Green Tomato Pie with Cornmeal Crust (from jp)

Green Tomato Pie with Cornmeal Crust (from jp)

(Recipe from the Fannie Farmer Baking Book, p.87)

Surprisingly, this sweet, spicy pie has no tomato flavor as we know it from soups and salads.  Yellow cornmeal crust lends good color and texture to the tangy green-tomato filling.

a 9" 2-crust pie shell (the recipe recommends 2 recipes worth of a cornmeal dough crust, recipe follows, but you can substitute whatever you think will work well.)

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
6 large green tomatoes, sliced 1/4" thick (do not use stem end)
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 tbsp. cider vinegar
3 tbsp butter

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Roll out half the dough and fit it into a 9" pie pan.  Roll out the remaining dough and set it aside on waxed paper or a lightly floured surface.  Cover with waxed paper to avoid drying out.

Put the sugar, flour, salt, cloves, cinnamon, and red pepper together in a shallow bowl. Stir with a fork to mix.

Take one third of the tomato slices at a time, toss and turn them in the sugar mixture so they are evenly coated on all sides. Spread the sugared tomato slices evenly over the dough in the pan, and sprinkle the raisins over all, along with any remaining sugar mixture.

Drizzle on the vinegar, then dot with the butter.  Place the top crust on the tomato slices. Crimp the edges and cut vents in the top.

Bake for about 40 minutes or until the crust is lightly colored and juices are bubbling around the edges of the pie. Remove and serve at room temperature.

Cornmeal Dough
(one 8" pie shell, so double it generously for a 9" two-crust pie)

1 cup flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal, ground fine if possible (you can whirl coarsely ground cornmeal in a blender, if desired)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
about 3 tbsp water

Combine the flour, cornmeal, and salt, and mix. Add the shortening and cut it into the flour/cornmeal mix until the mixture looks like fresh bread crumbs. Sprinkle on the water a tablespoon at a time, stirring with a fork after each addition. Add just enough water so that the dough remains cohesive when pressed together -- it will be quite soft.

Roll on a lightly floured surface.  The dough may break easily but it is also easily mended.  The dough may be difficult to handle because of its softness.

jp

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2 Pie Crust Recipes from JP

2 Pie Crust Recipes from JP

Here are two fairly easy pie crust recipes. They're not the traditional flaky crust, but they are pretty good anyway. I am not a pie crust connoisseur. The pie crust aficionados in my life find these acceptable.

Neither of these recipes require you to do anything finicky about cutting the shortening into the flour or to be excessively careful about how you handle them.

Stirred Pie Crust

For a 2-crust 8" pie or a 9" with a lattice top. You can make it a 9" 2-crust pie, but it will be a bit thin with unlovely edges, if you care.

Cut the recipe in half for a 1-crust pie.

2 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp salt (a generous pinch)
1-1/2 tsp sugar (a generous pinch)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup milk

Mix the dry ingredients. Dump in the milk and oil (I sometimes put them in a measuring cup and briefly stir them together before dumping them in, and sometimes dump them in sequentially). Then, stir in the wet ingredients until you have a dough.

Roll it out and use it like any other pie crust. The recipe recommends you roll it out to 1/8" thick, but I just roll it to the diameter I need whatever the thickness turns out to be.

The main drawback of this recipe is that it makes a small crust. The dough gets a bit thin if you're using a larger pie tin.

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Tart Dough

This is for tarts rather than for a traditional pie. But it's dead easy and very good.

Cut a stick of butter into chunks. (One stick is 1/2 cup, 8 tablespoons, 1/4 pound). Put it into a food processor along with 1 cup of flour and a pinch of salt. Turn on food processor and whir until the ingredients are combined. Take out the dough, cover it or wrap it in plastic wrap, and put it in the refrigerator for a while.

When you're ready, take out the dough and pat it into a tart pan.

Pre-bake it if it's that kind of tart. Then fill with the tart ingredients and continue your recipe.

jp
(4/22/11)

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Marian's Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

Marian's Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

2 cups milk
scant 2 cups peanut butter
1 large pkg instant chocolate pudding mix
Large graham cracker pie crust
Cool whip or something like that

Mix peanut butter and milk. Add pudding mix and pour into pie crust.

Top with some kind of whipped cream. Store in frig.

Doesn't taste like much when first mixed - but man oh man - the next day, heaven if you love chocolate and peanut butter mixed.

For the smaller pie crust, cut everything in half.

Marian
(9/4/09)

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Eggless Pecan Pie

Eggless Pecan Pie

1-1/2 cups pecan pieces or halves
1/3 cup bread flour, sifted
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/4 cup butter
1 tbsp dark molasses
1/4 cup condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp dark rum
1 (8") pie shell, baked

Place pecan pieces or halves on cookie sheet and toast in a 375°F oven about 15 minutes or until crisp and slightly browned.

Mix flour and 1/4 cup sugar together with fork until smooth. Bring water, butter, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and molasses to a boil. Add sugar and flour mixture and whisk vigorously. Bring back to a boil over medium high heat and cook until thickened and clear, about 3 minutes. When the filling is cooked, add the 1/4 cup condensed milk along with the vanilla flavoring. Add rum and nut pieces. Stir together and pour this filling into the pie shell. Allow to cool and set before cutting.

Cheryl
(11/9/08)

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Banana Pudding and Chocolate Pie Filling

Banana Pudding and Chocolate Pie Filling

This recipe is from my Mom. Enjoy, it's delicious

2 cup milk
3 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp flour
1 good pat butter

For Chocolate Pie: add 1/4 cup cocoa in sugar.

Put flour into sugar and stir. Mix into milk in pan. Get hot. Beat yolks. Warm yolks with hot milk. Add yolks to pan. Heat until thick. Add butter. Stir in.

Jola Gayle
in sunny Memphis, TN
(4/30/08)

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Mincemeat Pie

Mincemeat Pie

Mincemeat recipe:
1 pound of anjou pears, peeled cored and chopped finely (can use apples here)
1/2 cup of dried sour cherries (dried blueberries are good too)
1/2 cup dried currants
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup brandy or Grand Marnier
2 tsp finely grated fresh lemon peel
2 tsp finely grated fresh orange peel
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup of walnuts or pecans toasted and finely chopped

Put all ingredients in an airtight container and chill stirring once a day for at least 3 days. If you do a double recipe you can bake two pies staggered up to 2 weeks. I always grate the fruit zest over the bowl to get the essential oils they release.

Double crust pastry dough:
2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1-1/2 sticks butter cold: cut into 1/2" cubes
1/4 cup of cold shortening ( I use lard)
1/2 tsp of salt
7 to 9 tsp of ice water

Blend fats, salt and flour with a pastry blender until it resembles coarse corn meal. this can be done in a food processor in short bursts. Add ice water and stir with a fork until it just holds together in your hand, depending on the humidity you will use more or less to get to this point. Divide dough in half and on a lightly floured board, smear with the heel of your hand a few times to distribute the fats. Chill at this point if it is warming up.

Roll out half the chilled dough on a floured board and place in a 9" pan. Add filling and spread out evenly. Roll out second piece of dough and cut into 1" strips and make a lattice top for the pie. Brush with cream or milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Place baking sheet in the oven and heat to 425°F. Place pie pan onto hot sheet, bake for 20 minutes and then lower temp to 375°F and bake for an hour. (you might want to line the baking sheet with foil, this pie tends to bubble over). When center bubbles and the crust is brown, remove and cool.

Great with a rich french vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream with a dab of vanilla paste and a tablespoon of powdered sugar or 3 in it. (Get vanilla paste at Trader Joe's.)

ZW
(12/02/06)

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Chocolate Cream Pie

Chocolate Cream Pie
Makes on 9" pie

For the best chocolate flavor and texture, we recommend either Callebaut semisweet and unsweetened chocolates or Hershey's Special Dark and Hershey's unsweetened chocolates. Do not combine the yolks and sugar in advance of making the filling--the sugar will begin to denature the yolks, and the finished cream will be pitted.

Chocolate Cookie Crumb Crust
16 Oreo cookies (with filling), broken into rough pieces, about 2-1/2 cups
2 tbsp unsalted butter , melted and cooled

Chocolate Cream Filling
2-1/2 cups half-and-half
pinch table salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
6 large egg yolks at room temperature, chalazae (protein strands attached to yolk) removed
6 tbsp unsalted butter (cold), cut into 6 pieces
6 oz. semisweet chocolate or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate finely chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract

Whipped Cream Topping
1-1/2 cups heavy cream (cold)
1-1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For the Crust:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350°F.

In bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade, process cookies with 15 one-second pulses, then let machine run until crumbs are uniformly fine, about 15 seconds. (Alternatively, place cookies in large zipper-lock plastic bag and crush with rolling pin.) Transfer crumbs to medium bowl, drizzle with butter, and use fingers to combine until butter is evenly distributed.

Pour crumbs into 9" Pyrex pie plate. Press crumbs evenly onto bottom and up sides of pie plate. Refrigerate lined pie plate 20 minutes to firm crumbs, then bake until crumbs are fragrant and set, about 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack while preparing filling.

For the Filling:
Bring half-and-half, salt, and about 3 tbsp. sugar to simmer in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally with wooden spoon to dissolve sugar. Stir together remaining sugar and cornstarch in small bowl, then sprinkle over yolks and whisk, scraping down sides of bowl, if necessary, until mixture is glossy and sugar has begun to dissolve, about 1 minute. Whisk yolks thoroughly in medium bowl until slightly thickened, about 30 seconds. When half-and-half reaches full simmer, drizzle about 1/2 cup hot half-and-half over yolks, whisking constantly to temper; then whisk egg yolk mixture into simmering half-and-half (mixture should thicken in about 30 seconds). Return to simmer, whisking constantly, until 3 or 4 bubbles burst on the surface and mixture is thickened and glossy, about 15 seconds longer.

Off heat, whisk in butter until incorporated; add chocolates and whisk until melted, scraping pan bottom with rubber spatula to fully incorporate. Stir in vanilla, then immediately pour filling into baked and cooled crust. Press plastic wrap directly on surface of filling and refrigerate pie until filling is cold and firm, about 3 hours.

Just before serving, beat cream, sugar, and vanilla in bowl of standing mixer on low speed until small bubbles form, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium; continue beating until beaters leave a trail, about 30 seconds more. Increase speed to high; continue beating until cream is smooth, thick, and nearly doubled in volume and forms soft peaks, about 20 seconds. Spread or pipe whipped cream over chilled pie filling. Cut pie into wedges and serve.

Tracy J.
(11/27/06)

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Cranberry Raisin Apple Pie

Cranberry Raisin Apple Pie

You'll also notice that many measurements are given as a range (like the 1-1/2 to 2 cups sugar). These are all about "to your tastes", as well as like if your apples are especially tart or you like more or less raisins in things, etc. Oh, and several recipes I looked thru also added a measure of chopped walnuts or pecans, up to about 1 cup. Not in mine, but it could be optional if you like them.

12 oz bag cranberries – chopped (cut in half is fine, if you have the patience)
1-1/2 to 2 cups raisins
1 to 2 cups thinly sliced apples, enough to finish filling your pie crust
1 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 to 2 cups sugar
2 to 4 tsp.. flour (or 3 tbsp quick tapioca)

Mix fruits and vanilla.
Mix dry ingredients.
Sprinkle 2 tbsp dry on pie shell.

Mix dry ingredients with the fruit mix, allow to sit at least 15 minutes and then put in pie shell (taste test before putting into pie shell, in case you need the higher amount of sugar after all)

Dot with 2 tbsp. butter.

Cover with lattice crust – needs lattice for ventilation. Bake at 475°F for 15 minutes, lower heat to 350°F for 35 minutes.

Good cold (do refrigerate) or hot/warm with ice cream....

Dr. Maggie
(11/26/06)

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Utterly Deadly Southern Pecan Pie

Utterly Deadly Southern Pecan Pie

OK Here's my contribution (and thanks for the help in wanting to know how big a half recipie will be.)

4 eggs
1-1/4 cups clear syrup
1-1/2 cups broken pecans
1 cup sugar
4 tbsp. butter
1 tsp vanilla

Boil sugar and syrup together for three minutes. Beat the eggs well (with mixer) then pour in slowly the hot syrup, (while beating), add the butter, vanilla, and pecan meats. Pour into a raw pie shell and bake 350°F for 45 minutes or until set.

Jeanne
(11/25/06)

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Chocolate Kahlua Pecan Pie (from Dierbergs)

Chocolate Kahlua Pecan Pie (from Dierbergs)

Not cake, but just about as sinful as some of the other recipes - very tasty indeed ;oP

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

3/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tbsp Kahlua or other coffee liqueur
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup butter
1-1/2 cups pecan pieces
2 (1 oz each) squares unsweetened chocolate
1 - 9" unbaked pie crust
3 eggs

In small saucepan, bring corn syrup, brown sugar and butter to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate until melted; cool slightly.

In medium bowl, whisk eggs with Kahlua and vanilla. Slowly whisk in chocolate mixture. Stir in pecans. Pour into crust.

Bake on bottom rack in preheated 350ºF oven for 35–40 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serve with Kahlua whipped cream. Store in refrigerator.Makes 10 servings.

Kahlua Whipped Cream:
In small chilled bowl, beat together 1 cup whipping cream, 3 tbsp powdered sugar and 1 tbsp Kahlua until soft peaks form.

Joy in MO
(11/10/06)

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Key Lime Pie

Key Lime Pie

Another version of the classic, this one from my mother. It dates back at least to the '60's and possibly earlier. It may be from an old Fanny Farmer cookbook.

3-4 eggs, separated
lime juice to taste (usually 3-4 limes, maybe 1/4 to 1/2 cup)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
a bit of sugar
lime zest (optional)
1 pie crust

Beat the egg yolks until they are thick and straw-colored. Add the sweetened condensed milk and the lime juice and mix well. Add a bit of green food coloring if you think the pie needs it. Add a pinch of salt if you're the sort of person who does that. Pour this into the pie shell.

In a separate and very clean bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold peaks but are not too stiff or dry. Add a generous pinch of sugar (to taste). Spread this meringue on top of the pie, going all the way to the crust to seal it.

Bake in a 350°F oven (give or take a bit) until the meringue is nicely golden (somewhere in the 20-40 minute range, but I can't remember exactly, sorry). Remove and let cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator. Then eat. Refrigerate leftovers if you have any.

This was my mother's recipe, so all amounts and techniques are more or less approximate. She might use a graham cracker crust, an unbaked regular pie shell, a partially baked pie shell, etc., depending on her mood and what was available. Lime zest was added to the filling, to the meringue, to both, or to neither, depending on her mood. If she was short on limes, she'd make it up with bottled lime juice or even lemon juice.

I have no idea where my mother got this recipe, nor what changes she made to it over the years. I don't know if it is necessary to torture the egg yolks or if less vigorous beating is OK. I don't know if the filling or meringue gets hot enough to be safe according to current safety guidelines. I do know the above general guidelines make a yummy pie.

Even if you don't use lime zest in this pie, save it for use in other desserts or meals.

jp
(10/3/05)

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Maple Cream Pie

Maple Cream Pie

From: Cooking from Quilt Country by Marcia Adams

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup maple syrup
dash of salt
1 baked 8" pie shell
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp toasted chopped pecans (optional)

In a medium saucepan, combine the condensed milk, maple syrup, and salt. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture bubbles up, then cook, uncovered, for 4 minutes, watching carefully to prevent scorching. Pour into the baked shell. Let cool completely, about 3 hours.

In a chilled bowl, combined the cream, confectioners sugar and vanilla. Beat until stiff peaks form. Spread on the cooled pie, and top with toasted pecans. Chill until ready to serve.

Devorah Z.
(11/29/04)

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Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pie
Servings: 8

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk

1 can (30 oz) pumpkin pie filling (must be the filling mix not just plain pumpkin)

1 box (18 oz) yellow cake mix

1 cup butter melted

1 cup pecans chopped

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, evaporated milk and pumpkin pie filling.
• Pour into greased 9" x 13" pan.
• Sprinkle dry cake mix over batter.
• Drizzle melted butter over.
• Cover with chopped pecans.
• Bake 60-70 minutes being careful not to let pecans burn.

Garnish with whipped cream if desired.

Marian Gall, on top of an Arizona mountain

Because "nice" does matter
(11/26/04)

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Fruit Mince Base Recipe

Fruit Mince Base Recipe
For tarts, pies, cookies, etc.

(This recipe uses gram measurements. Use an online calculator for American measurements.)

This recipe won 1st prize at the Royal Melbourne show in Australia twice.

250 gm suet
375 gm raisins
375 gm currants
125 gm sultanas
125 gm mixed peel (if you need a recipe for candied citrus peel, let me know. using commercial peel is nasty)
750 gm cooking apples (peeled and cored before weighing. I use Northern Spy)
250 gm marmalade (again, homemade is best)
1 lemon (zest and juice)
250 gm brown sugar
1/2 tsp mixed spice (60% coriander, 30% cinnamon, 5% nutmeg, 5% ginger and clove)
1/4 tsp ground ginger
150 ml brandy

Mince suet and set aside. Mince dried fruits then apples, grating the apples works well. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Store in jars until required. Keeps pretty much indefinitely if you keep it in the fridge. Makes a copious amount, so you might want to halve the recipe.

I love mince pie and always used to have it with Dad, but since he died, no one will eat it with me.

T
(11/24/04)

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Rhubarb Cream Pie ala Monique

Rhubarb Cream Pie ala Monique

(metric users are on their own!) LOL

1-1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp nutmeg

Add:
3 slightly beaten eggs
and 4 cups rhubarb

Pour into 9" pie pastry shell.
Dot with 2 tbsp butter.
Lattice crust top, flute edge.

Bake 400°F 50-60 min.

I hope I didn't put anyone off by calling it Rhubarb Custard Pie. It's actually Rhubarb Cream Pie, but I swear it *looks* exactly like a custard pie with rhubarb in it. And no, I didn't leave anything out--there is no additional liquid, just what comes from the rhubarb.

Denise
(6/9/04)

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Onion Tart

Onion Tart

Mary had written: I took an onion tart to Cummington last year, and it quickly disappeared. This got the reply of: Please share this recipe. I love anything with onions and this sounds intriguing.

Winging it a bit, which is how I tend to cook. Can't remember if this what I did exactly, but if I were going to bake it right now:

Make a single crust pie crust; or even a larger one, if you want to use a pizza pan. I think I made a single crust. I probably made it with olive oil, or olive and canola. I think I baked it half way. A cream cheese crust would work well too.

For the topping, and you should probably make the topping while the pie-crust is chilling in the fridge, thinly slice a lot of onions. Maybe 3 or 4 good sized onions. Sauté in olive oil (don't need extra virgin, just a decent 100% olive oil), and cook them down until they're nice an mushy. Add some thyme, salt and pepper if you like, and sliced calamata olives. Let it mellow awhile, even with the lid on the pot.

Spread the topping on the pie crust and bake until done.

Mary
(4/14/04)

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Nick's Chocolate Fudge Pie

Nick's Chocolate Fudge Pie

A friend of the family made this pie and it was wonderful. If you watch for butterfat in your crust and chips, it is vegan too.

Put 1 bag (12 oz) of Chocolate chips in a bowl and melt in the microwave, they need to be pour-able when melted.

Pour in to a blender or food processor and add 1 (12 oz) block of silken firm tofu and a splash of vanilla extract (or the extract or liqueur of your choice) Blend until fully mixed and smooth.

Pour in to a 8" graham cracker crust, and chill to set.

Serves 12

Goes great with Tea or coffee, and is delicious topped with whipped cream (or a non-dairy topping?)

Emily of New Moon
(1/22/04)

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Water Whip Pie Crust

Water Whip Pie Crust

Here's the recipe I use and it has never failed me. Most people just can't believe it, but it works!

3/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup boiling water
1 tbsp milk
2 cups flour (sifted)
1 tsp. salt

Put shortening in a bowl. Add boiling water and milk. Whip with a fork until a thick, smooth texture is formed and all liquid is absorbed. Sift flour and salt into mixture and stir quickly into a dough. Work lightly until smooth.

Roll out on a floured surface.

LaVonne
(11/30/03)

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Chocolate Caramel Shortbread, Slice, and Tartlets Recipes

Chocolate Caramel Shortbread, Slice, and Tartlets Recipes

Chocolate Caramel Shortbread

Base
Cream together 125g butter and 1/4 cup castor sugar until light and fluffy. Sift 1 cup plain flour and gradually add to creamed mixture, making a firm dough. Press into a greased 11" x 7" lamington tin. Baked in a moderate oven (325°F-350°F) 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool in tin.

Caramel
Combine 125g butter 1/2 cup castor sugar, 3 tablespoons (1 tabs = 4 teaspoons) golden syrup and 400g can sweetened condensed milk in a medium saucepan with a heavy base, stir over low heat until butter is melted and sugar dissolved, continue stirring, increasing heat, bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Pour hot caramel mixture over cold shortbread base.

Chocolate
Melt 90 g dark chocolate with 30 g butter in double saucepan, stir well. Spread chocolate over cooled caramel, cut into squares when set.

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Chocolate Caramel Slice

1-1/2 cups self-raising flour
3 tsp cocoa
1/3 cup castor sugar
1/3 cup coconut
185g (6 oz) butter, melted

Topping
1 cup castor sugar
125 g butter
2 tbsp golden syrup
1/3 cup liquid glucose
1/3 cup water
400g can sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
300g dark chocolate, chopped.

Grease a 25cm x 30cm swiss roll pan.

Combine sifted flour and cocoa, sugar, coconut and butter in bowl; mix well. Press evenly over base of prepared pan. Bake in a moderate oven (325°F-350°F) for 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before spreading with topping. Sprinkle evenly with walnuts; cool to room temperature; spread with chocolate, refrigerate until set, and cut into squares.

Topping:
Combine sugar, butter, golden syrup, glucose, water and milk in saucepan. Stir constantly over low heat without boiling until sugar is dissolved; increase heat, boil steadily, stirring constantly for about 10 minutes or until caramel in colour. Melt chocolate over hot water; cool slightly before using.

And for something along the same lines, but a little bit different:

Caramel Cream Tartlets

Tartlet Pastry
3/4 cup plain flour
1/2 cup self-raising flour
2 tbsp custard powder
2 tbsp icing (powdered?) sugar
125 g butter
1 tbsp iced water, approximately

Sift dry ingredients, rub in butter, add enough water to make ingredients cling together.

Knead lightly on floured surface until smooth. Wrap in plastic food wrap, refrigerate 30 minutes. Roll pastry between two pieces of plastic food wrap to about 2mm thick. Cut pastry into 8cm rounds with sharp fluted cutter, place into patty pans.

Bake in a moderately hot oven (400°F-425°F) for 10 minutes or until light golden brown, cool in pans.

Makes approx 24 tartlet cases.

Filling
400g can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup Cream
250g chocolate, melted

Combine condensed milk and brown sugar in pan, bring to boil, stirring. Stir constantly over heat for about 10 minutes or until mixture is thick and golden brown. Quickly stir in combined egg and cream, cool to room temperature.

Spoon filling into tartlet cases, top with whipped cream (if desired) and drizzle with melted chocolate.

Enjoy
Leigh
(10/22/03)

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Janet's Chocolate Medicinal Mousse Pie

Janet's Chocolate Medicinal Mousse Pie
Serves 8 to 12
From a Science News article (v.157, no.12, March 18, 2000) about the health effects of chocolate,

This recipe, a household favorite, wows guests who—even after finishing a sinfully rich slice of pie—never suspect that the main ingredient is tofu. In the past, I've always billed the dessert as heart-healthy, based on studies suggesting that soy products can offer cardiovascular and anti-cancer benefits. In fact, I adapted this recipe from a fattier and more heavily sweetened version that was served 6 years ago to me and other attendees of the First International Symposium on the Role of Soy in Preventing and Treating Chronic Disease.

Despite the pie's soy base, however, I often felt a twinge of guilt over the heavy dose of chocolate present in each slice.

With the newly emerging data on dark chocolate's flavonoids, I now feel less self-conscious about serving this popular dessert. I can point out that its bounty of chocolate may actually contribute to the pie's offering of a cardiovascular double whammy. And the stearic acid in chocolate, although a saturated fat, is the type that doesn't appear to raise serum cholesterol.

Want a triple whammy? Serve with a cup of strong, flavonoid-rich darjeeling tea. The especially good news: This pie is so rich that it's easy to be satisfied with a very small slice.

2 boxes of low-fat Mori-Nu silken tofu (12.3-oz. each, any firmness)
1 (10 oz) package of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 tsp. sugar
1/3 tsp. water
chocolate-cookie no-bake pie shell
raspberries or strawberries (garnish)

Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler until the chips retain their shape but are soft as warm butter. Remove from heat and let stand a couple minutes.

Puree the tofu in a food processor—about 2 minutes—frequently scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl to ensure that all of the tofu is converted from a soft brick into a warm-pudding consistency. Add the water to the sugar, then mix both into the tofu. Add the softened chocolate and stir until thoroughly mixed. Pour into a chocolate-cookie pie shell and swirl the top to make soft peaks, like frosting a cake. Garnish with berries. Then chill to set. Ready in 1 hour.

LauraJ
(9/27/03)

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