Fresh Strawberry Pie in a Chocolate Crumb Crust #15

This is the first strawberry pie I've made. I've always liked the idea of strawberry pies (because I love strawberries), and I've ordered it more than probably any other pie, but I only remember having it one or two times where I actually really liked it. In fact, I've had so many bad ones that it's almost turned me off from strawberry pie altogether.

I think that there are two parts that really make or break a strawberry pie for me: 1-the freshness of the strawberries, and 2-the gel/jam that keeps the strawberries together.

So, despite my past experiences with unfavorable strawberry pies, I thought I'd give it a go because we wanted to start out Spring the right way...with a little bit of fruit. (We made this on March 21. Blogger is just giving me a lot of grief the past week, sorry it's taken so long for me to post it.)

I was interested in this pie particularly because of the chocolate crust, I thought that might add a good twist, and it did. I liked the chocolate and the strawberries together. The chocolate is rich and in some way just kind of tastes like eating spoon fulls of chocolate dipped strawberries (that can't be all bad, right), but it felt like it needed something else.

Also, the strawberries were good and the gel was more like a jam, which I was very happy about (I hate eating thick gel substances). I'm not sure I loved the balsamic vinegar in the jam. It didn't take away from the strawberries, but I'm not convinced that it made it better. As far as the crème fraîche goes, I wasn't a fan...I though it tasted good alone, but in the end I wanted to eat my pie with vanilla ice cream more than with the crème fraîche. Truth be told I wanted my pie crust and strawberry filling as toppings for my vanilla ice cream not the other way around, which doesn't say much for the pie or doesn't say much about how refined my tastes are.

The reviews go something like this: Kim Gardner (my friend who was visiting from out of town) said she liked it a lot (though, I don't believe she had seconds, which is a true sign of liking something...isn't it?).

Ryan thought it was okay but wouldn't have me make it again.

I had seconds and thirds, because I loved the strawberry chocolate combination (with vanilla ice cream, of course), but it wasn't good enough that I want to make it anytime soon. However, I must say, it is definitely one of the best strawberry pies I've had though it's not the end-all of strawberry pie recipes. I still like the idea of delicious crusts and strawberries mixed together, but it makes me wonder if strawberry pies just need to be reinvented altogether.

But I think that quest will just have to wait until next spring...

Chocolate Crumb Crust
2 Cups Chocolate wafer crumbs (recipe found here)

2 cups pasteurized heavy cream

(ultra-pasteurized won’t work)

2 tablespoons buttermilk

2 tablespoons sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

Crème Fraîche: Combine the cream and buttermilk (but not the sugar) in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and place it in a warm (70F to 80F) spot, such as the top of the refrigerator. Allow it to sit, undisturbed overnight or until thickened but still pourable. Chill it and it will become the consistency of sour cream

To use, add 1 tablespoon sugar for each cup of crème fraîche needed and whisk lightly by hand. Sweeten only the portion you plan to serve immediately.

Chocolate Crumb Crust: In a medium bowl, combine the crumbs, chocolate shavings, and salt (if using). Pour the butter over them. The butter will melt the chocolate into the chocolate crumbs. Stir well.

Press this mixture into a 9-inch pie pan, distributing the crumbs to form an 1/8-inch thick crust. Bake for 15 minutes at 350F. Cool completely before adding strawberries.

Strawberry Filling: To make the glaze, put the strawberries (use any especially ugly ones here in the sauce), orange juice, and zest in a saucepan over low heat. Simmer for 5 minutes and then mash the berries with the back of a spoon. Simmer the mixture on low, uncovered, for 15 minutes more, until the sauce resembles a saucy jam.

Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a bowl and whisk in the water gradually until smooth. Add this to the sauce and cook, stirring constantly, simmering over medium heat 1 to 2 minutes until it is boiling very lightly. When the opacity goes out of the sauce, and it looks shiny and steamy, remove it from the heat and whisk in the vinegar and salt. Chill the sauce until it is cool to the touch but not cold. (The temperature is important—the fresh strawberries will release lots of juice if they contact a hot or even warm sauce, and you'll get strawberry soup, not strawberry pie. If the sauce gets overly cold, it's hard to fold in the berries.)

Clean and trim the strawberries (if they are small, leave them whole; if they are large, halve or quarter them). Fold them into the cool sauce and pour it all into the chilled crust. The consistency will be quite thick. Chill for 2 hours to let it set up before serving.

Serve the pie cold with Crème Fraîche. This pie is best the day it is made, but can still be served the next day. Keep it refrigerated, loosely covered with plastic wrap.

Chocolate Cream Pie #7

I've been wanting to make this pie for two weeks, but because of some unforeseeable busyness and a bout of sickness, I didn't actually get a chance to make this pie until this week. I am, however, glad I waited. After all those busy days and sick nights, I needed a serious dessert, and this hit the spot.
I've had a few people recommend pies or give me tips since starting this blog and since I haven't written back to some of you (so sorry!) let me just take this moment to say thanks. I've got quiet a list of pies to work through this year, but I am always open to "Piedeas" (as one reader called them).

On that note, I should tell you that this recipe came from my good friend, KT, who lives all the way across the country. KT and I were in a band together (KT was her "band name," which sounded tougher than Karren Louise). She was on the keyboard and I was on drums. We rocked. And by rocked, I mean we took ourselves really seriously until KT broke up the band and decided that business school was more important to her life than "The Orange Tommies."

As it turns out, she was right. I must say, she's always right (at least I can't think of when she's been wrong). So when she told me that this pie was THE. BEST. CHOCOLATE. CREAM. PIE. SHE'S. EVER. HAD. PERIOD.

I had to try it.

And you know what? She was right again.

The chocolate pudding is decadent (I had to monitor the fridge so it didn't all get eaten before I put it in the crust). It will make your head spin, so proceed with caution unless you've had a rough week need a good chocolate wallop to make you feel better. Oh, and did I mention that the pudding is even easier than opening up a box of Jell-o? Well, it is. And it tastes about 100 times better too.

I fudged (no pun intended) on the crust a little bit. Again, I just wanted to make it from scratch, so I've included the chocolate wafer recipe that I used and the way I made the crust, but follow the link to the original recipe if you want to do it that way.

I must say, however, that I was really happy with how my crust turned out. It held together very well for a crumb crust and it had just the right crunch to chewiness ratio for me.

We shared it with a few friends and all described it thus:
1-Rich
2-Creamy
3-Good crust
4-Delicious!

So there you have it. KT is always right, but try it yourself, the proof is in the pudding...literally.

Chocolate Wafers:

(adapted from Bubby's Homemade Pies)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa

11/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; set aside. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until incorporated. On low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing well after each addition. Shape the dough into a 2-inch-diameter log. Wrap it well and chill completely—at least two hours.

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Slice the dough into 1/8-inch slices and place them 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake them for 8 to 10 minutes, until they smell good and remain firm when lifted with a spatula.

Cool the cookies on a wire rack, uncovered, overnight or until they are completely dry and wafer-like.

Us a food processor to crumb the cookies or put the cookies in a resealable plastic bag and press the air out before sealing. Roll over the bag of cookies with a rolling pin until they form fine crumbs.

Chocolate Cream Pie

(Adapted from Gourmet Magazine 2004)

Crust:

2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs

1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar

Filling:
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large egg yolks
3 cups whole milk
5 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:
1 pint chilled heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar

Directions:

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Stir together crumbs, chocolate, and sugar. Pour hot melted butter over the top and combine (The butter will melt the chocolate). Firmly press onto the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 15 minutes and before cooling on rack, use the back of a spoon to press the hot crust back up the sides of the pan. Cool completely.

Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt, and yolks in a 3-quart heavy saucepan until combined well, then add milk in a stream, whisking. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking, then reduce heat and simmer, whisking, 1 minute (filling will be thick).

Force filling through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, then whisk in chocolates, butter, and vanilla. The pudding should still be warm hot enough to melt the chocolate. Cover surface of filling with plastic wrap (make sure there are no air bubbles between the pudding and the plastic wrap) and cool completely, about 2 hours.

Spoon filling into crust and chill pie, loosely covered, at least 6 hours.
Just before serving, beat cream in a bowl using an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks add vanilla and sugar and spoon on top of pie.

Sprinkle chocolate flakes on top of pie (optional).