HONEY CUSTARD PIE

 

HONEY CUSTARD PIE

 

 

I have some wonderful memories of my dear & beloved Great-Aunt, Mrs. Margaret TenElshof.  Sadly, my "Best Girl" had to leave us on February 14th, 2015 at the age of 100 years young.  I've shared a couple of other wonderful recipes in Piegest that she either shared with me, or were cultivated under her guidance or influence.  However, this one's pretty special, because "My Best Girl", as I used to refer to her as, once used to refer to me as "My Little Honey" or "Such A Honey."

Well, with her recent passing, I couldn't help feel the need to offer a pie that solely incorporated exactly that.  The result was this wonderful offering, also from my friend and fellow pie enthusiast Ashley English.  You can find this recipe in her wonderful book A Year of Pies:  A Seasonal Tour of Home Baked Pies.

 

 

HONEY CUSTARD PIE:

INGREDIENTS:

·         1 Pastry Pie Crust, Already Prepared

·         1 Cup Whole Milk

·         4 Large Eggs, Room Temperature

·         ½ Cup Honey

·         2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

·         Pinch of Salt

·         Freshly Grated Nutmeg or Cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

**This pie crust is blind baked, so be sure to follow either these directions or use your preferred method to blind or pre-bake your crust.**

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Prepare your favorite pastry pie crust recipe in advance, lining one baking sprayed pie plate with pie pastry.  Trim your crust edge and crimp edges, as well as be sure to prick the bottom of your pie pastry with a fork to allow for venting.

Line the inside of your pie pastry with a sheet of parchment paper or waxed paper.  Fill the  inside of the parchment with pie weights, uncooked rice, coffee beans, dried beans, or nuts to allow for some weight which will allow the crust to bake and not lose its shape or shrink as it bakes.

Bake crust for 12 – 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven, leaving temperature at 400 degrees.

As you allow the pie crust to cool, remove your weight and paper from the crust.  If it still needs a few minutes to bake, return to oven for 5 – 7 minutes to allow to finish baking without the paper & weights.

Allow crust to cool fully before filling with custard.

 

FOR CUSTARD:

Warm your milk in a saucepan over medium heat.  Watch carefully and remove from heat just before the bubbles begin to form on the surface of the milk.  Set aside.

In a small separate bowl (or large measuring cup), whisk your eggs, honey, vanilla, and salt.  Add the warmed milk to the egg mixture slowly, and a small bit at a time, whisking as you pour.  This prevents your egg from immediately cooking.  Whisk as you continue to add the milk each time.

Once most all of the milk has been added to the egg mixture, pour the blended egg/milk into the remaining milk in your saucepan and whisk completely to ensure all ingredients are fully blended.

Pour your filling mixture into the prepared crust.  Sprinkle the top with freshly grated nutmeg or cinnamon before putting into the oven on a baking sheet.  Cover your pastry crust edges with aluminum foil to prevent burning.

Bake for 30 – 40 minutes.   Allow to cool for 1 hour before serving.  Garnish with fresh berries and whipped cream if desired.





CARAMELIZED ONION & BLEU CHEESE PIE

CARAMELIZED ONION & BLEU CHEESE PIE

 

 

In a recent visit back home, I was reminded at dinner one evening of some personal favorite flavors that my Dad enjoys.  Namely, Onions and Bleu Cheese.  I have some pretty strong memories of nearly any salad he ever ate had bleu cheese dressing on it.  In fact, it's my dad who actually introduced me to that concept that I now love of creamy-yet-kicks-back as a texture and flavor combo.  Onions, can usually make or break a dish if not incorporated carefully.  So, there we have it!  Two very distinct flavors that add and enhance most dishes, if not make them stand out on their own.  So, the challenge was to find a way to blend these two interesting palate teasers harmoniously, and not have the final product leaving you disappointed.  Thankfully, my fellow pie enthusiast, Ashley English had exactly what was needed in her fantastic book A Year of Pies:  A Seasonal Tour of Home Baked Pies.

 

 

CARAMELIZED ONION & BLEU CHEESE PIE:

INGREDIENTS:

·         1 Pastry Pie Crust, Already Prepared.

·         3 Lbs. Sweet Onions

·         3 Tbs. Unsalted Butter

·         1 ½ Cups of White Wine

·         1 Cup Beef Stock

·         ¼ Cup Sugar

·         1 Cup Bleu Cheese Crumbles, Separated

 

DIRECTIONS:

Peel your onions and cut them into rings.  Cut the rings in half.  In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add wine, stock, and sugar to the onions and continue cooking for another 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Stir the mixture frequently – every 4 to 5 minutes or so – until there is no more liquid at the bottom of the pan.

Continue cooking your onion mixture for an additional 15 to 30 minutes until the edges of the onions start to brown or slightly crisp.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Roll out your previously made & chilled pie crust, and line a baking sprayed pie plate with the pastry.  Return to refrigerator until filling is cooled enough to fill pastry.

Remove your onion mixture from heat and let cool for 3 to 4 minutes.  Once cooled, mix ½ cup of your bleu cheese crumbles into your onion mixture. 

Remove  your pastry crust from the refrigerator and fill with your onion and cheese mixture.  Sprinkle your remaining ½ cup of bleu cheese crumbles on top. 

 

Bake for 20 – 30 minutes until your crust is golden brown.  Cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

 

**BAKERS NOTE:  This makes for a wonderful pie on its own, however, try it with sautéed beef steak strips added at the filling stage, or it also makes a fantastic side accompaniment with grilled salmon.





SOUTHEAST ASIAN SAMOSA POT PIE

SOUTHEAST ASIAN SAMOSA POT PIE

 

 

A favorite ethnic food of many people I know is Southeast Asian and Indian cuisine.  Over the years, I've had the opportunity to enjoy meeting, working with, and becoming friends with many who hail from the countries that make up this geographical region.  In fact, I'll admit, that when I can't get my hands on something that will clear up a stubborn head cold, I will happily go out for a good plate of extra-spicy Curry.  Then again, I really enjoy spicy foods, so sometimes, the head cold doesn't need to be an excuse!

 

For those who are not particularly familiar with Southeast Asian cuisine, this is a fantastic recipe to get your culinary feet - and taste buds - wet!  Southeastern Asian and Indian foods are rich in pungent spices like cumin, curry, ginger, fennel, saffron, turmeric, and cardamom.  The flavor sensations are truly amazing, and definitely deserve to not only experienced, but regularly.  This recipe is a great introduction to the flavor palate of the region.

 

So, what exactly is "Samosa"?  Samosa (or Samoosa, dependent on the region) is a popular street food that is very commonly enjoyed by Indian and Southeast Asian cultures.  Despite having regional variations, this dish is a fried or baked triangular shaped pastry with savory filling, such as spiced potatoes, onions, peas, lentils and also with ground meats such as lamb, beef, or chicken.  They're a great appetizer or on-the-go food!

 

I've been told by friends who come from both Dubai and Delhi, India that these are something they definitely regarded as a regular food for both daily consumption, as well as for special occasions and celebrations.  The creation of these special foods were a family affair at home.  Each person had their own particular task, and making Samosa was a way that everyone could spend some time together on the same task, enabling for some family time, catching up and chatting, and just simply being with those you loved.  Frankly, I think that's a fantastic way to spend some time! 

 

This fantastic rendition of this favorite is courtesy of Betty Crocker's The Big Book of Pies & Tarts. 

SOUTHEAST ASIAN SAMOSA POT PIE:

Crust:

·         Your favorite 2-Crust Pie Recipe (Or Pre-made Pie Crusts)

Filling:

·         1 ¼ Cups Red Potatoes, Diced

·         1 Lb. Ground Lamb

·         1 Onion, Chopped

·         1 Tbs. Minced Garlic

·         2 Tbs. Curry Powder

·         2 tsps. Ground Cumin

·         2 tsps. Ground Ginger

·         ¼ - ½ tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

·         ¾ Cup Beef Broth

·         2 Tbs. Corn Starch

·         ½ tsp. Salt

·         ¾ Cup Frozen Peas, Thawed

·         ¼ Cup Fresh Cilantro, Chopped Fine

Sauce:

·         ½ Cup Plain Yogurt

·         ¼ Cup Cucumber, Peeled & Finely Chopped

·         ½ Tbs. Minced Garlic

·         2 Tbs. Mint Leaves, Finely Chopped

 

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Prepare your favorite 2-crust  pie crust recipe and allow to chill while filling is being prepared.

In a sauce pan, place your potatoes in enough water to cover them.  Add 1 tsp. of salt if desired.  Heat to boiling over a medium heat; reduce to medium-low.  Cook uncovered for 10 – 12 minutes until tender.  Drain & set aside.

In a medium-sized skillet, cook your ground lamb over a medium-high heat for about 5 minutes.  Add your chopped onion.  Reduce heat to medium, cooking for 3 minutes longer, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is thoroughly cooked and onions are tender.  Drain any excess grease.  Add garlic, curry powder, cumin, ginger, and pepper flakes.  Stir and let cook for a minute.

In a small bowl, mix broth, cornstarch and salt.  Add to lamb mixture.  Heat to boiling over medium heat.  Reduce heat to medium, allowing to simmer for 1 minute.  Remove from heat.  Stir in potatoes, peas, and cilantro.  Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.

Taking your prepared pie crust, spray your pie plate with baking spray, and carefully lay in the bottom crust.  Prick bottoms and sides of bottom crust with a fork to allow for ventilation.  Spoon filling into bottom crust.  Cover with your second pie crust.  Seal, crimp, or flute your edges.  Carefully cut slits in your pie crust top to vent.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until top crust is golden brown.  It may be necessary to cover edges with aluminum foil to avoid excessive browning or burning.

For Sauce:

In a small bowl, mix all ingredients together.  Allow to chill for 10 minutes before serving with pie.

POMEGRANATE CREAM CHEESE PIE

 

 

POMEGRANATE CREAM CHEESE PIE

 

 

I recently stumbled on this wonderful recipe in one of my fellow pie enthusiasts, Kelly Jaggers' cookbook, Not-So-Humble Pie:  An Iconic Dessert, All Dressed Up,  and knew immediately that this was one worth sharing.  Despite the fact that pomegranates have for centuries been a culinary delight for millions of people, I must confess, I was a stranger to this delicacy until somewhat recently.  Some things are worth waiting for!  Both to taste and enjoy, as well as to learn about.

 

Naturally, being one who enjoys both history and pie, I was thrilled to learn that this little gem was more than just a new twist on an old favorite, but has so much wonderful history and tradition.  I'll leave you all to read up on some fascinating cultural customs on your own, but I do want to share a few fun factoids that I gleaned:

 

*  The pomegranate can trace its humble roots back to 6000 BC as possibly the first official cultivated fruit.

 

*  Many ancient religions and faiths hold the pomegranate special or sacred in their traditions.  Some of them include:

 

   *  Buddhism:  Considered one of 3 blessed fruits.  Representative of the essence of favorable influences in art and culture.

 

   *  Judaism:  Symbolic of righteousness.  Hebrew faith believes in 613 Mitzvot, or commandments.  The pomegranate has 613 seeds.  It is customary for this fruit to be eaten on the Jewish New Year of Rosh Hashanah.  The pomegranate holds special meaning of fruitfulness, knowledge, learning, and wisdom.

 

   *  Hinduism:  Often depicted with the deity Ganesha, Remover of Obstacles & Lord of Beginnings, and patron of the arts. 

 

   *  Islam:  Regularly featured in early artwork and architecture, as each pomegranate is believed to hold an aril descended directly from paradise.

 

   *   Christianity:  A powerful symbol in artwork and liturgy, representing plentitude, hope, spiritual fruitfulness, and chastity.

However you choose to interpret this wonderful, ageless treasure, my hope is that you will enjoy this delicious pie as countless generations before you have done!  Enjoy it in good health!

POMEGRANATE CREAM CHEESE PIE:

Crust:

·         1 ½ Cups of Finely Ground Chocolate Graham Crackers or Chocolate Wafer Cookies

·         1/3 Cup Sugar

·         6 Tbs. Butter, Melted

Filling:

·         2 Cups Pomegranate Juice

·         6 Oz. Cream Cheese, Softened

·         1 Cup Powdered Sugar

·         1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

·         ½ tsp. Vanilla

Garnish:

·         1 Pint Heavy Whipping Cream

·         2 Tbs. Powdered Sugar

·         ½ Cup Fresh Pomegranate Seeds

·         1/3 Cup Chocolate Covered Pomegranate Seeds (Optional – Available at Trader Joe’s Markets)

DIRECTIONS:

For Crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a food processor, reduce 1 ½ packages of chocolate graham crackers (or 1 whole package of chocolate wafers) to crumbs.  Once brought to a fine crumb mixture, place crumbs into a mixing bowl.  Add sugar and melted butter.  Mix until thoroughly moistened.  Spray your pie plate with baking spray, and press crumb mixture into pie plate evenly.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Allow crust to cool thoroughly before filling.

For Filling:

In a medium sized sauce pan, bring to a simmer your pomegranate juice over a medium heat.  Stirring occasionally, allow this to reduce to roughly ¼ cup.  Cook for about 20 – 25 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together your cream cheese and powdered sugar.  Refrigerate this mixture while your juice reduces on the stove if necessary. 

In a separate mixing bowl, whip together your 1 cup heavy whipping and vanilla (**You can use 1 Tbs. of powdered sugar to help thicken this if preferred).  Bring whipped cream to form medium peaks.  Refrigerate this as well until ready to use.

Once juice has cooled and formed a syrup consistency, add to the cream cheese mixture.  Blend until smooth.  Fold the whipped cream mixture into the pomegranate mixture, mixing until fully blended.

Pour mixture into fully-cooled crust.  Garnish with piped whipped cream, fresh pomegranate seeds, or combination of fresh and chocolate covered pomegranate seeds, available from Trader Joe’s Markets.  **ALLOW PIE TO CHILL FOR AT LEAST 4 HOURS BEFORE SERVING!**

DOUBLE STRAWBERRY MALT SHOP PIE

 

DOUBLE STRAWBERRY MALT SHOP PIE

 

 

I have some pretty fond childhood memories from growing up in the Midwest.  Of many of them, I've got to take you back to the kitchen of a ranch-style house on the North end of Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Amongst them, is a pretty simple one to most, but one that still makes me smile.  One man.  Hudsonville ice cream and Hershey's chocolate syrup.  And a 1972 blender.  The challenge:  The Perfect Chocolate Milkshake.  The Contender:  My Father.

 

My dad is a pretty amazing guy, for many different reasons.  However, he wasn't - at his own admission - really very "kitchen friendly".  Don't get me wrong.  He could throw down a decent grilled cheese sandwich, a "Transfusion", and several other things, but he was much better with drywall mud than he was with pie pastry.  My dad inspired me to be good with my hands in my own way.  Where he could knock down, tear out, and rebuild the entire interior of your house with more ease and comfort than he could put together a soufflé or complicated and fussy recipe in the kitchen, I was the opposite.  You put a T-square in my hand and a toolbelt on my waist and I'm....well, I'm more than a little hopeless.  Put either of we Dykstra boys in our natural environment - jobsite or kitchen - we'll throw down with the best of 'em.  Why?  Because we're good at what we do, and we know how to get things done!

 

I may never be able to mitre corners well.  But I CAN tell you where you can get one of THE BEST milkshakes in town.  

 

When I stumbled on this recipe, courtesy of Christine Montalvo in America's Best Pies, the fantastic new cookbook of The American Pie Council, I fully understood that there was NO way I could encapsulate one of Dad's Chocolate Milkshakes into a pie.  No matter how much I doctored the recipe.  I was also reminded of his enjoyment of malt flavored things - particularly Whoppers candy.  Where I'm not exactly a big fan personally, I know a lot of people who are.  So, I gave this one a shot, and was MORE than happy I did.  This was definitely worth a try - even if it isn't exactly one of Dad's milkshakes. 

 

 

DOUBLE STRAWBERRY MALT SHOP PIE:

CRUST:

·         6 Tbs. Unsalted Butter, Softened

·         ¼ Cup Sugar

·         1 Cup Flour

·         2 Packages Shortbread Cookies, Finely Crushed

·         2 – 3 Tbs. Ice Water

 

FILLING:

·         5 Cups Sliced Fresh Strawberries, Divided

·         4 Oz. Bar of White Chocolate

·         1 ¾ tsp. Unflavored Gelatin

·         1 Tbs. Hot Water

·         8 Oz. Bar of Cream Cheese

·         1 tsp. Vanilla

·         1 ½ Cups Powdered Sugar

·         ½ Cup Malted Milk Powder

·         2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream, Whipped

 

TOPPING:

·         2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream

·         3 Tbs. Powdered Sugar

·         4 – 5 sliced strawberries

·         1 6 Oz. Bar of White Chocolate

DIRECTIONS:

FOR CRUST:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add flour and shortbread cookie crumbs, blending until completely incorporated.  Add enough of the water so the dough comes together.  Mix for 2-3 minutes until ball forms. 

In a baking sprayed pie plate, press the dough mixture to the sides and bottom of the pie plate.  Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool completely.

FOR FILLING:
Rinse thoroughly and cut all strawberries suggested.  Put 2 ½ Cups of strawberries into food processor and puree’.  Set aside mixture.  Put all of the chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl and melt in the microwave – BE CAREFUL NOT TO BURN!!  White Chocolate will melt faster than milk or dark chocolate.  Allow to cool slightly.

In a mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and vanilla until smooth.  Add white chocolate.  In a small bowl, combine gelatin and hot water, stirring together, and let sit for 3 minutes.  Microwave for 15 seconds.  Beat gelatin mixture into cream cheese mixture until completely mixed in.

Beat in the powdered sugar and malted milk mixture until smooth.  Stir in the 2 ½ Cups of strawberry puree and remaining 2 ½ cups of sliced strawberries.

In a separate bowl, begin whipping your heavy cream until stiff peaks form.  Carefully fold into strawberry mixture.  Pour into completely cooled pie crust.

FOR TOPPING:

Whip 2 cups of heavy whipping cream with 3 Tablespoons of powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.  With a pastry bag, pipe edges of pie with whipped cream, separating segments with a slice of fresh strawberry.  Take additional slices of strawberry and lay out in a star-shaped design in center of pie.  Pipe additional whipped cream in center of star.

Take a vegetable peeler with the white chocolate bar and peel shavings onto pie top to desired amount.

 

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. 

 



 



BACON CHEESEBURGER POT PIE

 

BACON CHEESEBURGER POT PIE

 

I started looking for new and interesting savory pies this week, and found an old favorite in Betty Crocker's Big Book of Pies & Tarts that is certainly one I think we'll be repeating for dinners around here.  It was a fantastic twist on a secret favorite of mine:  Bacon Cheeseburgers.  For those of you who are on specialty diets, you can very easily - and tastefully - swap out the ground beef and bacon for ground turkey & turkey bacon. 

 

 

BACON CHEESEBURGER POT PIE:

·         Pie Crusts for 2-Crust Pie

·         1 Rasher of Bacon

·         1 ½ Ground Beef

·         1 Small Onion, Chopped

·         ½ Cup Catsup

·         2 Tbs. Sweet Pickle Relish

·         1/8 tsp. Black Pepper

·         1 Cup of Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Shredded

·         1 Egg, Beaten

·         1 Tbs. Milk

·         Sesame Seeds

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  In a large skillet, cook your bacon over high heat until completely crisp, removing cooked strips to a paper towel covered plate to cool and drain.  Once all bacon has been cooked, drain all grease from skillet. 

 

Return skillet to stove, adding chopped onion and ground beef and cook together over a medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes until beef is completely cooked.  Drain excess grease from skillet and return to stove top.

 

Reduce heat to medium.  Crumble bacon strips to smaller pieces, adding to the hamburger and onion mixture.  Stir in pepper, catsup, & pickle relish.  Cook for 2 -3 minutes until heated through.  Remove from heat and allow to sit for 1 minute.  Add bag of shredded cheese, stirring In to ensure all is combined.

 

Spray your pie plate with baking spray and carefully lay in bottom layer of pie crust pastry.  Do not trim edges.  Fill bottom crust with filling mixture.  Place top crust over filling, pressing down lightly on edges.  To seal crust edges, simply roll the edges together towards the center of the pie, creating a rolled edge finish.    Cut slits in center and around the pie to create vents.

 

Beat 1 egg and 1 Tablespoon of milk together.  Brush over top crust of the pie with a pastry brush.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Bake for 25 – 30 minutes until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly.  Cover with foil for last 10 minutes, if necessary, to avoid burning the crust.

 



 



AMY MARCH KEY LIME PIE

 

AMY MARCH KEY LIME PIE

 

 

 

Alright.  I'll admit it.  Right here.  In black and white.  I'm a big fan of the book Little Women, by mid-nineteenth century author Louisa May Alcott.  I've inhaled and own an original copy of the book, I've seen several of the movie versions made, own the soundtracks from the 1997 film version and the Broadway musical.  I've named a fundraising pie venture "Orchard House Pie Company, after the Concord, Massachusetts home the March (Alcott) family shared.  Despite having never visited the home, I've always felt a strong connection to the story, its characters, and message the book offers regarding the importance of family and the process in finding yourself in life.

Admittedly, one of my favorite characters in Little Women is the youngest of the four March sisters, Amy.  In a particular passage of the book, Amy March is given some small amount of pocket money in which she spends on 24 limes to treat her friends at school.  The circumstance, pardon the expression, turns sour for her, and she ends up without any of them as she is found out by her teacher and the limes are put out into the snow.  I'll not spoil the book for those who haven't read it, and I'll simply encourage you to pick it up and enjoy it at your leisure.  Instead, let is suffice to say that my hope is that you'll enjoy this pie as much as Amy March enjoyed her limes!

“AMY MARCH” KEY LIME PIE:

CRUST:

·         5 Tbs. Butter, Melted

·         1 ½ Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs

·         ½ Cup Chopped Pecans

FILLING:

·         1 14 Oz. Can Condensed Mil

·         1 Cup of Lime Juice

·         1 Tbs. Grated Lime Zest

·         2 Egg Yolks

·         1 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream

 

TOPPING:

·         1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

·         2 Tbs. Powdered Sugar

 

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  In a mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and chopped pecans.  Continue to mix until all is thoroughly coated.  Spray mixture into a baking sprayed pie plate and press to bottom and edges evenly.  Bake in oven for 7 – 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool thoroughly.

In a mixing bowl, combine milk, lime juice, and 1 Tbs. of lime zest.  Blend in beaten egg yolks.  Mix completely and set aside. 

In a separate bowl, take your heavy cream and whip to heavy peaks.  Begin blending your lime filling into the whipping cream a little at a time until all is combined.  Pour the filling into your crust and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

While pie sets, begin whipping your heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form.  With your whipped cream, either serve separately with your pie, spread over the top, or decorate with a pastry bag & tip.

Garnish with additional lime zest, thinly sliced pieces, or twists around the edge.