a pan on the stove and get some water simmering in the pan.  Put mixing bowl over the simmering water and stir until the filling mixture thickens.  Let filling mixture cool and then pour into a pre-baked 9" pie crust.  Set aside.

Meringue topping:

1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
1/2 cup hot water
6 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix cornstarch and cold water in saucepan, add 1/2 cup hot water and bring to a boil - stirring constantly. Stir and cook until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and allow to cool down.  In a medium bowl beat egg whites until foamy, add sugar, salt and vanilla - beat to combine.  Turn mixer on low and slowly mix in cooled cornstarch mixture.  Return mixer to high and beat until medium peaks form.

Spread meringue onto cooled pie. Take care to spread completely to the sides so meringue topping does not shrink from edges.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. Watch closely and remove when peaks of topping are golden brown.  Enjoy

Beef Pot Pie with Blue Cheese Pastry in Lodge Mini Skillets

When I thought of making this for Valentine's day, I wanted to make something comforting but having a twist to make it special. Oh, and it had to be almost effortless. I have been using my Cuisinart Pressure Cooker a lot, trying to get as much functionality out of it as I can. I always use sea salt in my recipes because it provides the most flavor for the measurement. If you do not have sea salt, you can use kosher easily - just make sure you taste as you go and adjust to accomodate your pallate.

Filling:

1-3lb. chuck roast

2 medium yukon gold potatoes, cubed

3 carrots, roughly sliced

8 oz. fresh mushrooms

1 bag frozen pearl onions, thawed

4 garlic cloves

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

4 cups beef broth

1 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper

1 tbsp. beef demi glace

1 tsp fresh parsley

1 tsp. fresh thyme

2 tbsp. cornstarch

I started out by placing a 3 lb chuck roast in the pressure cooker with 1 cup of beef broth, salt, pepper and demi glace. I place the top on the pressure cooker, making sure the release valve is set to pressure. I then adjust my setting to use high pressure and place 60 minutes on the timer, then start. I get to walk away at that point.

When the beef is done, release the steam by moving the pressure release valve over. Once you can hear that the pressure is completely release, you can remove the cover. Remove the beef, leaving the liquid in the pot. Place the potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, peas, mushrooms, parsley and thyme into the pot with the liquid, place the top on and set it back to high pressure, the timer set on 6 minutes - then start the machine. After the timer has gone off, release the pressure.

Meanwhile, with the vegetables cooking cut up your beef and place into a bowl. Once the vegetables are done cooking, add to the bowl with the beef and taste. This is the time to adjust your seasonings so your filling has well-rounded flavor. I then make a slurry with 2 tbsp cornstarch and 1/4 cup water, adding it to the hot vegetable mixture and stirring - allowing it to thicken. You may have to turn the setting to brown at this point to get the mixture to come to a boil in order to activate the cornstarch.

Now we will work on the blue cheese pastry:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. sea salt

16 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, sliced into 1 tbsp pieces

8 oz. blue cheese, crumbled and separated in half

1/2 cup cold water

1 egg

1/2 cup half and half

In the large workbowl of a food processor place the flour and sea salt. Put the cover on and turn the machine on. Remove the chute and drop the butter in and then change to pulse until you see that the butter chunks are pea sized. Remove the cover and add the 4 oz blue cheese, place cover back on and pulse again briefly to combine. Remove the chute and with the machine on, slowly pour the water in. Once all the water has been added, change to pulse and pulse mixture until it resembles loose cornmeal. Open the top and using your thumb and forefingers grab a small amount of the mixture and squeeze to make sure it holds together.

At this point I dump the contents of the bowl onto a large silpat or rollpat. I form the mixture together and then using the palm of my hand I press it down to flatten it. This will help in the rolling process. I place a second silpat on top of and using a french rolling pin to roll out the dough to 1/4" thickness.

I remove the top silpat and cut the crust into 7" squares, then cut vents in the middle of each square so each pie can release steam as it cooks. I divide the filling between each of the mini Lodge skillets. In a small bowl, using a fork I mix together the egg and half & half. Using my favorite silicone basting brush, I brush the edge of of the pans so the crust can form a seal. I position a square of pastry on top of each filled skillet, centering it and allowing the corners to drape over the edge. I brush the top of each pastry with the egg/1/2 & 1/2 mixture, sprinkling with the remaining blue cheese.

I place them in a 400 degree, preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for ten minutes. I placed them on a large charger plate and served - enjoy!

Bourbon Sweet Potato Pie Video

I made this video to submit for a local contest on Twin Cities Live. I was not chosen as one of the finalists, but I still think it is a great snapshot of my work! Cooking on the Dacor appliances is always enjoyable...

Silpat

As any of you have probably heard me say once or twice, I am sold on the Silpat. What is a Silpat? I believe it is the most popular non-stick baking item ever invented! The Silpat is a must for any patisserie chef or home baker. It can turn any pan into a non-stick surface. Just place it in a cookie sheet or pan. It is especially great for working with sticky materials such as gooey batter, taffy, caramel, or anything your imagination allows. I love to use it for cutout cookies and pie crust. I roll the dough between two silpats, and then I do not add any unecessary flour. Nothing sticks to the Silpat, so it will save you a lot of time cleaning as there in no more sticky mess on your pans!
It also never needs greasing, which saves both time and money. Use it for any recipe that calls for parchment paper. This saves money and creates less waste for our environment (eco-friendly!).
Silpat Non-Stick Baking Mats are made of fiberglass and silicone, and can be used thousands of times (depending on how you maintain them). I have had mine for 13 years and they work fanatastic.
You can use the mats at temperatures varying from -40°C to 250°C (-40°F (brrr) to 482°F (feels a little warm in here, doesn't it?))
Also comes in a larger size they call Rollpat. This is an investment you will use forever.