I have loved pie more than cake as long as I can remember. Maybe it's a contrast thing—the crispy crust with the tar, creamy or gooey filling.
Pies are great anytime of year. Tart puckery rhubarb pies in the spring; fresh blackberry pies oozing warm juice in the summer; custardy pumpkin and rich pecan pies in the fall; and cream pies—with drifts of whipped cream on top of course—in winter.
One of my own fondest taste memories is my mother Eunice’s lemon meringue pie. It was always my request instead of a birthday cake. Flaky crust, tart sunny filling and a poufy cloud of meringue on top—ever so perfectly browned. I still love it today but like all chefs I had to add a touch of my own. So, I put a few toasted hazelnuts in the crust and, underneath that billow of meringue, a secret little layer of fresh raspberries.
And then of course there’s everyone’s Southern favorite, pecan pie. I’ve gilded the lily this time, adding both chocolate and coffee to create Mocha Java Pecan Pie with Bourbon Whipped Cream. Yum!
No, I didn’t forget the mile-high cream pie and chocolate lovers – I know this is one of Lori’s. I’ve included a recipe from Northwest chef Greg Atkinson. I love his description of his Windy Day Chocolate Cream Pie, with whipped cream mounded "as high as a snow-covered mountain." It makes you want to jump in it!
I can’t believe how many young adults have never made pies! I even MENTIONED that I was blogging about pie, and there were ohhh's and ahhh's. "Oh, boy, do you need a tester?" "I’d love to come and eat pie! We never get homemade pie anymore!"
Okay, so what's the problem here? Is the fear of crust-making rampantly overtaking the pie-making ambitions in our young cooks of today? I guess I lucked out—for I’ve been making pies ever since I could lift a rolling pin.
There are only three things that could be scary about pie-making: 1. That you may not be able to control yourself and you'll eat the entire pie. 2. Depending upon how much you get "into" it, you could end up with your kitchen looking like a flour bomb exploded. (This is the way mine looks—and it’s worth it.) 3. That the pie may be so full of deliciousness that it could bubble over in your oven and set your smoke alarm off. But a wave of a dish towel and an open door will take care of that!
So, if you are pie paranoid, get over it—right now. Roll up those sleeves and get to baking up some homemade pie goodness with your friends. Your house will never have smelled so good.
© 2009 by Kathy Casey Food Studios®
Kathy’s Birthday Lemon Meringue Pie with Fresh Raspberries
Makes 1 9-inch pie
Crust
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup toasted and chopped hazelnuts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup lard or vegetable shortening
2 tablespoons butter
1 – 2 tablespoons ice water
Filling & Meringue
1 cup + 1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cups water
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 eggs, separated
1 1/2 tablespoons finely minced lemon zest
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
To make the crust: Mix the flour, hazelnuts, salt and sugar together in a large bowl. Add lard or shortening and butter and, with a pastry blender or clean hands, combine until mixture forms pea-sized particles.
Add 1 tablespoon of the ice water. Stir the dry mixture with a fork, mixing until liquid is just incorporated. If dough is too dry, then add more water, 1 to 2 teaspoons at a time.
Form dough into a ball and flatten out slightly to a big disk, fold over each side into the middle, so there are 3 layers. Wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in refrigerator for 20 minutes.
After dough has chilled, press the portion into a flat round disk. On a lightly floured surface roll out dough into a 1/8-inch-thick circle that is about 1 inch larger all around than a 9-inch pie pan. Place crust in pie pan and crimp the edges. Prick crust all over with a fork to prevent puffing while baking. (If pastry puffs, carefully reach in oven and prick pastry again where puffing.) Bake for about 8 – 10 minutes until golden brown then remove from oven and cool.
Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees.
Meanwhile, make filling: In a heavy non-aluminum saucepan whisk together 1 cup of the sugar, cornstarch, water and lemon juice until well combined and cornstarch is dissolved. Place over medium heat and stir constantly until mixture is thickened and lightly simmering. In a small bowl, mix together the egg yolks, whisk in a little of the hot mixture to temper the eggs, then whisk eggs quickly into the simmering mixture. Cook for about 1 minute more, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in lemon zest and butter. Cool, stirring often.
When filling has cooled slightly, pour into the cooked pie shell and arrange raspberries on the top.
To finish pie: Make meringue by whipping the 4 reserved egg whites with cream of tartar in a medium bowl until frothy. Gradually beat in the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, a little at a time. Continue beating until stiff and glossy but not dry. Pile meringue on pie, sealing meringue onto edge of crust to prevent shrinking of the meringue.
Swirl with a spoon for a decorative, peaky top and bake in the 400-degree preheated oven for 6 – 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Place on a rack to cool. Cool thoroughly before cutting. Refrigerate any leftover pie.
© 2009 by Kathy Casey Food Studios®
Mocha Java Pecan Pie with Bourbon Whipped Cream
Traditional pecan pie gets a delicious twist with the addition of coffee and chocolate, then it’s topped with a pouf of Bourbon Whipped Cream.
Makes 1 (9-inch) pie
1 (9-inch) uncooked (deep dish) pie crust
Filling
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup dark corn syrup
1/4 cup strong brewed coffee
4 eggs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup pecan halves or pieces
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Bourbon Whipped Cream
1 cup cream
3 tablespoons sour cream
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon bourbon
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine all filling ingredients except pecans and chocolate chips, mix until smooth. Stir in pecans and chips.
Spread pecan mixture evenly into unbaked pie shell, and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake for another 25 – 30 minutes, or until the filling is slightly puffy and the filling is just set. Cool on a wire rack. Cool thoroughly before cutting.
To make Bourbon Whipped Cream: In a large bowl, whip the cream, sour cream, and sugar until lightly whipped. Stir in the bourbon.
Serve the pie with dollops of Bourbon Whipped Cream. Pie will keep, covered and refrigerated, for 2 to 3 days, but I don't know anyone that could keep this pie that long!
© 2009 by Kathy Casey Food Studios®
Greg’s Windy Day Chocolate Cream Pie
Makes 1 10-inch pie, to serve 8 to 12.
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted (1 stick)
Chocolate Cream Filling (recipe follows)
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a food processor or large mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter. Press the crumbly mixture into the sides and bottom of a 10-inch pie pan, and chill.
Prepare Chocolate Cream Filling, transfer into crumb crust with a rubber spatula, and refrigerate until completely cooled.
Whip cream; stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Pile whipped cream into a large, self-sealing food storage bag and snip off 1 inch from the corner. Squeeze whipped cream from the open corner onto chilled pie filling. Serve cold.
Pie keeps, covered and refrigerated, for 2 days.
Chocolate Cream Filling
Makes about 3 cups, to fill 1 10-inch pie.
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 cups milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, flour, and salt. With a wire whisk, beat in eggs; when the mixture is well combined, stir in milk. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until custard just begins to boil. Continue to cook, stirring, 1 minute, then remove from heat. Stir chocolate chips into hot custard. Transfer custard to crumb crust-lined pie pan and chill.
Recipe From - In Season: Culinary Adventures of a San Juan Island Chef, by Greg Atkinson. Published by Sasquatch Books
Chef Casey's Note:
This pie would look beautiful sprinkled with shaved dark chocolate curls.