Best Pies to Serve this Holiday Season
No matter the holiday gathering, a beautiful and tasty pie is always a special gift to satisfy that sweet tooth. Trust us, these pie recipes are bound to be the star of the event.
Just make sure to save a slice for Santa (so that, you know, you can get what you want this Christmas!).
White Christmas Pie
Cue music: I've been dreaming of a White Christmas.......Well, even if there's no snow in sight wherever you are at the moment, you can experience Winter Wonderland in a bite. This baked pie crust is filled with a creamy and sweet coconut filling, flavored with both almond and vanilla extract.
To make the crust, cut the butter into pats and place flat on a plate, then put on the freezer until firm. Use a food processor to combine flour, salt and sugar, then add cold shortening. Add the frozen butter and pulse until the butter is pea-size. Pulse while adding cold water until you see the dough coming together. Pour the dough onto a floured counter and press together into a disc. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
After 30 minutes, remove the dough and on a floured surface, roll it out larger than your standard 10” pie plate. Place the dough over the pie plate and gently press in and up and over the edges. Next, place it on the freezer for 30 minutes just so it won't collapse while baking. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the prepared dough in the oven for 20 minutes. After that, puncture the bottom of the crust to release steam and place it back in the oven for 15 more minutes. Cool to room temperature.
While baking, you can work on the filling. You will need to prepare the usual gelatin mixture mixed with granulated flour and salt. Add in milk then over medium heat, bring to a boil everything. Meanwhile, beat 1/2 cup of heavy cream to soft peaks and set aside. Then beat egg whites with cream of tartar and granulated sugar to stiff peaks.
In a large bowl, place cooled whipped filling and gently fold in whipped cream, beaten egg whites plus shredded coconut. Scrape the mixture evenly into the baked pie crust. Again, whip another two cups of heavy cream to stiff peaks and using a large pastry bag with a large star tip, make a decorative top over the filling and then sprinkle some coconut over the top. An optional step is to add strawberries and dusted with confectioners' sugar.
Mint Brownie Pie
Mint has always been representative of Christmas and as a homage of some sort to this flavor, we're gonna talk about this delicious Mint Brownie Pie. Now, before you raise your eyebrows--you could be among the crowd of mint-and-chocolate-combo non-fans--we're still hoping that perhaps this recipe will change your mind.
First, the brownie crust. In a large saucepan over low heat, melt butter and chocolate. Stir in sugar until smooth, then add eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour until well blended. Pour the batter into a greased springform pan. Next, bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, for the filling, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in mint extract and, if desired, a little bit of green food coloring. Fold in your choice of frozen whipped topping, then spread evenly over the brownie crust. To set the filling, refrigerate the pie for at least an hour and it's good to go.
For garnish, you can melt chocolate chips and drizzle it over the top.
Spiced Cherry Pie
Bring your all-time favorite cherry pie into the holidays. Amp up the celebration factor of this delightful treat by adding a tasty boost of cinnamon and allspice on the filling.
First things first, pit those delicious cherries using a reliable cherry pitter. Pitting is always an issue when making a cherry pie and since we're still at the first step, it would be great if the tool doesn't already give you a headache. Good thing StarBlue has a fantastic Cherry Pitter that does the job well (winks!).
Now, onto the filling. In a medium saucepan, combine granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt, and allspice. Add cherry juice and butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Then, remove from heat and stir in the cherries you pitted.
For the crust, we're going to make things easier by using a rolled refrigerated unbaked piecrust. Let it stand at room temperature according to package directions. Unroll it into a 9-inch pie plate, being careful not to stretch or prick. Cut the remaining piecrust in 1/2-inch wide strips.
Pour the filling you prepared into the pastry. Weave the strips over the filling, creating a lattice pattern, then press the strip ends into bottom pastry rim. Bake the pie in a 375 degree F oven for 30 minutes. Check it then put it back on the oven for 30 to 35 minutes more or until the filling is bubbly in the center and the crust is golden. To serve, sprinkle with some coarse sugar.
What are your favorite pie recipes that are truly representative of the Holiday season? Share them at the comments!
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