Tofu Chocolate Silk Pie

Buy 1 graham cracker crust or chocolate graham cracker crust from the store.

OR

Follow directions for crust below to make the pie vegan.

NOTE: This has rave reviews on Minimalist Baker’s website, and the tofu is said to be undetectable. Nonvegans seem to like it too.

INGREDIENTS:

CRUST:

1 1/2 cups raw walnuts
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder
1 heaping (packed) cup pitted dates, soaked for 10 minutes in warm water and drained

FILLING:

12 ounces silken tofu, drained, patted dry
1 3/4 cups dairy-free semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup light or full fat coconut milk (or another dairy-free milk)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare the crust by pulsing walnuts and cocoa powder in a food processor until it reaches a fine meal. Remove and set aside.
2. Place soaked dates in the food processor and process until small bits remain and it’s sticky. Add back in the walnut-cocoa meal and process until well combined.
3. Transfer to a glass pie pan lightly oiled with coconut oil. Alternatively, place parchment in the bottom for easy removal. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the crumbs and press with your hands to form a uniform crust that goes up the sides (see photo). Pop in the freezer to set.
4. Melt the chocolate chips over a double boiler or in the microwave in 30 second increments. Once melted, work quickly to add to a blender along with the tofu and coconut (or other dairy free) milk. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides as needed.
5. Pour over crust and smooth. Cover and freeze until set. Alternatively, refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until pretty firm. For easiest serving and longer storage, freeze.
6. Serve and top with coconut whipped cream. Will keep in the fridge for several days, though best when fresh. Freeze for up to a few weeks, covered well.

Adapted from: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/moo-less-chocolate-pie-recipe-1938390

ALTON BROWN RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:

FILLING:

ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup coffee liqueur
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound silken tofu, drained
1 tablespoon honey
1 (9-inch) prepared chocolate wafer crust, recipe follows

CHOCOLATE WAFER CRUST:

6 1/2 ounces chocolate wafer cookies
1 tablespoon sugar
3 ounces unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

DIRECTIONS:

Place enough water in the bottom of a 4-quart saucepan to come 1 inch up the sides. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Melt the chocolate chips with the liqueur and vanilla in a medium metal bowl set over the simmering water, stirring often with a rubber or silicone spatula. Combine the tofu, chocolate mixture and honey in a blender or food processor and spin until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour the filling into the crust and refrigerate for 2 hours, or until the filling sets firm.

CRUST:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spin the cookies and sugar in a food processor until fine crumbs. Then drizzle in the butter, pulsing to combine. Press this mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom, up the sides and just over the lip of a 9-inch metal pie pan.

Bake on the middle rack of the oven until crust is set and appears dry, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely, about 1 hour.

NOTE: For vegan, replace butter with vegan alternative in pie crust.

New England Spyder Cake

aka Custard Corn Cake

From NY Times

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups milk
4 teaspoons white vinegar
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup yellow cornmeal
¾ cup sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place DRY cast iron dutch oven into pan while preheating.
2. Combine milk and vinegar in a bowl and set aside to sour, about 20 minutes. Milk should be room temperature. If it isn’t, heat it in the microwave. Whole milk works best.
3. In another bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda and salt.
4. Whisk eggs into the soured milk. Stir into dry ingredients and set batter aside.
5. Melt butter in the cast iron pan.
6. Pour in the batter.
7. Pour cream over the batter, into the center.
8. Bake 45 min at 350 F.
9. Slice into wedges and serve warm.
10. Great for dessert or breakfast.

 

NOTE: The cornbread tastes great. The custard part did not work for me. I purchased whipping cream TODAY from a local grocer and it was already sour. So it ruined my cake 😦 My advice to you: taste your ingredients before putting them into your baking.

 

Blackberry Pie

2 pie crusts (one for bottom, one for lattice top)

PIE CRUST:

2 c flour
1 stick + 3 tbsp cold diced butter (or grated butter)
1/2 c cold water

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put flour in kitchenaid mixer. Mix on medium.

2. Add diced butter, one piece at a time. Mix on high.

3. Add water, very slowly. At a trickle. You might not have to use all the water. Just add water until the dough forms a loose ball and circles around the kitchenaid.

4. Wrap dough in clingwrap. Fridge at least 1 hour before using. I’d fridge it overnight.

5. I divided the dough into two 300 g balls and wrapped and fridged each separately.

FILLING:

(about 2 c) Blackberries (2 big cartons)
1 c sugar
3 tbsp corn starch
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest (optional)

Directions:

1. Mix filling. Let sit one hour.

PUTTING IT TOGETHER:

1. While filling is sitting, make 2 pie crusts.
2. Make bottom pie crust. Add filling. Add lattice top.
3. Bake 350 F for 50-60 min.

Berries and Cream Pie

1 easy pie crust, refrigerated

Cream filling:

2 tbsp cream cheese, room temperature
1 tsp butter, softened
2 tbsp sugar

Leftover blackberry and strawberry fruit filling from Mini Pies (I blended mine and sieved out the seeds).

Pan: Small Ceramic Bowl THAT IS OVEN SAFE

DIRECTIONS:

1. Roll out pie crust to 1-2 mm thin. Make it big enough to fit in the bottom and sides of your ceramic bowl. Fold excess dough under. Pleat the pie circle nicely without lumps so it bakes evenly.
2. Top with well mixed cream filling.
3. Top with fruit filling.
4. Top with pie crust, crimp edges with a fork.
5. Bake 350 F for 35 min.
6. Enjoy!

 

Swati’s Pecan Pie

Ingredients:

1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell

3 eggs, slightly beaten
1.5 c Karo Light Corn Syrup
1/4 c + 4 tsp sugar
3 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp + 1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
orange zest
lemon zest
2 c pecans halves

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

2. Spread pecans in pie shell.

3. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over pecans.

4. Bake slowly at 375 F. First 20 min, bake uncovered. Second 20 min, cover pie crust edges with tin foil to prevent burning. Let rest on counter for one hour before slicing.

NOTE: I put it in a 9 in glass pyrex pie dish. First 30 min, no problem. The second 30 min is too long, it starts to burn. More like 20 min, or 15 min. Next time amend to First 20 min uncovered, second 20 min covered with foil.

NOTE: Crust came out lovely. To roll it out so that it doesn’t stick, I used rice flour instead of all purpose flour. It worked GREAT.

NOTE: You can arrange the pecans artistically (like Martha Stewart) if you want. I didn’t want, it’s a pain and takes a long time. B

Enjoy!

Apple Crisp

Apple Crisp
adapted from Pillsbury’s “The Complete Book of Baking”
Yield: 12 (1/2 c) servings

Apple Mixture:

6 c sliced apples (usu 3 Granny Smith)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp water
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 c sugar

Topping:

1 c rolled oats
1 c all purpose flour
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c butter, softened

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Mix apple mixture together in bowl.
3. Mix topping mixture together in second bowl.
4. Place apple mixture in ungreased 8 x 8 pyrex (brownie pan).
5. Top with topping mixture.
6. Bake 375 F for 25-35 min.
7. Enjoy with whipping cream or ice cream.

NOTE: Can also use sliced peeled peaches or blueberries for the apples.

Strawberry Icebox Pie

From Martha Stewart, Pies

INGREDIENTS

CRUST
10 graham crackers (2 1/2 by 5 inches)
2 tbsp sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

PIE
1/2 cup unsweetened cranberry juice
2 quarts strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced (a few whole berries reserved for garnish)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 c sugar

TOPPING
1/2 cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

CRUST
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, blend graham crackers with 2 tablespoons sugar until finely ground; add butter and pulse until crumbs are moistened. Press mixture into the bottom and up the side of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake until crust is lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

PIE
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine 3/4 cup sugar, cranberry juice, 2 cups strawberries, cornstarch, and salt. Using a potato masher, gently mash strawberries. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until very thick, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Stir in remaining strawberries. Pour into cooled pie crust. Refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours (or up to 1 day).

TOPPING
In a large bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar over cream and continue to beat until soft peaks return (do not overbeat). Spread whipped cream over pie, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border around edge. Garnish with whole berries.

 

Squash Pie

2 c squash

5 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp flour

2 c milk

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

Directions:

Pare squash, boil till tender, sift through colander.

Beat egg, add sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt.

Stir these into the squash and add the milk, stirring in slowly.

Bake in deep plate, like a custard pie.

Rhubarb Pie

1 pint rhubarb

1 tsp flour

1 c sugar

1/4 tsp soda

Directions:

Remove the skin, and cut into small pieces enough rhubarb to fill a pint bowl.

Add soda, and pour over boiling water to cover.

Let stand 15 min and pour off the water.

Line a deep plate with rich crust.

Put in the rhubarb, sugar and flour, cover with crust.

Bake 20 min or half an hour.

Chocolate Custard Pie

1 pint milk

4 tbsp sugar

3 eggs

pinch salt

2 tbsp cocoa or 1 square chocolate

1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Beat yolks of eggs. Add sugar and salt.

Wet cocoa with half a cup of warm milk and stir into the yolks. Flavor.

Line a deep pie plate with rich pie crust, pinching a little edge around the plate. Pour in the mixture and bake until it rises.

Beat the whites to a stiff froth, add  tsp sugar, spread over the pie and brown in hot oven.