Lemon Meringue Ice Cream Pie

The older I get, the more I realize how fast time goes by. This may seem ridiculous coming from a teenager (17 as of this week!), but it's true. My friends and I are shocked that the school year is ending so quickly, and while we're excited for all the fun plans we have for summer, it's also kind of terrifying.

This past year has been by far the busiest, most stressful of my life; but it's also been the greatest. I had a great time with my friends, got to know my teachers better, had the opportunity to travel to some amazing places, and became more involved in music.
I also watched the seniors at my school go through the crazy college application (and audition, for those pursuing music) process, and the idea of really starting that (and not just talking about it) can be a bit daunting.

That said, I'm excited to see what lies ahead, and wow I just realized how cheesy this post got. Anyway, right now I'm focusing on celebrating the start of summer, no matter how much German diction I have to learn, or how many application essays I have to write!
This dessert is perfect to kick off a season of fresh, bright flavors. The tart lemon curd and berries are a perfect contrast to the creamy, sweet vanilla ice cream, and it's all nestled inside a crunchy, almost cookie-like pie crust. And hey, what isn't better with toasted meringue?
(Shout-out to my best friend's mother for the recipe - it's quickly become one of my absolute favorites!)
Enjoy!

Lemon Meringue Ice Cream Pie

(slightly adapted from Epicurious)

For the lemon curd 

2 large eggs 

2 large egg yolks 

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter 

1 cup sugar 

6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel 

Pinch of salt

For the crust 

1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans 

1/4 cup sugar 

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted 

3 cups vanilla ice cream, slightly softened, divided

1/2 cup chopped berries of your choice (I used raspberries)

For the meringue 

4 large egg whites, room temperature 

Pinch of cream of tartar 

6 tablespoons sugar

For the lemon curd
Whisk eggs and egg yolks in medium bowl. Melt butter in medium metal bowl set over large saucepan of simmering water. Whisk in sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel, and salt; gradually whisk in egg mixture. Whisk until thick and thermometer inserted into curd registers 178°F to 180°F, about 8 minutes. Transfer to small bowl. Press plastic wrap on top of curd; chill 4 hours.  

For the crust Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix pecans, sugar, and butter in medium bowl until moistened. Press pecan mixture onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish (mixture will be crumbly). Bake until crust is lightly toasted, about 12 minutes (crust will slip down sides of dish). Use back of spoon to press crust back into place. Cool crust on rack. Freeze crust 30 minutes.
Dollop 1 1/2 cups ice cream over crust; spread into even layer. Spread lemon curd over ice cream; freeze until firm, about 2 hours. Dollop 1 1/2 cups softened ice cream over lemon curd; spread into even layer. Cover and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.

For meringue Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in medium bowl until frothy. Beat in cream of tartar. With mixer running, gradually add sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Spoon meringue over pie, spreading to seal at edges and swirling decoratively. Freeze pie until ready to serve.
Using a kitchen butane torch, toast meringue until golden in spots; or, place pie in a preheated 500°F oven or broiler until meringue is golden in spots, watching to prevent burning, about 3 minutes. (Seriously, watch it the entire time - it can go from raw to burnt in a second.) Cut pie into wedges; serve immediately.

Meringue-Topped Chocolate Cream Torte

      This last week has been absolutely insane at school, and I'm getting ready for another crazy week and a half. Everybody is cramming for AP tests coming soon, and mine (AP global history) is on the 16th - until then, I'm pretty much confined to my couch and my books. Since I know you are most likely in a nicer situation, I wanted to take a minute to share this great recipe with you, which I made a few weeks ago for a big family gathering when I was in Brazil.
     It's always interesting for me to bake in Brazil because while many are the same, some ingredients are just slightly different in a way that will have a big impact on a recipe. This year, when trying to make a chocolate cream pie, I discovered that heavy cream (which is hard to find fresh in Brazil, so we buy it canned) there has a slightly larger ratio of water to fat, and therefore has to be strained before being made into whipped cream. Left with a bowl of un-whipped cream and some egg whites, I resorted to a thin layer of meringue with a little cream folded in to make it a little less airy (I'm all for airiness, but trust me, here, this works better). The result? Everybody LOVED it.
    This isn't a traditional chocolate cream pie, but it sure is delicious. The crispy crust, creamy filling and light topping go perfectly together. This torte disappeared, no joke, within five minutes.
    Enjoy!

Meringue-Topped Chocolate Cream Torte

(filling adapted from King Arthur Flour)

2 cups crushed butter cookies or shortbread

a pinch of salt

8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) melted butter

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/3 cups semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

2/3 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 large egg yolks

1 cup heavy cream, divided

2 cups milk

2 egg whites

6 teaspoons sugar

3 tablespoons heavy cream, lightly whipped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Stir together the cookies, salt, and melted butter. Press into a 10" springform pan. Bake until lightly browned around the edges. Let cool.

Place the chopped chocolate, butter, and vanilla extract in a 2-quart mixing bowl; set aside.

In a medium saucepan away from heat, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, cocoa and salt. Whisk in 1/4 cup of cold heavy cream until the mixture is smooth, with no lumps. Repeat with another 1/4 cup of the cream. Whisk in the egg yolks

Place the saucepan over medium heat, and gradually whisk in the remaining cream and milk.

Bring to a boil, whisking constantly as the mixture thickens; boil for 1 minute

Remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture over the reserved chocolate and butter.

Whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Pass the filling through a strainer into a bowl to remove any lumps.

Place plastic wrap or buttered parchment paper on the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and chill thoroughly.

Heat your broiler to high.

Once the cream and crust are cooled, spread the cream in the crust. 

In a cool metal bowl, beat together the egg whites and the sugar until they form stiff peaks. Fold in the lightly whipped heavy cream. Spread the mixture over the chocolate cream.

Broil the torte just until the meringue is lightly browned. Careful - it will burn quickly (and melt your filling).
Refrigerate until serving.

"Falling in Love" Chocolate Mousse Pie (with Coconut Crust!)

   Several years ago, I saw the movie Waitress. It was part of what made me get into baking so much - I mean, how could you not want to bake pies after sitting through two hours of watching others do it? On the way out of the movie theater, I was handed a little "swag bag" - it was the movie's opening weekend, so the theater was giving away goodie bags. Inside, among nail polishes and perfume samples, were a few recipes from the movie.

my cousin was very excited about this pie!

   In the movie, the pie baker names her pies after whatever is going on in her life - this one was her "Falling in Love Chocolate Mousse Pie." I decided to make it for New Year's (it has only been on my to-bake list for five years!!). I found a great recipe for a "crust" that is really like a giant coconut macaroon - just coconut and a little butter. It's surprisingly delicious - I liked it more than a graham cracker or classic pastry crust. This pie is naturally gluten-free, and, if you use shortening instead of butter in the crust, the crust is vegan. More importantly, this is one of the best desserts I have ever made - it disappeared within minutes of being placed on the table!
   Enjoy!

Falling In Love Chocolate Mousse Pie with Coconut Crust

(mousse filling recipe from Waitress, coconut crust recipe adapted from Martha Stewart)

for the coconut crust

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
11 ounces (about 6 cups) sweetened shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch pie plate.
In a food processor, process butter and one-third of coconut until mixture is fairly smooth, 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Sprinkle remaining two-thirds coconut over mixture and combine with your fingers.
Place a 9-inch pie plate on a baking sheet. Press coconut mixture into bottom and up sides of pan to form crust, leaving top edges loose and fluffy. Place a foil ring over edge to prevent burning. Bake until center begins to brown, about 10 minutes; remove foil and bake until edges are browned, about 15 minutes more (the baking time will depend on what kind of pie plate you are using). Let cool completely. 

for the chocolate mousse filling

                                                  1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
                                                                       2/3 cup water
                                    1 (4 serving) package chocolate pudding mix (not instant)
                                                     1 1-oz. square unsweetened chocolate
                                           2 cups (1 pint) whipping cream, stiffly whipped

In large saucepan, combine condensed milk, water and pudding mix; mix well. Add chocolate. Over medium heat, cook and stir rapidly until chocolate melts and mixture thickens. 
Remove from heat; beat until smooth. Cool. Chill thoroughly; stir. 
Fold in whipped cream. Pour into prepared pie shell. Chill until serving, at least 4 hours.

Classic Apple Pie

 Apple pie. It's such a classic American dessert, and yet there are so many different versions of it. Syrupy, crumbly, sweet, tart, flaky, cinnamon-y, cheesy. How can there possibly be one greatest apple pie?
 It's not possible. I have made many apple pies throughout the years, and most have been very good - but many are filled with twists and turns that make them far from "homestyle." Sometimes you just need a classic apple pie, which is where this recipe comes in.

This is simple. It's thick and sweet and perfect after a big Thanksgiving meal. I forgot to put the cinnamon into the recipe, but instead sprinkled cinnnamon sugar over the warm pie. I was surprised that I didn't miss the cinnamon in the filling, but if you think it's necessary, feel free to throw in two teaspoons or so.
 This was enjoyed by everybody who had some from our buffet of holiday pies (more recipes coming soon!) and will definitely be made again whenever I want a taste of a classic fall dessert.
 Thank you to Nicole of Baking Bites for her wonderful pie giveaway, in which I won a great cookbook and the beautiful ceramic dish used for this pie.
  Enjoy!

Classic Apple Pie

(slightly adapted from Cannella Vita)

1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie (my new favorite is Smitten Kitchen's)

1/2 cup unsalted butter 

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons white sugar, divided 

1/2 cup brown sugar 

1/4 cup water 

8 medium apples, peeled, cored, and chopped  

2 teaspoons cinnamon 

	Preheat oven to 425 F. Melt butter in a sauce pan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add 1/2 cup white sugar, brown sugar and water; bring to a boil. Reduce temperature, and simmer 5 minutes. If you want to put some cinnamon into the filling, now is the time to do so.
	Meanwhile, place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not spill out of the pan. Cover with a lattice work crust (or just top with second crust and cut in steam holes). Seal together crust edges.
	Bake 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, or until browned to your liking. Stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons white sugar and the cinnamon, and sprinkle over the pie. Let the pie sit for a few hours to thicken, or enjoy fresh from the oven and slightly runny ;)