Tag: berry

Some pies are best with milk. Some are made for coffee. This pie is meant for the company of a silver tea service, a white wooden porch and a charming cousin who, like the strawberry chiffon, will disappear at just the right moment.

The Crust

Graham Cracker Pie Crust  for a single crust pie

The Filling

1. 3 cups strawberries, hulled and halved
2. 1 tsp lime zest
3. ¼ cup fresh lime juice
4. 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
5. 3 tbs rum
6. 2 tbs Cointreau
7. 1 ½ cups whipping cream
8. sliced strawberries for garnish

In a blender or food processor, puree the strawberries, lime zest, lime juice, condensed milk, rum, and Cointreau until smooth

Using an electric mixer, beat the cream on high speed, until stiff peaks form

Transfer the strawberry mixture to a large bowl and gently fold in the whipped cream, half a cup at a time, until well combined

Pour the filling into the crust, smoothing the top

Cover the pie with plastic wrap and freeze for 3 hours

Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving

Garnish top with sliced strawberries

No matter how bad things are, they can always get worse. So it’s important to stay positive, if only to minimize the damage. Baking a pie is one of the great mood fixer-uppers; and a Blueberry Cloud pie, with its lighter-than-air-texture and fresh blueberry taste, can help you bring about an emotional renovation.

The Crust

Low Sodium Snafu Pie Crust for a single crust pie

The Filling

1. 3 cups fresh blueberries
2. 1 ½ tsp fresh lemon juice
3. ½ cup granulated sugar
4. 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
5. ¼ cup water
6. 3 large egg whites
7. ⅔ cup whipping cream

Preheat the oven to 425°

Blind bake the crust for 15 minutes

Remove the pie weights and bake for 10 minutes more

Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely (like totally completely)

Toss the blueberries with the lemon juice and ¼ cup of the sugar

In a food processor, blend the berry mixture until just smooth (don’t overdo it or you’ll have a smoothie)

In a small saucepan, sprinkle the gelatin over the water

Set aside, and fill a large bowl with ice and cold water

Add the blueberry puree to the gelatin and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the gelatin has dissolved

Pour the berry mixture into a metal bowl and set the bowl in the ice bath

Chill the fruit mixture, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, until it begins to thicken

Whisk the egg whites until foamy, then add the remaining ¼ cup sugar, one tablespoon at a time

Continue whisking until stiff peaks form

In another bowl, beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form

Gently fold the cream into the berry mixture, ⅓ cup at a time

Pour the filling into the pie crust and chill for at least 3 hours, until set

It’s not just the combination of fruit and berries but the dark, rich spices that make this deep dish pie something Sinatra would have sung about. You know, a song with dimension and depth, something slightly lascivious to indulge in when no one was supposed to be looking, but probably was. And if they had camera phones when Frankie was around, someone would for sure have gotten a shot of Ol’ Blue Eyes hiding from lights on the village green (when he was seventeen).

The Crust

The Zen Master’s Pie Crust for a double crust pie

The Filling

1. 1 cup light brown sugar
2. ¼ cup all purpose flour
3. ½ tsp cinnamon
4. ¼ tsp cardamom
5. ¼ tsp nutmeg
6. 8 large peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
7. 2 cups blackberries

Preheat the oven to 425°

Combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg

In a large bowl, place the peaches and blackberries

Pour the sugar mixture over them and toss lightly to coat

Pour the fruit mixture into the pie crust

Put the top crust on, and crimp the edges

Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350°

Bake for about 55-60 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown

Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely (about 3 hours)

As the warm weather approaches, you’ll want a collection of quick and easy no-bake pies ready to step out of the shadow of winter. Elegantly light and fresh, this raspberry chiffon Pink Flamingo is a natural beauty that doesn’t need working wings to fly off the table.

Light Crumb Crust

1. 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2. 1 tbs unsalted butter
3. 1 large egg white
4. 1 tbs granulated sugar or honey
5. 1 tsp all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 425°

Combine all the ingredients until well blended

Press the crust into a 9 inch pie plate (starting in the center and working outward and upward)

Crimp the edges with a fork

Bake for 15 minutes

Transfer to a wire rack to cool

The Filling

1. 3 large egg yolks
2. 14 oz. can low fat sweetened condensed milk
3. zest of 1 lime
4. ½ cup fresh lime juice
5. 6 tbs superfine sugar
6. 2 cups fresh raspberries

Beat the egg yolks, condensed milk, lime zest and lime juice to combine

Pour the lime filling into the crust and bake for 35 minutes, until the center of the filling is set

Transfer to a wire rack to cool

Top the filling with the raspberries

Low Sodium Snafu Pie Crust for a 10 x 13 inch baking dish

The Filling

1. 1 lb sour cherries
2. ½ lb fresh blackberries
3. ½ lb fresh raspberries
4. 2½ tbs cornstarch
5. 1 tbs balsamic vinegar
6. pinch salt
7. 1 large egg yolk
8. 1 tbs heavy cream
9. sanding sugar
10. 1 cup whipping cream

In a large bowl combine the cherries, blackberries and raspberriesAdd granulated sugar, cornstarch, vinegar and salt until evenly coated

Pour into a quart baking dish and set aside

Roll out the dough and trim into a 9 x 12 inch rectangle

Cut lengthwise strips ¾ inch wide, about 6 strips or to fill the dish

Cut remaining strips ¾ inch crosswise, about 8 strips

Transfer berries to a 10 x 13 inch baking dish, or keep them in the 1 quart dish

Weave a lattice crust over the berries, pushing the edges down into the berries, against the side of the dish

Put in the freezer for about half an hour

Preheat the oven to 400In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and cream

Brush the lattice top with the egg wash

Sprinkle with sanding sugar

Bake until crust in golden brown and the juices are bubbling, about 35 minutes, depending on the depth of the dish, but it could be up to 55 minutes. On this one, use your eyes more than your timer.

Cool on a wire rack

Whip the cream with 1 tbs confectioners sugar

Serve with the cobbler

The recipe for these little tarts may have a lot of steps, but it produces equal amounts of adoration (and calories). Sweetest, Easiest Sweet Tart Dough for (8) tartlet pans

Blind bake for 20 minutes

Remove from oven and brush the base with the lightly beaten egg

Bake another 15 minutes, until the crusts are set

Transfer to a wire cooling rack

The Filling

1. 1 large egg, lightly beaten
2. 4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
3. ¼ cup unsalted butter
4. 1 cup granulated sugar
5. 3 tbs cornstarch
6. 3 large eggs
7. 1½ tsp vanilla extract
8. 1 cup whipping cream
9. 3 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
10. ½ cup strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced for garnish>/li>
11. ½ cup superfine sugar
12. 1 cup fresh orange juice
13. zest of 1 orange
14. ½ cup water
15. ⅓ cup Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur

In a double boiler (or the microwave), melt the chocolate and butter

Combine the sugar and cornstarch and add to the chocolate mixture

Stir until well blended and remove from heat

With an electric mixer, beat the eggs until light and thick

Stir the eggs into the chocolate mixture and return to medium heat

Cook for 5 minutes, stirring until the mixture is thick and glossy

Whisk in the vanilla

Remove from the heat and let it cool completely

With the electric mixer (again), beat the cream until stiff

Fold the chocolate mixture into the cream

Spoon into the tartlet pans

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours

Place the strawberries, sugar and orange juice in a saucepan and simmer for 15 minutes

Add the orange zest and water

Simmer for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally

Strain the berry mixture through a fine sieve to remove seeds

Stir in the liqueur and cool to room temperature

Drizzle the liqueur generously over each tartlet

Garnish with the fresh strawberries

This week’s confectionary edifice is …your heart…that special place your mom has always occupied, even if “occupation” really has been the right word. Anyway, as long as she’s in there, you might as well serve something healthy and delicious, like this fig and berry tart. Zen Master’s Sweet Tart Dough
Pastry Cream

The Filling

1. 1 cup blueberries
2. 1 cup blackberries
3. 6 figs, halved lengthwise
4. ⅓ cup red currant jelly
5. 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 425°

Pat the pastry into a 9 inch tart pan

Bake fully, until browned and crisp

Cool completely before filling

Spread a thin layer of pastry cream over the bottom of the cooled tart shell

Place the berries and figs on top

In a small saucepan, combine the red currant jelly and lemon juice

Bring to a boil, stirring frequently

Cool, then brush on the fruit

Serve as soon as possible after assembling