| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| LJRphoto |
Posted - Jul 13 2005 : 11:22:29 AM
I love pie and I make a pretty darn good crust too! So, even though it's really too hot for pie making right now, I thought I'd start a pie thread where we can all share our favorite recipes. This one is my mother's recipe, adapted from her mother's recipe. I always make it at Thanksgiving and usually at Christmas too depending on how much traveling we're doing.
Nanny’s Chocolate Pie
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4 oz Baker’s Unsweetened Chocolate
¼ C. Butter
1 Can evaporated Milk
1 ½ C. Sugar
3 tbsp Corn Starch
1/8 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 C. coconut
½ C. chopped pecans
Method
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler, stirring frequently. Cool to room temperature.
3. Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in separate bowl, set aside.
4. Whisk eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl, set aside.
5. Combine coconut and pecans in a separate bowl, set aside.
6. Gradually blend evaporated milk into chocolate.
7. Beat egg mixture into chocolate.
8. Gradually blend sugar mixture into chocolate.
9. Pour mixture into pie shell.
10. Sprinkle coconut mixture over pie filling.
11. Place pie in center of preheated oven on cookie sheet. Bake for 45 minutes or until top puffs.
12. Cool at least 4 hours before serving.
This, as I said, is based on my grandmother’s recipe, but Grandma always thought that my mom ruined it by adding the coconut and pecans, so if you don’t like coconut and pecans, by all means, leave them out! It's still delicious without them.
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| 9 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| therusticcottage |
Posted - Jul 20 2005 : 09:27:52 AM
My mother always used lard for her pie crust. Maybe that's the secret!
Kay - Living in Beautiful Washington State |
| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Jul 20 2005 : 09:13:04 AM
I agree with everything being really cold. I use only real butter too....2 1/2 cups flour to 2 sticks butter (1 cup) and then a couple tablespoons of ice water ..sprinkle of salt..for a two crust pie. I love to make pies..especially peach!!!
Jenny in Utah
The best things in life arn't things! |
| QuiltingQueen |
Posted - Jul 20 2005 : 07:46:33 AM
Kim,
Would you be willing to put the recipe on here? There are so many times when I'd like to have a quick crust to "pat in the pan" rather than roll because I'm in a hurry (imagine that!). If you could, that'd be great! |
| Kim |
Posted - Jul 17 2005 : 10:22:35 AM
The easiest pie crust I have found is called "Pat in the Pan Pie Crust" It's in one of Marcia Adams cook books. Flakey and no need to roll out.
farmgirl@heart
Be at peace with yourself and the rest will follow |
| DaisyFarm |
Posted - Jul 13 2005 : 1:25:49 PM
My dear grandmother could make pastry to die for. Her tips...only use lard, never shortening. Never put salt into pastry...makes it tough. Work the lard into the flour just until crumbly then add the ICE cold water. Work water into the lard/flour mixture just until it forms a mass (which will be sticky) and NEVER over work it. The stickyness will go away when you dust the pastry with flour to roll it. Works everytime for me.
1 lb lard
5 cups flour
1 egg mixed with enough cold water to make 1 cup
Live a good and honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time. |
| LJRphoto |
Posted - Jul 13 2005 : 1:12:06 PM
I have found that the key is to keep EVERYTHING ice cold. Whether you are using butter or shortening, it should be very cold. When I'm feeling particularly ambitious I will even place the flour in the freezer for a while. Also, the less you handle the crust the better. I like to roll it out on a big piece of parchment paper so that I can use the paper to support it while I'm transfering it to the pan. Protecting the crust from over cooking is helped with those aluminum rings you can put around the edge, but I usually just throw a piece of foil over the pie when the crust is looking close to done. My crusts are not always like the beautiful photographs you see in fancy cookbooks with fancy edges and such, but it is pretty much tasty and flakey without fail. |
| Clare |
Posted - Jul 13 2005 : 12:07:27 PM
I have found that using only real butter, and then crumbling it with a fork into the flour until the butter is the size of peas helps, and also only using ice-cold water. I'll have to try the cider vinegar tip, too!
****Gardener, Stitcher, Spiritual Explorer and Appreciator of all Things Natural****
"Begin to weave and God will give the thread." - German Proverb |
| therusticcottage |
Posted - Jul 13 2005 : 11:58:13 AM
I can't make pie crust to save my soul! It's tougher than all get out plus the edge always gets brown and crunchy before the pie is done! My mother was the queen of making pies and her crust was to die for. Maybe subconciously I'm intimidated! Anyone want to share secrets for making good crust? I'll have to try the cider vinegar trick.
Kay - Living in Beautiful Washington State
North Clark County Farmgirls and
Sisterhood of the Traveling Art |
| QuiltingQueen |
Posted - Jul 13 2005 : 11:33:45 AM
Pie Crust Tip
I like my pies to have homemade pie dough. Many friends tell me they have a hard time handling the dough and getting it to roll out nicely. A dear friend once told me that if you put a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in the measuring cup before measuring the water for the crust, it makes the dough more pliable. You can't taste the vinegar in the finished crust, but it really does help. |
