Happy National Pie Day!

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Classic Diner Style Chocolate Pie

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This recipe is by Martha Stewart.

INGREDIENTS:

• • 30 chocolate wafer cookies (about 6 ounces)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons chocolate malt Ovaltine
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 5 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 70 percent cacao), coarsely chopped
  • 2 ounces milk chocolate, coarsley chopped
  • 2 teaspoons whiskey
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

LET'S MAKE THE PIE:

1. Make the crust: Place cookies in the bowl of a food processor and process until a fine powder is formed. You should have about 1 1/2 cups. Transfer crumbs to a medium bowl and stir in sugar. Add melted butter and mix until well combined; mixture should feel wet.
2. Turn crust mixture out into a 9-inch round pie plate. Using the back of a large spoon, press the mixture evenly into the bottom and up the sides. Transfer crust to freezer.
3. Make the filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, Ovaltine, salt, and cornstarch. Add egg yolks and whisk until combined; mixture will look like a thick paste. Slowly pour in milk and cream, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly; let boil for 30 seconds and immediately remove from heat.
4. Add chocolates, whiskey, and vanilla; whisk until well combined and mixture has cooled slightly. Let stand, at room temperature, for 15 minutes. If a thin skin forms on the filling while cooling, whisk until skin is gone. Remove pie crust from freezer and pour filling into the crust. Refrigerate for 4 hours before serving.

Chocolate & Raspberry Tart

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This recipe is by Martha Stewart.

INGREDIENTS:

• Unsalted butter, for tart ring
• All-purpose flour, for work surface
• Michel Roux's Pate Sucree
• 1 cup halved raspberries, plus 24 whole raspberries
• 10 fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 7 ounces good-quality dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 ounce light corn syrup
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

LET'S MAKE THE PIE:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter an 8-by-1 1/3-inch tart ring; set aside. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to a round about 1/16 inch thick. With a dry pastry brush, sweep off the excess flour; fit dough into prepared tart pan, pressing it into the edges. Trim even with top of ring. Gently prick the bottom of tart with the tines of a fork. Cover with plastic wrap; chill pie shell until firm, about 20 minutes.
2. Line tart dough with parchment paper, leaving at least a 1-inch overhang. Fill with pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees, remove weights and parchment paper, and continue baking tart shell 5 minutes more. Remove tart from ring and transfer to a wire rack; let cool.
3. In a medium bowl, gently toss together halved raspberries and mint leaves. Distribute evenly over the bottom of cooled tart shell; set aside.
4. Bring cream to a boil in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. Remove from heat and add chocolate and corn syrup; whisk until smooth and creamy. Whisk in butter, one piece at a time. Pour chocolate mixture into tart shell over raspberries and mint; let cool. Transfer to a refrigerator at least 2 hours before serving.
5. To serve, cut tart using a very sharp knife dipped in hot water, wiping in between cutting each slice. Place tart slices on individual plates and serve with reserved raspberries.

Pecan Chocolate Chip Pie

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This recipe is by Emeril Lagasse.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups pecan halves
• 1 store-bought or homemade pie crust in a deep-dish 9-inch plate
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, plus more for coating chocolate chips
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) salted butter, melted

LET'S MAKE THE PIE:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread pecans in crust. In a small bowl, toss chocolate chips in a little flour to coat, then scatter evenly over pecans. In a medium bowl, stir together eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, butter, and flour until well combined. Pour filling over pecans and chocolate chips.
2. Bake until filling is set and crust is browned, about 70 minutes. (If pie browns too quickly, loosely tent with foil.) Let cool on a wire rack at least 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Make your Own Almond Flour Pie Crust 2 - Pastry Crust Substitute

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This is another recipe for a gluten-free pastry pie crust.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup vegetable shortening
• 2-3 tablespoons ice water

LET'S MAKE THE CRUST:

1. Preheat oven at 425 degrees F.
2. Combine salt and flour in a mixing bowl.
3. Thoroughly add shortening to salt and flour.
4. Add in ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until the almond flour is moistened and dough almost cleans the sides of the bowl. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of ice water as necessary.
5. Roll out dough and fit in pie pan. For a baked shell, either prick the bottom and sides with a fork, or use pie weights so the shell doesn't bubble up.
6. Bake at 425 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Make your Own Almond Flour Pie Crust - Pastry Crust Substitute

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This is a great recipe to replace gluten based pastry pie crust.

INGREDIENTS:

 

1 cup almond flour
1 egg
1 cap Pure Vanilla Extract
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
enough sugar substitute or honey to sweeten crust
pinch of salt

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LET'S MAKE THE PIE CRUST:

 

1. Mix all ingredients together until they form a ball. The ball should have a little moisture to it, but not liquid.

2. You can taste it to make sure there is some sweetness and hint of cinnamon and butter.

3. Smooth pieces of dough into pie tin with fingers until the crust is made.  If you want, you can lightly spray the pan before you add the dough.

4. If making pudding/cream pies, bake crust first at about 325 F until just turning a slight golden brown keeping an eye on the crust.  Times will vary depending on your oven and altitude.  Before putting in oven, prick the bottom and sides with a fork or weigh down the bottom with pie weights so the shell doesn't bubble up.

Make your Own Almond Flour

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If you have a gluten allergy or just want to live gluten free, you can make your own Almond Flour at home using any blender, even a standard one.  Have you seen the prices of premade Almond Flour?  You will generally pay about $40 for a bag!!!  Save a TON of money and make your own.  It's Super Easy!

Make your Own Almond Flour Pie Crust - Graham Cracker Substitute

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This is a very easy pie crust to make.  It's great for no bake pies.  This works best for a 9" pie pan.  If you have an 8" one, the crust will be a little thicker, or you can cut back on the ingredients a bit.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 and 1/2 cups almond meal or almond flour
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• Artificial sweetener equal to 3 tablespoons sugar

LET'S MAKE THE CRUST:

Heat oven to 350 F. Melt the butter (if the pie pan is microwave safe, melt the butter in it) and mix the ingredients up in the pan and pat into place with your fingertips.

Bake for about 10 minutes until the crust is beginning to brown. After 8 minutes, check every minute or so, because once it starts to brown it goes quickly.

Make your Own Brown Sugar

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Do you ever find yourself out of brown sugar or don't have enough to finish the recipe you already started?  Or maybe you want an organic version?  Problem solved!  Make your own and you will always have the amount you need plus you will know that it's fresh.

HOW TO MAKE BROWN SUGAR:

1 cup organic or regular cane sugar

1 tbsp organic or regular unsulphured molasses

* Blend both ingredients together with a fork until well mixed

* Store in an airtight container until needed

THAT'S IT!  EASY PEASY!

Chocolate-Espresso Tart

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This recipe is by Martha Stewart.

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (preferably 61 percent cacao), chopped
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons good-quality ground espresso beans
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for parchment paper
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups mascarpone cheese
• 1 large egg

LET'S MAKE THE TART:

1. Make the ganache: Put chocolate into a medium heatproof bowl, and set aside. Bring cream and espresso to a boil in a small pan. Pour through a fine sieve over the chocolate; discard solids. Let stand 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Let cool to room temperature, 1 to 2 hours.
2. Make the tart shell: Sift flour, salt, and cocoa powder into a medium bowl; set aside. Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, and mix until combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the cream. Shape dough into a thick rectangle; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough between 2 pieces of lightly floured parchment paper to a 16-by-6-inch rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick. Press dough into a 14-by-4 1/2-inch rectangular flan frame set on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Trim dough flush with top edge. Prick all over bottom of shell with a fork. Bake until firm, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely. Unmold.
4. Put ganache into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip (such as Ateco No. 828).
5. Smooth mascarpone cheese over bottom of tart shell with an offset spatula.
   
6. Pipe ganache rosettes, one next to the other, on top of mascarpone to cover.