The Recipe Finder - Online Cooking Magazine » PIES AND COBBLERS

Tips for making great pie

admin — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:46:38 +0000

* If you under cook one of your pies wrap it in foil and return it to the oven to finish cooking. This will prevent it from burning and help it to cook faster.

* To slice frozen cream or chiffon pies easier wipe a knife, and dip it into hot water between each cut.

* A heat-resistant glass pie plate or dull aluminum pan make the best pies. You should never use a shiny pan. They reflect heat and your pie will have a soggy bottom crust. Also, a nonstick pan can cause the pastry to shrink.

* Since there is a lot of fat in pastry dough there is no need to grease a pie pan.

* Unbleached flour is the best choice for crusts. It diminishes shrinking and the color will be more golden.

* The best apples for baking in the winter season are; Baldwin, Granny Smith, and, Cortland.

* The best berry pies for the winter season are, Cranberry and Strawberry

* Unless your pie was made with eggs it is best to store it at room temperature.

Hope this helps make your pies scrumptious!

About the Author: Lara Velez is the Editor-in-Chief of The Recipe Finder – Online cooking magazine. She also runs a website for Christian Mothers, Moms of Faith. She is a proud wife and mother of two. She enjoys cooking, reading, scrapbooking, and being a wife and mom. Please feel free to email me any time.

Pumpkin Pecan Muffins

admin — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 23:30:23 +0000

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure bourbon vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Mix well. In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin puree, eggs and vanilla. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture until just combined. Do not over mix. Fold in chopped pecans. Spoon batter into lightly greased or lined muffin tin and fill to 2/3 full. Bake in preheated oven at 350F for approximately 20 minutes or until golden and baked through. Cool in muffin tins for 5 minutes until removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Holiday Apple Pie

admin — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 23:28:56 +0000

8 cups peeled and sliced granny smith apples
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 375F.

In a large bowl combine apple slices, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and lemon juice. Place mixture into pie crust. On a lightly floured surface roll remaining pastry dough and cut into strips. Place strips on top of apple pie making a crisscross pattern. Mix the egg yolk and water in a small bowl and lightly brush the top of the pie. Bake for approximately 45 minutes.

Serve warm topped with custard or whipped cream.

Fantastic Pumpkin Pie

admin — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 23:27:16 +0000

2 cups canned pumpkin
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 – 12 ounce can evaporated milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon clove
1/4 cup butter (melted)
1 prepared pie crust

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour batter into pie crust. Bake in preheated oven at 350F for approximately 60 minutes or until set through.

Topping:

1 pkg cream cheese
1 cup heavy whipped cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Blend all ingredients together and use to top pie.

Fresh Peach Ice Cream Pie

admin — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 22:36:46 +0000

Fresh peaches make this peach ice cream pie a sure winner.

3 c. sliced, fresh peaches
3 tbsp. sugar
3 oz. pkg. lemon jello
1 pt. good quality vanilla ice cream, cut up
9 or 10 inch baked pie shell
whipped cream (optional)

Add sugar to sliced peaches and let sit about 20 minutes. Then pour accumulated juice into 1 cup measure. Add water to fill cup. Bring to boil and pour over the Jello. When dissolved, add the ice cream. Stir until ice cream is melted. You may need to chill this a few more minutes until thick enough (starting to congeal) to add peaches Mix together and pour into 9 or 10 inch baked pie shell. Chill. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Easy Key Lime Pie Recipe

admin — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:19:24 +0000

1 (9 or 10 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
6 egg yolks
2 (14 oz.) cans sweetened condensed milk
1 (8 oz.) bottle lime juice or juice of 3 limes (or key limes, if available)
Whipped cream or Cool Whip

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In large mixer bowl, beat yolks with milk and lime juice. Pour into prepared pastry shell; bake 40 minutes, cool. Chill. Top with whipped topping to serve. Keep refrigerated.

Authentic Florida Key Lime Pie

admin — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:18:15 +0000

1- 8 inch pre-baked pie crust
4 egg yolks
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 c. fresh Key Lime juice
The zest of one key lime

Meringue:

4 egg whites
4 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat egg yolks at high speed 5 minutes. Add condensed milk, beat at low speed 1 minute. Add cream of tartar, then lime juice and zest. Beat until smooth. Spoon into crust. Bake 15 minutes or until set. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate at least 6 hours.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Meringue: Heat egg whites in a double boiler with the 4 tablespoons sugar, stirring frequently to 110 degrees. Beat at high speed until stiff peaks. Spread over filling, sealing to crust. Bake at 500 degrees for 3-5 minutes or until nicely browned. Chill at least 2 hours.

NOTE: This is an authentic Florida recipe. BUT, if key lime are unavailable in your area you can still make it with regular limes. The flavor will not be the same…but it will still taste good.

Caramel Apple Pie

admin — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 22:41:08 +0000

1/2 pkg. (about 24) caramel candies
1 tbsp. milk
1 (6 oz.) graham cracker pie crust – already made
1/3 c. chopped nuts
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sour cream
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 c. chunky applesauce
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3 1/2 c. (8 oz.) non-dairy whipped topping, thawed
Fresh apple slices

Melt caramels with milk in small microwavable bowl at high 1 to 1 1/2 minutes; stir mixture until smooth. Pour into pie crust; sprinkle with nuts. Cool.

Beat cream cheese, sour cream and sugar until smooth; stir in applesauce, vanilla and cinnamon. Fold in half of the whipped topping. Spread mixture over caramel layer in crust. Chill at least 4 hours. Garnish with remaining whipped topping, apple slices and melted caramels, if desired.

Basic Banana Cream Pie

admin — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 22:39:00 +0000

3/4 cups sugar
1/3 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups whole milk
2 eggs or 3 egg yolks
1 T. butter
2 tsp. vanilla
3 large ripe bananas

1 baked and cooled 9 inch pie shell

In a medium saucepan, mix sugar, flour and salt. Stir in 1 cup of milk, mix until smooth, and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue to stir until smooth and thickened, about 2 minutes, then remove from heat.

Beat the eggs or egg yolks with the remaining cup of milk. Temper the egg mixture with a small amount of the slightly cooled milk mixture then blend this into the larger saucepan with the cooling milk mixture.
Return saucepan to the heat and bring to a boil again, stirring constantly, lower heat and simmer until mixture thickens a bit more, about 1 minute.

Remove from the heat and stir in butter and vanilla. While cooling slightly – slice 2 bananas and line them on bottom of cooked pie shell. Pour slightly cooled cream mixture over bananas. Slice remaining banana and place on top of cream mixture.

Cool completely. Slice remaining banana and place on top of cream mixture, then cover top of pie with whipped cream.

Easy Peach Cobbler

admin — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 22:36:36 +0000

1/4 c. butter
4 c. peeled and sliced peaches
2/3 c + 1 T. cornstarch
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tbsp. brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tbsp. milk

In 1-quart shallow casserole, combine peaches, sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch and cinnamon. In medium bowl, mix remaining 2/3 cup cornstarch with brown sugar. Cut in butter until mixture is size of small peas. Stir in milk until moistened. Drop by spoonfuls onto peaches. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into crust comes out clean and is golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes.