Sweet Tooth Experiments

Tag Archives: pie

Anisette Vanilla Marshmallow Pie

Posted on Posted in Pies .

Anisette Pie recipe

So after eating a few ‘black cat’ lollies I decided I MUST make a sweet treat with this flavor. Black cats would have to be one of my most favorite lollies ever!

As to what form of dessert was going to be an interesting one and I didn’t want the anisette flavor to be too savory so I opted to pair the lovely aromatic flavor of vanilla.

A cake, pie, slice and pudding was experimented, where the pie was the winner. Thus my Anisette Vanilla Marshmallow Pie was born. Now I must say the final outcome of this sweet treat is definitely only for anisette / liquorice fans. But if that is you then you will LOVE this treat.

 

Ingredients:

Pastry:

  • 200g cup plain flour
  • 30g icing sugar
  • 150g butter

Filling:

  • 240g white marshmallows
  • 140g milk
  • 15g butter
  • 1 tbsn anisette essence
  • 2 egg whites
  • 10g sugar
  • 110g thickened cream
  • 1 + 1/2 tsn vanilla essence

 

Method

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180c degrees.
  2. Place the flour, butter, sugar and 2 tbsn water in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Now process until the mix combines and balls together.
  3. Roll the dough with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface and place the dough into a tart tray.
  4. Prick the centres with a fork and place in the fridge for 20 minutes to harden.
  5. Place baking paper on top of the tart with rice and blind bake for 15 minutes.
  6. Remove the paper and rice and bake for a further 15 minutes.
  7. Place the tart shell on a tray to cool.
  8. Combine 240g marshmallows, milk, butter and essence in a saucepan and heat on medium, stirring until melted.
  9. Remove from heat and whisk until smooth and glossy, allow to cool then place in the fridge to thicken stirring occasionally.
  10. Meanwhile, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, then slowly add the sugar and beat until stiff peaks form and mix is thick and glossy.
  11. Place the cream and vanilla in a bowl, beat until thick peaks form.
  12. Remove marshmallow mixture from the fridge and add in the egg mixture and cream mix.
  13. Using a hand whisk gently whisk until mix is smooth and all ingredients are combine.
  14. Spoon mixture into piecrust and place in the fridge for 2 hours to set.
  15. Decorate as you deem fit.

 

Note: I decorated with some chopped up licorice square lollies. I also opted in the photos for mini tart cases instead on one large tart case.

 

Anisette Pie recipe
Step 2
Anisette Pie recipe
Step 3
Anisette Pie recipe
Step 7

Anisette Pie recipe

Step 9

Anisette Pie recipe

Step 14
Anisette Pie recipe
Step 15

 

Like this recipe? Subscribe via RSS or email to get my new entries and more scrumptious recipes with reviews.

 

Email, RSS Follow
Print

Sweet Potato Spiced Pie

Posted on Posted in Pies .

Sweet Potato Spiced Pie

Sweet Potato Spiced Pie recipe

This recipe was created as I wanted to make a pumpkin pie for a Christmas catch-up dinner, however had limited time to make the pie and had no pumpkin on hand, only sweet potato. Thus a sweet potato pie was created.

After the sweet potato in the pie was deemed a dinner success I decided that I would play around with the ingredients to take the pie from great to scrumptious.

After a few alternations and tweaks the below recipe was formed.

Sweet Potato Spiced Pie recipe

 

Sweet Potato Spiced Pie recipe

Ingredients:

Base:

  • 250g butternut biscuits
  • ½ tsn ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsn ground ginger
  • ¼ tsn all spice
  • 100g butter, melted

Filling:

  • 500g sweet potato
  • 420ml milk
  • 100g sugar
  • 1 + ½ tsn ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsn ground ginger
  • ¼ tsn all spice
  • 2 eggs

Topping:

  • 300ml cream
  • 1 tsn vanilla essence
  • ½ tsn ground cinnamon
  • 20g icing sugar

 

 Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 160c degrees.
  2. Place all the base ingredients into a food processor and blitz until well combine and sand like in texture.
  3. Pour the mix into a 25cm pie dish and flatten with fingertips on the base and sides of the tin, place in the fridge to set.
  4. To prepare the potato cut into cubes and place into a saucepan filled with water.
  5. On a high heat boil the potato until a skewer inserted into a piece glides in and out easily.
  6. Place the pumpkin with 80ml of milk into the food processor and blitz until pureed, set aside until cooled.
  7. Add the remaining milk, sugar, spices and egg to the potato mix and beat with a hand whisk until well combined.
  8. Pour the potato filling into the prepared base and bake for 70 minutes or until set when touched on top.
  9. Place the pie on a cooling tray to cool.
  10. Meanwhile make the topping by whipping the cream with electric beaters until soft peaks form.
  11. Add the remaining ingredients and beat on low until peaks form.
  12. Once the pie is cold top with the cream and leave in the fridge for 4 hours to fully set before serving.

 

Sweet Potato Spiced Pie recipe

Step 3

Sweet Potato Spiced Pie recipe

Step 4

Sweet Potato Spiced Pie recipe

Step 6

Sweet Potato Spiced Pie recipe

Step 7

Sweet Potato Spiced Pie recipe

Step 8

 

Like this recipe? Subscribe via RSS or email to get my new entries and more

Email, RSS Follow
Print

Greek Custard Pie

Posted on Posted in Greece, Pies, Traditional .

greek2

Greek Custard Pie

So I have touch on America with a traditional Pumpkin Pie and Italy with Cannoli’s now we are going to Greece for a custard pie.

Wait until you try this recipe out and its not even that naughty (ignoring the syrup of course).

 

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups rice milk (or normal is your not a fan)
  • 1 cup fine semolina
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tbsn finely grated lemon rind
  • 1 tsn vanilla essence
  • 12 filo pastry sheets cut in half
  • 125g butter or oil spray

Syrup

  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • A long strip of orange rind
  • A long strip on lemon rind
  • 1 tsn cinnamon
  • 2 tbsn lemon juice

 

Method:

  1. Grease a 20cm x 30cm ovenproof dish and pre-heat the oven to 180c.
  2. Place milk in a saucepan and heat until boiling. Once boiled reduce the heat to low.
  3. Pour in the semolina and whish until smooth.
  4. Whish in another bowl the egg and sugar until smooth.
  5. Whish I cup of the semolina into the egg mix to loosen it up.
  6. Now add the egg mix to the semolina on the stove and cook stirring for 5 mins or until the mix thickens.
  7. Remove from the heat and stir in the rind and vanilla.
  8. Place a filo sheet in the dish and brush with the butter (or spray with oil spray). Repeat with half the butter and filo sheets.
  9. Spoon in the custard.
  10. Now repeat with the remaining filo and butter.
  11. With a knife score the top of the filo to 4cm squares.
  12. Cook for 50 minutes until golden brown on the top.
  13. Combine all the syrup ingredients into a pan on the stove on high until boiling. Now reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes until syrup reduces.
  14. Cut the cooked pie from where you have scored in the dish and pour over the syrup omitting the rind. Allow the syrup to soak into the pie at least 30 minutes prior to serving.

 

Notes:

  • I mention in there about oil spray. This will dramatically reduce the butter amount in the pie, thus reducing the fat content. If you’re not fussed about the extra butter then ignore the spray option.
  • If your not a fan of orange if is fine to omit the rind, many custard pie recipes don’t actually include this (I think it makes the pie better personality).
  • I also recommend using rice milk as it’s much sweeter than cows milk, which is why I only have ½ cup of sugar in the custard.

 

Like this recipe? Subscribe via RSS or email to get my new entries and more scrumptious recipes with reviews.

greek custard

Step 11 – Scoring the pastry

Email, RSS Follow
Print

Spiced Pumpkin Pie

Posted on Posted in America, Pies, Traditional .

Pumpkin Pie

Spiced Pumpkin Pie

I have mentioned before that zucchini is one of my favorite veggies, in addition to this though I LOVE pumpkin. This recipe could actually be classified as a traditional cultural recipe as Pumpkin Pie is renown as a sweet treat in America (especially at Halloween).

Similar to zucchini cake there are many many pumpkin pie recipes but this one is my favorite and has great spices incorporated.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of pumpkin that has been cooked then pureed in the food processor
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 + ½ thickened cream
  • 200g brown sugar
  • 2 tsn ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsn ground ginger
  • ½ tsn nutmeg
  • ½ tsn ground cloves
  • ½ tsn all spice
  • 1 28cm sweet short crust pastry shell or store brought sweet crust pastry

Method:

  • If using store brought pastry, roll out on a lightly floured surface then transfer pastry onto a lightly greased 25cm loose bottomed tart pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. If you are using a bought tart shell omit this step.
  • Preheat the oven to 180c.
  • Line the pan with baking paper and fill with rice (this is called blind baking which stops the center of the pastry in the tart rising).
  •  Bake for 10 minutes.
  • Increase the oven temprature to 220c.
  • Place all ingredients (how simple is this) into a food processor and process until smooth.
  • Pour batter into the tart case and cook for 10 minutes.
  • Now reduce the oven to 150c and bake for a further 30 – 40 minutes
  • Cool, then its ready to serve. I suggest serving with a dollop of cream and a good drizzle of maple syrup.

Notes:

  • This is not the most amazing tart in the world as its not as sweet as a choc pie (clearly) but it is very tasty, different and a must if you love different spices (also if you love pumpkin like me).
  • You can make your own pastry by placing 250g plain flour, 110g icing sugar and 110g chilled & cubed butter in the food processor for a few seconds until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add an egg until the mix comes away from the walls of the processor and place in plastic wrap in the fridge for 30 minutes. Then transfer pastry onto a lightly greased 25cm loose bottomed tart pan

 

Like this recipe? Subscribe via RSS or email to get my new entries and more scrumptious recipes with reviews.

Email, RSS Follow
Print