piefest 2012

Apple Crumb Pie

1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust

2/3 c sugar

3 T cornstarch

¾ t cinnamon

3 pounds granny smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced

1/3 c raisins (optional)

2/3 c flour

1/3 brown sugar

3 T cold butter

8 oz sour cream

1 t vanilla extract

 

-Heat oven  to 400 degrees

-In a large bowl mix white sugar, cornstarch and ½ t cinnamon. Add apples and optional raisins. Toss to coat. Mix in sour cream and vanilla. Pour into pie crust and make even-ish.

-In a medium bowl combine flour, brown sugar, ¼ cinnamon. With a two forks, two knives, food processor  or your fingers work the butter into the flour mixture until it looks like cornmeal. Sprinkle over the apples.

-Place pie on a foil lined cookie sheet.  Bake 1 hour. Turn temperature to 350 degrees and cook for 35-45 minutes longer.

-Cool and serve.

If you make it in advance you can warm pie in oven 325 degrees  for 20 minutes.

 

Pecan Pie

1 9 inch unbaked pie crust

1 ¾ c. pecan halves

4/4 c dark corn syrup

½ c packed brown sugar

4 T butter or margarine melted

1 t vanilla

3 eggs

 

Pre bake pie crust:

                -Heat oven to 425 degrees

                -line inside of pie crust with tin foil

                -fill with a couple cups of dried beans or uncooked rice

                -bake 15 minutes

                -remove from oven, take out beans/rice and foil. Return to oven and cook for 5 to 10 more

minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

-reduce heat to 350 degrees

-chop 1 cup pecans

-in a large bowl, whisk corn syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla and eggs until blended. Stir in pecans. Pour into pie crust.

-bake until filling sets around the edges, but middle is still jiggle, 45-50 minutes.

-cool at least 1 hour before slicing.

 

Lemon Meringue Pie

1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust

4 to 6 lemons

1 ½ c sugarr

1/3 c cornstarch

¼ t salt

1 ½ c. water

3 large eggs, separated, plus an egg white

3 T butter, cut into pieces

¼ t cream of tarter

 

Pre bake pie crust:

                -Heat oven to 425 degrees

                -line inside of pie crust with tin foil

                -fill with a couple cups of dried beans or uncooked rice

                -bake 15 minutes

                -remove from oven, take out beans/rice and foil. Return to oven and cook for 5 to 10 more

minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

 

-zest lemons, so that you have 1 T of lemon zest. Then squeeze lemons so that you have ¾ c. lemon juice. Set aside

 -In a small sauce pan, combine 1 c. sugar, cornstarch, ¼ t salt. Stir in water. Cook over MEDIUM heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat.

-in a small bowl whisk egg yokes. Slowly whisk in 1/3 c. of the hot cornstarch mixture. Slowly pour egg yoke mixture back into the pot stirring rapidly to not cook the eggs. Place pan over low heat and cook stirring constantly until filing is very thick, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in butter until melted. Stir in zest and lemon juice. Pour into the pie crust and make smooth with a spatula.

-Heat oven to 400 degrees.

-Put egg whites, cream of tarter and a pinch of salt into a medium/large bowl. Using an electric mixer, mix on high speed until soft peaks form.  Sprinkle  in ½ c. sugar, adding 2 T at a time. Keep mixing until eggs look shiny and have stiff peaks.

-Spread meringue over lemon filling.

-Bake 10 minutes in the middle of the oven, or until the meringue is golden.  Cool on wire rack. Refrigerate 3 hours up to a couple of days before serving.

 

Italian Sorbetto (makes 6 after dinner shots)

3 oz sparkling wine

1 oz vodka

3 oz lemon sorbet

 

-Let sorbet sit on the counter until soft. In a large glass gently stir vodka into the soft sorbet.

-Stir in sparkling wine.

-pour into shot glasses for a small after dinner drink

*To prepare in advance, store vodka and sorbet mixture in the freezer. Add wine before serving.