Classic Desserts For Thanksgiving
Two great desserts for Thanksgiving ~ one classic and the other an easy twist on a classic.
This is a classic Pecan Pie that has a single crust with a soft and gooey filling of sugar, corn syrup, butter, eggs and it’s chock full with pecans. I always toast my pecans in the oven for approximately 7-10 minutes in a 350 degree oven, before baking them in the pie, it releases the natural oils of the pecans and makes for a more flavorful pie.
INGREDIENTS
Crust:
1 cup lard (this really makes the most flaky pie crusts)
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
4 tablespoons cold water
Filling:
1 cup dark Karo syrup
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 cups toasted pecans
Whipped cream or ice cream and mint for garnish
In a large bowl, place the lard and butter. Add the flour and salt and using a pastry blender, cut the flour into the lard mixture. The mixture should be crumbly. Add cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing the flour mixture in between each tablespoon of liquid. Only add enough water to the dough until it comes together into one large ball.
Spread some flour onto a piece of waxed paper and place dough on it. Sprinkle more flour on the top of the dough and proceed to roll out the dough until desired thickness – should be about 1/8 inch thick. Fold dough over once to make a half moon and again into a quarter moon. Remove the dough from the waxed paper and place into a 9 inch pie pan. Unfold the dough so that it covers the entire pan. Press dough gently into the pan. Using a fork, crimp the edges of the dough along the edge of the pie pan and cut away excess dough with a pairing knife. Set the pie shell aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a bowl, combine the corn syrup, sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs. Mix with a whisk until well incorporated. Place the pecans in the pie shell and pour mixture over the pecans. Don’t overfill the pie shell. Bake for 45-55 minutes. The pie should be firm and golden brown and is done when a knife plunged in the middle comes out clean. Pie should cool before serving. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
Apple Crostata ~ Delicious and Easy Alternative to Apple Pie
Yield: 6 Servings
INGREDIENTS
Pastry
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ pound (1 stick) very cold unsalted butter, diced
2 tablespoons ice water
Filling
1-1/2 lbs Golden Delicious apples
¼ teaspoon grated orange zest
¼ cup flour
¼ granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
PREPARATION
For the pastry, place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse 12 to 15 times, or until the butter is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water all at once through the feed tube. Keep hitting the pulse button to combine, but stop the machine just before the dough becomes a solid mass. Turn the dough onto a well-floured board and form into a disk. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F
Flour a rolling pin and roll the pastry into an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer it to a rimmed baking sheet. For the filling, peel, core and cut the apples into 8ths. Cut each wedge into 3 chunks. Toss the chunks with the orange zest. Cover the tart dough with the apple chunks leaving a 1-1/2 inch border.
Combine the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and allspice in the bowl of the food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Pour into a bowl and rub it with your fingers until it starts holding together. Sprinkle evenly on the apples. Gently fold the border over the apples to enclose the dough, pleating it to make a circle.
Bake the crostata for 20-25 minutes, until the crust is golden and the apples are tender. Allow to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.