FRENCH SILK PIE

From my daughter, Jennifer.

Prepare Baked Pastry Shell and set aside.

For filling, in a large bowl beat with an electric mixer on medium speed about 4 minutes or until fluffy:

        3/4 cup butter

        3/4 cup sugar

Stir in:

        1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces, melted and cooled

        1 teaspoon vanilla

Gradually add:

        3/4 cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed

Beat on high speed and scraping side of bowl constantly until light and fluffy.

Pour filling into pastry shell. Cover and chill in refrigerator for 5 hours. If desired, garnish with whipped cream and chocolate curls. Makes 10 servings.

FROZEN APPLE CRUMB PIE

My daughter, Jennifer, gave me this recipe.  We made four apple crumb pies for Thanksgiving!

*NOTE:  The pie ingredients do not have to be frozen, if you are baking the pie right away.  Just put the apple mixture right into the finished pie crust.

Picture to come later - I misplaced my jump drive!

Mix in gallon size freezer bag: 

       1 cup sugar
       2 tablespoons flour
       1 teaspoon cinnamon
       1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
       1/2 teaspoon cardamom
      

 Slice and quarter apples about 1/4" thick and place in water with a little bit of lemon juice to keep from browning.

       5 medium granny smith apples
       2 medium Braeburn apples  (Total apples=7-8 cups apples)

Drain apples and add to dry ingredients in Ziploc bag. Shake to mix well.
Place in freezer.  It helps to place the Ziploc bag in the pie plate until it is frozen so that the apples will take the shape of the pie plate.  Use a deep dish pie plate for this recipe or it will bubble over in the oven and make a mess.  Yes, I am speaking from experience!

To make pie:
Make a pastry for a single crust pie.

Better Homes and Gardens pastry recipe:

In a mixing bowl stir together:

       1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
       1/4 teaspoon salt
Cut in 1/3 cup shortening until pieces are the size of small peas.  

(I use my hands, I think it turns our better than using a pastry blender.)

Prepare:
       3 to 5 tablespoons cold water

Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of the water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork.  Push to side of bowl.  Repeat till all is moistened.  

Form dough into a ball.  Roll out into a circle about 2 inches larger that pie plate turned upside down.  Roll onto rolling pin and unroll over pie plate.


Confession from Jennifer:  We have a big family of 6 hungry boys.  When I make pies, I make a lot.  (We typically have as many as 10-12 pies for Thanksgiving!)  It takes too much time to mix the water in with a fork for that many pies.  I use the mixer on low speed and just pulse it a couple of times.  

Add the frozen apple mixture.
Top with crumble.

Crumble:

Using a pastry blender, combine until the size of small peas

       1/2 cup butter
       1/2 cup brown sugar
       1/2 cup flour
       1/4 to 1/2 cup oatmeal
       1/8 teaspoon baking powder
DO NOT OVER MIX OR YOU WILL GET PASTE INSTEAD OF CRUMBLE!

(Use this same topping for an Apple Crisp.  Double the crumble, place 6 cups apples mixed with 1/2 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a pan.  Top with crumble and bake.)  (Or use the same apple recipe as in the pie for the apple spices.)

Baking:
Bake on bottom rack of a 375^O F oven for 25 minutes.  Cover edges and bake an additional 25 minutes.

To reheat cooled pies, heat oven to 250 ^O F.  Place pies in oven for about 30 minutes.

BUTTERMILK PIE

Ingredients for 1 pie


1 pie shell (9")
1 cube butter  (1/4 lb.)                          
2 cups sugar                            
3 large eggs                               
1/4 flour                              
1 cup buttermilk   
                             

1. Bring pie shell to room temperature. 
    DO NOT use deep dish pie shell.
2. Cream butter and sugar in mixer.

3. Add eggs and whip until fluffy - about 3 minutes.

4. Beat in flour.
    Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl.

5. Stir in buttermilk.  
    Make sure ingredients from sides and bottom of bowl are mixed in well.

6. Flute pie shell upward (see picture above.)

7. Pour mixture into shell.

8. Bake at 335^o F for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
    In some ovens, a pie ring* may need to be placed on the rim of the pie after 20-30 minutes of baking to keep the crust from burning.  DO NOT cover the whole pie.  

Pie is done when knife inserted into middle comes out almost clean.

Best served with a dollop of whipped cream.

*Purchase rings, or make them out of used disposable pie tins by cutting the bottom off, leaving the flat ring and half of the side.  Or you can put strips of aluminum foil around the crust.

Pie freezes well:  After pie is cooled, wrap in plastic wrap then in aluminum foil and place in freezer.  Thaw before serving.