Chess Pie

Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit, Y'all

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  
• 1 ½ cups sugar
  
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal
  
• ¼ teaspoon salt
  
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
  
• ½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
  
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  
• 1 recipe All-American Pie crust
  
  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
    
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    
  • 4 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into cubes
    
  • 4 tablespoons margarine, chilled and cut into cubes
    
  • Ice cold water
    

Directions

1. For the pie crust: Using a food processor fitted with a steel blade, pulse together the flour and kosher salt. Drop in the cubed butter and margarine. Pulse until mixture resembles a coarse mill. One tablespoon at a time, add the ice water. Pulse until dough comes together into a ball (this usually only takes 1 to 2 tablespoons of water). Shape dough into a disk and cover with saran wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Flour a wooden board and rolling pin. Place the chilled dough in the center of the board and dust with more flour. Quickly roll the dough into a 10 to 11 - inch circle. Roll the dough back around the rolling pin and carefully transfer to a lightly sprayed 9 – inch pie plate. Fold down any overflowing edges. Place prepared dough back into the refrigerator and chill 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the filling.
   
2. For the pie filling: In a large bowl whisk together the eggs. Add the sugar, flour, cornmeal and salt. Whisk in the butter, buttermilk, lemon juice, and vanilla. Pour the filling into the chilled pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes to 1 hour. Yields one 9 – inch pie.
   

Brownie Pie

 

Recipe courtesy of Love and Olive Oil

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (I ran out of granulated and substituted a little brown sugar)
  
• ½ cup butter, softened
  
• 3 large eggs
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
  
• 1/3 cup dark chocolate cocoa
  
• ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  
• ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
  
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)
  

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and butter a 9-inch pie plate.
   
2. In a large mixing bowl beat together butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and kosher salt on medium speed.
   
3. Gradually beat in flour and cocoa powder until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Bake for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired.
   

Cookie Dough Cream Pie

Recipe courtesy of Love and Olive Oil

Ingredients


For the pie crust:

• 1 ½ cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs, processed in food processor
  
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
  

For the cookie dough:

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  
• ½ teaspoon salt
  
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  
• ½ cup butter (1 stick), at room temperature
  
• 3/8 cup granulated sugar
  
• 3/8 cup packed brown sugar
  
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
  
• 2 ½ tablespoons milk
  
• ½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
  

For the filling:

• ¾ cup light brown sugar
  
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  
• ¼ teaspoon salt
  
• 2 cups milk
  
• 3 egg yolks
  
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  

For the topping:

• 1 cup whipping cream
  
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
  

Directions

1. To prepare the pie crust: preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9-inch pie plate. Stir together chocolate graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. Bake for 8 minutes and remove from oven. Set aside to cool completely. Leave oven on 350 degrees.
   
2. To prepare the cookie dough: cream together butter and sugars. Beat in vanilla and milk. In a small bowl whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet and mix until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Form 8 (½-inch) dough balls. Drop on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before removing to a rack to cool completely. Reserve the remaining cookie dough and set aside.
   
3. To prepare the filling: Whisk together brown sugar, flour and salt. Whisk in 1 cup of milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat and whisk constantly until dry ingredients have dissolved into wet and mixture has slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Beat egg yolks with remaining cup of milk. Temper the eggs with some of the slightly cooled milk mixture. Then add the tempered eggs to the slightly cooled mixture. Return to the stovetop and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir until filling resembles the consistency of thick pudding. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla extract.
   
4. To assemble the pie: Press the reserved cookie into the cooled pie crust. Use a spatula to spread into an even layer. Pour filling on top of cookie dough. Place in the refrigerator to cool completely.
   
5. To make the topping: Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add sugar and vanilla and beat until stiff peaks form. Spread whipped cream on top of completely cooled pie. Arrange cooled cookies on top of pie and garnish with mini-chocolate chips if desired. Yields 1 – 9 inch pie.
   

Happy Birthday J.T.!

Mama’s Apple Pie

Ingredients

• Double recipe All-American Pie Crust, in 2 disks
  
• 7 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
  
• 1 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling pie
  
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits
  
• 1 tablespoon water
  

Directions

1. Prepare the pie pastry. To shape the crust, on a lightly floured work surface, roll out one disk of the dough into a 13-inch round, 1/8-inch thick. Roll dough around pin and transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Fold excess dough over and flush with rim of the pie plate. Freeze until firm, at least 30 minutes.
   
2. To make the filling, place the apples in a bowl; sprinkle with the sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Toss with hands to coat. Pour the apple mixture into the unbaked pie shell. Dot with butter bits.
   
3. Roll out the remaining half of the pie crust on a lightly floured surfaced. Cover the filled pie crust with the round of dough, and fold over so that a thick edge is formed. Crimp the edges using a fork; chill in the refrigerator until the crust is firm, about 15 minutes.
   
4. To bake the pie, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush the top of the pie with the water. Sprinkle over a few teaspoons of sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 50 minutes.
   
5. Transfer to a rack to cool before slicing. Serve with vanilla ice cream. Yields one 9-inch pie.
   

All-American Pie Crust (double this recipe)

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
  
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 4 tablespoons margarine, chilled and cut into pieces
  
• 4 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into pieces
  
• 3 to 8 tablespoons ice water
  

Directions

1. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine the flour and salt. Then add the cubed margarine and butter and process until mixture resembles a coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds.
   
2. With the processor on pulse, add enough of the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough holds together without being sticky or crumbly. Shape the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill about 30 minutes in refrigerator.
   

 

Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit, Y'all

Aunt Julia’s Chocolate Pie

 Ingredients

• All-American Pie Crust, recipe below
  
• 1 cup granulated sugar
  
• 2 cups whole milk, divided
  
• 3 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
  
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
  
• 3 large eggs, separated
  
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  
• Pinch of kosher salt
  
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
  

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
   
2. For the pie filling, in a medium sauce pan combine the 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of the milk. Stir and set aside.
   
3. In a medium bowl, combine the remaining 1 cup of milk, the flour, and the cocoa powder. Whisk vigorously until the mixture becomes frothy and set aside.
   
4. Over medium-high heat, heat the saucepan with the milk and sugar mixture until it begins to simmer. Then slowly add the milk and flour mixture and stir to combine. Bring the filling to a boil. Add the egg yolks, whisking constantly, until the filling returns to a boil. Once the filling comes to a boil, immediately add the vanilla and remove it from the heat. Pour the filling into the baked pie crust and set aside.
   
5. For the meringue topping, places the egg whites in a medium size bowl with a pinch of salt and the cream of tartar. Using a hand held mixer, beat the whites on high speed until foamy. Continue beating the whites and gradually add the confectioners' sugar. Whisk egg whites until glossy and stiff peaks form.
   
6. To finish the pie, spoon the meringue over the pie, making sure it touches the edges of the pie crust. Bake until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes (keep a close eye on the oven because meringue burns quickly). Move to a rack to cool completely. Refrigerate overnight to allow pie to set. Yields one 9-inch pie. 
 

 All-American Pie Crust

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
  
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 4 tablespoons margarine, chilled and cut into pieces
  
• 4 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into pieces
  
• 3 to 8 tablespoons ice water
  

Directions

1. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine the flour and salt. Then add the cubed margarine and butter and process until mixture resembles a coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds.
   
2. With the processor on pulse, add enough of the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough holds together without being sticky or crumbly. Shape the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill about 30 minutes in refrigerator.
   
3. Flour a clean work surface and a rolling pin. Place dough disk in center of floured surface. Roll dough out slowly to 1/8-inch thickness. To transfer dough to pie plate, roll dough around rolling pin and slowly unroll in 9-inch pie plate. Fold any excess dough under itself along the rim of the plate. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes
   
4. To bake pie crust, preheat oven to 425 degrees.
   
5. Cut a piece of parchment paper to line bottom of pie crust. Crumble the parchment paper and then spread back out and line dough. Weight the paper down with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice (this keeps dough from puffing up while baking). Bake the crust for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit, Y'all

Key Lime Pie

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
  
• 2 tablespoons sugar
  
• 6 tablespoons butter
  
• 3 large eggs, separated
  
• 1-14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
  
• ½ cup key lime juice
  
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  
• 2 teaspoons grated key lime rind
  
• 2 tablespoons sugar
  
• 1 cup whipping cream
  
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
  
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• Lime slices, for garnish
  

Directions

1. Combine the first three ingredients; press onto bottom and 1-inch up sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.
   
2. Whisk the egg yolks; add condensed milk and next three ingredients, whisking until smooth.
   
3. Beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy; gradually add 2 tablespoons of sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Fold into yolk mixture; spoon into prepared crust.
   
4. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack; cover and chill 8 hours or overnight.
   
5. Beat whipping cream at high speed with an electric mixer until slightly thickened; add powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until soft peaks form.
   
6. Run a knife around the springform pan and remove sides of the pan. Serve each slice with a dollop of whipped cream and a slice of lime. Yields one 9-inch pie.
   

Recipe courtesy of Southern Living 1996 Annual Recipes

 Maple Cinnamon Pumpkin Pie

recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

• 1 recipe  Pastry for Single-Crust Pie
• 1  15-oz. can  pumpkin
• 1/2  cup  sugar
• 1/4  cup  pure maple syrup or maple-flavored syrup
• 1  tsp.  ground cinnamon
• 1/2  tsp.  salt
• 3  eggs, lightly beaten
• 1  cup  almond milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Prepare and roll out Pastry for Single-Crust pie.
2. For filling, in a bowl combine pumpkin, sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt. Add eggs; beat with a fork until combined. Gradually add milk; stir until combined.
3. Carefully pour filling in pastry shell. Cover edge of pie crust with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Remove foil. Bake 25 to 30 minutes more or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Cover and refrigerate within 2 hours.
4. To serve, if desired, top with Whipped Cream. Makes 8 servings.
5. Pastry for a Single-Crust Pie: In bowl stir together 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using pastry blender cut in 1/2 cup shortening until pieces are pea-size. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cold water over part of the flour mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to side of the bowl. Repeat, using 1 tablespoon water at a time (4 to 5 tablespoons total), until flour mixture is moistened. Form dough in ball. On floured surface flatten with hands. Roll dough from center to edges into 13-inch circle. To transfer pastry, wrap around rolling pin. Unroll pastry into a 9-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into plate without stretching it. Trim pastry to 1 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry.


Note:  There is always more filling than is needed to fill the pie crust.  I make a mini-crust-less pumpkin pie for myself that is gluten and dairy free.