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Theirs vs. Mine: Chocolate Caramel Cream Pie

partysugar — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 08:00:59 -0700

With its cookie crust, cool filling, and fluffy topping, who can say no to a slice of chocolate caramel cream pie? I should have taken advantage of Summer's glorious fruits, but honestly I prefer cream pies. Just writing the name makes my mouth water and entices images of pillowy whipped cream. The chocolate pudding filling is like a glossy pool, you can't resist diving in with your spoon.

As you can tell from my photo, patience is not one of my virtues. The pie needed more time to set, and although the flavor was pure, rich deliciousness, it was a tad soupy. To experiment with your own scrumptious pie, read more.

Chocolate Caramel Cream Pie
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

Chocolate Pie Crust
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups whole milk
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (preferably 61 percent to 70 percent cacao), finely chopped
4 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Caramel Whipped Cream, recipe below
1 thick block bittersweet chocolate, room temperature, for garnish

Directions

Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a small bowl.
Heat milk and chocolate in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until chocolate melts.
Whisk 1 cup hot milk mixture into sugar mixture until smooth.
Whisk milk-sugar mixture into the remaining milk mixture in the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until bubbling and thick, 4 to 5 minutes total (about 2 minutes after it comes to a boil).
Whisk yolks in a medium bowl until combined. Pour in milk mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking until completely incorporated.
Return mixture to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it just begins to bubble, 1 to 2 minutes.
Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla. Let custard cool in saucepan on a wire rack, whisking occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
Pour custard into chocolate crust. Press plastic wrap directly on surface of custard. Refrigerate until custard filling is chilled and firm, at least 4 hours (or overnight).
Spread caramel whipped cream over pie. Using a vegetable peeler, scrape chocolate block at a 45-degree angle to make a small mound of shavings, and sprinkle over whipped cream. Serve immediately, or refrigerate and serve within 2 hours.

Makes 1 pie.

Caramel Whipped Cream

1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon water
Salt
1 1/4 cups cold heavy cream

Prepare an ice-water bath.
Heat sugar, water, and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Cook, without stirring, until mixture is amber. (Do not let caramel burn.) Carefully pour in 1/2 cup cream in a slow, steady stream down the side of the saucepan, whisking constantly, until smooth (caramel will bubble).
Remove from heat, and place saucepan in ice-water bath. Let caramel mixture cool, stirring occasionally, until cold, about 20 minutes.
Whisk remaining 3/4 cup cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Gently fold caramel mixture into whipped cream, and whisk until stiff peaks form. Use immediately.

Makes 2 cups.

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Come Party With Me: Summer Solstice - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:15:33 -0700

After serving the Italian style meal at your summer solstice dinner, wait at least a half an hour before offering guests dessert. Set up a decadent dessert buffet with fresh berries and store bought sorbet. Supplement the menu with one show stopping, homemade dessert. A cold, creamy chocolate silk pie is rich and delicious. The pie has to be made in advance making it an ideal finish to a party. To check out the recipe, which I found on MyRecipes.com, read more.

Chocolate Silk Pie
From Cooking Light

Ingredients

Crust:
1 (10-inch) piecrust or 1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups 2-percent reduced-fat milk
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
Meringue:
5 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
2/3 cup water
Grated chocolate (optional)

Get more recipes at MyRecipes.com

Directions

Prepare and bake piecrust in a 10-inch deep-dish pie plate. Cool completely on a wire rack.
To prepare filling, combine 1/2 cup sugar, cocoa, flour, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan; stir with a whisk.
Gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; cook 2 minutes or until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat; add chopped chocolate, stirring until chocolate melts. Spoon chocolate mixture into a bowl; place bowl in a large ice-filled bowl for 10 minutes or until chocolate mixture comes to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Remove bowl from ice.
To prepare meringue, place egg whites and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form.
Combine 1 1/4 cups sugar and water in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until candy thermometer registers 238°F.
Pour hot sugar syrup in a thin stream over egg whites, beating at high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold 2 cups meringue into chocolate mixture.
Spread chocolate mixture into prepared crust. Spread remaining meringue over chocolate mixture. Chill 8 hours; garnish with grated chocolate, if desired.

Serves 10 (serving size: 1 wedge).

Nutritional Information: CALORIES 314(26% from fat); FAT 9.1g (sat 3.4g,mono 2.1g,poly 1.6g); IRON 1.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 4mg; CALCIUM 58mg; CARBOHYDRATE 55.8g; SODIUM 257mg; PROTEIN 6g; FIBER 2.2g

Like the recipe above? Try out some of these other ones:

- 10 Cool and Creamy Desserts Under 300 Calories
- Entertaining Menus and Party Ideas
- Eat Smart at CookingLight.com
- Get More Chocolate Recipes

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This Thanksgiving, Make Triple-Chocolate Pumpkin Pie!

partysugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:00:33 -0800

Although I can't deny the deliciousness of a slice of classic, cinnamon-laced pumpkin pie, in recent years, I've expanded my horizons to somewhat non-traditional Thanksgiving desserts. Pecan pie? Surprisingly easy, yet wildly delicious. Pumpkin meringue pie? An unexpected crowd-pleaser. Pumpkin cake with pecan brittle and whipped cream cheese frosting? Devoured in seconds. Triple chocolate pumpkin pie? Sign me up! When I came across this recipe, while browsing Martha Stewart's Thanksgiving central, I knew I had to try it. If you've made pumpkin pie in the past, you can master this. It's actually easier because the crust is made from graham crackers instead of a standard pastry dough. The resulting pie is dense and rich. Each bite is an experience of flavors: first you taste chocolate, then pumpkin, and finally the sweet crust. To take a look at the recipe, read more.

Triple-Chocolate Pumpkin Pie
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

For the graham cracker crust
2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs (about 16 crackers)
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate (preferably 61 percent cacao), finely chopped
For the filling:
6 ounces semisweet chocolate (preferably 55 percent cacao), chopped
2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Ground cloves
1 ounce milk chocolate, melted

Directions

Make the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugars, salt, and cinnamon in bowl. Firmly press mixture into bottom and up sides of a deep, 9 1/2-inch pie dish. Bake until firm, 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove from oven, and sprinkle bittersweet chocolate over bottom of crust. Return to oven to melt chocolate, about 1 minute. Spread chocolate in a thin layer on bottom and up sides.
Let cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
Make the filling: In a large heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt semisweet chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat.
Mix pumpkin, milk, brown sugar, eggs, cornstarch, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and a pinch of cloves in a medium bowl. Whisk 1/3 pumpkin mixture into chocolate mixture. Whisk in remaining pumpkin mixture until completely incorporated.
Transfer pie dish to a rimmed baking sheet, and pour pumpkin mixture into crust. Bake until center is set but still a bit wobbly, 55 to 60 minutes. Let cool in pie dish on a wire rack.
Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 8 hours (preferably overnight). Before serving, drizzle melted milk chocolate on top. Serve immediately.

Serves 12.

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Chocolate Caramel Cream Pie

partysugar — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:25:00 -0700

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Must-Read: The Sweet Melissa Baking Book

YumSugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 10:40:24 -0700

"The best food doesn't have to be challenging in its preparation, but should recall our fondest food memories," Melissa Murphy writes in The Sweet Melissa Baking Book. That pretty much sums up the philosophy of this cookbook ($17.82), penned by the brainchild of Brooklyn's popular Sweet Melissa Patisseries. Here, the French Culinary Institute-trained pastry chef reveals the secrets behind the refined, yet homespun, baked treats that the bakery's known for. Was the tome a sweet success? Find out when you read more

What's Yummy This Week - YumSugar Weekly Recap

YumSugar — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 09:30:59 -0700

Seriously, make this cherry pie: it's the best you'll ever have.
Party plans a "birthday paw-ty" for FabSugar's cutie-pie French bulldog.
Starbucks is changing the names of several of its stores.
Check out Summer's collection of cool, creamy ice cream cakes.
We conducted a side-by-side test of two European raisin-and-nut chocolate bars.
Find out why Texans love the soft filled pastries known as kolaches.
An inside look at the food at a rustic wedding hosted on the banks of Northern California's Russian River.

In Season: Cherries

YumSugar — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:50:02 -0700

Watermelon, strawberries, peaches - there are so many fruits that get me jazzed for Summer, but the cherry is my all-time favorite. Whether it's the mild, yellow rainier or the ultrasweet bing, there's something magical about the sensation of biting through the cherry's taut, shiny skin and getting a burst of sweet, slightly tart, juicy flesh. Take advantage of cherries now, because they have a short Summer season that lasts through July. Find out how to best choose - and use - these miniature stone fruits when you read more.

When picking cherries, select fruits that are firm, plump, and without blemishes. Cherries are among the fruits that don't ripen once they've been picked, so choose the darkest ones for the sweetest taste. Don't discount those bright red cherries, however: they make a wonderful tart addition to pies, jams, and drinks.

Admittedly, my favorite way to eat cherries is out of my hand, but nonetheless, I also enjoy making them a regular part of my Summer kitchen in a multitude of ways:

Serve sweet cherries alongside mint, grapes, and peaches in a Summer fruit salad.
Whip up a fast cherry pan sauce for lamb rib chops.
Make cherries the life of the bar with a cherry mojito or a bing cherry margarita.
Transport yourself to the French countryside by baking a classic cherry clafouti.
Cool down for dessert with ice cream sandwiches made with cherry chocolate ice cream and puff pastry.

What are your favorite tips for preparing cherries? Please share them with me below!

Must-Read: Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey

YumSugar — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 03:30:04 -0800

Party recently polled you about dessert preferences, and it came as no surprise that most of you love dessert in any form. Many of you, however, singled out gooey, sticky sweets as your preference. Naturally, I had this in mind when I came across Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey: Desserts for the Serious Sweet Tooth ($15.61) by pastry chef Jill O'Connor. To find out what I thought of this collection of puddings, cookies, cakes, and sweet pies, read more.

Pros:

Helpful primer explains everything from the differences between types of cocoa powder to the best bristles for a pastry brush.
Desserts strive to be complex, with innovative, sophisticated flavor pairings.
Whimsical, vintage-inspired graphic design makes for an aesthetically pleasing book.
O'Connell adds plenty of personal flourish, telling amusing anecdotes, explaining the story behind every recipe, and sprinkling poignant quips about desserts along the way.

Cons:

Some recipes, like Cap-n Crunch Crispy Treats, are basic, but others - such as a three-page recipe for Coconut Cream Puffs - are tricky and complex.
Unless you're cooking for a party of eight, you may need to cut the recipes in half.
As pretty as the typography is, the ingredient list is written in such small font that it can be difficult to read quickly.
Rather than being easily numbered, the steps are written in paragraph form.

Recipes: The recipes cover just about everything. A few that left my mouth watering:

Chocolate Mascarpone Cheesecake Pots With Shortbread Spoons
Coconut Milk-Cream Cheese Flan
Milky Way Tempura-on-a-Stick
White Trash Panini
Gingersnap Dulce de Leche Ice Cream Sandwiches
Dark Chocolate Soup With Cinnamon-Toasted Pound Cake Croutons
Double-Crumble Hot Apple Pies
Sweet Pink Grapefruit-Tangerine Mousse With Phyllo Ruffles

Imagery: Although only a third of the recipes have pictures, the photographs are vivid, lush, and beautifully arranged.

Overall Rating: If you're a dessert fanatic looking to experiment with creative recipes, this would be the perfect cookbook to turn to. It would also make a gracious hostess gift.

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Reader Recipe: Diabetic Chocolate Mousse Pie

YumSugar — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 07:56:31 -0700

One of my parent's closest friends is diabetic. Unfortunately, I didn't find out until after I made a huge batch of chocolate chip cookies for him. My sister and I felt really proud of our baking accomplishments, walked over to his house, delivered our goods, only to return home and have my mom say, "You know he can't eat those, right?" Luckily the grandkids were in town and devoured all the cookies, but it got me hunting around for a good diabetic dessert recipe. Turns out I didn't have to look very far, as TeamSugar member rlveronica recently posted a fantastic looking Diabetic Chocolate Mousse Pie. It looks tasty enough for even the biggest sweet-fiend and friendly enough for her diabetic dad to eat. If you want to check out the recipe, read more

Recipe submitted by TeamSugar member rlveronica.

My father is a diabetic and doesn't get to enjoy desserts anymore, so I thought I'd make a pie that he could eat and not feel guilty about!

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup whipped cream (I used Cool Whip Free)
3 tbsps of cold water
1 tsp vanilla extract
14 tsp artificial sweetener (I used Splenda)
1 tsp unflavored powder gelatin
1 store bought or homemade graham cracker pie crust

1. In a small saucepan, soften gelatin in cold water
2. Low heat 'til gelatin dissolves completely
3. Mix in a bowl: cocoa, vanilla & whipped cream until stiff
4. Add sweetener and the liquid gelatin and beat until well mixed
5. Place the mixture in a graham cracker pie crust
6. Chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour

(I added the rest of the whip cream on top!)

source

Summer of Sandwiches: Living the Americone Dream

YumSugar — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 13:16:39 -0700

Let's face it, some nights there's barely enough time to make a main dish, let alone dessert - especially if you're pulling together an impromptu dinner party. In a pinch, you've probably picked up a bakery cake or pie and said, "that'll do." However, now that the weather's warmer, I suggest a dessert that's just as simple and wonderfully seasonal: ice cream sandwiches. Everyone loves them and are always amazed by the effort. If you use completely store-bought ingredients (like Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream and and Pepperidge Farm cookies) the entire dessert comes together in about 2 minutes. I won't tell your guests if you don't!

To read a few tips on flavor pairings, how to choose the right cookies and how to keep your sandwiches firm, read more

When making ice cream sandwiches, try to let either the ice cream do the talking, or the cookie. For example, when I made my sandwiches, I chose Ben & Jerry's Americone Dream, vanilla with a caramel swirl and chocolate covered waffle cone pieces and decided to pair it with simple chocolate cookies. However, if I had gone for a lemon-ginger cookie, I probably would have paired it with plain vanilla.
When choosing a cookie, look for ones that are large and chewy when fresh. If they're too firm they're likely to crack when eating. The best ones are cookies you can really sink your teeth in. If you're going with store-bought cookies, look at the ones they offer in the bakery first. If your grocery store doesn't have a bakery, look for large ones that are labeled chewy.
Use an ice cream scoop to portion out the ice cream. One large scoop in the center will be easier to deal with than several smaller spoonfuls.
Before scooping, take the ice cream out of the freezer for 15 minutes. This will make the ice cream softer and easier to scoop.
You can serve your sandwiches immediately, but they may be quite runny and the ice cream will squish out the sides while eating. To prevent this, make them and put them on a baking sheet (covered in wax or parchment paper) and stick them in the freezer for at least 30 minutes (tip: make them before you start making dinner). If you plan on keeping them around for a few days, be sure to transfer them to an airtight container.

Know any great ice cream sandwich tips? How about great store-bought cookie recommendations? Tell us all in the comments below!

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