Strawberry Rhubarb Custard Pie

I've been seeing strawberry-rhubarb recipes everywhere and since the strawberries are fresh and sweet right now, I thought I would make a pie that's been on my mental to-make list forever. The pie was very easy to put together and if you have a pie crust made already, it takes no time at all although you do have to let the pie cool before you can dig into it.

 

I used my standby pie crust recipe and used more strawberries/less rhubarb for the filling. I thought the taste was pretty much perfect although it was a bit sweet for my taste. I've adjusted the measurements in the recipe below. I used a 9.5 inch pie plate rather than a 9 inch, so my pie is bit thinner and more cooked than I would like. I also didn't mix the custard filling enough. Watch the video here to see what it should look like. If you are also using a larger pie plate, you can also increase the filling recipe. However, everyone that tasted it still thought it was fantastic. The pie really tastes best chilled the day it's made. It still tastes good the next few days after, but not as amazing as when it's fresh.

Strawberry Rhubarb Custard Pie
Pie Crust from Martha Stewart, Filling Adapted from Chef John of Food Wishes
Makes 1 9 inch pie

Pie Crust
1 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 stick cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp fine salt, double the amount of kosher salt
1/8 - 1/4 cup iced water

Pulse the butter, sugar, salt, and flour in a food processor until the butter is the size of peas. Gradually add just enough iced water as the processor is running until the dough just holds together when squeezed in the palm of your hand. Dump out onto a piece of plastic wrap and form into a round disk. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days or freeze up to a month.

When ready to use, roll out the pie dough to a round big enough for a 9 inch pie plate. Fit into the pie plate, crimp, then freeze for 10 minutes.

Filling
2 1/2 cups sliced rhubarb, 1/4 inch thick
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, quartered
3 large eggs
1 1/8 cups granulated sugar
3 tbsp. milk
2 tbsp. all purpose flour
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
pinch of salt
1 tbsp. butter, diced
2 tbsp. strawberry jam
1/4 tsp water

Preheat the oven to 350 deg F. Mix the strawberries and rhubarb together and pour them into the cold pie crust.

Whisk the eggs, sugar, milk, flour, nutmeg, and salt together in a large bowl thoroughly for a few minutes. Pour the filling over the rhubarb and strawberries slowly to ensure not overfilling. Place the diced butter over the top of the pie and give the pie a tap before putting it into the oven.

Bake the pie for about an hour on the middle rack, rotating the pie halfway through, until the custard is just set. Check on the pie at about 45 minutes. Remove the pie and let cool on the counter.

Warm the jam and water in a small pot or stainless steel measuring cup over low heat and brush it over the pie focusing on the exposed fruit.  Once the pie has cooled to room temp, refrigerate for a few hours before serving. Pie will keep for a few days in the fridge.

Sweet Potato Pie

One of my favorite desserts during the holiday season and probably of all time is sweet potato pie. Pumpkin pie is a very close second followed by apple pie. Pumpkin tends to be more popular around this time of year, but sweet potato actually makes a sweeter, richer, more luxurious pie in my opinion. If you love one, you'll most likely love the other. I always like to make one or the other for Thanksgiving although in recent years, it seems less popular with my family compared to some of the other glitzier holiday desserts I make. I have a kabocha squash pie posted on this blog that is basically a take on the classic Libby's pumpkin pie that most of us know and love if you want to make a pumpkin pie. This year, I decided to try out this sweet potato pie from Joy the Baker and boy, am I glad I did.

I thought the spice profile and overall flavor of this pie was spot on, maybe the best I've ever had. Coriander is not something I normally put in my fall pies, but I really think it brought everything together nicely. The filling has quite a lot of sweet potato in it, so it's not as custardy as a typical pumpkin pie, but that's fine with me and it should be fine with you too I presume.

As Joy says, you definitely need a deep dish pie plate for this if you're making a 9 inch pie. I used a 9.5 inch pie plate and it was filled right to the top. This time, I used my standard pie crust recipe from Martha Stewart, but I'm sure Joy's buttermilk version is also fantastic.

Sweet Potato Pie
Pie Crust from Martha Stewart, Filling slightly adapted from Joy the Baker
Makes one 9 inch pie

Pie Crust
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 stick cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp fine salt
1/8-1/4 cup iced water

Pulse the butter, sugar, salt, and flour in a food processor until the butter is the size of peas. Gradually add just enough iced water as the processor is running until the dough just holds together when squeezed in the palm of your hand. Dump out onto a piece of plastic wrap and form into a round disk. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days or freeze up to a month and thaw in the fridge overnight.

When ready to use, roll out the pie dough to a round big enough for a 9 inch pie plate. Fit into the pie plate, crimp, dock with a fork, then freeze for 10 minutes. Line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or beans. Bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 30-35 minutes removing the parchment and pie weights halfway through so that the crust can begin to brown. Remove when the crust starts to color nicely. Let cool while you make the filling.

Filling
2 cups mashed sweet potatoes, about 2 medium sweet potatoes
3/4 cup packed brown sugar, light or dark
1 1/4 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup (4 tbsp.) unsalted butter
10 ounces evaporated milk
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

In a medium-large pot, add the mashed sweet potatoes, brown sugar, spices, salt, butter, and 5 ounces of the evaporated milk. Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook for 5 minutes, stirring thoroughly and frequently. Set aside and let cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla, and the remaining evaporated milk making sure everything is well combined. Add the egg mixture to the sweet potato mixture and combine thoroughly.

Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust. Bake on the middle rack for 10 min at 375 deg F, then reduce the oven to 325 deg F and bake for another 45-50 min until there is a slight jiggle in the center. Let cool completely before cutting. Pie will keep for a few days at a cool room temp. Refrigerate up to several days.

Creamy Silky Chocolate Pie

My sister and I saw this pie on an episode of Cook's Country and thought it sounded pretty good. It seemed quite simple to put together and I liked the fact that the eggs in the recipe were cooked or at least heated to a temp. at which it should be safe to consume. Most chocolate mousse type recipes have raw eggs and while I'm not terribly concerned about consuming raw eggs since they're pasteurized and hopefully fresh, I do prefer taking the cooked egg route when possible.

This pie turned out nicely, it is very similar to a chocolate mousse pie, but not exactly the same. It is a bit firmer than chocolate mousse once it sets up and is rich but light at the same time. It is appropriately named as I did find it quite silky. It all comes together very quickly once your pie shell is prebaked. We will definitely be making this one again.

French Silk Chocolate Pie
Recipe from Cook's Country and Pie Crust from Martha Stewart
Makes one 9 inch pie

1 cup heavy cream, chilled (More, if topping with whipped cream)

3 large eggs

3/4 cup granulated sugar
Small pinch of salt

2 tablespoons water

8 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and softened

1  9 inch pie shell, baked and cooled (we used this one)

In a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, combine eggs, sugar, and water. With a handheld electric mixer, beat for 7-10 minutes until it thickens and reaches 160 Deg F. Remove from heat, beat for another 8 minutes until almost cooled.

Add chocolate and vanilla extract to egg mixture, beat until incorporated. Beat in butter, pieces at a time until incorporated.

Whip cream at medium high speed in a standing mixer with whisk attachment or with handheld mixer until stiff peaks, do not overwhip. I like to finish whisking by hand to ensure not overmixing. Fold whipped cream into chocolate-egg mixture until no white streaks remain.

Scrape filling into pie shell and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. Top with more whipped cream if desired.

Kabocha Squash Pie

I find that most of my cooking and baking revolves around what I have in the kitchen and what needs to be used up first. More often than not, I'll buy ingredients with the intention of using them in one dish, but end up using them for something else. My family also tends to buy more than we need at once, so we usually need to find creative ways to use things up.

This was one of those cases, the ingredient in question? A kabocha squash. It's been sitting around for a few months waiting to be used, but nothing ever became of it...until earlier this week. My dad peeled it and steamed it intending to use it for a dessert of his own, but decided against it because he didn't think it was starchy enough. So, we were left with about 5 cups of kabocha squash puree without any plan to deal with it.

My mom suggested that maybe I could make a pie with it and that sounded like a good idea since it would be similar to a pumpkin pie. It's also the perfect time of year for a pie full of spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. So, I set off to find a recipe for kabocha squash pie, made it, and was actually really pleased with the results. It's denser, stronger in flavor, and less sweet than pumpkin puree, but most people that tried it were fooled into thinking it was a pumpkin pie. I would definitely make this again and if you don't have extra kabocha squash puree around, this recipe will work just as well with canned pumpkin puree(15 oz) as it's basically the same recipe. I added more spices than was called for because the added spices really made it taste just like pumpkin pie, but adjust to your own taste.

I drained my squash puree since it was steamed and fresh puree tends to have more liquid than canned puree, but if yours is roasted, it may not be necessary. I like to bake the pie about 20 minutes in the beginning on the lower third of my oven to ensure that the bottom is browned nicely. Enjoy the recipe and give it a try with different autumn squashes as well.

Kabocha Squash Pie
Adapted from Martha Stewart

Pie Crust
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 stick cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp fine salt
1/8-1/4 cup iced water

Pulse the butter, sugar, salt, and flour in a food processor until the butter is the size of peas. Gradually add just enough iced water as the processor is running until the dough just holds together when squeezed in the palm of your hand. Dump out onto a piece of plastic wrap and form into a round disk. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days or freeze up to a month.

When ready to use, roll out the pie dough to a round big enough for a 9 inch pie plate. Fit into the pie plate, crimp, dock with a fork, then freeze for 10 minutes. Line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or beans. Bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 30-35 minutes removing the parchment and pie weights halfway through so that the crust can begin to brown. Remove when the crust starts to color nicely.

Reduce oven to 350 degrees F.

Filling
1 3/4 cups kabocha squash puree
1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 12 oz can of evaporated milk
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp fine salt
1 1/3 tbsp cornstarch, sifted
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice + 1 tsp ground cinnamon( or use 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, and 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg)

Mix cornstarch with a bit of the milk first to eliminate any lumps, then add in the rest of the ingredients mixing until blended.

Pour filling into the prebaked crust and bake at 350 degrees F for 50 to 60 minutes until the center just wiggles slightly and a toothpick inserted gently about an inch from the center comes out clean. Let pie cool completely at least 6 hours or overnight in the refrigerator before serving.(Since I made it on a rather cold day, I didn't bother putting it in the fridge.)

Banana Cream Pie

There are few things more perfect than a banana cream pie, but though I love them so, I've never made one until now. However, seeing as I had all the ingredients I needed and a pie crust to use up, I finally decided to make one and this one turned out pretty perfect. It's beautifully creamy and decadent without being overly rich. It has great banana flavor and I love that it's firm enough for a slice to stand on its own, but not so firm that you lose the airy texture of a cream pie.

The recipe is basically the same as the original. I've just altered some of the directions because it seems to work out better this way. If you're looking for a great banana cream pie, look no further.

Banana Cream Pie
Adapted from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook

Pate Brisee - Makes one pie crust
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 stick cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt(use half the amount of fine salt)
1/8 - 1/4 cup of ice water

* If you have the time, make this crust using the technique described here. It is seriously the flakiest pie crust I've ever had, there are clear visible layers within the crust. However, the crust is just as good and still beautifully flaky made the way below.

Blend the flour and salt in a food processor to remove any lumps, add the cold butter and pulse until it is the size of peas

Add the ice water slowly using only enough so that the crust holds together when you squeeze it in your hand, it should not be too crumbly, nor too wet. Dump the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and gather it into a mound, then flatten into a thick disc. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

When ready to make the pie, take the dough out of the refrigerator and roll it into a big enough round to fit a 9 inch pie dish.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Fit the dough into the pie dish, fold edges under, crimp, and prick all over with a fork. Brush the edges with egg wash and chill for 30 minutes until firm. Line with parchment, fill with pie weights or dried beans, then bake for 25-30 minutes until edges are golden brown. Remove pie weights and parchment, then bake for another 20 minutes. Let cool.

Vanilla Custard
3 cups whole milk
7 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup granulated sugar
4 large egg yolks
1/4 tsp salt

Heat milk with sugar and salt in a saucepan until it reaches a simmer. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the cornstarch and vanilla until there are no lumps. Add the heated milk into the yolks a little at a time whisking all the while. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over a medium heat whisking constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. Strain over a sieve into a bowl and let cool slightly. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming and when it has cooled down some more, chill in the refrigerator until completely cooled.

Whipped Cream
1 cup of heavy cream
2 tbsp powdered sugar

Place ingredients into a chilled bowl and whisk with a mixer until it reaches soft peaks, do not overwhip.

To assemble:
3 or 4 bananas, cut into 1/4 inch slices

Arrange bananas in a spiral on the bottom of the pie crust, top with the custard, then finish with the whipped cream. Chill in the refrigerator at least 1 hour. When ready to serve, you can cut some more bananas and arrange them on the top or serve as is. The pie is best served the day that it is made.