Issues → November/December 2007 → Food →
Pick a Perfect Pie or Pudding
Apple, cranberry, pumpkin, even parsnip
If you're in New England, dessert just has to be pie. Unless it has to be Indian pudding, a regional favorite that makes good use of cornmeal and maple syrup or molasses. Pie or pudding? Take your pick.
Here are some variations of cherry, apple, cranberry, pumpkin, even parsnip pie. Or make a version of the Indian pudding. Every meal needs dessert.
Make one for your table and one to share in this season of giving. Make it a tradition. How New Engand is that!
No-Lie Cherry Pie
Pies and Pastries Recipes
Yield: Makes 6 to 8 slices.
- Pastry for 2 crusts
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar
- 2-1/2 tablespoons tapioca
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup cherry juice (from can)
- 2 cups canned sour red cherries (drained)
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon butter
Prepare pastry. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Blend sugar, tapioca, and salt, then add cherries and let stand while you roll out the dough. Line bottom of 9" pie pan with one crust, fill with cherry mixture, sprinkle with cinnamon, then dot with butter. Cover with top crust and seal edges, cutting vents. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 400 degrees F and bake a half hour, until crust is crisp and filling is bubbling. Cool and serve.
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Apple Pie with Cider Pecan Crust
Fruit Recipes
Yield: 6 servings
Crust:
- 2 cups unbleached flour
- 2/3 cup shortening
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup finely crushed pecans
- 1/2 cup cold cider
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare crust by cutting shortening into flour and salt until particles are the size of giant peas. Mix in pecans; sprinkle dough with cider and mix gently until dough holds together. Divide dough into 2 balls and roll out.
Filling:
- 7 firm, juicy, tart apples
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup diced candied fruit
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cold butter
Topping:
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Pare, core, and slice apples, and toss them with spices, sugar, raisins, candied fruit, and lemon juice. Put filling into bottom crust and dot with butter. Cover with top crust and make slits in it. Brush top crust with egg yolk and dust with cinnamon and sugar. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes.
Reviews by Readers
I haven't tasted it yet, but it smells good and sounds good. Company is coming later this week, so I'm saving it. I baked it as directed at 425, but the crust got too brown. Why wouldn't 350 do it? – Reviewed by Rick Souza
Great pie. In answer to the other review for this, when baking a pie, about half way through the baking, you can put aluminum foil on the edge to protect the crust from overbrowning or burning. – Anonymous Review
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Cranberry-Almond Cheese Pie
Pies and Pastries Recipes
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Cranberries have much more to offer your menu planning than a once-a-year relish. This silky dessert is sure to please, and the ingredients are available year-round.
- 1 9-inch unbaked pastry shell
- 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
- 2-1/2 cups whole-berry cranberry sauce
- 2/3 cup brown sugar, divided
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- dash of salt
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons butter, chilled
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
Blend cream cheese with 1/2 cup of the cranberry sauce. Spread in the pie shell. Combine 1/3 cup brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Blend in remaining cranberry sauce. Spread carefully over cheese layer. Bake at 375 degrees F for 35 minutes.
Combine flour and remaining brown sugar. Cut in butter until mixture forms coarse crumbs. Stir in almonds. Sprinkle over pie. Bake 10 to 15 minutes more or until center of pie is firm. Serve warm or chilled.
Reviews by Readers
Wonderful use of color and textures. A superb pie recipe. – Reviewed by Roseanna Prater
I made this recipe for Christmas and substituted the cranberries for strawberries. It is wonderful! The family wants me to make it every year now. – Anonymous Review
Easy to make and everyone loves it. I use store bought graham-cracker crust. It can be either elegant or down-home. My family insists I make it every Christmas instead of pumpkin pie. – Reviewed by Carol Wilson
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Parsnip Pie
Pies and Pastries Recipes
- 6 to 7 parsnips, peeled and cut in 1-inch slices
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup milk
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1/4 cup ground almonds
- 1 teaspoon grated orange rind
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 9-inch prebaked pie shell
- 1/3 cup orange marmalade
- 2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large pan bring water to a boil, add parsnip pieces, and cook until easily pierced. Drain. Combine the parsnips with the next 7 ingredients. Pour into pie shell and bake until a knife blade comes out clean, about 30 to 40 minutes.
While the pie is still warm, spread with the marmalade (you may strain it if you want a more glazelike topping) and sprinkle with the sliced almonds.
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Pumpkin Chiffon Pie with Sweet Walnut Crust
Pies and Pastries Recipes
Preparation Time: 35 minutes
Start to Finish Time: 225 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Piecrust
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 5 tablespoons melted butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coarsely grind walnuts in a food processor. Add graham cracker crumbs and sugar, then pulse to blend while drizzling in melted butter. Press into a 9-inch glass pie plate. Bake 10 to 15 minutes on second rack from bottom of oven. Set aside to cool. Piecrust can be made up to 3 weeks in advance and frozen.
Filling
- 1 tablespoon whiskey or brandy
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 package gelatin
- 2/3 cup light-brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup pureed pumpkin, canned or fresh
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1-1/2 cups whipping cream
- 1 crust for a 9-inch pie (see recipe)
- Garnish: walnut halves
In a heavy-bottomed 2-quart pot, whisk liquor, milk, and gelatin together over low heat. Whisk continually until gelatin is completely dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in brown sugar and eggs, one at a time. Continue whisking over low heat (never let custard come to a boil) as you add pumpkin, spices, and salt. Cook 5 to 7 minutes, until custard is smooth and hot. Turn off heat and transfer custard to a large ceramic bowl to cool at room temperature. Do not refrigerate, because you don’t want the custard to firm up. In a separate bowl, whip cream to stiff peaks. When custard has cooled to room temperature (about 45 minutes), fold cream gently into pumpkin custard using rubber spatula. Do not overmix; retain some streaks in the mixture. Fold filling into cooled pie shell; chill at least 2 hours. Garnish with walnut halves. This pie may be prepared up to 2 days in advance.
Reviews by Readers
I made this pie and after our family tasted it and loved it I made a second pie the very next day!! This is definitely a recipe that will be a tradition for our family every fall. – Reviewed by Dana Witterman
I had lost my grandmother's recipe for Pumpkin Chiffon Pie, a staple at our Thanksgiving table. I have been searching for 2 years to find a similar recipe...and this is it! My family loves this pie! – Anonymous Review
This is a fabulous pie! It's very light and the pumpkin is not overwhelming. I highly recommend it. – Anonymous Review
This is a great alternative to a traditional pumpkin pie! It is so much lighter! My family loved it and is asking me to make it again this year. – Reviewed by Maryellen Rousseau
This is a new family favorite. I have to make three pies every Thanksgiving. One for my nephew and one for my sister-in-law and one just for me. Yum! – Anonymous Review
My husband wanted to try this--I was a little unsure, but it was a hit. It was chosen over traditional pie -- by pumpkin pie eaters! You can do it without a food grinder, too. – Reviewed by Deb Kukal
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Baked Indian Pudding
Puddings and Custards Recipes
Yield: Serves 6 to 8
A more healthful -- but delicious -- version of the old favorite. Serve it with low-fat whipped topping and a sprinkling of ground ginger.
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup egg substitute
- 1/2 cup dark molasses
- 1/4 cup margarine, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 cups low-fat milk
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Combine the cornmeal, sugar, egg substitute, molasses, margarine, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix well.
Scald the milk in a saucepan. Pour 3 cups of the milk over the cornmeal mixture and mix well.
Spoon into a buttered 2-quart baking dish. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes or until the mixture begins to boil.
Add the remaining 3 cups scalded milk to the baking dish and mix well. Return to the oven and reduce heat to 225 degrees F.
Bake uncovered for 5 hours. Let the pudding stand for 30 minutes before serving.
Reviews by Readers
I was thrilled to fine this recipe.I am now 81 years old and remember my grandmother serving us kids a version of this recipe when I was a boy. A bit time consuming but well worth the effort. I would like to hear from you if you agree. E-mail me at challah35@aol.com Name is Ed Bon Appetit – Reviewed by Ed Daneau
This has always been my favorite pudding dish to make in the winter time; I also add gold sultana raisins and dried cranberries though, and serve it hot with french vanilla ice cream! YUM lovely! Growing up north of Boston, this dish brings me home with cherished memories of my childhood. – Reviewed by Susan Parent
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Indian Pudding
Puddings and Custards Recipes
It wasn't until 1863 that President Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday, urged by Godey's Lady's Book editor Sarah Josepha Hale, for which we are all thankful.
Make this traditional dessert ahead of time and let it cool while you use the oven for the turkey. Reheat it in the microwave and serve it with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Add 1/2 cup raisins, if you wish.
- 4 cups milk, divided
- 1/2 cup yellow or white cornmeal
- 1/2 cup light-brown sugar
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 250° F. Bring 2 cups of milk just to a boil in a saucepan. Put the cornmeal in the top of a double boiler and pour the scalded milk over it, stirring constantly. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the cornmeal is smooth. Add the remaining ingredients (except the milk) and stir until smooth. Pour the mixture into a buttered 1-1/2-quart baking dish, pour the remaining 2 cups of cold milk over the top, and set in a pan of hot water. Bake for 3 hours, or until the pudding is firm. Serves 8.
Reviews by Readers
This is a wonderful recipe to get the real "flavor" of an authentic Native American recipe. – Anonymous Review
An interesting combination, but very good. Children really enjoyed the pudding warm. – Reviewed by Richard Loper
The taste is great, the consistency when cool like pumpkin pie. I found though that 250 degree didn't work very well and bumped it to 350 degrees. Will try this in the Slow-Cooker next. – Anonymous Review
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Indian Pudding II
Puddings and Custards Recipes
Yield: Serves 8-10
A somewhat lighter contemporary version of the old favorite.
- 3 cups milk
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 4 eggs, well beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon each: ground ginger, cinnamon, and mace
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Scald the milk, add the butter and gradually beat in the corn meal. Stir until slightly thickened. Remove from the stove and add the other ingredients, beating well after each addition. Pour into a well buttered casserole and bake in a slow (275-300 degrees F) oven for about 2 hours. Serve warm with cold whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
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