Not-So-Humble Pies (5 page)

With flavors ranging from rustic and comforting to polished and sophisticated, nothing provides a sweeter ending to an everyday meal at home or a sophisticated special celebration than pie. Pies make a wonderful dessert, but they are also a unique way of giving comfort, sharing a little sweet pleasure, and showing people how much you care. In this section, you’ll find recipes for wonderfully distinctive sweet pies and tarts that are full of rich flavors ranging from tea and lavender to saffron and exotic spices. There are even tarts laced with bourbon, brandy, and rum. Use these recipes to discover the epicurean world of pies that are sweet as can be!

If you like your pies smooth and luscious, then the cream, custard, and chiffon pies in this chapter are for you. Here, you’ll find recipes for marvelously silky cream pies, rich custard pies, and chiffon pies so light they whisper across your tongue. But today’s recipes go beyond the everyday and into the extraordinary with beautiful textures and trendy, unique ingredients like pomegranate, maple syrup, cardamom, saffron, and limoncello. So, say goodbye to plain old vanilla, and get ready for a delicious adventure!

If you’re looking for a not-so-humble ingredient to elevate a humble pie, look no further than the pomegranate. This fruit is native to the Middle East and is a common ingredient in Persian and Indian cooking. Pomegranate juice is sweet yet tangy, and in this pie it is concentrated down into a thick syrup that adds maximum flavor while keeping your pie filling thick and rich. Look for pomegranate juice with no added sugar for the best flavor.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the pomegranate juice; bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to ¼ cup, about 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, cream together the pomegranate syrup, cream cheese, and powdered sugar and mix until smooth, then set aside.

In a separate bowl, whip the cream with the vanilla until it forms medium peaks, about 1½ minutes.

Fold the cream into the pomegranate mixture until no streaks of cream remain.

Pour the mixture into the Traditional Graham Cracker Crust and garnish with the pomegranate seeds. Chill for 4 hours before serving.

This pie contains acai berry juice and dark chocolate, both of which are loaded with flavonoids, powerful antioxidants that may help prevent cardiovascular disease and cancer. Acai fruit, which are harvested from a palm tree that is common to South America, are actually drupes, not berries, meaning they have a pit surrounded by a fruit covering.

In a small bowl, combine the gelatin and the water. Allow to stand until completely bloomed, about 10 minutes.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the acai juice and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to ¼ cup, about 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

In a double boiler, combine the egg yolks with ½ cup of the sugar and whisk until thickened, about 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat and add the bloomed gelatin, acai syrup, and melted chocolate. Whisk until completely dissolved. Allow to cool until the mixture begins to thicken.

In a large bowl, whip the egg whites with the salt and vanilla until they are very frothy. Gradually add in the remaining sugar, beating constantly, until the whites form medium peaks, about 1½ minutes.

Working in thirds, fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, making sure no large streaks of egg white remain.

Pour the mixture into the Chocolate Cookie Crust; cover with cling film and chill until firm, about 4 hours.

Once chilled, prepare the Stabilized Whipped Cream. Top the pie and chill for 30 minutes before serving.

Cantaloupe is available all year long, but for the freshest flavor, check out your local markets from June to August, when this delicious melon is in season. Remember to thoroughly wash your cantaloupe before cutting to avoid contaminating the flesh with harmful bacteria, and never keep a cut cantaloupe for longer than 3 days in the refrigerator.

In a blender, purée the cantaloupe until smooth, about 2 minutes.

In a medium saucepan, combine the purée, sugar, cornstarch, egg yolks, and milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it simmers and thickens, about 6 minutes.

Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and butter. Stir until melted.

Pour the custard directly into the Traditional Graham Cracker Crust. Cover the custard with a layer of cling film and chill overnight.

Once chilled, prepare the Stabilized Whipped Cream and spread over the pie. Chill for 30 minutes before serving.

The mango originates from India, but today the fruit is grown year round across the globe in countries with tropical, frost-free climates. Fruity and a little exotic, mango gives this light chiffon filling a striking flavor and its bold, golden color also gives this pie a striking visual impact. If fresh mango is unavailable, you can use frozen mango for this pie. Simply thaw the fruit and drain off any liquid before puréeing.

Peel and slice the mango into the work bowl of a blender; purée until very smooth, about 3 minutes. This should yield 1½ cups of purée.

In a small bowl, combine the water and gelatin; allow to stand for 10 minutes.

In a double boiler, combine the egg yolks, lime juice, ¼ cup sugar, lime zest, salt, and mango purée. Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat; add the bloomed gelatin. Whisk until dissolved. Allow to cool until it thickens.

In a large bowl, whip the egg whites with the salt until they are very frothy, about 30 seconds.

Gradually add in the remaining sugar, beating constantly, until the whites form medium peaks, about 1 minute.

Working in thirds, fold the egg whites into the mango mixture, making sure no large streaks of egg white remain.

Pour the mixture into the Traditional Graham Cracker Crust and chill until firm, about 4 hours.

Once chilled, prepare the Stabilized Whipped Cream and top the pie. Chill for 30 minutes before serving.

Who doesn’t love good, old-fashioned chocolate sandwich cookies—especially when they’re mixed into ice cream or dunked into chilly glasses of milk? Add a chocolate-y layer of playful sophistication to this kids’ snack by mixing crushed chocolate sandwich cookies into a creamy vanilla mousse pie. You can also use vanilla or even peanut butter sandwich cookies in this pie, or a combination of all three!

In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, cream, sugar, cornstarch, egg yolks, and salt and whisk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it begins to simmer and thicken, about 8 minutes.

Remove from the heat and add the butter and vanilla. Stir until melted.

Pour through a strainer into a separate bowl. Place a layer of cling film directly on the custard and chill for 1 hour.

In a small bowl, mix the powdered gelatin with the cold water. Let stand 10 minutes, then melt in the microwave for 10 seconds. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, or until cool to the touch.

In a medium bowl, add the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla, and using a hand mixer, whip on medium-high speed until it starts to thicken, about 1 minute.

Slowly pour in the cooled gelatin; whip until the cream forms medium peaks, about 1 minute. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Add ½ of the whipped cream and ½ cup of the crushed cookies to the vanilla mixture; gently fold to incorporate.

Pour into the Chocolate Cookie Crust and garnish the top with the remaining whipped cream and crushed cookies. Chill for 4 hours before serving.

Brandy was initially used as a way to preserve wine for long sea voyages. Wine was distilled, concentrating it to save space, and stored in wood casks. Once the brandy reached its destination, the intention was to add back the water lost in the distillation process, but it was discovered that the wood casks imparted natural wood flavors to the wine, changing and improving the flavor. Thus, brandy was born. Here, this oak-y alcohol pairs with the sweet potato to create a Southern favorite—with a high-class twist.

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Steam the sweet potatoes until they are fork-tender, about 10 minutes; remove from the steamer and mash or purée in a food processor until smooth. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, allspice, and nutmeg until well combined.

Add the brandy, eggs, sweet potato, and evaporated milk; whisk until smooth.

Pour the mixture into the pastry crust and place on a baking sheet.

Bake in the lower third of the oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 40–45 minutes, or until the filling is set at the edges and just slightly wobbly in the center. Cool for 3 hours on a wire rack before slicing.

Maple syrup comes in various grades and colors—all of them delicious. But if you think that you should use the highest quality maple syrup for baking, you would be wrong. The highest quality maple syrups are best used as a topping, such as on pancakes and waffles. Grading systems vary by country, but a Grade B, or darker syrup, will provide a richer, rounder flavor on your not-so-humble pie.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Whisk together the flour and sugar.

Add the eggs, corn syrup, maple syrup, salt, butter, and vanilla and mix well.

Spread the walnuts into the crust in an even layer. Pour the filling over the walnuts and tap the pie gently on the counter to release any air bubbles.