Heading into summer, pants turn into shorts, shoveling snow is replaced with mowing the lawn, and apples give way to berries for space at the grocery store. So, ring in the sweet new season with a Strawberry Pie.
1 Basic 9" Pie Crust
2 pounds fresh strawberries
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
Whipped Cream
Blind bake pie crust.
Cut half of the strawberries into thick slices and set aside.
Put the remaining strawberries into a saucepan and crush them (a
potato masher works well).
Add the cornstarch and sugar and stir until the cornstarch is
completely dissolved.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils
and thickens.
Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, then cool 20-30 minutes,
stirring occasionally, until just slightly warm.
Stir in the sliced strawberries and pour the filling into the pie
crust.
Refrigerate for 2-3 hours, until the filling is softly set.
Before serving, cover the pie with whipped cream.
The April Pie of the Month is Blueberry. Why?
1: Blueberries are a superfood, and now's a good time to do some
"spring cleaning" on the body (and start preparing for bathing suit
season).
2: Blueberries were on sale at the local farmer's market.
20 ounces blueberries (approximately 4 cups)
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
5 tbsp flour (or cornstarch)
1 tbsp fresh orange juice
1 Basic 9” Double Crust (unbaked)
Egg Wash
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees
Mash up half of the blueberries in a small bowl.
Mix together the sugar, salt and flour.
Add the mashed blueberries and orange juice and stir to combine.
Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes. Fold in the whole berries.
Pour mixture into bottom crust.
Lightly brush the edge of the crust with the egg wash and place the
top crust (this recipe works great with a lattice top).
Once you have the top crust in place, brush with the egg wash, trim
excess dough and edge of crust in order to seal.
Place on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for about 1 hour 15
minutes. The pie should be bubbling lightly around the edges.
Place the pie on a rack and allow to cool to room temperature before
serving, approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
March = St. Patrick's Day. St. Patrick's Day = Beer.
1 Basic 9" Pie Crust (unbaked)
12 ounces Beer, chilled (the darker and sweeter the better)
2 tbsp Butter
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup chopped pecans
3 eggs
1 egg white, beaten
Pecans for garnish
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Pour beer into a pan and heat on medium. Reduce to a syrup-ish
consistency, then let it cool slightly.
Melt the butter in a separate pan.
Combine the reduced beer with the melted butter, corn syrup, brown
sugar, flour, and chopped pecans with a wire whisk until thoroughly
blended.
In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs then stir into a syrup
mixture until blended.
Prick the pie crust with a fork and then brush lightly with egg
white.
Pour the filling in to the crust, garnish with pecans and bake in
the center of the oven for approximately 40 minutes or until a knife
stuck in the center comes out clean.
Cool before serving.
February centers around Valentine's Day. The day of smothering yourself in either romance or the lack thereof. And what fits either mood more perfectly than chocolate? Chocolate and romance go together like...well...chocolate and romance. So find someone to love, and share a romantic pie. Or just enjoy your own company and keep the pie all to yourself.
1
Chocolate Crust
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 cups milk
4 squares bittersweet chocolate, coarsely broken
2 squares unsweetened chocolate, coarsely broken
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 pint fresh raspberries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare pie crust.
When the crust has cooled, heat the jam for a few seconds in the
microwave so that it is liquid and spread over the bottom of the
crust.
Mix sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl.
Beat egg yolks, then add the sugar/cornstarch and stir well.
Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly.
Heat over medium burner until it is thick.
Gradually stir in the chocolate and heat until thick and boiling.
Remove from heat, and add the vanilla.
Pour into prepared pie crust.
January is traditionally Diet Month. The time of year spent full of regret and self-loathing over the indulgences of the holidays. Depending on where you live, sunshine and ripe, sweet fruit is likely hard to find. So this January try a raisin pie. Why? Because raisin pie used to be known as "funeral pie", which fits the typical January mood. Also, raisins are easy to find any time of year.
1 Basic 9" Double Crust (unbaked)
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups raisins
3 tbsp flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp mixed nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Simmer the raisins in the water about 5 minutes, or until they begin
to plump.
Mix the salt, flour, and sugar. Carefully stir in some of the hot
liquid in which the raisins have cooked.
When well-combined, add the raisins and the rest of the liquid. Cook
until thickened, stirring frequently.
Remove from the heat, let cool a few minutes then add the lemon
juice, butter and spices.
Cool to room temperature.
Pour into a pastry lined pie pan, and top with the second crust.
Pinch the edges to flute, and cut slits into the top of the crust.
Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.
Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 25 minutes or
until golden brown.
With the major US holidays stacked right on top of each other, the stress of gift shopping, and the seemingly endless festivities, December is a month when "easy as pie" is fully appreciated. So the December Pie of the Month is quick, easy, has a seasonal peppermint flavor, and doesn't require any oven time.
4 1/2 cups Rice Crispies
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, melted
2 quarts peppermint stick or other mint ice cream
Chocolate fudge topping
Crushed peppermint candies
For the crust: Combine cereal and chocolate; mix well. Press onto
the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9-inch pie plate.
Freeze for 5 minutes.
Spoon ice cream into crust. Cover and freeze at least 2 hours.
Before serving, garnish with chocolate topping and peppermint
candies.
November is the home of Thanksgiving, so it is definitely a top month for pie. But of all the pies in all the world, which deserves to be the November Pie of the Month? Pumpkin is an obvious and predictable choice, but let's spice it up this year. Let's lighten the texture and add a sweet crunchy streusel topping. Enjoy!
1 Basic 9" Pie Crust (unbaked)
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
For the topping:
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp butter (cold)
1 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Separate the eggs and beat the whites until fluffy.
In a large bowl, mix the pumpkin, egg yolks, 1 tsp cinnamon, ginger,
nutmeg, salt, and sweetened condensed milk until smooth.
Gently fold in the egg whites.
Pour filling into crust.
Bake for 15 minutes.
While the pie is baking, prepare the streusel topping: Combine the
flour, brown sugar, and 1 tsp cinnamon. Cut in the cold butter
until crumbly. Mix in the walnuts.
Remove pie from the oven and reduce heat to 350 degrees.
Sprinkle topping over pie, and return to oven. Bake an additional
40 minutes or until set and topping is browned.
If you're lucky enough to live in an area with apple trees, you're lucky enough to experience the simple pleasure of picking fresh apples in an orchard. And of course the best use of a fresh apple medley is apple pie! (Not sure which apples are best for baking in a pie? Read this.)
1 Basic 9" Double Pie Crust (unbaked)
2/3 cup sugar
3 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 pounds of apples (peeled, cored, and thinly sliced)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Egg wash
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine sugar, flour and spices in large bowl.
Mix in the apples so they are well coated.
Add the vanilla extract.
Place apple filling into pie crust, forming a slight mound.
Place the top crust and cut slits to vent steam (or use a lattice
top) and crimp the edges sealed.
Apply egg wash.
Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and bake an additional
30-45 minutes, until the crust is golden and the juices are
bubbling.
Summer draws to a close, kids return to school, and (in the northern regions anyway) the pants and jackets come out. This means berries will soon be out-of-season and scarce. Last call for berry pie!
1 Basic 9" Double Pie Crust (unbaked)
5 cups blackberries
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix berries, sugar, and flour. Pour into pie crust.
Place the top crust and cut slits to vent steam and crimp the edges
sealed.
Bake 30-40 minutes, until filling is visibly bubbling and crust is
browned.
There may be some radicals who question the facts of the President's birth in Hawaii, but there is no doubt of Mr. Obama's status as a pie fan. Indeed, the President and the First Lady have both publicly declared their status as pie aficionados - on the record, in print, in their official capacity (and in long-form, I'm sure). So this month, we honor the 50th anniversary of Hawaii's admittance to the United States of America as its 50th state (it became a State August 21, 1959). We also honor the fact that pineapples are delicious and that this is a cool, refreshing pie for the blistering heat of August.
1 Basic 9" Pie Crust
1 20 oz. can pineapple (crushed or chunks)
1 small package vanilla pudding mix
1 cup milk
1/2 cup whipped cream
2 tbsp lemon juice
Whipped cream, pineapple slices, and/or coconut flakes for garnish
Blind bake pie crust.
Drain pineapple well.
In a medium bowl, combine milk and pudding mix until it thickens.
Fold in the whipped cream, pineapple, and lemon juice.
Pour mixture into prepared crust.
Refrigerate at least several hours until set.
Garnish as desired.
July 4th is coming, and you're American that means cookouts,
gatherings, and those general eating-outdoors activities.
Show your patriotism on this Independence Day with the Pie Maven's much-adored 4th of
July Pie:
1
Graham Cracker Crust
1 small package dry strawberry Jell-O
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 qt (or more) fresh strawberries, sliced
Whipped cream
Blueberries
Mix together dry strawberry Jell-O and cornstarch.
Slowly add boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.
Let cool.
Add strawberries (save some for garnish).
Pour into pie crust.
Chill in refrigerator until firm.
Top with whipped cream.
Layer the blueberries and extra strawberries on top and arrange in a
patriotic fashion.
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*The Fine Print
