Blackberry Mint Julep Pie II

This was my second try at a Blackberry Mint Julep Pie.  After noting the short comings of my first attempt, I set out to perfect this pie.  The first pie had too much pastry cream, so in this recipe I used half as much.  The mint in the pastry cream was too herby, so I used mint extract instead of fresh mint.  The pie crust wasn't strong enough, so I used a shortbread crust instead of a butter crust.  The blackberries lacked flavor and and impact, so I cooked them and made a filling instead of leaving them raw.

Here is the recipe I used for the shortbread crust, which I then blind baked:

250g of flour

125g of room-temp butter

1 packet of vanilla sugar

125g of sugar

1 egg

Work into a ball, wrap in plastic, and let rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour before rolling it out.

The recipe I used for the mint julep pastry cream can be found on the previous Blackberry Mint Julep Pie post.

And here is the recipe for the blackberry filling:

24oz of blackberries

1 cup of sugar

3 tablespoons of cornstarch

Mix together over medium heat, until the juices are bubbling and thicken.

The result?  This pie was amazing.  The flavors came together perfectly.  You could taste everything, but nothing overpowered any other element.  The crust held up to the weight of the pie and added a great texture and flavor to the pie overall.  I think this one is a winner.

Piece out!
Justin

Bakers Square's Peanut Butter Banana Supreme Pie

Peanut Butter Banana Supreme Pie

I have always loved Bakers Square.  Before I started baking pies, I would often buy an entire Custard Pie or a Caramel Pecan Silk Supreme Pie from Bakers Square.  Since I started baking pie, I will go there to buy their Peach Pie.  Peach pie is the one pie that I have yet to make and actually enjoy.

On my last visit to Bakers Square, I decided to deviate from my usual slice of Peach Pie and get their featured Peanut Butter Banana Supreme Pie.  It was rich.  So rich that I am glad I got just a slice.  

The peanut butter flavored Supreme was really nice.  I'm not a huge fan of peanut butter these days, but I really enjoyed it.  The Supreme texture really made it palatable, my making it light and almost fluffy instead of thick like actual peanut butter.  The banana Bavarian cream almost took a backseat to everything else, which is kind of a shame.  But it did risk being overpowering, so I think it was just about in the right place flavor-wise.  Then, you had the powerful sweetness of the whipped cream, which I would honestly be disappointed if I did not experience in a Bakers Square pie.  Finally, you get the occasional crunch from a peanut or the single banana chip, which is a nice treat when everything else is so smooth and creamy.

It's a good slice and I highly recommend it on your next trip to Bakers Square; however, it is not something that I will try to replicate at home.  

Piece out!

Justin

ANZAC Pie

I don't remember when I ate my first ANZAC biscuit.  I made them myself at home from a recipe that I found on the internet (probably using a free trial of AOL).  If you have never had one, they are really good.  They are crunchy oatmeal coconut cookies that were sent to the ANZAC troops in Turkey during World War I.  

This year, I wanted to try something different.  So, I took the elements from the cookie and used them in different proportions to make a pie filling.  The ingredients are not that different from a southern oatmeal pie, it is only the amounts that differed.  The only major switch was to use golden syrup instead of corn syrup.  Golden syrup is not easy to find in the US and the only place near me that carries it is World Market.  If you cannot find it near you, it can also be ordered online.  You also want to use quick-cook oatmeal instead of rolled oats.  However, for the cookies, you need to use rolled oats and not quick-cook oatmeal.

Here is my recipe:
4 eggs
1/3 cup white sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons of flour
1/4 teaspoon of salt
3 tablespoons of butter
1 cup of golden syrup
1 cup of shredded coconut
1 cup of quick-cook oatmeal

Beat the eggs until frothy.  Mix together the sugars, flour, salt, and butter.  Add to eggs and stir.  Add golden syrup and stir.  Add coconut and oatmeal, and stir.  Pour filling into an unbaked pie crust and bake at 350°F for 55 minutes.  Allow to cool entirely, so that it sets up, before serving.

My pie turned out a little runnier than I would have liked, so next time I would add more flour or switch the flour for cornstarch, cornflour if you are an Australian.  This may have been due to using golden syrup instead of corn syrup.  But using golden syrup instead of corn syrup really makes a difference in getting the flavor right.  The flavor of the pie is outstanding:  it totally has the flavor profile of ANZAC biscuits.  Although, it is a lot sweeter than the cookies, more like the sweetness of a pecan pie.  So, if you are looking for a way to shake up your ANZAC Day celebrations on April 25th:  you're welcome.

Piece out!
Justin

The Biggest News You Missed Yesterday

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-pumpkin-official-pie-illinois-met-0417-20150416-story.html

Piece out!

Justin

Amaretto Sour Pie

I started drinking Amaretto Sours in 2002, after seeing the movie Urbania.  In it, a character drinks a BOURBON Sour because "it is what Catherine Deneuve drinks."  I misheard and thought it was an Amaretto Sour, and thus began a decade of drinking the wrong drink.  I did not realize my mistake until today, when I re-watched the movie and heard that it is Bourbon Sours that Catherine Deneuve drinks.  The fact that Catherine Deneuve indeed drinks Bourbon Sours has since been confirmed by the internet both here and here.  My life is a lie, but at least I have some tasty pie.

My recipe was inspired by the recipe that I used for the Grapefruit Custard Pie.  I simply replaced the cup of grapefruit juice with a half cup of lemon juice and a half cup of lime juice and the three tablespoons of Campari with three tablespoons of Amaretto.

The flavor of this pie perfectly mimics an Amaretto Sour.  The texture is dense, yet smooth and creamy.  If you like Amaretto Sours, you will love this pie.  It is not as light and refreshing as the Grapefruit Custard Pie, but it has the ability to take 13 years off of your life.  Honestly, I felt 21 again.

Piece out!
Justin

Blackberry Mint Julep Pie

April is Mint Julep Month in Louisville, though National Mint Julep Day is May 30th.  So I figured I would try to make a Mint Julep pie, then I took it a step further.  I attempted to macerate a pound of blackberries with two tablespoons of sugar overnight.  This process does not work nearly as well on whole blackberries as it does on cut strawberries.  Then I made a pastry cream with real mint and bourbon.  To assemble the pie, I blind-baked the crust, added the pastry cream, and then arranged the blackberries on top.  It made a very pretty pie.

However, the amount of pastry cream and the intense flavors were overwhelming.  It was very good, but three bites was enough.  I would reduce the pastry cream by half next time and perhaps try using mint extract instead of real mint.  The recipe for the Mint Julep pastry cream for next time would be:

5/8 cups of milk

2 egg yolks

1/4 cup of sugar

2 tablespoons of cornstarch

pinch of salt

2 tablespoons of bourbon

2 tablespoons of room temperature butter.

1/2 teaspoon of mint extract

Bring milk to a boil.  Mix together egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and salt. Slowly add milk to eggs mixture and add bourbon.  Return to sauce pan over medium heat and whisk until it thickens.  Remove from heat, stir in small pieces of butter and mint extract.  Refrigerate for 2 hours.

The pastry cream also was a little too heavy for the crust that I used, so it did not hold its back.  I would use a shortbread crust next time for a little added strength.

There are also two other completely different ways that I could try this pie.  One would be to cook the blackberries on top of the cream, which I think would enhance the sweetness and add to the overall blackberry flavor.  The other would be to make it like a bourbon pecan pie but use the blackberries instead of pecans and add a little mint extract.

Piece out!

Justin

Grapefruit Custard Pie

Yesterday, I made the Grapefruit Custard Pie from The Four & Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book, by Emily Elsen and Melissa Elsen, to share with my family at Easter brunch.  This is the third recipe that I have made from this cookbook.  The first two were the Salted Caramel Apple Pie and Maple Buttermilk Custard Pie that I made as mini-pies for Thanksgiving 2014.  

So far, this cookbook has produced perfect fillings.  The custards are smooth and the fruit fillings aren't too juicy.  If you are looking for a pie cookbook that strays from the standards, but yields consistently amazing and wonderful pies, buy this book.

The flavor of this pie is refreshing and light.  I hate grapefruit, but I loved it.  My husband, who hates sweet pies, ate a whole slice without complaint.  The recipe can probably be switched around with other citrus juices and/or different alcohols.  So, expect to see an amaretto sour pie in the next few weeks... 

Piece out!

Justin