#SundaySupper~Lemon Meringue Pie for #BakeforaCure with Chantal

October 21, 2012 By 54 Comments

Happy Sunday, all!

This week the #SundaySupper crew is teaming up with Chantal for a #BakeforaCure #SundaySupper. October is Breast Cancer Awarness month, and Chantal is working to create awareness with their baking products and is encouraging their audience to bake something for someone who is undergoing cancer treatment or has been affected by cancer. What says “get well soon” better than a baked good straight from the heart?

Chantal was generous enough to give 20 lucky #SundaySupper team members one of their Easy As Pie Dish to take for a test run, and I happened to be one of the lucky 20. Can I just tell you how thrilled I was to receive one of these gorgeous pie dishes…very! Baking is what I do best, so I was tickled to receive such an amazing pie dish. I may have even done a little dance when I found my name on the list of chosen bloggers. It’s the little things that thrill me most.

About Chantal:  Chantal Cookware was founded by Heida Thurlow, a German-born citizen who relocated to the United States in 1971. Heida is considered to be the first woman in the U.S. to launch and run a cookware company.

Chantal is known for their innovation in kitchen cookware development and have achieved several firsts for the kitchen; including, introducing dramatic color to the table, designing tempered glass lids and stay-cool handles for cookware, and designing several intuitive features for cooking, serving, and storing.

About the Easy As Pie Dish:  The newest innovation for bakers everywhere is the Easy As Pie-Dish™ from Chantal. The patented design simplifies the art of baking the perfect pie. Designed for ease, the interior ridges conveniently hold the dough in place and provide an even, uniform mold for the outer crust. A raised rim on the outside of the dish allows for precise trimming of excess dough. 9″ interior Diameter. Microwave, Oven, Freezer and Dishwasher safe (Chantal).

The Messy Baker’s Review:  Chantal has created a gorgeous and user-friendly pie dish. I was lucky enough to receive their signature Apple Red color, which resembles the deep red of a red delicious apple. Its high shine glaze creates an appealing exterior, but also makes it easy to slice and remove a piece of pie effortlessly. The dish is extremely durable and is an item you’ll have in your collection for a lifetime.

The fluted rim is what makes this pie dish so special. The mold is stamped directly into the dish, making it easy to shape and trim the crust. It’s the perfect pie dish for a novice baker.

I decided to test out the pie dish with a lemon meringue pie.

Chantal’s Easy As Pie dish was a pleasure to bake with and is easy on the eyes. My pie came out of their dish effortlessly.

I may have gone a bit wild with the meringue. As you can see, the meringue is piled high on top of the lemon custard, which is the way I like it.

It reminds me of the lemon meringue pie on the spinning carousel at the diners.

The lemon custard is the perfect balance of sweet and tart. It almost didn’t make it into the pie crust…almost!

A bit of leg work (or should I say arm work) went into this pie, but, I promise, it’s definitely worth it.

Enjoy!

Check out what the other #SundaySupper members are baking up:

These bloggers received the new Chantal Easy As Pie Dish to bake with:

And don’t miss out on the rest of the #BakeForACure recipes from the other #SundaySupper participants:

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#SundaySupper~Lemon Meringue Pie for #BakeforaCure with Chantal
Author: 
Recipe type: Pie
Serves: 8-10
 

Custard and meringue adapted from Baked
Ingredients
  • Crust:
  • 9 graham crackers
  • 1 cup pecans
  • 2 tbs. brown sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 6 tbs. melted butter
  • Lemon Custard
  • ¾ cup fresh lemon juice
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 2 large eggs
  • 7 large egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 4 tbs. unsalted butter, softened
  • Meringue
  • 7 large egg whites, at room temperature
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • ½ tsp. cream of tartar
  • ½ tsp. almond extract

Instructions
  1. For the crust:
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch pie dish.
  3. Add graham crackers, pecans, brown sugar, and salt to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to a fine crumb. Drizzle in the melted butter while pulsing until it looks like wet sand.
  4. Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of the pie dish and up the sides.
  5. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the crust is brown.
  6. Lemon Custard
  7. In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, combine lemon juice and lemon zest. Set aside for a few minutes to allow the zest to soften.
  8. In a medium, heat proof bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, and sugar. Add the lemon juice and whisk until combined.
  9. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water (make sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl). Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency, about 13 minutes.
  10. Remove the bowl from the pan and whisk in the softened butter until melted. Strain the mixture through a mesh sieve and place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  11. Almond Meringue
  12. Whisk the egg whites and sugar together in a heat proof bowl. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and the temperature reaches 140 degrees F. on an instant or candy thermometer, about 11 minutes.
  13. Remove the bowl from the pan and pour into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the mixture on high speed until stiff peaks form, adding the cream of tartar when the mixture begins to thicken, about 3 minutes. When the mixture begins to hold soft peaks, add the almond extract, then continue to mix until stiff peaks form, about 6 minutes total.
  14. Assemble Pie
  15. Preheat the broiler to low. Place the oven rack so it’s sitting in the center of the oven.
  16. Take your lemon custard out the of the fridge and whisk until smooth. Add the custard to the cooled graham cracker crust.
  17. Place a generous helping of meringue on top of the custard and form peaks with the spatula.
  18. Place the pie under the broiler until the meringue begins to turn light brown. Make sure you don’t’ take your eye off of the pie while it’s under the broil. Once the meringue reaches a light brown color, turn the broiler on high to toast the tips of the meringue. Take out of the oven and let sit at room temperature until ready to eat.
  19. Pie best served same day.

Chantal will be running an online promotion during the #BakeForaCure event. The promotion includes a discount coupon code- BAKE4CURE. The discount will be 20% OFF of ALL Chantal Pie dishes on www.chantal.com. The code must be entered at checkout to receive the pie dish discount. The coupon discount code is active October 16, 2012 through October 30, 2012.

Follow Chantal on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

 

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Sunday Supper Chicken Pot Pie

April 16, 2012 By 21 Comments

I know today isn’t Sunday, but after cooking, cleaning, and cycling yesterday, I was too tired to post my #SundaySupper recipe. So, I’m posting it today. I made chicken pot pie. I believe chicken pot pie can be categorized as comfort food. It’s the type of dish that makes you feel warm inside. The buttery crust melts in your mouth, and the creamy filling is full of tender, moist chicken and wholesome veggies. If that’s not comfort, I don’t know what is. There are a lot of steps to this pie, but they’re not hard. It took me about 30 minutes to put the entire pie together. It was totally worth it. I did cheat a little. Shh, don’t tell anyone, but I used a store bought rotisserie chicken for the pie. It was delicious. Life gets busy sometimes, so why not make it easy on yourself. It was either go for a bike ride or cook a chicken. I totally chose the bike ride. Besides, I’d rather spend more time at the table with loved ones than in the kitchen by myself talking to a chicken.

It was such a lovely day in Baltimore for a bike ride yesterday. The weather was beautiful. It was sunny and 83 degrees. I’m new to cycling. So far, I love it. The open road and the fresh air- pure bliss. I have to tell you, I’m a wee bit intimidated by busy roads. I fear getting run over by a car. I know vehicles and cyclists are supposed to share the road. I totally get that concept, but I don’t think Joe Schmo in big blue has a clear understanding of that rule. I’ve been staying on smaller, less busy side streets. Maybe one day I’ll become a brave cyclist.

Not only did I have to worry about crazy drivers yesterday, but I had a run in with a swarm of bees. Anyone who knows me knows I have a huge fear of bees. No, I’m not allergic, just deathly afraid of them. As I was riding my bike (I was on the sidewalk since I fear the road), I came up to a row of cypress trees. What I didn’t know was there was a swarm of bees occupying the space by the trees. I found out a little too late. I rode directly through the bees. I had nowhere to go. There were trees to my left and the curb leading to oncoming traffic to my right. I have never rode so fast in my life. Let me just tell you, the bees were not happy that I interrupted them. I had a few bees follow me. I almost fell off the curb into oncoming traffic. It was not a pretty sight. I’m sure the people in the cars thought I was crazy. My arms were flailing all around to shoo the bees, the bike was wobbling, and I was screaming. Did I mention that I hate bees!

Sorry for that long interruption. Back to the chicken pot pie.

There’s nothing like gathering the family around the table to enjoy a home-cooked meal. Isabel from Family Foodie created #SundaySupper to get the family back together to do just that. We’re often too busy to set aside time for family, but Isabel has reminded us that nothing is more important than family.

This pie is full of hearty chunks of veggies and tender chicken. I made a béchamel sauce to pour over the chicken and veggie mixture. Don’t let the word béchamel intimidate you. It’s so easy to make. If you’ve ever made mac and cheese, you have more than likely made a béchamel. It’s just a cream sauce that’s made with milk and thickened with a roux. Super simple- I promise.

Mmm, look at the flecks of fresh thyme. My pot pie didn’t last long. It’s gone! My husband ate the last piece for lunch today.

Enjoy!

Recipe:

adapted from ad hoc at home

Crust:

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. kosher salt

3 tbs. vegetable shortening

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes

1/4-1/2 cup ice water

I prefer using a food processor to make my dough, but you’re welcome to mix it by hand. Add the flour and salt to the bowl of your food processor, and pulse to combine. Add the butter and shortening, and pulse until just combined. The dough should come together slightly when pinched with your fingers. It will look like wet sand. Add the water through the opening at the top of your mixer while simultaneously pulsing the mixture. Add the water just until the mixture forms a ball. Once that happens, your done. Empty the dough out of the food processor onto a floured surface. Kneed the dough until it just comes together. Shape the dough into a 1-inch thick disk, and then wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours.

Filling:

1 cup red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 1/4 cups carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 cup vidalia onions, chopped

1 1/4 cups celery, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup frozen corn

2 bay leaves

2 thyme sprigs

20 peppercorns

2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken)

Put the potatoes in a small sauce pan with water to cover and add 1 bay leaf, 1 thyme sprig, and 10 peppercorns. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and simmer until just tender, 8-10 minutes. In a different sauce pan, add the carrots, onion, celery, bay leaf, thyme sprig, and remaining 10 peppercorns. Cover with water and bring to a simmer and cook until just tender, about 8-10 minutes. Drain the veggies, and discard bay leaf, thyme, and peppercorns. Add cooked veggies, frozen peas, frozen corn, and shredded chicken to a large bowl. Toss to combine and set aside.

Bechamel:

3 tbs. unsalted butter

3 tbs. all-purpose flour

3 cups whole milk

2 thyme sprigs

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

In a medium-sized sauce pan, combine milk, 2 thyme sprigs, and smashed garlic. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 5 minutes. This helps infuse the milk with the flavors of the thyme and garlic. Strain the milk. In a large sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly (I used a flat whisk. It’s great for getting into the corners of the sauce pan). Whisk in the warm milk and lower the heat to keep the béchamel at a gentle simmer, and cook, whisking often, until the sauce has thickened and reduced to about 2 cups, about 30 minutes. Once the sauce has reduced, add the salt, pepper, cayenne, parmesan cheese, and chopped thyme. Take off the heat and pour over the vegetable and chicken mixture. Toss to combine.

To Assemble:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9- or 10- inch pie plate.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator and cut the dough in half. Place one of the halves back in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. Lightly flour a clean, dry work surface. Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour and roll it out to a 13- to 14- inch round, about 1/8 inch thick: roll outward from center, rotating the dough frequently and adding a little flour to the work surface or the dough as needed to prevent sticking. Transfer the dough to your greased pie plate, gently easing the dough into the corners and up the sides. Cut off any excess dough with a paring knife or kitchen shears. Roll the second half of the dough out the same way.

Scatter the vegetable and chicken mixture into the pie shell. Cover the filling with the second pie crust and press the edges of the dough together to seal. Trim away the excess dough that overhangs the rim. Using a pastry brush, brush the top of the crust with a beaten egg. Cut 4 slits into the top of the crust with a paring knife to allow steam to escape.

Bake until the crust is golden brown, about 40-50 minutes. When the pie is finished cooking, transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 10 minutes.

Cut the pie into wedges and serve. Enjoy!

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Banana Cream Pie with Bourbon Caramel Drizzle

March 5, 2012 By 20 Comments

Oh my, this pie is divine (whoa, I’m not the best at rhyming). My husband is not a big fan of sweets (crazy, right?), but he will eat banana pudding. I wanted to do something a bit different, so I decided to fancy it up a bit by making a banana cream pie. The peanut crust and bourbon caramel really make this pie shine.

The peanut crust is crunchy, salty, and slightly sweet. I made a homemade vanilla bourbon pastry cream for the filling. Bourbon- Yum! Bananas get layered in between the pastry cream and pair nicely with the peanuts and bourbon. Let’s not forget about the caramel sauce. Oh sweet, sweet caramel sauce. Need I say anything more. It’s amazing! The entire pie is topped with freshly whipped cream and a heaping drizzle of the caramel sauce.

My husband thoroughly enjoyed the pie. You should have seen the slice he cut for himself. It was quite large!

Isn’t she a beauty? I love how the vanilla bourbon cream is creeping over the sides of the pie pan.

Don’t be intimidated by all of the steps this pie requires. It’s super easy to make and the results are worth it. If you make your pastry cream the night before, the rest of the steps come together in no time.

Enjoy!

Love and sweet treats,

The Messy Baker

Crust:

1 cup dry roasted peanuts

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 large egg yolk

2 tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pulse peanuts in a food processor until peanut butter forms, about 2 minutes.

Whisk flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat brown sugar, peanut butter, and butter until well combined and mixture resembles wet sand. Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla. Gradually add the dry ingredients; beat just to combine. The mixture will be crumbly; do not over mix. Gather the dough with your hands and place in a pie dish. Press evenly onto the bottom and sides of the pie dish. You can use a cup if you like, but I thought it was easier to use my hands. It doesn’t have to be perfect because the crust gets covered. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool completely before adding the pastry cream.

Pastry Cream:

adapted from Flour Bakery

2 1/2 cups whole milk

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup cake flour

1 tsp. kosher salt

8 egg yolks

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tbs. bourbon

In a medium sauce pan, scald the milk over medium-high heat (until bubbles form around the edge of the pot, but milk is not boiling). While the milk is heating, in a small bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until blended, then slowly whisk in the flour mixture. The mixture will be very thick.

Remove the milk from the heat and slowly add it to the egg mixture, adding it a little at a time, whisking constantly (adding the milk slowly prevents the eggs from scrambling, and it tempers the egg mixture). When all of the milk has been incorporated, return the contents of the bowl to the saucepan and place over medium heat. Whisk continuously and vigorously until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil, about 5-7 minutes. At first the mixture will be frothy and liquidy, but as it cooks, it will slowly begin to thicken and the bubbles will disappear and the mixture will become viscous. Once it thickens, stop whisking every few seconds to see if the mixture has come to a boil. If not, continue whisking vigorously. As soon as you see it bubbling, immediately go back to whisking for 1 minute, and then remove from the heat.

Pour the mixture through a mesh sieve into a heat-proof bowl. Stir in the vanilla and bourbon, then cover it with plastic wrap, placing it directly on the surface of the cream. This will prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until completely cool, about 8 hours. I made my pastry cream the night before and cooled it in the fridge over night.

Salted Bourbon Caramel:

1/2 cup sugar

2 tbs. bourbon, divided

1 tbs. water

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 tsp. light corn syrup

3 tbs. unsalted buter, cut into cubes

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Stir sugar, 1 tablespoon bourbon, corn syrup, and 1 tablespoon water in a medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and bring to a boil; at this point, do not stir the mixture or it will harden. Cook until the sugar is a deep amber color, about 6-8 minutes. Remove sugar from heat and whisk in heavy cream, butter, and salt (mixture will bubble vigorously). Let cool for 5 minutes, then whisk in vanilla and bourbon. Let caramel cool slightly, about an hour, before using.

Whipped Cream:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

2 tbs. powdered sugar

Add the cream and powdered sugar to a large bowl. With an electric mixer, whip cream on high until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Assembling the Pie:

Peel and slice three bananas. Add half of the cooled pastry cream to the cooled crust. Add a layer of bananas, then top with remaining pastry cream. Add another layer of bananas. Top the pie with freshly whipped cream and drizzle with a generous amount of salted bourbon caramel. Keep in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve. This pie is absolutely delicious; however, it doesn’t cut like your average pie. I served my pie in a pretty crystal bowl. The pie was so tasty that I could over look the fact that it didn’t stay in the form of a pie slice after I cut it. It’s rustic.

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