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(adapted from the Stella Notte days and Farm Journal's Pie Cookbook) 9"Pre-baked pie shell of your choice (graham cracker or chocolate cookie works best) 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon cornstarch pinch salt 2 + 1/4 cups whole milk 2 Tcaablespoons + 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (Medaglia d'oro) 6 egg yolks 1 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract 1 teaspoon good quality coffee extract 2 Tablespoons butter, room temperature In top of a double boiler combine sugar, cornstarch, salt. Add egg yolks one at a time, whisking, then add milk and instant espresso powder. Set over simmering water and cook until mixture bubbles and thickens. Remove from heat and strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Stir in extracts and butter. Pour filling into pre-baked pie shell. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold. Cover with Coffee Whipped Cream and chocolate covered espresso beans. Coffee Whipped Cream 1 cup heavy cream 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (Medaglia d'oro) 2 Tablespoons Kahlua Trader Joe's chocolate covered coffee beans, for garnish In bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, combine heavy cream, powdered sugar, espresso powder and Kahlua. Beat on medium until cream thickens into soft peaks. 
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 Oatmeal Cookie-Pretzel Crust 5 Tablespoons of unsalted butter, room temperature 1/2 cup dark brown sugar 3/4 cup rolled oats 3 ounces coarsely crushed thin pretzels 1/4 cup King Arthur White Whole Wheat flour 1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped 1 egg, beaten with a fork 2 oz. chocolate chips (optional) Lightly butter your pie plate or tart pan. In bowl of a standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine butter and brown sugar. Beat until well combined, then add oats, pretzels, flour and the walnuts. With mixer on low, add beaten egg, then chocolate chips, if using. Turn dough out onto plastic wrap; it will be crumbly. Measure out one cup of the crust mixture and set aside. (You can use that to fill a personal pie plate, 5.5" or put it in a zip loc bag and freeze it for another use.) The remainder should weigh about 12 ounces, enough to line either a 9" pie plate or a 10" tart pan with removable bottom. Pat the dough into the bottom of your pan and up the sides. Then place the pie plate or tart pan in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm up. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. When dough is chilled, line it with parchment and beans and blind bake for about 25-30 minutes, until set. Then remove the parchment and beans and bake it another 10 minutes or so until it is firm. Set aside to cool completely while you prepare the filling. (Don't forget to turn the oven off.) Chocolate Irish Whiskey Pie Filling 7 large egg yolks 3 Tablespoons cornstarch 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar 3 Tablespoons dark brown sugar 2 and 1/4 cups half & half 8 oz. dark chocolate (I used Trader Joe's 60%) chopped 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter 4 Tablespoons Jameson Irish Whiskey In the top of a double boiler, whisk together the sugars and cornstarch, then egg yolks, whisking until smooth. Gradually add the half & half. Set over simmering water whisking frequently until very thick, about 8-10 minutes. Remove pan from over double boiler and add chocolate, whisking until chocolate is thoroughly melted. Then add butter and strain through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly on filling to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold, then gently fold in whiskey. Filling can now be poured into the cooled crust. Place plastic wrap over pie and chill until firm. Before serving, garnish the pie with the Bailey's whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Bailey's Coffee Whipped Cream 1 pint heavy cream 1 Tablespoon Medaglia d'Oro instant espresso coffee 1/4 cup confectioners sugar 1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional) Chocolate Shavings It really does speed things along if you chill the bowl and the whisk attachment first. Combine the heavy cream and instant espresso in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. (Or you can use a hand-held mixer; it will just take longer. That's always a problem for me because I'm generally due at someone's home with said dessert about the time I start to whip the cream...) You want the instant espresso to dissolve in the cream just a bit before you start to whip it. With the mixer going at medium speed, whip the cream until it starts to thicken. Gradually add the confectioners sugar until it forms soft peaks. Then add the Bailey's Irish Cream and whip until thick. (I try to turn off the mixer before it is too thick and finish the last few whisking laps by hand.) There are those who feel vanilla extract is necessary when making whipped cream. It's up to you- I think it gets lost in the espresso and Bailey's, but help yourself. You can garnish this dessert with chocolate shavings.   (with a nod to Marcy Goldman)
4 oz. unsalted butter, room temperature 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature ¼ cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon lemon or orange zest (optional) egg wash – 1 egg yolk combined with 2-3 Tablespoons milk or cream In bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine butter and sugar until smooth, then add cream cheese, blending well. With mixer on low, add vanilla, flour, salt and zest, if using. Dough will be soft, do not overmix. Turn dough out onto plastic wrap, sealing well. Place in refrigerator at least one hour, preferably overnight. When ready to roll out cookies, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Turn dough out onto lightly floured parchment paper. Roll out to about 1/8” thick. For traditional Hamantaschen, cut out 3” circles. I like to use a 7 ½ “ tart pan as a guide and cut out large cookies. Brush the outer edge of the circles with a bit of egg wash- this helps the triangles hold their shape. Place a teaspoonful of either jam or Nutella in the center of each cookie; for the larger circles I use about 3 Tablespoons of filling for each. Chill the Hamantaschen for 15 minutes before baking. The 3” cookies bake for about 18 minutes, the large ones for about 25 minutes. When they come out of the oven you can brush a dab of additional preserves around the edges to give them a bit of shine or you can enjoy them just the way they are. (one 9" pie) (with a few Slice of Heaven adjustments) First things first- roast 2 or 3 sweet potatoes (you will need 2 cups) It's really better to roast them in the oven, not cook them in the microwave. In the oven, the skins start to caramelize giving the potatoes a deeper flavor. The crust: 1 and 1/4 cups all purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt (I use kosher) 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut in small cubes 1/2 cup chilled shortening, cut in small cubes 1/2 teaspoon orange zest 3-4 Tablespoons fresh orange juice, chilled 1 teaspoon sugar generous pinch of freshly grated nutmeg Sift together flour, salt, sugar and nutmeg in a large bowl. Cut in the butter, shortening and zest with your fingers or a bench scraper or two knives until the mixture is crumbly. Add the chilled orange juice combining gently until the mixture forms a soft dough. If it's a touch dry you can add a bit more orange juice. Pat into a disc, turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap, wrap it completely and refrigerate for an hour. When the dough has chilled, roll out on a lightly floured surface and fit into a 9" pie plate. Flute the edges and place the unbaked shell back in the fridge. The filling: 2 cups of roasted sweet potatoes (just the pulp, not the skin) 1/2 cup dark brown sugar 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg, room temperature 2 Tablespoons heavy cream 2 Tablespoons sweet butter, room temperature 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon allspice 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon orange zest- add after straining Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place all of the above ingredients, (potatoes, sugars, egg, cream, butter, vanilla, salt, spices) (except the zest) in the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment with the mixer on low, combine the ingredients until smooth. Do not overmix. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer then stir in the orange zest. Set the filling aside and prepare the pecan syrup: 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup dark corn syrup 1 large egg, room temperature 1 Tablespoon melted unsalted butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract pinch salt 3/4 cup pecan halves Combine the sugar, corn syrup, egg, melted butter, vanilla and salt in a bowl until sugar dissolves and well blended. Stir in pecans. To assemble: Pour the sweet potato filling into the prepared pie crust and spread evenly with a small offset spatula. Pour the pecan syrup on top of the sweet potato layer. Place the pie on a half sheet tray and bake in pre-heated 325 degree oven for about an hour and 30 minutes. The pecans will rise to the top as the pie bakes; test the filling with a knife, it should come out clean. If not, bake an additional 10-15 minutes. You can serve this on its own or whip up some heavy cream, confectioners sugar and vanilla extract. At the restaurant, we used to add a serious splash of Frangelico to the whipped cream. I most definitely recommend it.  |
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