(a mash-up from the Farm Journal’s Complete Pie Cookbook and Allison Kave)
 
Makes one 9” pie
 
(This pie combines the flavors found in Samoa cookies; chocolate, coconut and caramel. The sum of its parts results in a rich pie, but by using dark chocolate in the ganache and lightly sweetened whipped cream with desiccated coconut, it is less cloying than a pie made with sweetened flake coconut and semi-sweet chocolate.)
 
Cookie crumb crust
 
2 cups cookie crumbs (shortbread, chocolate or vanilla wafers, graham crackers all work well)
¼ teaspoon salt
5-6  tablespoons melted butter (depends on the cookie; you’re looking for a moist mixture that you can pat into the bottom and up the sides of your pie plate)
 
Lightly butter your pie plate; in a medium bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, salt and melted butter. Stir together with a fork. Pat the mixture into the bottom of the pie plate, then work your way up the sides.  A small measuring cup (I use ¼ cup) works well to pat the crumbs evenly into place. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and place the pie plate in the fridge to set up. Place the pie shell on a baking sheet and bake in the middle rack of the oven for 8-10 minutes until set. Place on a rack to cool while you prepare the filling.
 
Ganache for lining the pie shell and garnishing the pie
 
3 oz. dark chocolate (60%)(not unsweetened) finely chopped
3 oz. heavy cream
 
In a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the cream until it is hot to the touch, just simmering. Remove from the heat and pour it over the chopped chocolate. Whisk together until smooth; set aside to cool. Pour a thin layer of ganache over the cooled cookie crust and spread with an offset spatula. You should have plenty of ganache left over to decorate the pie. Place the chocolate lined pie shell in the refrigerator to get cold while you prepare the filling. The ganache needs to be set and cold before you add the burnt sugar custard.
 
Burnt sugar custard
 
2½ cups whole milk
⅔ cup sugar for the burnt sugar
½ cup sugar to add to the pudding
⅓ cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
3 large egg yolks, beaten together with a fork
1 teaspoon good quality vanilla
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
 
Place the milk in a saucepan, bring to a simmer over medium heat them remove from the heat and set aside. Place ⅔ cup of sugar in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium heat, watching it constantly, until it caramelizes; it will take about 6 or 7 minutes. The sugar will start to caramelize around the edges first- you should wear an oven mitt and carefully swirl the pan so the sugar cooks evenly. You are looking for the color of amber; when the sugar is completely melted and caramelized, slowly add the hot milk. The caramelized sugar will solidify when you add the milk- not to worry. Use a wooden spoon to gently stir the milk/caramelized sugar over medium heat. The hardened caramel will soften and combine with the milk. It takes a few minutes, be patient. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
 
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and the remaining ½ cup of sugar; gradually whisk this into the egg yolks. Set the bowl with the egg yolks on a towel so it doesn’t wiggle; add a few tablespoons of the hot milk/caramel mixture to the egg yolks, whisking constantly to warm them up. Slowly add an additional 1 cup of the hot milk/caramel mixture to the eggs. Then add the egg mixture back to the hot milk/caramel and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes. The mixture should thicken and have the consistency of pudding. Let the pudding just come to a boil, cook it for an additional minute, then remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the filling to prevent a skin from forming. Cool.
 
Whipped cream to garnish
 
½ cup heavy cream
1-2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar
¼ teaspoon good quality vanilla
 
Whip the cream until soft peaks form, then add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla and whip until the cream thickens. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
 
Coconut Caramel (you can skip this component, but this sauce is a keeper)
 
(You will need a can of coconut milk; I use Chaokoh brand- it doesn’t contain any added sugar; the cream forms a distinct layer from the milk when you refrigerate the can)
 
1 cup sugar
½ cup water
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup coconut cream (this is the thick layer on the top of the coconut milk)
1 tablespoon butter
½ teaspoon good quality vanilla
 
toasted desiccated coconut*, to garnish
 
Combine the sugar and water in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, carefully swirling the pan so the sugar cooks evenly. The sugar will begin to caramelize around the edges first; you are looking for a deep amber color. Remove the pan from the heat, gradually add the coconut cream; the mixture will bubble and steam, be careful not to let it splatter on you. Whisk the mixture until the coconut cream is incorporated, then add the butter and the vanilla. Set aside to cool; place in a jar and keep refrigerated. 
 
When ready to assemble the pie, scrape the cooled burnt sugar custard into the pie shell. Garnish with the whipped cream, and drizzle the ganache and the caramel over the pie. Sprinkle toasted coconut on top. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.
 
* desiccated coconut is large flake, unsweetened and available at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods

​Makes 15 cookies      (adapted from Sarabeth Levine)
 
Cookie Dough
 
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon orange zest
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
 
For assembling the cookies-
a small dish of water (for sealing the cookies)
egg wash made from one egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water (for glazing)
 
Place the butter in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the butter until smooth, then add the brown sugar and orange zest, beating until well combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, add the vanilla and the egg; beat to combine on low speed. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar/egg mixture, alternating with the peanut butter and orange juice. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, mixing just until the dough comes together. Using a rubber spatula, turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap, knead it a few times, shape it into a disc and wrap it. Refrigerate for at least half an hour while you prepare the filling.
 
Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Filling         (from Alice Medrich)
 
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 tablespoon flour
3 tablespoons peanut butter, smooth or chunky
⅛ cup powdered sugar
 
Garnish- 4 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, melted
 
In a heatproof bowl set over simmering water, melt the butter and the unsweetened chocolate.
Remove from the heat and whisk in the sugar, vanilla and salt. Whisk in the egg and then add the flour, whisking until the mixture is smooth. In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter with the powdered sugar. Add the peanut butter/powdered sugar to the chocolate mixture,  Cover and chill the filling until ready to use.
 
Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper, roll out the dough to a thickness of ⅛ inch. (If you find the dough sticky, place a sheet of plastic wrap on top of the dough as you roll it out.) Use a 3½” or a 3¾” cutter to cut out circles of the dough. Divide the circles between two parchment lined baking sheets, about ½” apart from each other. Retrieve the filling from the refrigerator. Use a small cookie scoop or a spoon to place one rounded teaspoon of filling in the center of each cookie circle. Use a narrow pastry brush or your clean pinky finger to outline the edge of each cookie with a dab of water to help seal the cookies. I like to fold the left side in first, partially covering the filling, then bring the right side over in the same way. Fold up the bottom, slightly tucking in a bit of the bottom of the cookie under the right side before pinching the points together. (Don’t be shy with the pinching.) Being careful not to drip on the chocolate filling, use a narrow pastry brush to glaze the edges of the cookie with the egg wash. Place the baking sheets in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow the cookies to firm up before baking. This is an important step; if you are impatient and bake them off straight away, you run the risk of unfolded Hamantaschen and wayward filling.
 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and consider making yourself a hot or iced beverage; you’ve earned it. Retrieve the Hamantaschen from the fridge and bake them on the middle and bottom racks of the oven for about 20 minutes, rotating the cookie sheets half way through so they bake evenly. The cookies should be golden and the filling will be set in the middle. Cool on a rack; drizzle with melted chocolate if you wish.

​makes 6 individual galettes
 
Pastry Dough- (adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum)
 
1 cup all-purpose flour
⅓ cup white whole wheat flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
pinch cayenne pepper
4 ounces unsalted butter, cut into ½” cubes (preferably Kerrygold)
1 cup (3 ounces) grated Kerrygold cheddar
3 tablespoons ice cold water + 1½ teaspoons cider vinegar
 
egg wash made from 1 large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water and pinch of salt
sanding sugar for sprinkling
 
Chunky Gala Apple Filling
 
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3-4 Gala apples, peeled, cored and cut into ½” chunks (yields a generous 4 cups)
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons Jameson Irish Whiskey

¼ cup good quality orange marmalade to spread over the crust (you can skip this step, but  bitter orange, Whiskey, cheddar and apple deserve each other)
 
Prepare the pastry-
 
In a large bowl, combine the flours, salt, sugar and cayenne. Scatter the butter cubes over the dry ingredients. Use a pastry cutter to cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal, with the butter in pieces about the size of peas. Add the grated cheddar to the mixture and toss to combine. Sprinkle the ice cold water/vinegar over the butter/flour mixture. Use your hands to lightly toss the mixture to incorporate the water. The dough will be shaggy and will not hold together. Gather it together, pat it into a disc and slide it into a zip-lock bag. Refrigerate it for at least half an hour; during this time it will have a chance to ‘rest’ and absorb the liquid. When ready to roll out the dough, lightly dust a sheet of parchment paper with flour. Retrieve the dough from the fridge, squeeze it together into a disc, then divide it into 6 equal portions. (They will weigh about 3 ounces each.) Roll out each piece of dough into a 6” circle, about ⅛” thick; it rolls easily if you place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the dough. Set the circles of pastry on a parchment lined baking sheet and return them to the fridge while you prepare the filling.
 
Toss the apples together with the sugars, cornstarch and cinnamon. In a heavy bottomed pan or cast iron skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the apples and sauté just until tender, scraping the bottom of the pan with a rubber spatula to prevent sticking. Remove from the heat, stir in the whiskey and scrape the filling into a bowl. Let the filling cool completely before assembling the galettes.

When the filling is completely cool, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Retrieve the pastry circles from the fridge. Place 2 teaspoons of orange marmalade in the center of each circle and use an offset spatula to smooth it over the dough. Place about ⅓ cup of the apple filling in the center of each circle, leaving a bit of a border. Carefully fold the dough border up and over the filling, pleating it every inch or so, leaving the center uncovered. Brush the edge of each galette with a bit of the egg wash, making sure you get under each pleat to seal it. Gently press the dough against the fruit. Brush the outside top crust with egg wash and sprinkle with sanding or granulated sugar.

Place the galettes on the parchment lined baking sheet back into the refrigerator and let them chill for at least half an hour before baking them. This helps them to hold their shape in the oven. Bake them in a preheated 400 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until the apples test tender and the edges of the crust are golden. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before serving.

​makes one 9” pie
 
Single crust all-butter pie shell with orange zest

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup white-whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 sticks (8 oz.) cold, unsalted butter cut into small pieces
½ cup ice cold water
 
In a large bowl, combine the flours, sugar, salt and zest. Using a bench scraper or your fingers, cut in the butter until crumbly. Add the ice cold water a few tablespoons at a time, tossing the mixture to combine, just until the dough becomes shaggy and sticks together when pinched. Gather the dough together and flatten it into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour before rolling out. When the pastry has chilled, roll out the disc on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper into a circle about ⅛” thick and 12” in diameter. Fit the pastry into a 9” pie plate; trim the excess so you have about a 1” overhang, then fold and crimp the edges. Refrigerate while you prepare the crumble.
 
Cornmeal Crumble to top one 9” pie
 
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup fine yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 stick (4 oz.) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg, beaten with a fork
 
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugars, zest, cardamom, ginger, flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter using a bench scraper. Drizzle in the beaten egg, using your fingers to combine the mixture into a crumble. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate while you prepare the berry filling.
 
Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees F.
 
Jumble Berry filling
 
¾ - 1 cup sugar (taste the fruit; I tend to use ¾ cup, you may prefer 1 cup)
pinch of salt
½ teaspoon lemon zest
½ teaspoon orange zest
¼ cup quick-cooking tapioca, finely ground in a food processor
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cardamom
2½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries (frozen Wild Blueberries from Trader Joe’s work well)
2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, halved
1 cup fresh raspberries, lightly rinsed, dried on paper towels
1 cup fresh blackberries, lightly rinsed, dried on paper towels
 
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt, zests, tapioca, cinnamon and cardamom. Set aside. Place the berries in a large bowl, sprinkle with the sugar mixture and use a rubber spatula to gently combine. Remove the chilled pie shell and the cornmeal crumble from the refrigerator. Place the pie shell on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Spoon the berry filling into the crust. Sprinkle the cornmeal crumble over the top of the filling. Cover the edges of the pie with strips of aluminum foil to prevent overbrowning. Place the pie on the bottom shelf of the pre-heated oven and bake for 45 minutes, rotating the pie halfway through baking. Cover the top of the pie with aluminum foil or parchment paper to prevent the crumble from overbrowning and  move the pie to the middle rack of the oven. Continue baking for an additional 20-25 minutes until the juices bubble up around the edges and through the middle of the pie. Place on a cooling rack and cool for several hours so the pie can set up before slicing. Refrigerate leftovers.