MANGO CREAM PIE

Yield: Eight servings

1 envelope unflavored gelatine (2 1/4 teaspoons)

1 1/4 cups fresh mango puree or frozen mango fruit pulp, thawed and pureed

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream

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1 1/2 (8 ounces) packages cream cheese, softened

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 single crust classic Crisco pie crust (9-inch), baked and cooled (see below)

1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes, toasted

1 to 2 ripe mangos, diced

Sprinkle gelatine over 3/4 cup mango puree in small saucepan. Let stand 5 minutes to soften. Add 1/4 cup sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture simmers and gelatine is completely dissolved. Remove from heat; cool 15 minutes.

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Beat heavy cream in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium-high speed until stiff.

Beat cream cheese and remaining 1 cup sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy. Add cooled mango mixture, remaining 1/2 cup mango puree and lime juice. Beat until well blended. Fold in whipped cream mixture. Spread evenly in prepared pie crust. Chill 2 hours or overnight. Garnish pie with toasted coconut and diced mango just before serving.

Single crust classic Crisco pie crust:

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 stick well-chilled Crisco Baking Sticks All-Vegetable Shortening OR 1/2 cup well-chilled Crisco All-Vegetable Shortening

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3 to 6 tablespoons ice-cold water

Blend flour and salt in medium mixing bowl.

Cut chilled shortening into 1/2-inch cubes. Cut chilled shortening cubes into flour mixture, using a pastry blender in an up-and-down chopping motion, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some small pea-sized pieces remaining.

Sprinkle half the maximum recommended amount of ice-cold water over the flour mixture. Using a fork, stir and draw flour from bottom of bowl to the top, distributing moisture evenly into flour. Press chunks down to bottom of bowl with fork. Add more water by the tablespoon, until dough is moist enough to hold together when pressed together.

Tip: Test dough for proper moistness by squeezing a marble-sized ball of dough in your hand. If it holds together firmly, do not add any additional water. If the dough crumbles, add more water by the tablespoonful, until dough is moist enough to form a smooth ball when pressed together.

Shape dough into a ball for a single pie crust. Flatten ball into 1/2-inch-thick round disk.

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Tip: For ease in rolling, wrap dough in plastic wrap. Chill for 30 minutes, or up to 2 days.

Roll dough from center outward with steady pressure on a lightly floured work surface (or between two sheets of wax or parchment paper) into a circle 2 inches wider than the pie plate for the bottom crust. Transfer dough to pie plate by loosely rolling around rolling pin. Center the rolling pin over the pie plate, and then unroll, easing dough into pie plate.

Trim edges of dough leaving a 3/4-inch overhang. Fold edge under. Flute dough as desired. Bake according to specific recipe directions.

Two methods for pre-baking pie crusts for cream pies:

1. Pre-baking without weights: Thoroughly prick bottom and sides of unbaked pie dough with fork (50 times) to prevent it from blistering or rising. Bake crust in lower third of oven, at 425 for 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges and bottom are golden brown.

2. Pre-baking with weights: Thoroughly prick bottom and sides of unbaked pie dough with fork (50 times) to prevent it from blistering or rising. Chill or freeze for 30 minutes. Line pie dough snugly with foil or parchment paper. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes. Remove foil and weights. Reduce oven to 350. Bake 5 to 10 minutes or until edges and bottom are golden brown.

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Source: Crisco.com

 

BASIC SAVORY BREAKFAST PIE

From the Berry Manor Inn

This crustless pie recipe can be modified to produce any number of wonderful, savory breakfast-pie combinations. Adjust the filling based on what ingredients are in season, and let your imagination soar.

Grease a 9-inch deep dish pie pan.

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Beat 6 farm fresh eggs.

Add to beaten eggs:

1/4 cup milk

1/3 cup flour

Salt and pepper to taste

Blend well and add:

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2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

2/3 cup cottage cheese

Add desired filling (see combinations below), mix well and pour into prepared pan. Cover with foil. Bake 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until eggs are firm and lightly brown. Serve immediately, or keep warm in oven at 200 degrees until ready to serve.

Note: Can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator until the next morning.

• Tomato and fresh basil breakfast pie:

To basic recipe above add:

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1 cup fresh tomatoes, diced

1 cup fresh basil, chopped

1 small shallot, chopped

• Spinach, mushroom and goat cheese breakfast pie:

To basic recipe above add:

6 to 8 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

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1 cup fresh spinach, chopped

3/4 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced

• Boursin breakfast pie:

To basic recipe above add:

1 (5.2 ounces) Boursin Cheese package (warmed slightly)

• Spinach and feta breakfast pie:

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To basic recipe above add:

1 small shallot, chopped

6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

1 cup fresh spinach, chopped

 

KEY LIMEROCK PIE

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From the LimeRock Inn, Rockland

This is one of the most popular pies at Rockland’s Pies on Parade.

For crust:

1 cup ground vanilla wafers

1/4 cup ground granola (plain)

5 tablespoons butter (melted)

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Start by preheating oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, blend together dry ingredients. Pour melted butter over mixture. Using a wooden spoon, gently mix ingredients until wet.

Lightly spray non-stick coating inside a 9-inch pie pan. Pour mixture into pie pan. First, press the mixture along the sides of the pie pan using a fork. With the fork, press the remaining mixture evenly over the bottom of the pie pan to form a crust. Bake crust for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

For filling:

3 egg yolks

1 teaspoon Key lime zest

14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

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1/2 cup key lime juice (fresh preferred)

At full speed with an electric mixer, beat egg yolks and zest for 5 minutes, or until mixture has a shiny luster. Slowly pour the condensed milk into the mixture and beat for another 3 minutes, or until thickened. Reduce mixer speed to low and add juice just enough to combine and complete the pie filling. Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust and bake for 12 minutes, or until the filling is completely set.

TIPS: After pie has cooled to room temperature, refrigerate for about an hour and serve chilled with creme fraiche or whipped cream and garnish as desired.

 

LIMEROCK INN RASPBERRY TART

Servings: Six to eight

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For crust:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 tablespoon almond or vanilla extract

2 tablespoons cold water

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For filling:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 large egg, beaten lightly

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

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1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

1 tablespoon water

3 cups raspberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Make crust:

In a food processor, blend together flour, sugar, butter and almond extract until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 tablespoons of water and toss until incorporated. Add remaining water as necessary until mixture comes together but is still crumbly. Refrigerate dough wrapped in plastic for 1 hour.

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Press evenly onto bottom and sides of an 11-inch tart pan with removable fluted rim. Prick the crust with a fork, line the dough with aluminum foil and weigh it down with pie weights or beans and bake in the middle of the oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes. In the alternative, make 1-inch balls of dough and place them in a 24-well tart pan. Using a wooden press, mash dough into each well to make mini tart crusts. Bake for 10 minutes.

Make filling while crust bakes:

In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and egg until smooth. Add flour and blend mixture well.

Pour the filling into the warm crust, spreading evenly, and bake in middle of the oven until set, about 20 minutes. If making mini tarts, fill each crust and bake for 15 minutes. Cool the tart in its pan on a rack.

In a small saucepan, heat jam with water over moderate heat, stirring until melted and smooth. Remove pan from heat and cool jam slightly. Arrange raspberries decoratively on top of tart and brush gently with jam.

 

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MUSHROOM AND CHEVRE GALETTE

From “A Year of Pies” by Ashley English

Essentially an open-face pie, galettes are the freeform counterpart to their pressed amd molded kin. In this variation, a filling of mushrooms, herbs and a bit of chevre is mounded into a flaky rolled crust and baked open-top. While it would serve as a delicious main course, this galette would also be ideal sliced into thin wedges and served as an appetizer.

Servings: Six to eight

You will need 1/2 recipe of basic pie dough (below) and a large unrimmed baking sheet.

Basic pie dough (shortening-and-butter version; makes enough dough for one double-crust pie):

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2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

3/4 cup vegetable shortening, chilled and cubed

3/4 cup ice water

Mix the flour and salt together in a medium-large bowl.

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Using a pastry blender or two forks, cut in the butter and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal (you should still have some rather large bits of butter and shortening when you’re done).

Slowly drizzle in the ice water and stir with a large spoon until the dough begins to clump.

Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and, using your hands, hold it into itself until the flour is fully incorporated into the fats. The dough should come together easily, but should not feel overly sticky.

Divide the dough in half, shape it into two balls and pat each ball into a 1/2-inch-thick disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Proceed according to the pie recipe instructions.

Filling:

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4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1 pound mushrooms, sliced (stems and caps)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup red wine

1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock

1 tablespoon herbes de Provence (see tip)

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1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup crumbled chevre

1 large egg yolk, beaten

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare the crust:

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Remove the chilled pie dough from the refrigerator and roll out to a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer the dough to a large unrimmed baking sheet and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

Prepare the filling:

Melt the butter in a medium-sized sauce pan and add mushrooms and garlic. Saute over medium-low heat for 8 minutes.

Stir in the wine, stock, herbes de Provence, salt and pepper, then cook 15 minutes, until all the liquid has fully evaporated.

Remove from heat.

Assemble the galette:

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Spoon the mushroom mixture evenly over the center of chilled pastry circle, leaving a 2-inch border all around. Sprinkle the crumbled chevre evenly over the mushrooms, then fold up the pastry border, overlapping the edges and pressing the folds together every few inches.

Brush the folded edges of the crust with the beaten egg yolk and bake 30 minutes, until the crust is golden.

Cool 30 minutes before serving.

Variation: An equal amount of feta cheese can be substituted for the chevre.

Tip: Herbes de Provence is a traditional herbal blend from the southeastern area of France adjacent to Italy. If you are unable to locate a prepared blend, making your own is easy. Combine and store in a lidded container:

2 tablespoons dried marjoram

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2 tablespoons dried thyme

2 tablepoons dried savory

2 teaspoons dried tarragon

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

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1/2 teaspoon dried sage

Source: “A Year of Pies: A Seasonal Tour of Home Baked Pies” (Lark, $19.95) by Ashley English

 

NOT YOUR GRANDMA’S CHESS PIE

From the Granite Inn, Rockland

1 9-inch deep-dish pie shell

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1/4 cup walnuts

1/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup maple syrup (Grade B if you can get it)

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4 eggs

3 tablespoons corn meal

1/4 cup sweetened evaporated milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

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Finely chop walnuts, cranberries and flour in a food processor. Spread evenly over pie shell.

Process butter, brown sugar and syrup until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Fill pie shell.

Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees, then turn oven down to 300 degrees and cook for another 40 minutes, or until center is firm.

Serve with vanilla ice cream and maple syrup.


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