Though many fruits do very well baked into a pie, strawberries are not one of them.  They contain too much water, making for a very soggy pie.  The solution is fairly simple – bake only the crust, not the filling itself.  A portion of the strawberries are pureed and cooked with pectin to make a quick jam.  This is then mixed with plenty of fresh berries, poured into the pre-baked pie crust and chilled until set.  This method is ideal for showcasing the flavor of the fresh, ripe strawberries and keeps the crust nice and flaky.  Normally I prefer pies a la mode, but I think a dollop of freshly whipped cream is the best accompaniment here.  If you have never bought Sure-Jell before, it is usually stocked in the canning section of your store rather than with gelatins and similar products.  I know this recipe will be one we turn to every year when strawberry season arrives.  Enjoy!

Fresh Strawberry Pie
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Ingredients:
For the filling:
4 pints (about 3 lbs.) fresh strawberries, gently rinsed and dried, hulled*
¾ cup sugar
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1½ tsp. Sure-Jell for low-sugar recipes**
Generous pinch table salt
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 baked 9-inch pie shell***

For the whipped cream:
1 cup cold heavy cream
1 tbsp. sugar

*This is actually several more ounces of berries than will be used in the pie, to account for any imperfect strawberries.
**Be sure to use Sure-Jell for low- or no-sugar recipes (pink box) and not regular Sure-Jell (yellow box), otherwise the glaze will not set properly.
***(Can’t believe I needed three different notations!)  To pre-bake the pie crust, roll the chilled pie dough into a 12-inch circle.  Line a 9-inch pie plate with the dough.  Crimp the edges.  Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 375˚ F and adjust an oven rack to low-middle position.  Line the chilled pie shell with parchment paper or foil so that it lays over the edges of the dough.  Fill with pie weights and bake until the surface of the dough no longer looks wet, 20-25 minutes.  Remove the pie weights and parchment paper and return the pie crust to the oven.  Bake until the crust is golden brown, 10-12 minutes more.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

Directions:
To make the filling, select 6 oz. misshapen, underripe or otherwise unattractive berries, halving those that are large; you should have about 1½ cups.  In the food processor, process the berries to a smooth puree, about 30 seconds.  You should have about ¾ cup puree.

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, Sure-Jell and salt; whisk to combine.  Stir in the berry puree.  Cook the mixture over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, and bring to a full boil.  Boil for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides of the pan constantly.  Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the lemon juice.  Let cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, pick over the remaining berries and measure out 2 pounds of the most attractive ones; halve only extra-large berries.  Add the berries to the bowl with the glaze and fold gently with a spatula until the berries are evenly coated.  Scoop the berries into the pie shell, piling into a mound.  If any cut sides face up on the top, turn them face down.  Refrigerate the pie until chilled, about 2 hours.  Serve within 5 hours of chilling.

Make the whipped cream just before serving.  Whip the cream and sugar on medium speed until small bubbles form, about 30 seconds.  Increase the speed and continue beating until medium peaks form.  Cut the pie into wedges and serve with whipped cream.

Source: Cook’s Illustrated, May/June 2011

Ever since the first time I made it, Ben has declared my apple pie to be his very favorite kind of pie (though I think it may now be edged out by pecan instead).  I’ve tweaked the recipe and tried many filling variations over the years, and this is the version I’ve come to favor.  I personally prefer Granny Smith apples only in my pies, but you can use a combination of baking apples if you choose.  I normally make apple pies with a lattice top but I thought a star-covered version would be fun for the Fourth and I loved the way it turned out.  This would be a great way to finish off any cookout this holiday weekend – just don’t forget the vanilla ice cream!

Star Spangled Apple Pie
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Ingredients:
Double crust pie dough
5-6 medium/large Granny Smith apples (about 2½ lbs.), peeled, cored and sliced
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. grated nutmeg
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water (for egg wash)

Directions:
On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of the pie dough into approximately a 12-inch round.  (Keep the other half of the pie dough chilled for now.)  Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate, trimming the excess and crimping the edges.  Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400˚ F.  Position an oven rack in the upper-middle position.  In a large mixing bowl, combine the sliced apples, sugars, flour, spices and lemon juice.  Toss well to combine.  When the bottom crust is finished chilling, pour the apple mixture and accumulated juices into the bottom pie crust and use a spatula to even the top out slightly.  Dot the surface of the apples with the pieces of cold butter.  Roll out the remaining pie dough on a floured work surface.  Cut out numerous star shapes and use these to cover the top of the pie.  (Alternatively, make a lattice top crust.)  Brush the top and edges of the crust with the egg wash.

Place a baking sheet on the lower oven rack.  Place the pie on the upper rack and bake until the crust is golden brown and the juices are bubbling, about 50-60 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Source: adapted from Williams Sonoma and Martha Stewart

Well, that made me feel like a total moron but I couldn’t feel sad for too long because I was able to make some awesome pies.  This pie starts with a butter and cream cheese-based pie crust that I have often heard referred to as a cheater or no-fail pie crust.  I don’t really think it’s all that much easier than a regular pie crust, but it was absolutely delicious and is certainly something I would use again if I had extra cream cheese in the fridge to use up.  The crust is filled first with a fruit layer, then a raspberry chiffon layer, and finally topped with pillows of freshly whipped cream before serving.  After waiting two years to try this pie, I can say that it was worth the wait and definitely lived up to my expectations.  The raspberries and cream flavor combination is light, fresh and fruity, and makes this an ideal dessert for summertime.

Raspberry Chiffon Pie
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Ingredients:
For the crust:
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened but still cool
2 oz. cream cheese, softened but still cool

For the fruit layer:
12 oz. frozen raspberries (2 cups)
3 tbsp. pectin (Sure-Jell original formula, in the yellow box)
1½ cups sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup fresh raspberries

For the chiffon layer:
3 tbsp. raspberry-flavored gelatin
3 tbsp. boiling water
3 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream, chilled

For the topping:
¾ cup heavy cream, chilled
2 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar

Directions: 
To make the pie crust, lightly oil a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray.  Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl and whisk to blend.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and well blended, about 2 minutes.  Mix in the dry ingredients on medium-low speed until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 20 seconds.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until large clumps of dough begin to form, about 30 seconds.  Reserve 3 tablespoons of the dough and set aside.

Gather the remaining dough into a ball and flatten into a 6-inch disc.  Transfer to the pie plate.  Using the heel of your hand, gently press the dough evenly over the bottom of the pie plate.  Using your fingertips, continue working the dough evenly until it covers the sides and bottom of the pie plate completely.  On a floured work surface, roll the reserved dough into a 12-inch long rope.  Split the rope into 3 equal pieces and roll each of these into an 8-inch rope.  Use the 3 8-inch ropes to edge the circumference of the pie plate and squeeze them together to join them at the ends.  Use your fingertips to mold a fluted edge.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 325˚ F.  Prick the bottom of the crust evenly with the tines of a fork.  Bake until the crust is golden brown, 35-40 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the fruit layer, add the frozen berries to a medium saucepan.  Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the berries begin to release their juices, about 3 minutes.  Stir in the pectin and bring to a full boil, stirring constantly.  Stir in the sugar and salt and return the mixture to a boil.  Cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.  Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing on the solids to extract as much of the puree as possible.  Reserve 1/3 cup of the raspberry puree for use in the chiffon layer.  Gently fold the fresh raspberries into the remaining puree and spread the mixture in the bottom of the cooled pie crust in an even layer.

To make the chiffon layer, dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water in a large bowl.  Add the cream cheese and the reserved raspberry puree and beat on high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.  Add the heavy cream and beat on medium low until incorporated, about 30 seconds.  Scrape down the bowl.  Beat on high speed until the mixture holds stiff peaks, about 2 minutes.  Pour over the fruit layer in the pie crust and smooth into an even layer with a spatula.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours or up to 2 days.

When ready to serve, whip the cream and confectioners’ sugar on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.  Spread or pipe over the chilled pie.  Slice and serve.

Source: slightly adapted from Cook’s Illustrated Summer Entertaining, Summer 2009

For those who still have no idea what I’m talking about, pi (Π) is a Greek letter that stands for the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter.  It starts with 3.14 (hence the connection to March 14) and then continues infinitely without repeating.  For me, pi always reminds me of my high school calculus teacher and one of the most wonderful teachers in the whole world, Mr. Strawn.  He has a passion for math and an incredible gift for teaching that made me actually understand calculus!  (I am ashamed to think how much of it I have since forgotten but hey – all that material from med school had to go somewhere!)  I know he is also a fan of the blog so Mr. Strawn, if you’re reading this, this pi is for you!  ;)

Now, let’s talk for a moment about this chocolate silk pie.  Chocolate pie has been a matter of much debate in our household since Ben and I were first married.  You see, I had an old cookbook that had a version of chocolate pie I would make occasionally.  It had a classic pie crust (as opposed to graham cracker or cookie crust) and the filling of that version was baked.  Ben loved it.  I thought it was just okay, and I didn’t hold on to recipe or the cookbook.  I’ve since been searching for a chocolate pie that would satisfy both of us.  Who knows how many I’ve tried?  Some have pudding filling, some had raw eggs, and none have been “the one”.  When my latest issue of Entertaining arrived in the mail, I saw this pie on the cover and it looked very promising.  It’s official – this pie gets the win.  The filling has a custard base that makes it soft and silky.  It is more rich and dense than a pudding filling, but still incredibly light in texture from all the whipping.  Another plus is that it uses staple ingredients so you could whip one up if you needed a dessert and didn’t feel like running to the store (as long as you have 3 hours to let it chill).  Happy Pi Day!

Chocolate Silk Pie
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Ingredients:
Dough for 1 9-inch pie crust

For the filling:
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
3 large eggs
¾ cup sugar
2 tbsp. water
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened and cut into 8 pieces

Freshly whipped cream, for serving

Directions:
Roll the chilled pie dough into a 12-inch circle.  Line a 9-inch pie plate with the dough.  Trim, fold and crimp the edges.  Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375˚ F and adjust an oven rack to low-middle position.  Line the chilled pie shell with parchment paper so that it lays over the edges of the dough.  Fill with pie weights and bake until the surface of the dough no longer looks wet, 20-25 minutes.  Remove the pie weights and parchment paper and return the pie crust to the oven.  Bake until the crust is golden brown, 10-12 minutes more.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

To make the filling, add the cream to the bowl of an electric mixer.  Whip on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.  Transfer to a small bowl and refrigerate.

Combine the eggs, sugar and water in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (the water should not touch the bowl).  With a hand mixer on medium speed, beat until the egg mixture is thickened and reads 160˚ F on an instant read thermometer, about 7-10 minutes.  Remove the bowl from the heat and continue to beat until the egg mixture is fluffy and cooled to room temperature, about 6-8 minutes.

Add the melted chocolate and the vanilla to the cooled egg mixture and beat until well blended.  Beat in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time until well combined.  Using a spatula, gently fold in the chilled whipped cream until no streaks remain.  Transfer the filling to the baked pie shell.  Refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours.  Slice and serve with freshly whipped cream as desired.

Source: slightly adapted from Cook’s Illustrated Entertaining, Spring 2011

You can use whatever recipe floats your boat – they are all variations on a basic theme, and there are just a few key techniques that help you achieve that buttery flaky crust we all love.  I have included my favorite recipe at the bottom of this post.  Another great thing is that you can make the dough so many different ways depending on what kind of equipment you have around.  You can simply use a mixing bowl with a pastry cutter or two knives, or you can use a food processor or stand mixer (my preferred method).  The principles are the same no matter what equipment you use so if you don’t have fancy kitchen equipment, do not be deterred!  Let’s make pie dough!

First, mix up all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Usually a combination of mostly flour, a little sugar, and some salt.

(Time out – who’s that super cute little helper in the mixing bowl?)

Now you’ll take your butter and cut it up into small pieces.  The butter does need to be very cold when you start working and if at any time during the process it starts to get soft or melt, chill it until it is firm again.

Toss the butter into the bowl with the dry ingredients…

…and mix until the mixture is coarse and sandy, and the largest butter pieces aren’t much bigger than peas.  (If you are doing this by hand, just cut in the butter with a pastry blender until you achieve a similar result.  If you are using a food processor, pulse the mixture together.)

Then you add a little bit of very cold water to the mixture and mix just until the dough clumps together.  (Some recipes call for part vodka – again, I don’t think it’s necessary.)

Form the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until firm, at least 30 minutes.  It’s tough to see in the picture but hopefully you get a bit of marbling effect in the dough from the butter – that’s good.  Those areas of still concentrated butter will help with the flakiness.

Once chilled, lightly flour a work surface.

Roll out the dough with a rolling pin.  I lift up my dough sheet and rotate it every few rolls or so to prevent it from sticking to the work surface.

Check to be sure your dough is large enough to fit your pie plate.

To transfer the dough easily to your pie plate, wrap it loosely around your rolling pin…

…and then unroll it over the pie plate.

Voila!

I take any excess edge pieces and use them to patch any tears or other edges that seem a little short.

Fill with your desired filling (cherries – mmmmmmmmm).

Repeat the process once more if you are using a top crust.  Lay the top crust over the filling, pinch the edges together in a fluted pattern, and cut slits to allow steam to escape.  Brush with egg wash – this is important!  You want a lovely golden pie crust, trust me.  Sometime soon I’ll do a post on a lattice top crust.  Very easy and pretty, my favorite type of top crust.

Basic Pie Dough
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Yield: 1 9-inch pie crust*
Ingredients:
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 tbsp. very cold water

Directions:
Combine the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix briefly to blend.  Add in the butter pieces and mix on medium-low speed to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse sand and the largest butter pieces are not much bigger than peas.  Mix in the cold water on low speed just until the dough comes together.

Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.  (This dough can be frozen for up to 2 months.)  Remove from the refrigerator.  Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface.  Use as directed in your desired pie recipe.

*Double the recipe for a double crust pie.

Source: adapted from Williams Sonoma

Making pastry is always such fun for me.  I get such enjoyment from the process of it, and seeing the end results makes every second worth it.  The steps are not all that complicated and it is mostly a matter of patience while waiting on the dough to chill, fold, chill and so on.  Any thought of these not being worth the effort would be quickly dashed when you tear into one and see the tender buttery layers.

I know someone will ask if these can be made in advance and frozen at some point during the process.  The truth is, I’m not sure.  Normally the editors of Cook’s Illustrated make notes when such pauses are possible, but they did not mention it here.  Next time I make these I will try it with a freeze after the second set of folds and be sure to update the post with my results.  The finished croissants can be frozen after baking and rewarmed in the oven, but I tried this and they don’t hold a candle to the fresh ones.  Thankfully, when kept airtight, they were pretty good for the first two days after a quick 10-15 second spin in the microwave.

Croissants
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Yield: 12 croissants
Ingredients:
For the dough:
3 cups (15 oz.) all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface
1 tbsp. instant yeast
¼ cup (1¾ oz.) sugar
1¼ tsp. salt
1¼ cups whole milk, cold
2 tbsp. unsalted butter

For the butter square:
24 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces and kept cold
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

Egg wash:
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions:
To make the dough, combine 2¾ cups of the flour together with the yeast, sugar and salt in a medium bowl.  Whisk together and set aside.  Add the milk to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.  Add the dry ingredients and knead on low speed until a ball of dough forms, about 5 minutes.  Cut the butter into small pieces and add them to the dough.  Continue to knead until the butter is fully incorporated and the dough is smooth.  The dough should form a ball and begin to clear the sides of the bowl, about 5-6 minutes more.  The dough should be sticky but if the dough sticks more to the bowl than itself, add the remaining ¼ cup of flour a small bit at a time as needed.  Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

To make the butter square, toss together the butter pieces and flour on a clean work surface.  Smear the butter back and forth using a bench scraper against the work surface until they have combined into a smooth, homogenous mixture.  (See this post for photos of making a butter square.)  Wrap the butter mixture in plastic wrap and use the edges of the plastic to form it into a 7-inch square.  Refrigerate until ready to use, at least 30 minutes.

Dust a work surface with flour.

Roll the dough into an 11-inch square .

Place the chilled butter square diagonally onto the dough.

Fold the corners of the dough up over the butter square so that they meet in the middle and pinch the edges of the dough together to seal them.

Using a rolling pin, gently tap the dough starting from the center of the dough and working outward, until the square becomes larger and the butter begins to soften.

Start gently rolling the dough into a 14-inch square, being careful to make sure the work surface stays well floured and the dough is not sticking.

Fold the dough into thirds to form a long rectangle.

Starting from the narrow ends, fold the rectangle into thirds again to form a square.  (This completes two turns of the dough.)  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Repeat this entire process again, tap the dough starting from the center of the dough and working outward, then rolling out to a 14-inch square.  Fold the dough into thirds to form a rectangle and into thirds again to form a square, completing two more turns.  Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 more hours.

To shape the croissants, line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.

Place the chilled dough onto the floured work surface and gently roll into a 20-inch square.  (My pastry mat does not fit this size, so I worked with half of the dough at a time and made a 10- by 20-inch rectangle.)

Cut each half into three rectangles and then slice each rectangle diagonally to yield 12 triangles.  Working with one triangle at a time, gently stretch the dough so that the two long sides are equal in length.

Cut a 1-inch slit in the base of the triangle.

Fold the two corners of the slit outward and begin rolling the triangle up, gently stretching the dough as you roll.  Leave the last ¼-inch of the tip unrolled.

Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and fold the ends toward each other to make a crescent shape.  Repeat with the remaining portions of dough.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap.  Let rise at room temperature until puffy, about 45-60 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400˚ F.  Brush the shaped croissants lightly with the egg wash.  Bake until the croissants are golden brown, 18-22 minutes, rotating halfway through baking.  Allow to cool on a wire rack at least 15 minutes.  Store airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days or wrap well and freeze.  Reheat in a 300˚ F oven for 5-10 minutes.

Source: adapted from Baking Illustrated

The process for this dough is interesting. The dough is mixed up using ice water, and then refrigerated for 24 hours-3 days. The cool temperatures prevent over-rising and keep the crust, well, thin. Although it does require a bit of planning ahead, it is actually quite flexible since there is a two day window of when you can use the dough. I went ahead and made a full batch of dough, and froze half of it at the same time that I baked this pizza. Now we have an extra dough ball all ready to go. Guess what’s on the menu again this week?

The recipe also includes a basic pizza sauce that is delicious and extremely easy to make. Really, it takes less than 5 minutes. The yield is enough sauce for 3-4 pizzas, so that is saved in my freezer as well. You can certainly use whatever toppings you like, though it is important to use a light hand so that you don’t overwhelm the thin crust. I used the basic cheese topping suggested in the magazine (my favorite anyway) and loved it so much, I doubt I’ll try many variations.

Thin Crust Cheese Pizza
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Yield: 2 13-inch pizzas
Ingredients:
For the crust:
3 cups (16½ oz.) bread flour
2 tsp. sugar
½ tsp. instant yeast
1 1/3 cups ice water
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1½ tsp. salt

For the sauce:
1 (28 oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. oregano
¼ tsp. ground black pepper

For topping:
Olive oil, for brushing
½ cup (1 oz.) finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded whole-milk mozzarella

Directions:
To make the dough, combine the flour, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of a food processor* fitted with the metal blade. Pulse just to combine. With the machine running, add the ice water through the feed tube and process just until the dough is combined and all dry ingredients are incorporated, about 10 seconds. Let dough rest for 10 minutes.

Add the oil and salt to the dough. Process until the dough forms a smooth, tacky ball that clears the sides of the bowl, about 30-60 seconds. Remove the dough from the bowl, knead briefly on a lightly oiled work surface, about 1 minute. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 3 days. (After the period of refrigeration, the dough can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and frozen for later use.)

To make the sauce, combine all ingredients in a food processor. Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a bowl or container and refrigerate until ready to use.

One hour before baking the pizza, adjust an oven rack to the second highest position and place a baking stone on the rack to preheat. Preheat the oven to 500˚ F. Remove the pizza dough from the refrigerator and divide in half. (If you plan to freeze a portion of the dough, this is the time to wrap in plastic, place in a freezer bag and freeze for later use.) Form each half into a ball and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Spray the dough balls lightly with cooking spray. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.

To assemble the pizza, transfer a dough ball to a well floured work surface. Flatten into an 8-inch disk, leaving a slightly thicker edge around the rim. Using your hands, gently stretch the dough to a 12-inch circle. (I needed to use the rolling pin a bit to get my crust thin enough.) Transfer the dough to a well floured pizza peel and stretch to a 13-inch circle. Lightly brush the thicker edge of the disk with olive oil. Spread ½ cup of the pizza sauce over the dough. Sprinkle evenly with the grated Parmesan and the shredded mozzarella. Carefully transfer the pizza to the preheated baking stone. Bake until the cheese is bubbling and slightly browned, 10-12 minutes. Let cool about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

*This dough can also be made in a stand mixer or by hand. Keep in mind, the idea is to avoid warming the dough, so a food processor or mixer is optimal.

Source: Cook’s Illustrated, January & February, 2011

It’s only been a year since I discovered that I actually do like pecan pie, and since then I have embraced this fact with open arms.  Since I’m new to this sort of dessert, I didn’t know there was a way to improve upon it, but there is – add chocolate!  The first time I ever heard of chocolate pecan pie, I was practically drooling.  It came as no shock that we were crazy about this dessert.

While I truly enjoyed the classic pecan pie I made before, I think this version is even better.  The method of cooking the filling before adding it to the partially baked pie crust helps give it a smoother texture.  Baking at a lower temperature ensures that the whole pie bakes evenly rather than ending up with over-baked edges with an under-baked center.  Using chopped pecans rather than pecan halves is definitely the way to go – they may not look as beautiful, but they are much more manageable to eat when chopped.  Chopping the nuts in your food processor may seem like a good shortcut, but that can often chop them too finely.  I prefer to do this by hand so I can control the size of the pieces, plus I have fun with my chef’s knife :)  Toasting the nuts before adding them to the filling also helps enhance the flavor of the pecans, so don’t skip that step!

I would not advise just tossing some chocolate chunks on top of your usual pecan pie recipe.  Pecan pie is incredibly sweet and rich as it is, and that can take it too far.  The wonderful people at Cook’s Illustrated have accounted for the addition of the chocolate here by reducing the quantity and sweetness of the filling.  The original recipe calls for equal parts white, semi-sweet and milk chocolate, but the white and milk chocolates just didn’t seem right to me in this context, so I replaced them with semi- and bittersweet.  I loved it this way, but you can certainly add the white if it appeals to you.  This is sure to be a hit at your Thanksgiving meal.  Enjoy!

Double Chocolate Pecan Pie
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Ingredients:
For the crust:
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. cold, unsalted butter, cut into medium cubes (about 16 pieces)
3 tbsp. ice cold water

For the filling:
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
½ tsp. salt
2 large eggs
½ cup corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped into small pieces
3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions:
To make the crust, combine the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix briefly to combine.  Add the cubes of butter to the bowl and mix on low speed until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal and the largest chunks of butter are not much larger than peas.  Add the water to the bowl and mix on low speed just until the dough comes together.

Form the dough into a disc, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until chilled.

On a lightly-floured work surface, roll the pie dough out into a 12-inch round.  Transfer the round to a 9-inch pie plate by rolling the dough around the rolling pin and unrolling it over the pie pan.  Trim the edges as necessary and create a fluted pattern using a finger to make the indentations.  Freeze the dough-lined pie plate until firm and very cold, about 30 minutes.

Adjust an oven rack to lower middle position and heat the oven to 375° F.  Remove the dough-lined plate from the freezer, press a sheet of foil inside the pie shell and fill with ceramic baking beads.  Bake about 30 minutes, until the dough looks dry and light in color.  Carefully remove the foil and weights.  Continue baking the crust 5-6 minutes more, until light golden brown.

While the pie crust is baking, make the filling.  Melt the butter in a medium heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water.  Remove the bowl from the double boiler but maintain the simmering water.  Stir in the sugar and salt with a wooden spoon until the butter is absorbed.  Beat in the eggs, corn syrup and vanilla.  Return the bowl to the double boiler and heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is shiny and hot to the touch, about 130° F on an instant-read thermometer.  Remove from the heat and stir in the pecans.

As soon as the pie shell comes out of the oven, lower the oven temperature to 275° F.  Pour the filling into the pie shell.  Scatter the chopped chocolate pieces over the filling and press into the filling with the back of a spoon.

Bake on the middle rack of the oven about 50-60 minutes, until the pie looks set but slightly soft, like gelatin, when gently pressed with the back of a spoon.  Transfer to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool for at least 4 hours.

Source: pie crust adapted from Williams Sonoma, filling from Baking Illustrated

So this pie has quite a story behind it.  Months ago before I owned Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, I was browsing through the book in Barnes and Noble.  As soon as I saw the picture of her blueberry pie, I knew I had to have that book and I had to try that recipe.  Fast forward to June 17, the day I went into labor.  I made both Dorie’s blueberry pie and my old favorite peach pie for a cookout that Ben and I were going to that evening.  We brought the pies to the get-together, but ended up leaving for the hospital just 45 minutes after we had arrived.  We left the pies there but the rest of the guests felt bad eating them without us, so they froze them and planned to bring them back to us after the baby had arrived.  They did just that and let me say, I am SO glad no one at the party ate that blueberry pie.  It was AWFUL.  And not just because it had been frozen for a week, it was just not a good pie!  The filling was actually gritty from the large amount of flour and sugar intended as a thickener, and the lemon flavor was far too strong.  What a disappointment!  I was so looking forward to a perfect blueberry pie but that was not it.

I told my great friend Chelle about the disappointment, and we decided to try another blueberry pie recipe “together”.  (I mean “together” in the internet sense because she lives nearly 5 hours away, but we had a great time anyway :-P ) I’m really glad I gave it another go because this recipe was just what I was hoping for.  The pie crust is the one I have always used and it has never failed me.  Plus, it can be made in a stand mixer in a matter of minutes, which I love.  I do a lattice on almost every pie I make so I decided to try something different this time and I thought the little heart cut-outs were a cute touch.  The pie filling tasted fantastic!  The blueberry flavor was perfect, and the lemon and cinnamon added a nice complexity.  The filling was also juicy without being too runny.  So, while I am disappointed in my first pie failure, I’m glad I ended up finding this recipe and having some fun with my friend :-)

Blueberry Pie

Ingredients:

2 rolled-out rounds basic pie dough

4 cups blueberries

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

¾ cup sugar

3 tbsp. cornstarch

½ tsp. finely grated lemon zest

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. cinnamon

1 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 egg

1 tbsp. water

Directions:

Line the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan with one of the rolled-out dough rounds. Set pan aside in a cool place until ready to fill.

To make the filling, place the blueberries in a large bowl, sprinkle with the lemon juice and toss to coat evenly. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, salt and cinnamon. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the berries and toss to distribute evenly. Immediately transfer to the dough-lined pan. Dot with butter pieces. Place the remaining dough round on top of the pie and trim the excess from the bottom and top rounds. Crimp the dough rounds together to seal the edges. Be sure to cut vents in the top crust to allow steam to escape during baking.

Refrigerate the pie until the dough is firm, 20-30 minutes. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 375°. In a small bowl beat the egg and water with a fork to make an egg wash. Brush onto the top crust just before baking.

Bake the pie until the crust is golden and the filling is thick and bubbling, 50-60 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely to set, 1 to 2 hours. Serve at room temperature or rewarm in a 350° oven for 10 to 15 minutes just before serving.

Note: If fresh blueberries are unavailable, use frozen blueberries (without thawing) and increase the baking time by 10-15 minutes.

Source: adapted from Williams Sonoma

The steeping of the filling with cinnamon sticks and sprinkling of grated nutmeg over the assembled pie, in addition to the cranberries, put a perfect seasonal spin on this classic summer pie.  And in case you’re worried about the fact that blueberries aren’t exactly in season right now, don’t worry because this recipe calls for frozen berries.  The filling was just as awesome as I had hoped – very juicy, but it still stayed intact when the pie was sliced.  Not too sweet or too tart but just right as Goldilocks would say.  And bonus – all the cranberries and blueberries means this pie is full of antioxidants.  Certainly still not health food but hey, extra antioxidants are never a bad thing.  Keep in mind that both the filling and the crust can be made in advance and then assembled when you are ready to bake, so that provides some flexibility in this recipe.

Stay tuned tomorrow for a step-by-step lattice crust tutorial.  If you have been afraid to attempt it before, fear no more!  It’s easy as *pie* (sorry, couldn’t resist!)

Cranberry Blueberry Pie
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Ingredients:
For the filling:
16 oz. frozen wild blueberries (do not thaw)
12 oz. fresh or frozen cranberries (do not thaw)
1¼ cups sugar
3 tbsp. cornstarch
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ tsp. finely grated lemon zest

To assemble:
2 disks pie dough for a double crust pie
Heavy cream, for brushing
Grated nutmeg, for sprinkling

Directions:
To make the filling, combine the frozen blueberries, cranberries, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon sticks, lemon juice and lemon zest in a medium-large saucepan.  Cook over medium-high heat, stirring to blend, until the mixture thickens and begins to boil, about 12-14 minutes.  Once the mixture reaches a boil, continue boiling for 2 minutes more, stirring constantly.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl or other container and let cool completely before proceeding.

When you are ready to bake the pie, preheat the oven to 400˚ F.  Roll out one disk of pie crust on a well-floured surface into a 12-inch round.  Line a 9-inch pie plate with the crust.  Remove the cinnamon sticks from the filling mixture, then spread the filling into the bottom pie crust.  Roll out the remaining disk of pie dough and cut into thin strips.  Use the strips to form a lattice over the top of the filling.  Cut off the excess crust and pinch the edges together, using your fingers to create a fluted pattern.  Lightly brush the top crust of the pie with heavy cream.  Sprinkle grated nutmeg over the crust.

Place the assembled pie on the upper rack of the oven (top-middle position).  Place a rimmed baking sheet on the lower oven rack beneath the pie.  Bake, rotating halfway through baking, until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling, about 60-70 minutes.  If the crust seems to be browning too quickly, loosely tent with foil to prevent over-browning.  Let cool on a wire rack to room temperature.

Source: Bon Appétit, November 2010