French Silk Pie

Courtesy of Joanna Gaines

Ingredients

⅔ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

⅓ cup (⅔ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

⅔ cup heavy cream

¼ cup powdered sugar

1 prebaked 9-inch pie crust or tart shell (as shown) or Chocolate Cookie Crust (see below)

Whipped cream and shaved dark chocolate (optional), for garnish

Chocolate Cookie Crust (optional)

5 ounces chocolate wafers

¼ cup sugar

4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, melted

Directions

In a small saucepan, whisk together the granulated sugar and eggs until well blended. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture reaches 160°F and coats the back of a metal spoon. Remove from the heat. Add the chocolate and vanilla and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool for approximately 5 minutes.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

In another large bowl, beat the cream on medium-high speed until it begins to thicken, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and beat on low speed, then gradually return to medium-high until stiff peaks form. Fold into the chocolate mixture.

Pour into the prebaked pie crust or tart shell. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

Garnish with whipped cream and shaved chocolate, if desired.

Store, covered, in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.


Chocolate Cookie Crust (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Pulse the wafers on low in a food processor until they are the consistency of sand. Add the sugar and melted butter and mix well.

Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Bake 8 minutes.

Let cool 20 minutes before filling.

Atlantic Beach Pie

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups finely crushed saltine crackers (from 1 sleeve, about 37 crackers)

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

3 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

4 large egg yolks

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 large limes)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

Lemon and lime zests, for garnish

Directions

Make crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir together crushed crackers, melted butter, sugar, and egg white in a medium bowl until combined.

Transfer mixture to a 9-inch glass pie plate; firmly press on bottom and sides. Freeze 10 minutes.

Bake pie crust:
Bake in preheated oven until crust is lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; cool slightly, about 10 minutes.

Mix pie filling:
Meanwhile, whisk together condensed milk and egg yolks until smooth. Whisk in lime juice and lemon juice until combined. Pour lime mixture into warm crust.

Bake whole pie:
Bake at 350°F until center is just set, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; cool 1 hour. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.

Top with whipped cream:
Beat cream and powdered sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes.

Spread whipped cream topping over chilled pie, leaving about a ½-inch border of custard showing around crust. Garnish with lemon and lime zests, if desired. Pie can be stored, covered, without whipped cream topping, in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Spread with topping just before serving.

Key Lime Pie Bars

A recipe for Key Lime Pie Bars - all the wonderful flavors of the pie, but in easy bar form!

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

5 ounces animal crackers

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

Pinch of salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

For the Filling:

2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 tablespoon grated lime zest

Pinch of salt

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 egg yolk

½ cup Key lime juice

For the Garnish:

¾ cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened), toasted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil, allowing the extra foil to hang over the edges of the pan. Lightly coat with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.

2. Make the Crust: Process the animal crackers in a food processor until finely ground, about 10 seconds. Add the brown sugar and salt and pulse a few times to combine. Drizzle the melted butter over the crumbs and pulse until the crumbs are evenly moistened, about 10 pulses. Press the crumbs evenly into the bottom of the pan. Bake until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack while you prepare the filling.

3. Make the Filling: Stir together the cream cheese, lime zest and salt in a medium bowl. Add the sweetened condensed milk and whisk until completely incorporated and no lumps remain. Whisk in the egg yolk, then add the lime juice and whisk gently until incorporated.

4. Pour the filling into the crust and smooth into an even layer. Bake until the filling set and the edges are beginning to pull away slightly from the sides of the pan, 15 to 20 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack and cool to room temperature, 1 to 2 hours. Cover with foil and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours or overnight.

5. When ready to serve, run a paring knife around the edges of the pan and lift the bars from the pan using the foil overhangs. Cut into 16 squares and sprinkle with toasted coconut, if desired. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

No Name Pie

My Gran called this "No Name Pie," because she asked a lady who used to cook for her what it was called and the woman replied, "it ain't got no name." It's basically vanilla custard with meringue on top. And it's my favorite.

No Name Pie

Separate 2 eggs

Mix 2 egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar

4 tbsp corn starch  

2 cups milk

Cook until thick and add

1 tsp vanilla

Put in baked shell, top with meringue and bake until lightly brown.

For meringue, immediately beat 3 egg whites with ¼ t. cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add 6T. sugar and continue to beat until stiff and glossy. Spread evenly over hot filling, sealing meringue to pie crust. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until golden.

Coconut Cream Pie

Toasted coconut blankets a whipped cream-covered coconut pudding – this pie is a hit in any household.

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

¼ teaspoon salt

2 cups milk

3 egg yolks

2 T. butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup flaked coconut

1 baked 9-inch pastry shell

1 cup whipping cream

¼ cup sifted powdered sugar

Garnished: additional flaked coconut, toasted

1.     Combine the first 3 ingredients in a heavy saucepan, gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Cook 1 minute.

2.     Beat egg yolks; gradually stir about one-fourth of hot mixture into yolks; add to remaining hot mixture, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute or until temperature reaches 160 degrees. Remove from heat; stir in butter, vanilla, and 1 cup flaked coconut. Pour into pastry shell. Cool completely. Cover and chill 1 to 2 hours.

3.     Beat whipping cream at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy; gradually add powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until soft peaks form. Pipe or spoon sweetened whipped cream onto cooled pie. Garnish with toasted coconut flakes.

Easy Icebox Key Lime Pie

Mix large cool whip, 1 can of Eagle Brand condensed milk, and 1 small can of limeade concentrate. Add green food coloring if desired. Mix well, pour into 2 store-bought graham cracker pie crusts, freeze.

Let sit out 1 hour before serving. 

Chocolate Chess Pie

1 1/2 cups white sugar

4 tbsp melted butter or margarine

1 cup brown sugar

4 eggs well beaten

2 tbsp flour

1 1/2 cups undiluted canned milk

4 tbsp cocoa

2 tsp vanilla

nuts if you desire

Mix white sugar, flour, cocoa and gradually add milk, eggs and brown sugar. then add vanilla and melted butter or margarine. Pour into 2 eight inch unbaked pie shells. Put pies on preheated cookie sheets in case they run over. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

**Pie will rise up and then form cracks as it cooks and sets, then fall when it cools.

Strawberry Pie

- cook a pie shell and cool it.

1 cup sugar
4 1/2 Tbsp. corn starch
10 oz. bottle 7up
about 1 tsp. red food coloring

- cook until begins to thicken
- pour into a cold bowl, and refrigerate about 30 minutes, just to cool some.
(it must still be pourable)

- place halved, fresh berries in cooled shell.

- pour glaze over berries
- chill 4 hours, serve w/ whipped cream.

Summer Pecan Pie

My Gran used to make this light, delicious pie, much to my delight.

20 Ritz crackers, finely crushed

1 cup of chopped pecans

1 scant cup sugar

3 egg whites

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix cracker crumbs, pecans, and ½ cup sugar.

Set aside.

Make a stiff meringue of egg whites.

Add ½ cup sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla.

Fold both mixes together.

Pour into well-buttered 9” pie plate.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Top with cool whip or vanilla ice cream, serve chilled.

(Left) Pre-baking... (Right) Pie will rise and then sink while cooling.

English Apple Pie

The best part of Thanksgiving at Gran’s was the dessert collection. I couldn’t ever decide, so I had small pieces of English Apple Pie, this, and this. Bliss, I tell you.

English Apple Pie

4 large apples (I use half Granny Smith, half Fuji.)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Butter a baking dish. Peel and thinly slice apples, place in dish. Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over apples.

Cover with crust:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup self-rise flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 T. water
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Cream butter and sugar. Add other ingredients. Mix and spread over apples.
Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Delicious served warm with high-quality vanilla ice cream.

Perfect Pecan Pie

2 T. butter, softened
½ cup sugar
3 eggs
1 T. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup white Karo syrup
1 cup roughly chopped pecans
1 deep-dish frozen pie shell

Cream butter and sugar.
Add beaten eggs, flour, vanilla, and salt. Mix well.
Stir in karo syrup.
Place pecans in the bottom of the frozen pie shell, and pour liquid mixture over them.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45-50 minutes, covering with foil after 30 minutes to prevent scorching. Pie will puff up and sink back down. Is done when center appears slightly set (which should be an internal temperature of approximately 200 degrees.)