Pie Crust #2

Here is another favorite pie crust recipe!

3 flour

1 1/4 c. shortening, margarine or half and half

1 egg

1 T. vinegar

1/2 t. salt

5 T. cold water

Beat together and mix with flour. Chill in refrigerator until cold. Makes 2 large pie shells.

Easy enough right? The hardest part is patiently waiting for the refrigeration time!

Erika's Black Bottom Coconut Cream Pie

(Unfinished picture of pie. It still needed the whipped cream and toasted coconut on top).




1 Pastry for a 1-crust pie, home-made or refrigerated ready-to-use
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream, divided
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 c. coconut milk
1 c. milk
3 large egg yolks
1 bag (7 oz size) sweetened flaked coconut, divided
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 tsp. coconut extract

Directions:

Line a 9 inch pie plate with the pastry, prick it all over with a fork, line with a double thickness of foil and bake at 375 F degrees, about 20 minutes, until it is beginning to brown. Remove the foil and bake another 5 to 10 minutes, until it is fully brown. Or follow label directions on premade crust for baking empty. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, combine the chocolate chips and 1/3 cup of the cream in a small saucepan. Stir constantly over low heat until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is completely smooth. Pour into the pie shell, spread if necessary and set aside to cool completely.

In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar, flour and salt. Add about 1/4 cup of the milk and stir until the mixture is smooth. Add another 3/4 cup of the milk, stirring well after each, then stir in the 2 cups of coconut milk, stirring well.

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, and scraping around the edges of the pan bottom, until the mixture is as thick as pudding, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Lightly beat the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Gradually stir in the hot milk mixture a couple of Tablespoons at a time until the eggs are room temperature. Pour this egg-milk mixture into the hot mixture in the pan, stirring well immediately. Cook over low-medium heat, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes, until it thickens again.

Remove from heat and stir in 1 1/2 cups of the coconut and the butter, almond and coconut extract. Let cool 10 minutes, then spoon and pour over the chocolate in the pie shell. Put a sheet of plastic wrap on top of the filling (to keep skin from forming), and chill overnight or for several hours.

Meanwhile, spread the remaining cup of coconut onto a baking sheet and toast it at 350 F degrees 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it is golden. Cool completely.

Whip the remaining 2/3 cup of cream and spread or pipe it on the cooled pie; decorate with toasted coconut

***MAKE SURE TO CHILL PIE OVERNIGHT, OR SEVERAL HOURS***
Some how this pie ends up inviting itself to dinner every Thanksgiving. It's just become one of the family! It's a fabulous pie..I Promise! I have altered and adjusted this pie going on 5 years now. Hopefully it'll continue to be on the menu for years to come. Please just remember to give ample time to refrigerate because you want the chocolate to harden (it's texture will end up being like a truffle). Yumm-o!

Caramel Apple Pie

5-6 cups apples, delicious & fuji (peeled and sliced)
1/2 c. sugar
3 T. flour
1/8 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 c. chopped pecans (optional, we didn't use these)
1/4 c. caramel topping
1 recipe crumb topping (recipe below)

Mix sugar, flour, salt, and cinnamon together. Add apples and toss to coat. Fill prepared pie crust. Sprinkle crumb topping over the top. Place on cookie sheet and cover crust edges with foil. Bake 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake 25-30 minutes more. Remove from oven and sprinkle pecans over top. Then drizzle caramel over top. Serve warm or at room temp.

Crumb Topping
1 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. quick rolled oats
1/2 c. butter

Mix sugar, flour and oats together. Cut in softened butter until like coarse crumbs.

The perfect fall dessert! I especially love it with vanilla ice cream or cream on top. If you have left over apples ( I always seem to have leftovers) make a quick apple crisp.

Erika's Favorite Pie Crust

From Martha Stewart

(Makes 2 Pie Crusts)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 sticks chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces (Yes, 2...I said 2 sticks of butta)

1. To make the dough for the pie crust, mix 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon each salt and sugar in a medium-size bowl. Cut 2 sticks chilled unsalted butter into pieces. With a pastry blender, cut in butter, working until mixture resembles coarse meal.
2. Add 4 tablespoons ice water; work with hands until dough comes together. If dough is still crumbly, add more ice water a tablespoon at a time (up to 4 more tablespoons). Do not overwork.
3. Divide dough in half, and flatten halves into disks. Wrap disks separately in plastic; refrigerate at least 1 hour.
4. To form the pie shell, roll the dough on a floured surface into a 14-inch round. Wrap around rolling pin and carefully unroll over a 9-inch pie plate.
5. Fit gently into bottom and side of plate. Use kitchen shears to trim dough to a 1-inch overhang; fold under, and seal to form a rim.
6. Crimp rim with fingertips and knuckle. Repeat with remaining dough; wrap each with plastic, stack, and freeze.(If you don't want to freeze your pie crust, you can make bake your pie crust according to the directions of the pie recipe you are using.)

I really like this pie crust recipe. It has yet to disappoint me. I also like to make plenty for the freezer so when I need to make a quick pie I already have it on hand.

German Chocolate Pie

4 oz. German chocolate
1/4 c. butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/8 t. salt
1 t. vanilla extract
3 T. cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 c. evaporated milk
1 unbaked 10" pie crust
1 1/3 c. shredded coconut
1/2 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375. In a microwave, melt chocolate and butter on low setting in a med. size microwave safe bowl. Stir several times during melting precess to prevent burning. When chocolate is melted, stir in sugar, salt, vanilla, cornstarch, and eggs until well blended. Stir in evaporated milk until smooth. Pour into pie shell. Mix coconut and pecans together; sprinkle evenly over chocolate mixture. Use a knife to cut through coconut into chocolate mixture in several places. Bake 45-50 minutes or until center is set.

Oh My Goodness!!! This pie is to DIE for. If you like German chocolate ANYTHING this is the Pie for you! Enjoy! Sorry...no picts. it was devoured too quickly.

Erika's Chocolate French Silk Pie

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
3 one ounce squares unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
2 tsp pure vanilla
3 large eggs

*Optional: 1 cup milk chocolate chips

Melt chocolate in a small bowl over boiling water. Make sure the chocolate won't harden.
In your kitchen aid or mixer, cream the butter at medium to high speed about 1 minute.
Add sugar, 1/4 cup at a time and continue to beat until light and fluffy. This will take about 3-5 minutes. Scrape bowl the bowl often. It must be mixed long enough so it is no longer gritty.
Slowly add the melted chocolate to the butter mixture, beating on low to medium speed until the chocolate is well blended and mixture is smooth and creamy. Scrape again.
On medium speed, add eggs one at a time, beating after each one before adding the next egg. Scrape the bowl. Add vanilla and give it one more mix. Decide if you would like to add the chocolate chips or not (without the choco. chips it's a smooth, mousse like texture, by adding the choco. chips it gives it an extra chocolaty crunch)

Spread the mixture into a pre-cooked and cooled pie shell. Chill for a couple of hours. Before serving, add fresh whipped cream and garnish with chocolate curls. (Run a potato peeler along a chocolate bar for chocolate curls). Enjoy!

This is a chocolate lovers dream! Beware...it's VERY rich! Yum! We served this for dessert on Christmas 2008.

Makes one 9 inch pie

Hunters Marbled Pumpkin Cheesecake

3/4 c.gingersnaps, crushed
3/4 c. graham crackers, crushed
1 1/4 c. butter, melted
2 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
4 eggs
16 oz can pumpkin
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. ginger
1/4 t. nutmeg

In a bowl, combine gingersnap and graham crumbs with 1/4 c. sugar and butter. Press into the bottom of a 9" spring form pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add one cup sugar; beat until light. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Transfer 1 1/2 cups of cream cheese mixture to a separate bowl and blend in pumpkin and spices. Pour half of pumpkin mixture into prepared crust. Top with half of cream cheese mixture. Repeat layers using remaining pumpkin and cream cheese mixtures. Using a table knife, cut through layers with uplifting motion in 4-5 places to create marbled effect. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes without opening over door. turn off oven and let cake stand in oven for one hour. Remove from oven and run knife around sides of pan to remove sides. Cool and store in refrigerator.

Best Banana Cream Pie

Filling:
2/3 c. sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch
1/2 t. salt
2 3/4 c. whole milk
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 T. butter
2 t. vanilla
2 ripe bananas, sliced

Topping:
Homemade whipped cream, or canned whipped cream
1/4 c. slivered almonds

Make the filling by sifting together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt into a medium saucepan. Blend the milk and eggs in a medium bowl, then add the mixture to the dry ingredients and cook over medium heat stirring constantly for 6-8 minutes. or until the mixture boils and thickens, then cook for 1 minute more.
Remove the filling from the heat, and mix in the vanilla and butter. Put plastic wrap on the surface of the filling and let it cool to about room temp. (The plastic wrap will prevent the top of the filling from becoming gummy)
When the filling has cooled, remove the plastic wrap and add the sliced bananas. Stir. Pour the filling into the pie shell and chill for a couple of hours before serving. Serve each slice topped with fresh whipped cream and slivered almonds.

This recipe is similar to Marie callenders. Banana cream pie is my favorite pie...along with coconut cream, blueberry sour cream, German chocolate etc etc close behind!!! Pie is my favorite Thanksgiving dish, I especially love ROUND pieces! Yum!
Mikes family tradition was to make a pie for every person at the dinner table. So can you imagine what a HEAVENLY smell 15 HOMEMADE pies made? Now that his parents, 11 sisters, and 1 brother have grown into an extended family of ....I lost track, but imagine if everyone showed up for Thanksgiving at once? Yummmmm-o!

Almond Joy Pie

1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. cornstarch
1/4 c. baking cocoa
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. milk
18 (1 pkg) Mini Almond Joy candy bars, chopped
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 pastry shell (9 " ) baked
whipped cream

In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, cocoa and salt. Stir in milk until smooth, Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened (mixture will thicken quickly). Remove from the heat.
Add chopped candy bars and vanilla; stir until chocolate is melted. Pour into pastry shell. Press plastic wrap onto filling. Refrigerate until set, about 4 hours. Remove plastic wrap onto filling. Slice and serve with whipped cream. Enjoy!