Pie
It's that time of year when baking kicks into high gear. What better thing to bake than Pies? Check out the Impossibly Easy French Apple Pie, the Best Pecan Pie, and the rest of today's pies. Enjoy!
STRAWBERRY PIE
Several summers ago, my daughter and I checked out a local fruit stand and came away with a quart of strawberries. They were on sale for $3 for a quart, so how could we pass them up?
Of course, then we had to decide what to do with all these yummy strawberries. And what better use for them than in a pie? So, here goes what I made.
Ingredients
1 quart strawberries
1 C sugar
3 Tablespoons corn start
3/4 cup hot water
1 pie crust
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place pie crust in an ungreased pie pan. Using a fork, pierce crust a couple of times (though don't go overboard), and bake for 10 - 15 minutes, or until lightly brown.
Note: If you're using a store-bought pie crust, bake until brown according to the package directions.
Wash strawberries. Cut up half of the berries (about 1 pint) and arrange in pie crust. You don't need to cut the strawberries too small; maybe in half or, for larger strawberries, in fourths.
Mash the remaining berries and place in a medium saucepan. Pour sugar over the strawberries in the pan and combine. Cook over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
In a small bowl, whisk hot water and cornstarch together, then stir into boiling strawberry mixture. Reduce heat, then simmer until mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour thickened mixture over berries in pie crust. Chill for several hours before serving. Oh, and be sure to share!
STRAWBERRY SLAB PIE
This is from Nicole Taylor in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Nicole wrote, "On Juneteenth, which celebrates the abolition of slavery in the United States, the picnic table overflows with summertime pies and red foods, a symbol of perseverance. That makes this festive strawberry slab pie ideal for Juneteenth, though it’d be welcome anytime in berry season. The rectangular pie is made in a quarter sheet pan; if you don't have one, use a comparably sized casserole dish. Cracked black pepper in the crust and fresh ginger in the filling add a bit of spice. This isn't an especially sugary dessert, so if you want something sweeter, top it with vanilla ice cream."
Yield: 12 to 16 servings; Time: 4 hours, plus 2 hours' cooling
This was featured in "Hot Links and Red Drinks: The Rich Food Tradition of Juneteenth", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018797-strawberry-slab-pie.
Ingredients
For the crust:
2-1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out dough
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 cup cold unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus more for buttering the pan
3/4 cup ice water
2 tablespoons buttermilk
For the filling:
3 pounds fresh strawberries, small berries cut in half and larger berries cut in quarters (see note)
3 to 4 tablespoons loosely packed dark brown sugar, depending on how sweet your berries are
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon grapefruit zest
1-1/2 teaspoons grapefruit juice
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Preparation
Make the crust: In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, the salt and the pepper. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into flour until the largest pieces of butter are the size of lentils.
Sprinkle ice water over dough a tablespoon at a time, stirring and scooping the dough with your hands as you go to incorporate the water, until the dough just begins to adhere and you can gather it into an imperfect ball. (You may not need all the water.) Transfer dough to a piece of plastic wrap and press into a disk. Wrap tightly and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Lightly butter a quarter sheet pan with a 1-inch rim, including the top edge of the rim, and set aside. (Quarter sheet pans are usually 8 by 11 inches or 9 by 12 inches, depending on the manufacturer.)
Lightly flour a large work surface, a rolling pin and the dough. Roll the chilled dough into a 1/8-inch-thick rectangle. From that, cut a rectangle three inches bigger than the dimensions of your pan on each side (i.e., an 11-by-14-inch rectangle for an 8-by-11-inch pan, or a 12-by-15-inch rectangle for a 9-by-12-inch pan). Reserve the extra dough.
Gently press the dough rectangle into the quarter sheet pan, trimming excess dough at the edges. The dough should go all the way up and over the top edge of the pan, if possible. Transfer pan to refrigerator and chill for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, line another baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out reserved dough to 1/4- to 1/8-inch thickness. Using 1- and 2-inch biscuit cutters, cut out about 30 circles of different sizes (or use all one size if you prefer), rerolling dough as necessary. Transfer circles to parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate.
Make the filling: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir well. Set aside for about an hour, while crust chills.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. When oven is hot, paint some of the buttermilk on the edges of the pie crust. Transfer berry mixture to crust, patting the berries down into a roughly even layer. Place pan on a larger baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake for 30 minutes.
Paint buttermilk over reserved pastry circles and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon granulated sugar. Place circles all over the bubbling berries. Continue baking pie until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling, an additional 50 to 60 minutes.
Run a small knife around the edge of the pie while it's warm. Transfer the pie in its quarter sheet pan to a wire rack. Let cool for at least 2 hours before cutting and serving from the pan.
Tip
Use smaller, fresh farm strawberries rather than conventional supermarket berries, if possible. The farm berries release less juice, which makes for a less runny filling.
HONEY PIE
This is from Clarice Lam on the Spruce Eats. Clarice wrote, "When famed Brooklyn pie shop Four and Twenty Blackbirds opened its doors and our eyes to their salted honey pie in 2010, all of NYC lost their minds. This legendary pie has a silky honey filling encased in a buttery crust and is rounded out with a lightly caramelized top and flakes of Maldon salt.
"A Modern Twist on Chess Pie
"Although this pie one of Four and Twenty Blackbirds’ signature original creations, it has ties to more traditional southern custard-based pies like buttermilk and chess pie. Both pies contain dairy, eggs, butter, sugar, and a thickener with the main differences being the type of dairy and thickener used. Chess pies frequently use milk, cream, and cornmeal while buttermilk pies use (surprise!) buttermilk and flour or cornstarch.
"Bee Selective When Choosing Honey
"For my version of honey pie, I browned the butter for a rich, nutty depth of flavor. Since honey is the star of the show here, the type of honey used is important. I always try to use local honey since it supports your local farmers and is less processed. Any high quality raw honey will work as well.
"Different honeys have different flavors so keep that in mind when selecting the type of honey for this pie. You can go mild with a wildflower honey or choose something with a bold flavor profile, like buckwheat honey, for a more intense honey kick."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Cooling/Resting Time: 4 hours; Total Time: 5 hours 20 minutes; Servings: 8 to 10 slices; Yield: 1 pie
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/honey-pie-recipe-6560702.
Ingredients
For the Crust:
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour, more as needed
4 ounces (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
5 tablespoons ice water
For the Filling
5-1/2 ounces (11 tablespoons) unsalted butter
3 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup raw honey, preferably local
1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
For the Honey Whipped Cream
1-1/2 cups cold heavy cream
2 tablespoons raw honey, preferably local
1 tablespoon lightly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Directions
For the Crust
Gather the ingredients.
Combine the flour, cold butter, salt, and sugar in a stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment.
Start the mixer on low speed for about 10 seconds then switch to medium speed. Continue to paddle, breaking up the butter until the chunks are the size of small peas, about 3 minutes.
With the mixer running, drizzle in the ice water until the dough comes together. Do not overmix. It should look like a shaggy mass but hold its shape when pressed together.
Remove the dough from the bowl, flatten it into a disc, wrap in plastic, and place in the fridge for 45 minutes to rest.
Once the dough has chilled and rested, remove it from the fridge and place the disc onto a floured work surface. Dust the top with more flour and roll out the dough to a 14-inch round, about 1/8-inch thick.
Carefully roll it up onto the rolling pin and drape it over your pie pan. Lightly lay the dough into the bottom of the pan and press it into the sides. There will be some overhang. Do not stretch your dough, this will cause it to shrink in the oven.
Fold the overhang under itself and crimp the edges however you desire. Place the pie pan into the freezer for at least an hour. It is important for the crust to be frozen when putting it in the oven so it retains its shape and doesn’t get soggy.
For the Filling
Gather the ingredients.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375 F.
Cut the butter into small chunks and place in a small saucepan over medium heat to melt.
Once the butter is completely melted, turn the heat to medium-low and continue to cook the butter until it turns a toasty amber color, about 8 minutes.
Remove the brown butter from the heat, pour into a heat-proof vessel, and set aside.
Whisk together the eggs, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Whisk together the honey and buttermilk in a small pot over medium heat and bring just to a boil.
Slowly add the hot honey mixture to the egg mixture while whisking until completely homogeneous.
Add the browned butter, and lemon zest and juice. Whisk to combine.
Remove the pie crust from the freezer and pour the custard into the shell.
Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the top is a deep amber color and the crust is golden brown, 40 to 50 minutes (start checking for doneness early). The center should still jiggle like a soft set jelly, it will continue to set as it cools.
Allow the pie to cool on a wire rack for at least 3 hours before placing it in the fridge.
For the Honey Whipped Cream
Gather the ingredients.
Combine the heavy cream, honey, brown sugar, and salt in a stand mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment.
Whisk on medium-high speed until you get silky stiff peaks. No over whipping, we’re not trying to make butter here!
Transfer the whipped cream to a bowl, cover in plastic and place in the fridge to chill until ready to use.
The pie can be served at room temperature or cold with or without a dollop of honey whipped cream.
Recipe Tip
I prefer raw local honey, but if that’s not available regular store bought honey will work.
Recipe Variations
• If honey altogether is not your thing, try using maple or golden syrup.
• Too lazy to bake? Leave it to the experts to deliver a pie to your door!
How To Store or Freeze
The pie can be kept in an airtight container or wrapped in the fridge for up to 4 days, and up to 3 months in the freezer.
Make Ahead
The pie crust can be made ahead of time and kept wrapped in plastic for up to 3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. If freezing the dough make sure to thaw it in the fridge the night before you want to bake the pie.
IMPOSSIBLY EASY FRENCH APPLE PIE
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, “Create tasty apple pie with a crisp, nutty topping the impossibly easy Bisquick® mix way! There's no crust to roll.”
Ingredients
3 cups sliced peeled all-purpose apples (3 large)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
Streusel (See Below)
Directions
Heat oven to 325ºF. Grease 9-inch pie plate.
Stir together apples, cinnamon and nutmeg; turn into pie plate. Stir remaining ingredients except Streusel until blended. Pour into pie plate. Sprinkle with Streusel.
Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pie.
Streusel
Ingredients
1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1/4 cup chopped nuts
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter or margarine (firm)
Directions
Stir together all ingredients until crumbly.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft):
Heat oven to 375ºF.
BEST PECAN PIE
My step-dad loved pecan pies, so I'm sure he would've loved this one. It's from Linda Larsen, a contributor at The Spruce Eats. She wrote, "This recipe makes a perfect pecan pie. By that, we mean a balanced sweet flavor, lots of toasted pecans, and the pie slices beautifully into wedges, looking just like pictures of pecan pie in a cookbook. Using a 9-inch pie shell, prepare to bake the crust and construct the sweet and delicious filling that makes these pies so popular and well loved. The method to make the pecan pie filling for this recipe is a bit unusual and offbeat, but it's not difficult to make.
"Pecan pies are traditionally enjoyed on the holidays or why not whip one up for a special occasion. Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for an irresistible dessert."
Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 55 minutes; Total Time: 80 minutes; Servings: 6 to 8 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/best-pecan-pie-483200.
Ingredients
1 (9-inch) pie shell
1/3 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups pecans (coarsely chopped)
Garnish: 1 cup large pecan halves
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Place the unbaked pie crust in the freezer until ready to bake. Then line pie crust with aluminum foil and pie weights or dried beans. Bake pie shell until set, about 5 to 6 minutes.
Remove the foil and weights and bake 2 to 3 minutes longer until crust is just beginning to brown on the edges.
As soon as the pie shell comes out of the oven, decrease the oven temperature to 300 F.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat; mix in sugars and salt with a wire whisk until combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in corn syrup and vanilla.
Place the saucepan over very low heat. Cook and stir constantly with a wire whisk until the mixture is very warm and thickened, about 6 to 7 minutes. You have to stir constantly with a whisk so the mixture cooks evenly and the eggs don't scramble on the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and strain into a large bowl using a medium-mesh strainer. (This is important to remove any cooked egg.) Then, stir in the chopped pecans.
Pour the hot pecan mixture into the hot pie crust. Place large pecan halves on top of the filling in a decorative pattern.
Bake the pie until the center feels set but soft when touched with your finger, and moves slightly when the pie is gently jiggled, about 40 to 55 minutes. You may need to cover the edges of the crust with foil to prevent over-browning or cover the top of the pie with foil so it doesn't get too brown.
Transfer pie to a wire rack and let cool completely for at least 5 hours. It's best eaten within 12 to 14 hours.
MANGO PIE
This is from Kanta and Hrishikesh Kirway, and adapted by Samin Nosrat in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Samin wrote, "When Hrishikesh Hirway was a kid, his parents, who immigrated to the United States from Maharashtra, in western India, began hosting Thanksgiving. The meal soon evolved into a hybrid of a traditional Thanksgiving and an Indian potluck. “Out of that cultural mash-up, my mom started making this mango pie,” he said. She’d gotten the idea from other Indian aunties in the States, but their versions weren’t as good. “They weren’t making it with the best kind of mango,” Hirway explained. “The Alphonsos have a stronger, more intense flavor.” That Alphonso flavor shines as brilliantly as the pie’s bright filling, made tangy and rich with the addition of cream cheese and whipped cream. And the salty, crumbly graham cracker crust is the perfect foundation for the golden cloud of custard that sits atop it. It’s so satisfying that you'll catch yourself cutting sliver after mouthwatering sliver of pie."
Yield: 2 9-inch pies; Time: 50 minutes, plus 5 hours' chilling
This was featured in "A Very American Mango Pie, Inspired by Indian Aunties," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019974-mango-pie.
Note: I found the featured article very interesting, and hope you will, too. Please, take a look at it. Nothing like combining the old and new cultures and food!
While we're at it, check out Melissa Clark's guide titled "How to Make a Pie Crust." Helpful stuff there!
Ingredients
For the graham-cracker crust:
2-1/2 cups finely ground graham-cracker crumbs
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 large pinch sea salt
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the mango custard:
3/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon powdered gelatin (2-1/2 packages at 2-1/2 teaspoons per pack)
cup heavy whipping cream, chilled
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 30-ounce can Alphonso mango purée (3-1/4 cups)
1 large pinch sea salt
Preparation
Stir crumbs, sugar, cardamom and salt together in a medium bowl. Add butter, and stir with a fork until evenly combined.
Pour half the crumb mixture into a 9-inch round metal pie pan, and spread evenly. Press down with fingers, a metal measuring cup or a second pie pan to compact the crumbs as much as possible across the bottom and up the sides of the pan into an even crust. (The more compressed the crust, the less it will crumble.) Repeat to form the remaining crumb mixture into a crust in a second pan.
Heat oven to 325. Transfer both crusts to freezer, and chill for 15 minutes. Bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Place 3/4 cup cold water in a large bowl. In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup sugar with the gelatin; sprinkle mixture evenly over the surface of the cold water. Let sit a few minutes to bloom.
In the meantime, whip the cream and remaining 1/4 cup sugar together until medium-stiff peaks form. Set aside.
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm 1 cup of the mango purée to body temperature (stir to make sure you are just warming it and not bringing it to a boil). Pour warmed mango purée over gelatin mixture, and whisk until well combined. Gelatin should dissolve into mango completely. Gradually whisk in remaining mango purée.
Use a rubber spatula to beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl until it is soft and smooth, then add to mango mixture along with a large pinch of sea salt. Use an immersion blender to blend until completely smooth, tipping the bowl to make sure you’ve incorporated everything well. Gently tap the bowl on the counter once or twice to pop any air bubbles. Use the spatula to gently fold about 1/4 of the mango mixture into the whipped cream, then fold cream into the larger amount of mixture until no streaks remain.
Divide custard between cooled crusts. Use a rubber spatula to smooth out the filling. Refrigerate 5 hours or overnight until firm and chilled. Serve chilled.
Tip
You can find Alphonso mango purée — which is a variety, not a brand — at most Indian grocery stores. If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a food processor or a countertop blender to blend the custard mixture.
STRAWBERRY PIE
Several summers ago, my daughter and I checked out a local fruit stand and came away with a quart of strawberries. They were on sale for $3 for a quart, so how could we pass them up?
Of course, then we had to decide what to do with all these yummy strawberries. And what better use for them than in a pie? So, here goes what I made.
Ingredients
1 quart strawberries
1 C sugar
3 Tablespoons corn start
3/4 cup hot water
1 pie crust
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place pie crust in an ungreased pie pan. Using a fork, pierce crust a couple of times (though don't go overboard), and bake for 10 - 15 minutes, or until lightly brown.
Note: If you're using a store-bought pie crust, bake until brown according to the package directions.
Wash strawberries. Cut up half of the berries (about 1 pint) and arrange in pie crust. You don't need to cut the strawberries too small; maybe in half or, for larger strawberries, in fourths.
Mash the remaining berries and place in a medium saucepan. Pour sugar over the strawberries in the pan and combine. Cook over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
In a small bowl, whisk hot water and cornstarch together, then stir into boiling strawberry mixture. Reduce heat, then simmer until mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour thickened mixture over berries in pie crust. Chill for several hours before serving. Oh, and be sure to share!
STRAWBERRY SLAB PIE
This is from Nicole Taylor in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Nicole wrote, "On Juneteenth, which celebrates the abolition of slavery in the United States, the picnic table overflows with summertime pies and red foods, a symbol of perseverance. That makes this festive strawberry slab pie ideal for Juneteenth, though it’d be welcome anytime in berry season. The rectangular pie is made in a quarter sheet pan; if you don't have one, use a comparably sized casserole dish. Cracked black pepper in the crust and fresh ginger in the filling add a bit of spice. This isn't an especially sugary dessert, so if you want something sweeter, top it with vanilla ice cream."
Yield: 12 to 16 servings; Time: 4 hours, plus 2 hours' cooling
This was featured in "Hot Links and Red Drinks: The Rich Food Tradition of Juneteenth", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018797-strawberry-slab-pie.
Ingredients
For the crust:
2-1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out dough
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 cup cold unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus more for buttering the pan
3/4 cup ice water
2 tablespoons buttermilk
For the filling:
3 pounds fresh strawberries, small berries cut in half and larger berries cut in quarters (see note)
3 to 4 tablespoons loosely packed dark brown sugar, depending on how sweet your berries are
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon grapefruit zest
1-1/2 teaspoons grapefruit juice
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Preparation
Make the crust: In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, the salt and the pepper. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into flour until the largest pieces of butter are the size of lentils.
Sprinkle ice water over dough a tablespoon at a time, stirring and scooping the dough with your hands as you go to incorporate the water, until the dough just begins to adhere and you can gather it into an imperfect ball. (You may not need all the water.) Transfer dough to a piece of plastic wrap and press into a disk. Wrap tightly and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Lightly butter a quarter sheet pan with a 1-inch rim, including the top edge of the rim, and set aside. (Quarter sheet pans are usually 8 by 11 inches or 9 by 12 inches, depending on the manufacturer.)
Lightly flour a large work surface, a rolling pin and the dough. Roll the chilled dough into a 1/8-inch-thick rectangle. From that, cut a rectangle three inches bigger than the dimensions of your pan on each side (i.e., an 11-by-14-inch rectangle for an 8-by-11-inch pan, or a 12-by-15-inch rectangle for a 9-by-12-inch pan). Reserve the extra dough.
Gently press the dough rectangle into the quarter sheet pan, trimming excess dough at the edges. The dough should go all the way up and over the top edge of the pan, if possible. Transfer pan to refrigerator and chill for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, line another baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out reserved dough to 1/4- to 1/8-inch thickness. Using 1- and 2-inch biscuit cutters, cut out about 30 circles of different sizes (or use all one size if you prefer), rerolling dough as necessary. Transfer circles to parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate.
Make the filling: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir well. Set aside for about an hour, while crust chills.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. When oven is hot, paint some of the buttermilk on the edges of the pie crust. Transfer berry mixture to crust, patting the berries down into a roughly even layer. Place pan on a larger baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake for 30 minutes.
Paint buttermilk over reserved pastry circles and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon granulated sugar. Place circles all over the bubbling berries. Continue baking pie until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling, an additional 50 to 60 minutes.
Run a small knife around the edge of the pie while it's warm. Transfer the pie in its quarter sheet pan to a wire rack. Let cool for at least 2 hours before cutting and serving from the pan.
Tip
Use smaller, fresh farm strawberries rather than conventional supermarket berries, if possible. The farm berries release less juice, which makes for a less runny filling.
HONEY PIE
This is from Clarice Lam on the Spruce Eats. Clarice wrote, "When famed Brooklyn pie shop Four and Twenty Blackbirds opened its doors and our eyes to their salted honey pie in 2010, all of NYC lost their minds. This legendary pie has a silky honey filling encased in a buttery crust and is rounded out with a lightly caramelized top and flakes of Maldon salt.
"A Modern Twist on Chess Pie
"Although this pie one of Four and Twenty Blackbirds’ signature original creations, it has ties to more traditional southern custard-based pies like buttermilk and chess pie. Both pies contain dairy, eggs, butter, sugar, and a thickener with the main differences being the type of dairy and thickener used. Chess pies frequently use milk, cream, and cornmeal while buttermilk pies use (surprise!) buttermilk and flour or cornstarch.
"Bee Selective When Choosing Honey
"For my version of honey pie, I browned the butter for a rich, nutty depth of flavor. Since honey is the star of the show here, the type of honey used is important. I always try to use local honey since it supports your local farmers and is less processed. Any high quality raw honey will work as well.
"Different honeys have different flavors so keep that in mind when selecting the type of honey for this pie. You can go mild with a wildflower honey or choose something with a bold flavor profile, like buckwheat honey, for a more intense honey kick."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Cooling/Resting Time: 4 hours; Total Time: 5 hours 20 minutes; Servings: 8 to 10 slices; Yield: 1 pie
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/honey-pie-recipe-6560702.
Ingredients
For the Crust:
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour, more as needed
4 ounces (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
5 tablespoons ice water
For the Filling
5-1/2 ounces (11 tablespoons) unsalted butter
3 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup raw honey, preferably local
1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
For the Honey Whipped Cream
1-1/2 cups cold heavy cream
2 tablespoons raw honey, preferably local
1 tablespoon lightly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Directions
For the Crust
Gather the ingredients.
Combine the flour, cold butter, salt, and sugar in a stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment.
Start the mixer on low speed for about 10 seconds then switch to medium speed. Continue to paddle, breaking up the butter until the chunks are the size of small peas, about 3 minutes.
With the mixer running, drizzle in the ice water until the dough comes together. Do not overmix. It should look like a shaggy mass but hold its shape when pressed together.
Remove the dough from the bowl, flatten it into a disc, wrap in plastic, and place in the fridge for 45 minutes to rest.
Once the dough has chilled and rested, remove it from the fridge and place the disc onto a floured work surface. Dust the top with more flour and roll out the dough to a 14-inch round, about 1/8-inch thick.
Carefully roll it up onto the rolling pin and drape it over your pie pan. Lightly lay the dough into the bottom of the pan and press it into the sides. There will be some overhang. Do not stretch your dough, this will cause it to shrink in the oven.
Fold the overhang under itself and crimp the edges however you desire. Place the pie pan into the freezer for at least an hour. It is important for the crust to be frozen when putting it in the oven so it retains its shape and doesn’t get soggy.
For the Filling
Gather the ingredients.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375 F.
Cut the butter into small chunks and place in a small saucepan over medium heat to melt.
Once the butter is completely melted, turn the heat to medium-low and continue to cook the butter until it turns a toasty amber color, about 8 minutes.
Remove the brown butter from the heat, pour into a heat-proof vessel, and set aside.
Whisk together the eggs, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Whisk together the honey and buttermilk in a small pot over medium heat and bring just to a boil.
Slowly add the hot honey mixture to the egg mixture while whisking until completely homogeneous.
Add the browned butter, and lemon zest and juice. Whisk to combine.
Remove the pie crust from the freezer and pour the custard into the shell.
Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the top is a deep amber color and the crust is golden brown, 40 to 50 minutes (start checking for doneness early). The center should still jiggle like a soft set jelly, it will continue to set as it cools.
Allow the pie to cool on a wire rack for at least 3 hours before placing it in the fridge.
For the Honey Whipped Cream
Gather the ingredients.
Combine the heavy cream, honey, brown sugar, and salt in a stand mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment.
Whisk on medium-high speed until you get silky stiff peaks. No over whipping, we’re not trying to make butter here!
Transfer the whipped cream to a bowl, cover in plastic and place in the fridge to chill until ready to use.
The pie can be served at room temperature or cold with or without a dollop of honey whipped cream.
Recipe Tip
I prefer raw local honey, but if that’s not available regular store bought honey will work.
Recipe Variations
• If honey altogether is not your thing, try using maple or golden syrup.
• Too lazy to bake? Leave it to the experts to deliver a pie to your door!
How To Store or Freeze
The pie can be kept in an airtight container or wrapped in the fridge for up to 4 days, and up to 3 months in the freezer.
Make Ahead
The pie crust can be made ahead of time and kept wrapped in plastic for up to 3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. If freezing the dough make sure to thaw it in the fridge the night before you want to bake the pie.
IMPOSSIBLY EASY FRENCH APPLE PIE
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, “Create tasty apple pie with a crisp, nutty topping the impossibly easy Bisquick® mix way! There's no crust to roll.”
Ingredients
3 cups sliced peeled all-purpose apples (3 large)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
Streusel (See Below)
Directions
Heat oven to 325ºF. Grease 9-inch pie plate.
Stir together apples, cinnamon and nutmeg; turn into pie plate. Stir remaining ingredients except Streusel until blended. Pour into pie plate. Sprinkle with Streusel.
Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pie.
Streusel
Ingredients
1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1/4 cup chopped nuts
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter or margarine (firm)
Directions
Stir together all ingredients until crumbly.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft):
Heat oven to 375ºF.
BEST PECAN PIE
My step-dad loved pecan pies, so I'm sure he would've loved this one. It's from Linda Larsen, a contributor at The Spruce Eats. She wrote, "This recipe makes a perfect pecan pie. By that, we mean a balanced sweet flavor, lots of toasted pecans, and the pie slices beautifully into wedges, looking just like pictures of pecan pie in a cookbook. Using a 9-inch pie shell, prepare to bake the crust and construct the sweet and delicious filling that makes these pies so popular and well loved. The method to make the pecan pie filling for this recipe is a bit unusual and offbeat, but it's not difficult to make.
"Pecan pies are traditionally enjoyed on the holidays or why not whip one up for a special occasion. Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for an irresistible dessert."
Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 55 minutes; Total Time: 80 minutes; Servings: 6 to 8 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/best-pecan-pie-483200.
Ingredients
1 (9-inch) pie shell
1/3 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups pecans (coarsely chopped)
Garnish: 1 cup large pecan halves
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Place the unbaked pie crust in the freezer until ready to bake. Then line pie crust with aluminum foil and pie weights or dried beans. Bake pie shell until set, about 5 to 6 minutes.
Remove the foil and weights and bake 2 to 3 minutes longer until crust is just beginning to brown on the edges.
As soon as the pie shell comes out of the oven, decrease the oven temperature to 300 F.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat; mix in sugars and salt with a wire whisk until combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in corn syrup and vanilla.
Place the saucepan over very low heat. Cook and stir constantly with a wire whisk until the mixture is very warm and thickened, about 6 to 7 minutes. You have to stir constantly with a whisk so the mixture cooks evenly and the eggs don't scramble on the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and strain into a large bowl using a medium-mesh strainer. (This is important to remove any cooked egg.) Then, stir in the chopped pecans.
Pour the hot pecan mixture into the hot pie crust. Place large pecan halves on top of the filling in a decorative pattern.
Bake the pie until the center feels set but soft when touched with your finger, and moves slightly when the pie is gently jiggled, about 40 to 55 minutes. You may need to cover the edges of the crust with foil to prevent over-browning or cover the top of the pie with foil so it doesn't get too brown.
Transfer pie to a wire rack and let cool completely for at least 5 hours. It's best eaten within 12 to 14 hours.
MANGO PIE
This is from Kanta and Hrishikesh Kirway, and adapted by Samin Nosrat in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Samin wrote, "When Hrishikesh Hirway was a kid, his parents, who immigrated to the United States from Maharashtra, in western India, began hosting Thanksgiving. The meal soon evolved into a hybrid of a traditional Thanksgiving and an Indian potluck. “Out of that cultural mash-up, my mom started making this mango pie,” he said. She’d gotten the idea from other Indian aunties in the States, but their versions weren’t as good. “They weren’t making it with the best kind of mango,” Hirway explained. “The Alphonsos have a stronger, more intense flavor.” That Alphonso flavor shines as brilliantly as the pie’s bright filling, made tangy and rich with the addition of cream cheese and whipped cream. And the salty, crumbly graham cracker crust is the perfect foundation for the golden cloud of custard that sits atop it. It’s so satisfying that you'll catch yourself cutting sliver after mouthwatering sliver of pie."
Yield: 2 9-inch pies; Time: 50 minutes, plus 5 hours' chilling
This was featured in "A Very American Mango Pie, Inspired by Indian Aunties," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019974-mango-pie.
Note: I found the featured article very interesting, and hope you will, too. Please, take a look at it. Nothing like combining the old and new cultures and food!
While we're at it, check out Melissa Clark's guide titled "How to Make a Pie Crust." Helpful stuff there!
Ingredients
For the graham-cracker crust:
2-1/2 cups finely ground graham-cracker crumbs
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 large pinch sea salt
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the mango custard:
3/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon powdered gelatin (2-1/2 packages at 2-1/2 teaspoons per pack)
cup heavy whipping cream, chilled
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 30-ounce can Alphonso mango purée (3-1/4 cups)
1 large pinch sea salt
Preparation
Stir crumbs, sugar, cardamom and salt together in a medium bowl. Add butter, and stir with a fork until evenly combined.
Pour half the crumb mixture into a 9-inch round metal pie pan, and spread evenly. Press down with fingers, a metal measuring cup or a second pie pan to compact the crumbs as much as possible across the bottom and up the sides of the pan into an even crust. (The more compressed the crust, the less it will crumble.) Repeat to form the remaining crumb mixture into a crust in a second pan.
Heat oven to 325. Transfer both crusts to freezer, and chill for 15 minutes. Bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Place 3/4 cup cold water in a large bowl. In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup sugar with the gelatin; sprinkle mixture evenly over the surface of the cold water. Let sit a few minutes to bloom.
In the meantime, whip the cream and remaining 1/4 cup sugar together until medium-stiff peaks form. Set aside.
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm 1 cup of the mango purée to body temperature (stir to make sure you are just warming it and not bringing it to a boil). Pour warmed mango purée over gelatin mixture, and whisk until well combined. Gelatin should dissolve into mango completely. Gradually whisk in remaining mango purée.
Use a rubber spatula to beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl until it is soft and smooth, then add to mango mixture along with a large pinch of sea salt. Use an immersion blender to blend until completely smooth, tipping the bowl to make sure you’ve incorporated everything well. Gently tap the bowl on the counter once or twice to pop any air bubbles. Use the spatula to gently fold about 1/4 of the mango mixture into the whipped cream, then fold cream into the larger amount of mixture until no streaks remain.
Divide custard between cooled crusts. Use a rubber spatula to smooth out the filling. Refrigerate 5 hours or overnight until firm and chilled. Serve chilled.
Tip
You can find Alphonso mango purée — which is a variety, not a brand — at most Indian grocery stores. If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a food processor or a countertop blender to blend the custard mixture.
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