Snickerdoodle Pie

Snickerdoodles.  I have posted about them here on latent chestnut and on Family Tree-Eats.  They are one of my favorite cookies, and Emilie's personal favorite.  The other day, Em and I were making fresh pasta, and she kept talking about wanting to make a pie with the pasta dough.  I told her that the dough was completely different and that we would make a pie another time.  Though, I must say that the rolled pasta sheets do look similar to pie crust.

She wouldn't let it go and kept talking about making a pie.  I kept telling her we would do it another day.  Out of the blue, she said, "Can we make a snickerdoodle pie?"  That question perked my ears up in a hurry.  I had never heard of a snickerdoodle pie, and this sounded like to perfect time to dream one up.  We had a few errands to run, so she sat in the backseat with a pen and paper and I started listing off some ingredients for her to write down.  Before we knew it, we had the makings of a snickerdoodle pie.

As soon as we got home, we made a pie crust and put it in the refrigerator to cool before rolling it out.  Then we got to work on making the filling. I must have channeled my grandma's buttermilk pie recipe when Emilie and I were thinking of ingredients, because these pies are very similar.  Perhaps because I thought buttermilk would be the perfect component to a snickerdoodle inspired pie, because of it's tang.  But what gives snickerdoodles that bit of tang, I wondered?

When I think of snickerdoodles, I think of a cookie that is soft and chewy on the inside, delightfully crispy on the edges.  I think of the warm spiciness of the cinnamon and the use of cream of tartar in the recipe.  Dare I add cream of tartar to the pie?  What does it even do?  Does it even have it's own flavor?  I needed answers!

I went straight to the source and popped open my jar of cream of tartar and tasted it all by itself.  It was quite tangy and acidic.  Which makes sense because my snickerdoodles have a bit of tang that is balanced out by the sugar and cinnamon.  Cream of tartar also acts as a stabilizer, so I thought that it couldn't hurt to add some to our new pie creation.  I think it is just as much a part of snickerdoodles as the cinnamon and sugar coating.

The pie filling came together like nothing, especially since Emilie did it all by herself while I was rolling out the pie crust.  I just gave it a final whisking at the end to make sure all the ingredients were thoroughly integrated.  To replicate the cinnamon sugar coating on the traditional cookie, we mixed some cinnamon and sugar together and rubbed it in to the empty pie shell.  Then, with about 20 left in the cooking process, we dusted the top of the pie with more cinnamon and sugar.

The pie had the look of a snickerdoodle, but it was now time for the moment of truth...tasting and judgment!  Upon removing the first slice of pie, I breathed a sigh of relief because the filling had set up beautifully.  It was nice and creamy, and just looked delicious.  After taking the first bite, my eyes lit up and I knew we had something special.

This pie is creamy, tangy, sweet and cinnamon-ny.  The pie crust and the cinnamon and sugar topping add a nice texture, that is ever so reminiscent of a snickerdoodle.  The tang from the buttermilk and cream of tartar are balanced by the sugar to create a truly unique pie.  This one is a keeper!

Just out of curiosity, I did an internet search for snickerdoodle pie and found the options very limited. So, not only is this pie incredibly satisfying and delicious, I think it is pretty unique, too.  To think, it probably wouldn't have happened if Emilie didn't want to make a pie with pasta dough...


Snickerdoodle Pie
Ingredients
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 stick melted butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup buttermilk

1 9 inch pie crust (preferably homemade)

1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, 1 1/4 cups of sugar, melted butter, flour, cream of tartar, and buttermilk until thoroughly combined.

In a small bowl or cup, mix together the cinnamon and 3 tablespoons of sugar.

Take half of the cinnamon sugar mixture and rub onto the top of the empty pie crust.  Then, pour the filling into the pie crust and bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.   Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake for another 10 minutes. 

Then, pull out the oven rack or take the pie out of the oven and top with the remaining cinnamon and sugar mixture.  Return the pie to the 300 degree oven and continue to bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the filling barely jiggles when moved. Cool completely before serving.

Peanut Butter Pie

What good is making your own peanut butter if you don't have a fabulous peanut butter pie recipe to go with it?  I have been making my own peanut butter for about three years, and I love to make this pie every once in a while.  I say 'every once in a while' because this pie is so rich; a little bit goes a long way.  That said, I usually take this pie to parties because it would be too much for my family to eat by ourselves in a reasonable amount of time.

If you are going to make this pie, I would recommend using AB's peanut butter recipe that can be found on Food Network's website.  If you click the 'printable recipe' link below, the peanut butter recipe will be included.  Also included in the link is AB's roasted peanut application.  I have never roasted my own peanuts for this pie, mainly because I can't find raw in-shell Spanish peanuts anywhere.  I buy roasted salted Spanish peanuts from The Sunspot, and they never fail to produce a scrumptious peanut butter.

This peanut butter pie recipe is fairly straightforward.  There are a lot of steps, but the end result is well worth it.  The hardest part is waiting for the pie to cool, which you have to do a couple times during the process of making it.  The wait is well worth it as the reward is a smooth pie, that's not too sweet, where the peanut butter is actually the star.

Peanut Butter Pie

Recipe Courtesy Alton Brown

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
6 1/2 ounces chocolate wafers
1 tablespoon sugar
5 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
1 batch homemade peanut butter
3 ounces powdered sugar, approximately 3/4 cup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the wafers and 1 tablespoon sugar. Process until the wafers are fine crumbs. Melt 3 ounces of the butter and drizzle into the crumb mixture. Pulse to combine. Press this mixture into the bottom, up the sides and just over the lip of a 9-inch metal pie pan. Place in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

After the crust has cooled, place the peanut butter and remaining 2 ounces of butter into the bowl of the food processor. Process for 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and process for another 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until smooth. Carefully spread the mixture into the pie shell and return to the oven to bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool while preparing the topping.

Place the heavy cream into a heat-proof bowl and microwave on high just until simmering, approximately 30 seconds. Remove the cream from the microwave and add the chocolate. Make sure the chocolate is completely submersed in the cream. Allow to sit for 2 minutes. Gently whisk until the chocolate is melted and combined with the cream, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.

Spread the chocolate mixture over the pie and chill in the refrigerator for 1 1/2 hours before serving.

Strawberry Cream Pie

When I was young, I loved the strawberry cream pie from Moore's Pie Shop.  In fact, I even had one for my birthday one year instead of a cake.  The strawberries have been wonderful this year, so I decided to try my hand at making a strawberry cream pie of my own.

The components of the pie seemed simple enough; pie crust, cream filling, and strawberries.  So, first I made and blind baked a pie crust, then I made a batch of AB's pastry cream, then halved and macerated some strawberries.  I let the pastry cream cool and strawberries macerate overnight in the refrigerator, and the next day I was ready to assemble my pie.

The strawberries released a lot of their juices overnight, so I put the juice in a small saucepan and let it reduce to a syrupy consistency.  I then poured the strawberry syrup over the strawberries to act as a glaze.  Yum!  I spread the pastry cream on the pie crust, then placed the strawberries on top of the cream, and my pie was complete.

The strawberry cream pie was simply delicious.  The strawberries and cream go together so well, and the tender, flaky crust is the perfect vehicle to bring it all together.  It's a cool, sweet flavor wonderland.  A perfect summer treat!

Sugar Cream Pie

Considered an "Indiana legendary local cuisine", this pie is so delicious.  Sweet, rich, and creamy, sugar cream pie does not disappoint.  I never knew this pie was a Hoosier delicacy until I was visiting my dad in Louisville and he took me to The Pie Kitchen.  I was craving a piece of sugar cream pie and they didn't have it on the menu.  When I asked the server about it, she looked at me like I was crazy, and said she had never heard of it.  I was surprised that they didn't have it, and baffled that someone had never heard of sugar cream pie.  It was then that my dad told me that sugar cream pie was local to Indiana, so some places outside of the state may not serve it.  I realized how lucky was to be a Hoosier.

We used to buy sugar cream pies, but the pie shop where we purchased them moved and it prompted me to try me own.  I tried a couple different recipes without much success.  The flavor was where I wanted it to be, but the pies turned out runny.  I finally found a recipe on allrecipes.com that was a winner.  I have tried it a couple times with great results.  Smooth, sweet, rich and creamy with hints of vanilla and nutmeg.  A perfect autumn pie, and quite easy too!

Print Recipe

Sugar Cream Pie
Recipe courtesy Glenda Browning

Ingredients
1 prepared 9 inch pastry shell
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup butter, chilled and diced

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In a medium bowl, mix together sugar, flour, and cream. Add milk and vanilla extract, and continue to stir until mixture is smooth. Pour into pastry shell. Sprinkle top with nutmeg and dot evenly with small chunks of butter. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 45 minutes.

Frozen Blueberry Pie

I found this frozen blueberry disk the other day and figured I should probably do something with it.  I mean, who leaves a frozen blueberry disk just laying around, seriously?  Not knowing what to do at first, I did what anyone would do in my situation; I searched the Internet.  Wouldn't you know it, Alton Brown has a blueberry pie recipe, and it calls for freezing the filling before making the pie.  Mystery solved!  Darn!  And I was hoping to go play some Frisbee golf with it. 

You may be wondering why would one want to freeze the filling first.  Well, according to AB, it makes it a lot easier to assemble the lattice top.  By having a solid base in which to work, it really is a much simpler task to handle the strips of dough to make the lattice pattern.

The lattice top makes for such a nice presentation as well.  But, presentation isn't everything.  In my opinion, flavor is what really counts.  So, how does the pie taste?  Amazing!  The blueberries are nice and tart.  There is a sweetness, though not overwhelming.  The hint of orange in the background is a nice touch as well.  Also, the filling sets up nicely, and is not at all runny.  All in all, this is a wonderful blueberry pie.  Plus, by freezing the filling, these pies can be enjoyed throughout the year, and it is a wonderful way to deal with a surplus of fresh summer blueberries.

Below is Alton Brown's recipe.  Notice it calls for store-bought pie dough, which is a no-no in my pie baking book.  Feel free to make your own pie dough, which is what I did.  I think the pie crust is just as important as the filling.  I think AB was just trying to make it simpler since the pie filling was already frozen.  Regardless, this is a wonderful pie!  Boy, am I glad I found that frozen blueberry disk!

Frozen Blueberry Pie
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2007
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
20 ounces blueberries, approximately 4 cups
4 ounces sugar, approximately 1/2 cup
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 ounces tapioca flour, approximately 5 tablespoons
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 (9-inch) store-bought pie doughs
1 egg yolk whisked with 1 teaspoon water

Directions
Wash the berries and pat dry. Mash up half of the blueberries in a small bowl.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt and tapioca flour. Add the mashed blueberries, orange juice and orange zest and stir to combine. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes. Fold in the whole berries.

Line a 9-inch pie plate with aluminum foil. Place the blueberry mixture into the foil and place in the freezer until solid, approximately 6 to 8 hours.

Once the filling is frozen, remove from the aluminum foil and wrap in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.

For baking:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Unroll first piece of dough and place into a 9-inch pie pan, making sure the dough reaches to the lip of the pie pan. Trim excess, if necessary. Prick the bottom and sides with a fork and set aside. Unroll second piece of dough and cut into 1 1/8-inch wide strips that are at least 10-inches long. Using a ruler that is 1 1/8-inches wide, lay the ruler on the dough at 1 edge and roll across dough using the edge of the ruler as you go to cut through the dough.

Remove the frozen pie filling from the freezer and place into the prepared dough in the pan. Lightly brush the edge of the crust with the egg yolk. Lay 4 strips of dough across the top of the filling horizontally, leaving an even amount of space in between each strip. Fold back 2 alternating strips and lay down another strip in the middle of the pie, perpendicular to the other strips. Return the strips that are laid back to their original position. Next, fold back the other 2 strips and lay down a strip to the left of the center perpendicular strip. Return the strips that are laid back to their original position and repeat on the other side of the perpendicular strip, folding back the same 2 strips as you did on the other side. Once you have a lattice, brush all the strips of dough with the egg yolk, trim excess dough and pinch strips and edge of crust in order to seal. Place on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes. The pie should be bubbling lightly around the edges. If the lattice is not browned enough in the center, place under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes.

Place the pie on a rack and allow to cool to room temperature before serving, approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Beautiful, fresh strawberries are starting to flood the stores and markets. Ari and Emilie love strawberries so we have been taking advantage of them coming into season. Sure, the supermarkets sell fresh strawberries year round, but the off season varieties pale in comparison to these.

As I was walking through the supermarket the other day, I was drawn to a mesmerizing crimson patch of produce. My eyes opened wide as I saw some delicious looking rhubarb. Already holding a container of strawberries in my hand, it didn't take me long to realize what I must do. Make a strawberry rhubarb pie. The conditions couldn't have been more perfect.

I know I say this about a lot of pies, but strawberry rhubarb pie really is one of my favorites. The tartness of the rhubarb matched with the sweetness of the strawberries is an irresistible flavor combination. Combine that with a tender, flaky crust, and it is pure pie bliss.


The recipe I used when I made this pie in the past produced mixed results and I found myself modifying it quite a bit. The recipe was quite old, too, and since Alton Brown hasn't given us a strawberry rhubarb pie recipe yet, I decided to look for a new one. I found this recipe on foodnetwork.com that looked promising.

When I made the pie, I ended up using Alton Browns pie crust recipe instead of the one in the recipe because it is an exceptional pie crust and I am familiar with making it. I also made a couple modifications to the filling recipe based on the comments from foodnetwork.com. I added four tablespoons of tapioca flour instead of two tablespoons of minute tapioca; and I omitted the lemon zest because of personal preference. Here is how I made the filling and finished the pie:

Printable Recipe

Filling:
2 1/2 cups chopped red rhubarb, fresh
2 1/2 cups de-stemmed, washed and cut strawberries (in larger pieces)
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons tapioca flour
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons butter, cubed small
1 egg white beaten with 1 teaspoon water
Large granule sugar

Filling Preparation:
Mix the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, tapioca, flour, zest and juice of lemon, dash of cinnamon, and vanilla. Mix well in a large bowl and pour out into chilled crust. Dot the top of the filling with the butter. Brush edges of pie crust with egg white wash. Roll out the other piece of dough and place over filling. Crimp to seal edges. Brush with egg white wash and garnish with large granule sugar. Collar with foil and bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes. Decrease temperature to 375 degrees F and bake for an additional 45 to 50 minutes, or until the filling starts bubbling. Also, you can use a pie bird for extra decor. Let cool before serving.

One other change I made was a lattice top crust, just because that's how I like my strawberry rhubarb pie.

This was the best strawberry rhubarb pie I have ever had, and this recipe is definitely a keeper. I'm glad strawberry season is just getting started!

Pie

Here is Alton Brown's take on pie:

Pie is indeed my favorite dessert. What can I say, the savory, tender, flaky crust, the sweet (but not too sweet) filling makes for a flavor sensation second to none. There is nothing better than a well executed pie, and it has to be homemade, of course, right down to the crust.

I can't say that I had a whole lot of pie growing up. Nonna's apple pie is the earliest memory I have of pie. I have tried to replicate it, but I have not been able to get it just right. Going through an old box of recipes from her house, I found another copy of the recipe that called for minute tapioca. I had only used regular small pearl tapioca and the pearls never softened up enough. So now, armed with this bit of information, I have a new challenge ahead. I can only hope to come close to the original.

Another family recipe that I more recently became aware of is buttermilk pie. It is like a sugar cream pie, but it is not as sweet and has a little tangyness from the buttermilk. It is absolutely delicious. Every time I eat it I am reminded of why it is my favorite pie. Where had it been all my life? It is my great-grandmother's recipe, so I guess she must have not made it all that often when I was a kid. Or, I may not have tried it because to a kid buttermilk pie doesn't sound all that appetizing. If I had only known what I was missing.

Whether it's apple, blueberry, strawberry rhubard, pumpkin, lemon merange, buttermilk, chocolate, or peanut putter, I am a fan of pie, and it is welcome on my plate any night of the week.