Crunch Bar Pie

This is crazy overdue! I participated in a recipe exchange months ago... I made the recipe right away but didn't get around to blogging it... and then totally forgot. Picture me hanging my head in shame.

Now picture me with a big dorky grin on my face, because that's pretty much what I looked like when I made this awesome pie. I took some shortcuts and made some changes (this was originally based on Andes mints) but the results were unbelievable. There's still plenty of summertime left, and this would be perfect for a barbecue.

Crunch Bar Pie

adapted from Laurie's Kitchen

• 1 prepared chocolate pie crust
• 2 cups whipping cream, divided
• 10oz mini Nestle Crunch bars
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Over low heat, use a double boiler to bring 1/4 cup cream to a simmer. Turn off the heat.

Add about half of the Crunch bars (reserve a couple of tablespoons for garnish) and stir until melted and smooth.

Leave a tablespoon or two aside and spread the sauce along the bottom of the pie crust and place in freezer.

Over low heat, use a double boiler to melt the marshmallows in milk, stirring constantly. Add the other half of the Crunch bars (remember to keep aside the garnish!) and stir until melted and smooth. Refrigerate until COLD.

Once the marshmallow mixture is cold, beat 1 1/4 cups whipping cream until stiff; fold into the cold marshmallow mixture.

Spoon into pie crust and drizzle with reserved chocolate sauce (you may need to reheat it in the microwave to soften).

Refrigerate until chilled.

Before serving, whip remaining 1/2 cup cream and sugar; pipe or spoon over filling. Sprinkle with reserved chopped Crunch bars.

Margherita Pie

I made this delicious pie as soon as it was posted on My Baking Heart, and am sorry to wait so long to blog it. I've made this several times already, and each time it seems to come out better and better. It's such a perfect summery dish and is so easy to throw together. And it tastes even better the next day!

I'm posting the entire recipe, crust and all, though I must confess that I have always used store bought crusts.

Pastry dough:
2 c all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/4 sticks unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
1 large egg or 2 large egg yolks
3 tbsp cold heavy whipping cream, milk or water

Filling:
8-10 slices mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
1/4 lb whole cherry tomatoes
1/2 c heavy whipping cream
3 tbsp sour cream
2 large eggs
1-1/2 tsp minced garlic
10-12 fresh basil leaves, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

We had bits and pieces of our families over for dinner last night (the ones who weren't sick or working or already had plans) and at first I wasn't even going to make a dessert.

But when I was scrolling through my reader to find dinners for the week, I came across this Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie from Beantown Baker.


Oh, was this delicious... it did end up a little bit sweet, and I was bummed that all chocolate chips sank to the bottom so it wasn't really cookie-ish (more like a fudgey layer on the bottom) but it was gooooood. I completely cheated and used a ready-made pie crust (a chocolate one!!).


Ingredients:

• 1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate morsels
• Serve with ice cream (optional)

Preheat oven 325 degrees F.

Beat eggs in large mixer bowl on high until foamy.

Beat in flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat in butter.

Stir in morsels and nuts and spoon into pie shell.

Bake for 55-60 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Serve warm.

Orange Cream Pie

I love that the cooking board I frequent does quarterly recipe exchanges. In addition to increasing my culinary repertoire, I get to try out recipes that I wouldn't select on my own.

Like this one.

I was assigned to make an Orange Cream Pie. I was a bit apprehensive about it, because really? In my world? Oranges are healthy and a truly good dessert is NOT healthy, so how can a dessert with oranges be good? Follow my logic?

Well, this one surprised me. I don't know that it's something I'd make again, but it was pretty good. I made it for a 4th of July barbeque, and by the end of the night there wasn't much left.

The only thing I regret is not beating the cream enough for the filling. I beat it and added it to the jello, but then when I whipped it for the topping, it had a consistency MUCH closer to cool whip. I wonder if it would have tasted even creamier had I done it right...



Anyway, thank you to whoever submitted this! I have also decided to submit this to Joelen's Fruit Frenzy event... how fun! Wish me luck...

Ingredients:

PIE CRUST

• 3/4 cup crushed vanilla wafers or vanilla wafer crumbs
• 3/4 cup crushed graham wafers or graham wafer crumbs
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup margarine or butter
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

FILLING

• 1 (2 3/4 ounce) packet orange flavor gelatin
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon orange extract, divided
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
  

TOPPING

• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 (10 fluid ounce) can mandarin orange segments, well drained
• 1/4 cup grated sweetened chocolate
  

PIE CRUST
In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine crushed vanilla wafers, crushed graham wafers and finely chopped pecans; mix well.

Add margarine or butter and blend using a pastry blender or a fork.

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.

Prepare a 9 inch oven-proof pie dish by lightly spraying with a vegetable oil.

Dust with 1 tablespoon of flour.

Shake off any excess flour off pie plate (The spray and flour will prevent the shell from sticking to the pie dish).

Spoon wafer mixture into pie dish; press evenly to bottom and sides using a rounded soup spoon.
Bake in preheated 350 F oven for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool.


FILLING
In a medium-size mixing bowl, dissolve orange jello powder with 1 cup of boiling water.

Add 1/2 cup of cold water and let cool for about 15 minutes.

Add concentrated orange juice, lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon of orange extract and stir well to mix.

Place in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator for about 20 minutes or until just partially set; DO NOT LET HARDEN.

Remove from freezer and break up the jelly mixture using a whisk.

In a 2 cup measuring cup, add 1/2 cup whipping cream and using an electric mixer, beat until cream slightly thickens.

Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon of orange extract and gradually add powdered sugar, beating until thickened.

Add whipped cream to the jelly and fold in, (DO NOT BEAT).

Pour mixture into the cooled pie shell.

Place pie in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator for about 1 hour or until pie filling is set.


TOPPING
In a 2 cup measuring cup add 1/2 cup whipping cream and using an electric mixer, beat until slightly thickened.

Add orange extract and gradually add powdered sugar and continue beating until thickened.

Before serving pie, spread whipped cream over entire top of pie.

Place and arrange orange segments on top of whipped cream creating a pattern if desired.

Sprinkle with grated sweetened chocolate.

Serve pie chilled, not frozen.