PEPPERMINT STICK CHIFFON PIE

PEPPERMINT STICK CHIFFON PIE

Another long remembered, if not nearly essential flavor of the Holiday Season is the Peppermint Stick or Candy Cane.  Countless people that I asked about personal favorite flavors immediately responded with the minty, cool, sweetness of this red and white striped confection.  It’s rather inescapable, and rightly so.  This simple little treat seems to be incorporated into so many wonderful recipes this time of year.  It’s as iconic with the Holidays, and enjoyed by most everyone.

And why shouldn’t it?  Candy Canes have a somewhat interesting history all their own:

The origin of the candy cane goes back over 350 years, when candy-makers both professional and amateur were making hard sugar sticks. The original candy was straight and completely white in color.

Around the Seventeenth Century, European Christians began to adopt the use of Christmas trees as part of their Christmas celebrations.  They made special decorations for their trees from foods like cookies and sugar-stick candy. The first historical reference to the familiar cane shape goes back to 1670, when the choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral in Germany, bent the sugar-sticks into canes to represent a shepherd's staff. The all-white candy canes were given out to children during the long-winded nativity services.

The clergymen's custom of handing out candy canes during Christmas services spread throughout Europe and later to America. The canes were still white, but sometimes the candy makers would add sugar-roses to decorate the canes further.

The first historical reference to the candy cane being in America goes back to 1847, when a German immigrant, August Imgard, decorated the  Tannenbaum, or Christmas tree in his Wooster, Ohio home with candy canes.

This Holiday season, why not try a new twist on an old favorite.  This delicious chiffon-style pie is a sure-fire winner, as well as a proven crowd pleaser.

PEPPERMINT STICK CHFFON PIE:

For Crust:

·         1 Package Nabisco Chocolate Wafers

·         1/3 Cup Sugar

·         6 Tbs. Butter, Melted

For Filling:

·         1/2  Cup Sugar

 ·         1 Cup Peppermint Stick Candy, Crushed

·         Envelope Unflavored Gelatin

·         1/4  tsp. Salt

·         1 1/4  Cups Milk

·         3 Egg Yolks, Slightly Beaten           

·         1 tsp. Peppermint Extract

·         4 – 5 Drops Red Food Coloring

·         1 ¼ Cups Heavy Whipping Cream

For Garnish:

·         2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream

·         4 Tbs. Powdered Sugar

·         1 tsp. Peppermint Extract

·         Crushed Peppermint Stick Candy & Chocolate Shavings (If Preferred)

  

DIRECTIONS:

For Crust:

Process chocolate wafers in a food processor and set aside into a mixing bowl.  Add sugar and melted butter and mix thoroughly until all crumbs are coated.  Press crumbs into a baking sprayed pie plate.  Bake at 350 degrees for 5 – 7 minutes.  Cool completely before filling.

For Filling:

In a saucepan, combine sugar, the 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy, the unflavored gelatin, and salt. Stir in the milk and egg yolks. Cook and stir the mixture until bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.

Remove from heat; stir in food coloring, additional ½ cup of crushed peppermint candy, and peppermint extract. Chill mixture until partially set (consistency of unbeaten egg whites).

Beat the 1-1/2 cups whipping cream until soft peaks form. Fold into gelatin mixture. Chill until mixture mounds when spooned.

Spoon into cooled chocolate wafer crust. Chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours or until firm.

Top the pie with additional whipped cream.  Garnish with additional crushed peppermint stick candy and chocolate shavings. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

EGG NOG CREAM PIE

Egg nog Cream Pie

Nothing quite says Happy Holidays like some of the more traditional, time honoured flavors that many of us have come to intrinsically know and treasure.  Memories of holiday seasons past seem to be laced with the scents of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and peppermint.  Haul out one box of decorations, and visions of more than Sugar Plums dance in the most reminiscent heads.  Holiday cookies, baked goods, and confections replete with chocolate, coloured frosting with sprinkles, coconut, and all-things-sugary wash over you, and you know that with that first bite of your favorite Holiday treat that the season is most assuredly here.

I asked several friends for their feedback on their personal favorite flavors and treats of the season, and most all of them said the same thing:  Egg Nog. 

Egg Nog is definitely an acquired taste.  Either you love it, like it, or hate it.  At its core, it’s essentially a heavy cream based beverage, sweetened with sugar, and thickened with egg yolk.  More traditional connoisseurs will insist that this beverage absolutely MUST be served with some small (or large) amount of spirits, particularly brandy or rum, and should be served slightly warm.  Popular garnish always seem to be a cinnamon stick, or a sprinkling of ground cinnamon and nutmeg.

As with most recipes, I try and do a little research on the origins of them to have a better understanding of the history of the dish, as well as the modifications it may have seen to what we now identify it as.  We can once again thank our friends in England for this recipe. 

Eggnog can technically trace its origins back to England, where it began its life as a popular hot beverage known as a Posset, during the Medieval period.  Possets were an milk based dish, commonly served warm.  There are multiple variations across Europe of this particular beverage, and though the exact origins can’t be immediately traced to one exact country, scholars seem to feel most confident than once again, England wins.

Naturally, being the curious Dutchman, I had to look to my own culture to check in on our contributions to Egg Nog.  And wouldn’t you know, we have a variation made with whiskey:  Advocaat!

However you call, make, or enjoy this rather fantastic Holiday beverage, the hope is this slight derivation on the traditional format will bring you as much enjoyment!

EGG NOG CREAM PIE:

·         2 Tbs. Sugar 

·         3 Tbs. Cornstarch

·         6 Eggs, Yolks Only

·         3 Cups Egg Nog, Divided

·         2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

·         2 tsp. Rum Flavoring

·         1  Graham Cracker Pie Shell

 

DIRECTIONS

Place the sugar and cornstarch in a 3-quart heavy saucepan and whisk together.

In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks with 1/4 cup eggnog.  Add the eggnog mixture to the dry ingredients in the saucepan and whisk together. Add remaining 2 3/4 cups of eggnog & Rum flavoring to the saucepan and whisk well. Cook on medium high heat until the mixture thickens, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and add vanilla; whisk well. Pour into the graham cracker pie shell. Refrigerate 4 hours or more to set.

MINCED CRANBERRY PIE

MINCED CRANBERRY PIE

Every family has their own traditions that have graced their tables at Thanksgiving since time began.  Most everyone I know has their own special recipes for stuffing or dressing, techniques for roasting or frying turkey, or the countless variations on mashed or sweet potatoes.  However you choose to celebrate, nearly every Turkey Day feast seems to have one usual component:  Cranberry.

Growing up in Western Michigan, my family found themselves sitting down to break bread at the Thanksgiving table with two kinds of cranberry sauce.  The time honored version in the can, which was admittedly, something you just couldn’t stray far from.  However, over time the lovely addition of minced cranberry relish with a light, lemon infused whipped cream would join the menu.  And for those who were thinking it, Yes.  Yet another table-top influence of a certain Dutch Matriarch.

Minced cranberry relish recipes pop up all over the internet for both Holiday and canning related cooking.  My favorite recipe comes from the rather brilliant mind of a gentleman who saw the desperate need for improvement over as he rather adroitly pointed out:

“Anything that SLIDES out of the can, hanging in mid-air above the serving dish, and retains its can-like shape once it gets there ISN’T meant for normal consumption by humans.”

I suppose it’s fairly obvious that we don’t serve canned cranberry sauce at our table at Thanksgiving anymore.

Instead, I’m passing a little secret recipe from my family to yours for this delicious Minced Cranberry Pie.  This recipe can be altered to taste, and is table-slapping amazing as a relish as well as in a pie crust or tartlets.

MINCED CRANBERRY PIE:

·         Pie Pastry for a 2-crust, 9.5” deep-dish pie pastry

·         1 Lb. Fresh Cranberries, Ground

·         1 Orange, Ground (rind and all)

·         2 Cups Sugar

·         1 Tbs. Grand Marnier Liqueur

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

In a food processor, grind up your fresh cranberries until nearly the consistency of pickle relish.  Set aside in a medium bowl.  Cut your whole orange, rind and all, into 8 pieces.  Place in food processor and grind for 2 – 3 pulses until a similar consistency as that of your cranberries.  Mix orange mixture into your cranberries.

As you mix your cranberry and orange mixture together, gradually add your sugar into the mixture.  Stir your combined fruit and sugar mixture until well blended together, and add your Grand Marnier liqueur to taste. 

Allow mixture to refrigerate for  1 – 4 hours to cure.  Add more sugar to taste if a less tart filling is preferred.

Roll out pie pastry and lay into a baking sprayed pie plate.  Spoon cranberry filling into your pastry shell.

This pie is typically baked as a 2-crust pie, and the filling can be covered with the top crust in a traditional fashion, or with cookie cutter pieces done in a shingle fashion, as shown in the photograph at top (unbaked).

Place a cookie sheet underneath the pie plate to catch any juice run-off.  Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until top crust is golden brown.

DEEP SOUTH BOURBON PECAN PIE

DEEP SOUTH BOURBON PECAN PIE

A family favorite in our circle is this wonderful Deep South Bourbon Pecan Pie.  Where this is certainly not a new recipe, it’s been one that has made its way to family gatherings on both sides of Lake Michigan, and always seems to be enjoyed.  My hope is that as you gather yours around you during the holiday season you’ll be interested in trying it as well. 

Not so long ago, this little pie became a staple for Thanksgiving in my family.  In fact, it was the first pie that I brought to my very first Thanksgiving after moving to Chicago in 2000.  It’s seen plenty of mileage on it, and can possibly be said to be a nearly fool-proof way to get to invite back to anyone’s home for another visit that includes a meal and good company.

Pecan pie can be somewhat problematic, despite it seeming relatively easy to throw together, and it’s equally simplistic components.  This pie is a great one if you’re interested in capturing some true essence and flavor of The South, and without all the handwringing on whether the filling will set completely.  It’s a fantastic end to any meal and pairs well with just about anything and is a fantastic colder weather flavor.

DEEP SOUTH BOURBON PECAN PIE:

·         1 (9-inch) Deep-Dish Pie Shell, Unbaked

·         1 Cup Brown Sugar

·         ¼ tsp. Cinnamon

·         ¼ tsp. Cloves

·         3 Tbs.  Butter, Melted

·         1/2 Cup Dark Corn Syrup

·         3 Large Eggs, Beaten

·         2 1/2 Cups Pecan Halves, Crushed

·         2 Tbs. Bourbon

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and melted butter.  Add the corn syrup, eggs, pecans, and bourbon, and stir until all ingredients are combined.

Pour mixture into an unbaked pie shell, and place on a heavy-duty cookie sheet.   Bake for 10 minutes.

Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees , and continue to bake for an additional 25 minutes, or until pie is set. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

**Garnish Options:  To create a nice, finished look to this pie, consider finishing the pie top with 2 cups of pecan halves to decorate the outer edge of the pie shell, and adding a star in the center.  Another option is to use seasonal cookie cutters to cut additional shapes out of pie pastry dough like that pictured above.