Bon Appetit Desserts (70 page)

TOPPING:
Meanwhile toast coconut in heavy small skillet over medium heat until light golden, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Cool completely.

Using electric mixer, beat cream, sugar, and coconut extract in medium bowl until peaks form. Spread whipped cream all over top of filling. Sprinkle evenly with toasted coconut. Serve cold.

DO AHEAD:
Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Bittersweet Chocolate Pudding Pie with Crème Fraîche Topping

Bittersweet chocolate and crème fraîche, now available at most supermarkets and at specialty foods stores, update the diner-style chocolate pudding pie. When making the filling, be sure to whisk the milk into the sugar mixture gradually to avoid clumps.
8 servings

1 cup chocolate wafer cookie crumbs (about half of 9-ounce package; about 23 cookies, finely ground in processor)

2 tablespoons sugar

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

⅓ cup sugar

⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)

2 tablespoons cornstarch

⅛ teaspoon salt

1¾ cups whole milk, divided

¼ cup heavy whipping cream

4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped

1 tablespoon dark rum

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chilled crème fraîche

1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract Bittersweet chocolate shavings or curls (optional)

CRUST:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Blend cookie crumbs and sugar in processor. Add melted butter; process until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and up sides (not rim) of 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Bake until crust begins to set and no longer looks moist, pressing gently with back of fork if crust puffs, about 12 minutes. Remove crust from oven. Sprinkle chopped chocolate over bottom of crust. Let stand until chocolate softens, 1 to 2 minutes. Using offset spatula or small silicone spatula, gently spread chocolate over bottom and up sides of crust to cover. Chill crust until chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.

FILLING:
Whisk sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt to blend in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually add ⅓ cup milk, whisking until smooth paste forms. Whisk in remaining milk, then cream. Using flat-bottom wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, stir mixture constantly over medium heat, scraping bottom and sides of pan until pudding thickens and begins to bubble at edges, about 5 minutes. Add chocolate; stir until mixture is smooth. Remove from heat; stir in rum and vanilla. Pour hot pudding into crust and spread evenly. Cool 1 hour at room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap; chill overnight.

DO AHEAD:
Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

TOPPING:
Using electric mixer, beat crème fraîche, whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla in medium bowl just until stiff peaks form and mixture is thick enough to spread (do not overbeat or mixture may curdle). Spread topping decoratively over top of pie, swirling to create peaks, if desired.

DO AHEAD:
Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover with cake dome and chill.

Sprinkle chocolate shavings decoratively atop pie, if desired.

Caramel-Pecan Black Bottom Pie

Triple threat: This decadent dessert features a crust filled with chocolate custard, vanilla-brandy custard, and a delicious caramel that’s flecked with toasted pecans.
8 servings

1⅓ cups sifted unbleached all purpose flour (sifted, then measured)

3 tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

7 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

2 tablespoons ice water

1 large egg yolk

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons brandy

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

½ cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

¼ teaspoon salt

2 cups half and half

4 large egg yolks

⅔ cup sugar

⅓ cup water

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

1 cup pecans, toasted, chopped

CRUST:
Combine flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter; using on/off turns, blend until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk 2 tablespoons ice water, egg yolk, and vanilla in small bowl to blend. Add egg mixture to processor and blend until large moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 30 minutes.

DO AHEAD:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Lightly butter 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Roll out dough disk on floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to prepared pie dish. Fold dough edges under and crimp to form high-standing fluted edge. Freeze crust until firm, about 15 minutes. Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until sides of crust are set, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Pierce bottom of crust in several places with fork and continue to bake until crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool on rack.

FILLING:
Combine brandy and vanilla in small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over and let stand 10 minutes. Place chocolate in medium bowl. Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk half and half and egg yolks into sugar mixture. Whisk constantly over medium-high heat until custard is thick and smooth and begins to boil, about 3 minutes. Quickly add 1¼ cups custard to chocolate. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Add brandy mixture to remaining hot custard; stir until gelatin dissolves. Spread chocolate filling evenly in crust. Spread brandy filling over. Refrigerate uncovered until pie is completely cool.

TOPPING:
Heat sugar and ⅓ cup water in heavy small saucepan over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until mixture is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 11 minutes. Remove from heat and add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Add butter and stir until smooth. Stir over low heat until color deepens and caramel thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Mix in pecans. Transfer topping to small bowl. Chill until cool but not set, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

Spoon topping over brandy layer. Chill pie until topping is set, about 2 hours.

DO AHEAD:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

Banoffee Pie

Originally created in England, this delicious dessert gets its name from the combination of banana (the filling is topped with sliced fresh bananas) and toffee (the filling has a toffee flavor).
8 servings

¾ cup unbleached all purpose flour

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

2 tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup dry-roasted macadamia nuts

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 14-ounce cans sweetened condensed milk

½ cup heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon dark rum

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

4 bananas, peeled, sliced

3 tablespoons instant coffee crystals

1 tablespoon water

2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream

½ cup sugar

CRUST:
Combine flour, butter, sugar, and salt in processor. Using on/off turns, blend until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add nuts; using on/off turns, process until nuts are finely chopped. Add egg yolk and vanilla; process until moist clumps form. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Freeze 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake crust until golden and cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on rack.

FILLING:
Simmer sweetened condensed milk in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until very thick and color of peanut butter, stirring frequently, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in whipping cream, rum, and vanilla (mixture will be sticky and candy-like). Transfer warm filling to crust, spreading evenly. Cool completely.

DO AHEAD:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover loosely and chill.

Top pie with sliced bananas, covering filling completely.

TOPPING:
Stir instant coffee and 1 tablespoon water in small bowl until coffee dissolves. Combine coffee mixture, whipping cream, and sugar in large bowl; beat until peaks form. Spoon coffee whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe whipped cream rosettes decoratively atop pie, covering completely.

DO AHEAD:
Can be made 2 hours ahead. Chill uncovered.

Peanut Butter and White Chocolate Cream Pie