Coconut Custard Pie

Confession: I was only planning to make two pies this Thanksgiving weekend. Still, we pastry fiends--aka my family of four--have managed to eat all but 1/3 of the pumpkin pie...and it's not yet Saturday afternoon. The solution? BAKE. MORE. PIE.

We all love a good coconut custard, so I tried a recipe from my beloved "Moosewood Restaurant Book of Desserts." It's quick and easy, so you can spend your time watching "Real Housewives of Atlanta" marathons in your sweatpants instead of stirring eggs over the stove and hoping they don't curdle.

COCONUT CUSTARD PIE

serves 8

10" prebaked pie shell, cooled to room temperature (see recipe below)
6 eggs
2/3 c packed brown sugar
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 c milk
1 c half and half
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp coconut extract or an additional tsp pure vanilla extract (optional)
2 tbs unbleached white flour
1 c unsweetened grated coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a blender, combine the eggs, brown sugar, salt, milk, half and half, vanilla, coconut extract, and flour and blend until smooth. Spread the grated coconut on a baking sheet or taster oven tray and lightly toast at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes, or until golden. Stir the coconut into the custard mixture. Pour the filling into the prebaked pie shell.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for at least 20 minutes. Serve warm or chilled.BEST ALL-PURPOSE PIE CRUST

yields 1 crust

1 1/2 c unbleached white flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbs sugar (optional)
1/2 c chilled butter
3 to 4 tbs ice water

To make in a food processor, cut the butter into 1" pieces and place them in the bowl of the food processor. Add the flour, salt, and sugar. Process until all of the ingredients are incorporated. With the processor on, add the water a tablespoon at a time until the dough begins to clump but is still crumbly. Continue to drizzle a little water and pulse the food processor, stopping to test the dough with your fingertips to see if it is moist enough to hold together. (You can almost make the dough by hand or in a stand mixer.)

On a floured surface, gently flatten the ball of dough with a rolling pin. Starting from the center, roll the dough into a circle about an inch larger than the diameter of the pie pan. Lift the dough into the pan. Fold the edges under and crimp with your fingers or a fork.

To make a prebaked pie shell, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prick the prepared crust in several places with a fork. Line the crust with aluminum foil (I used parchment paper) and a layer of dried beans (I used ceramic pie weights) to weight it down. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the crimped edge is lightly toasted. Remove the beans and foil and continue to bake for about 10 minutes, until the shell is golden brown and the bottom is no longer moist--if you use a glass pie pan, you can look at the bottom of the pan to check that all moisture has baked out of the crust. Cool before filling.

Happy Thanksgiving!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! I hope your holiday was merry. Here's the spread we feasted on today:
We had turkey......mashed potatoes......cornbread and sausage stuffing......brussel sprouts with pancetta......cranberry sauce......gravy......cornbread pudding......and champagne!I can't wait to eat leftovers!

Chocolate Pecan Pie

In anticipation of Thanksgiving, I made a pumpkin pie and a chocolate pecan pie this morning. The editors of Martha Stewart Everyday Food Magazine note, "The pie filling puffs up during baking but settles as it cools." Enjoy with a large scoop of vanilla or caramel praline ice cream!CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE

serves 10

4 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 c light corn syrup
1/2 c sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 recipe Basic Pie Crust (see below), rolled and fitted into a 9" pie plate
1 c pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in lowest position. In a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water, melt chocolate, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes (or melt chocolate in microwave). Set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together (do not whisk) eggs, corn syrup, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Stirring constantly, gradually add melted chocolate. Pour filling into prepared crust; place pie on a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange pecans in one even layer over filling.

Bake just until set (filling should jiggle slightly when pie plate is tapped), 50 to 60 minutes, rotating halfway through. Let cool completely on a wire rack, at least 4 hours (or up to overnight) before serving.


BASIC PIE CRUST

makes one 9" crust
NOTE: If wrapped in plastic and aluminum foil, this will keep in the freezer for up the 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.

1 1/4 c all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 c (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 to 4 tbs ice water

In a food processor, briefly pulse flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with 2 tbs ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 2 tbs water, 1 tbs at a time). Don't overmix.

Turn dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold plastic over dough; press to shape into a 1" thick disk. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days)

On a floured piece of parchment paper, roll dough to a 14" round with a floured rolling pin. Wrap dough around rolling pin, discarding paper; unroll over a 9" pie plate. Gently fit into bottom and up sides of plate (do not stretch dough).

Using kitchen shears, trim dough to a 1" overhang. Fold under itself to form a rim, and press to seal. Using thumb and forefinger, crimp rim of crust. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 day.

Countdown to Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays (as it essentially celebrates overeating, passing out on the sofa, and waking up to forage for leftovers)! In sum, here is some of the prep work I've done in anticipation of Thursday:1) Groceries

Yesterday, we drove half an hour to the nearest Wegmans to pick out a fresh, organic, hormone-free turkey. We also stocked up on snacks for the weekend ahead! I picked up some lovely Rishi organic white tea with sweet plums and one of my favorite cheeses, Brillat-Savarin. I also procured two jars of Trappist Seville Orange Marmalade, which monks make at St. Joseph's Abbey in Spencer, MA.

Today, I spent over an hour at the local grocery store, picking up ingredients for Thanksgiving cooking and baking. I also helped to make a gravy starter base with smoked turkey wings; we'll add to it on Thursday.

2) Pie Crusts

As the resident baker of my family, I'm in charge of making a pumpkin pie and a chocolate pecan pie. I made the pie crusts ahead of time to save time later this week. On Saturday, I made three pie crusts (2 pate brisee for the pumpkin and 1 basic pie crust for the chocolate pecan), wrapped them in plastic and alumnium foil, and stored them in the freezer. Tomorrow night, I'll transfer them to the fridge to thaw overnight. On Wednesday, I'll bake the pies...and on Thursday, we eat them!

3) Purging the Fridge

This afternoon, I spent a few hours cleaning out my parents' fridge (to make space for even more food)! Shelf by shelf, I removed the items, wiped down the icky sticky stains, and tossed/recycled expired food and condiments. Then, I reorganized everything so like foods are now logically grouped together and all labels face outward.

Hopefully, all of this organization and planning ahead will expedite the laborious cooking process on Thursday! It's all worth it in the end...

Lentil Sausage Soup

As the temperature plummets and snow flurries fill the skies, it's time to break out the soup recipes. I made this Ina Garten recipe for dinner the other night. It's a variation of basic ham and lentil soup. Decidedly delicious!

LENTIL SAUSAGE SOUP

1 lb French green lentils (recommended: du Puy)
1/4 c olive oil, plus extra for serving
4 c diced yellow onions (3 large)
4 c chopped leeks, white and light green parts only (2 leeks)
1 tbs minced garlic (2 large cloves)
1 tbs kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbs minced fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp ground cumin
3 c medium diced celery (8 stalks)
3 c medium diced carrots (4 to 6 carrots)
3 qts chicken stock (I used 2 1/2 qts)
1/4 c tomato paste
1 lb kielbasa, cut in 1/2 lengthwise and sliced 1/3" thick
2 tbs dry red wine or red wine vinegar
Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

In a large bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drain.

In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and saute the onions, leeks, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, and cumin for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are translucent and tender. Add the celery and carrots and saute for another 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, tomato paste, and drained lentils, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, or until the lentils are cooked through and tender. Check the seasonings. Add the kielbasa and red wine and simmer until the kielbasa is hot.Serve drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with grated Parmesan.

Mocha-Chip Meringues

This recipe was featured in a past issue of Martha Stewart "Everyday Food." I didn't have any instant espresso powder on hand, so I just made chocolate chip meringues. They came out light, airy, glossy, and delicious! I used a Silpat on one baking sheet and regular parchment paper on the other, and both sheets yielded great results.MOCHA-CHIP MERINGUES

makes 48

3/4 c sugar
1 tbs cornstarch
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp instant espresso powder (I omitted this)
3 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 c semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together sugar and cornstarch; set aside.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt on medium speed until frothy. Beating constantly, add sugar mixture 1 tablespoon at a time; beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, 6 to 8 minutes total (scrape down the bowl halfway through). Add espresso powder and cocoa; beat until well blended. With a rubber spatula, fold in chocolate chips.

Drop batter by level tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Bake until crisp, about 40 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Cool completely on sheets, about 20 minutes.

Roasted White Fish with Leeks and Bacon

My friend Emily borrowed a copy of Jamie Oliver's "Jamie at Home" from her public library, and we prepared this for a small dinner party. We served it with a Riesling, salad, and apple crisp pie (see separate entry)!

You can use any thick, mild-flavored white fish: cod, turbot, etc. At the grocery store, the closest approximation was Asian basa fillet, a thin catfish. We adjusted the recipe to serve 5 people.

ROASTED WHITE FISH WITH LEEKS AND BACON

serves 4

16 baby leeks washed and trimmed (We used 3 large leeks)
4 7 oz. fillets of white fish (We used Asian basa fillet)
1 large lemon cut into 8 thin wedges
4 sprigs of rosemary
8 rashers of smoked streaky bacon

For the marinade:

A couple of sprigs each of rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and place a baking tray in the oven to warm up.
To make the marinade, bash up the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves with the salt in a pestle and mortar until the salt has turned green. Pour in two glugs of olive oil, a pinch of pepper, and the lemon juice and give it a stir.

Parboil the leeks in salted water for about three minutes. Drain in a colander and let them steam dry.

Put the fish, lemon, rosemary sprigs and leeks into a bowl. Pour in the marinade and toss to cover everything.

Place the fish into the preheated tray. (We lined a Pyrex baking dish with aluminum foil; it made clean-up a breeze.) Scoop the lemon, rosemary leeks, and marinade out of the bowl and place over and around the fish and roast in the oven for approximately 15-20 minutes until the fish is just cooked and the bacon is crisp.

Pile up on a plate and serve.

Brownie Pudding

This recipe comes from Ina Garten's new cookbook, "Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients." It combines the cake-like crust of a brownie and the creamy undercooked texture of a British-style pudding. Yum!BROWNIE PUDDING

serves 6

1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for buttering the dish
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature (I substituted large eggs)
2 c sugar
3/4 c good cocoa powder
1/2 c all-purpose flour
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean (I substituted a splash of pure vanilla extract)
1 tbs framboise liqueur (optional)
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly butter a 2-quart (9x12x2") oval baking dish. Melt the butter and set aside to cool.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes, until very thick and light yellow. Meanwhile, sift the cocoa powder and flour together and set aside.

When the egg and sugar mixture is ready, lower the speed to low and add the vanilla seeds, framboise (if using), and the cocoa powder and flour mixture. Mix only until combined. With the mixer still on low, slowly pour in the cooled butter and mix again just until combined.

Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared dish and place it in a larger baking pan. Add enough of the hottest tap water to the pan to come halfway up the side of the dish and bake for exactly 1 hour. A cake tester inserted 2 inches from the side will come out three-quarters clean. The center will appear very underbaked; this dessert is between a brownie and a pudding.

Allow to cool and serve with ice cream.

Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp

This past weekend, I visited some friends from college who now reside in DC. On Sunday night, Emily and I made dinner for 5 people, and Adriana and Marshall brought a partially assembled apple crisp which they finished and baked on site.

The following is the Ina Garten recipe on which they based their dessert. Instead of McIntosh or Macoun apples, Adriana used Golden Delicious. Any tart and firm baking apple should work well. She rolled out a piecrust and baked the ingredients in an 8 or 9" glass pie dish. It smelled absolutely amazing while it baked, and it tasted even better when dished out with a scoop of ice cream! I could eat the buttery oat streusel topping by itself.

OLD-FASHIONED APPLE CRISP

serves 10

For the filling:

5 lb McIntosh or Macoun apples
Grated zest of 1 orange
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tbs freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 c granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg

For the topping:

1 1/2 c flour
3/4 c granulated sugar
3/4 c light brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 c oatmeal
1/2 lb cold unsalted butter, diced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x14x2" oval baking dish.

Peel, core, and cut the apples into large wedges. Combine the apples with the zests, juices, sugar, and spices. Pour into the dish.

To make the topping, combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and cold butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is the size of peas. Scatter evenly over the apples.

Place the crisp on a sheet pan and bake for 1 hour until the top is brown and the apples are bubbly. Serve warm.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

I apologize for not posting in a while! Luckily, the upcoming holiday season = copious amounts of cooking, baking, and eating. Get excited!

I love, love, love a dense cheesecake (usually of the plain/New York-style variety), but, as any seasoned baker knows, it's not the easiest dessert to master. However, this seasonal Martha Stewart Everyday Food recipe is super simple and nearly foolproof. No cheesecake water baths...hip hip hooray!

The editors caution, "To prevent the top from cracking, be careful not to overmix the batter, and do not open the oven door while the cake is baking or cooling inside the oven." I affix a bright purple Post-It to the oven door handle to remind myself and others in the household not to peek at the cheesecake while it sets.

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

serves 12

For the crust:
10 graham crackers (2.5" x 5" each) or 1 1/3 c store-bought graham cracker crumbs (I used the latter, and it made life so much easier!)
1/4 c sugar
4 tbs unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:
4 packages (8 oz each) bar cream cheese, very soft
1 1/4 c sugar
3 tbs all-purpose flour
1 c canned pumpkin puree
2 tbs pumpkin pie spice
1 tbs pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
4 large eggs, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in center. Assemble a 9" nonstick springform pan, with the raised side of the bottom part facing up.

Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse graham crackers and sugar until finely ground. Add butter; pulse until mixture forms moist crumbs; press firmly into bottom of pan. Bake until golden around edges, 10 to 12 minutes.

Make the filling: With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar on low speed until smooth; mix in flour (do not overmix). Add pumpkin puree, pie spice, vanilla, and salt; mix just until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.

Place springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour filling into springform, and gently smooth top. Transfer to oven; reduce heat to 300 degrees. Bake 45 minutes. Turn off oven; leave cheesecake in oven 2 hours more (without opening).

Remove cheesecake from oven; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours, and up to 3 days. Unmold before serving.