Easy Fresh Berry Brownie Pie

 Every single day I bake pies. I know. It's awesome!   At Bistro 'a la mode, they change every single day as the pie Du jour so I have the chance to come out with remarkably delicious concoctions. It's an Evil Think Tank every day of the week. I wish you all could be there with me! One of the pies from this week was the fresh berry brownie pie. Usually we serve the Black Forrest Brownie Pie where there is a full enshrinement of flaky buttery crust around the brownie and pie filling. Usually people freak-out and cry tears of joy at the warm brownie and tart cherry filling with nuances of citrus and amaretto. I always, always get asked how I bake a brownie inside a crust like that. It's top secret my darlings. 

This week I just baked the brownie in the pie shell open so I could top it with gobs of ridiculous dark chocolate orange truffle ganache and bury luscious fresh berries in the gooey ridiculousness.   It was quite successful. 

 The top secret trick? Bake your brownies first.  I use my  Tried and True Evil Brownies topped with the ganache from the original recipe on the blog. They are always moist and remarkable. When chilled, they cut up perfectly and the ganache has its own distinct layer of love. See?

My Chef Tess Brownies
1 1/4 cup butter
4 cups sugar
1T vanilla,
2 tsp rum extract
1 T cinnamon
1 T orange zest
1/2 tsp ground Cayenne pepper
8 eggs
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
1 T salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream the butter,sugar, eggs, vanilla, and spice until light. Add the flour, cocoa, and salt, mixing 2 minutes. Pour int a lightly greased bar pan (at least 9inch by 13inch by 3) Bake 40-45 minutes--slightly under-cooked is better than overdone and dry. Cover with ganache and toasted almonds:

Ganache
16 oz. high quality chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp orange zest
1 tsp almond extract 

Directions: Boil cream with the zest and almond extract. Place chocolate in a metal bowl and pour hot cream mixture over the chocolate. Stir with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour over brownies when they are cool. Allow to cool...if you can wait that long and cut into squares.

For the pie, cut into squares and strips and mold them into the bottom of an unbaked pie shell. See: My perfect pie crust recipe there's also a tutorial there on how to make my crust. 

 Bake at 375 degrees for 17-20 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the brownie ganache has melted. The brownie will appear to have been baked in the shell. 

 Top with fresh berries of your choice.  I used fresh strawberries, rasberries, and blackberries and then I drizzled them with Melba sauce. 

That's it! Easy and delicious!

Have an amazing Memorial Day weekend my darlings!

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

My Easy 5 Ingredient French Silk Pie

Probably one of my most requested pies at  the Bistro  is my French silk chocolate pie. I don't whip mine with egg and it is not like a fluffy mousse...I have seen those and I don't really like the raw egg scenario. Plus, I don't want a chocolate mousse pie (even those are amazing). My pie is different.  It is just like a giant chocolate truffle in a pie shell and super ridiculously evil, good, evil, good. At the bistro I add a few  more nuances to the  flavor by infusing it with citrus and rose petal. This is a simpler recipe for you. It is not low calorie. I'm not even going to pretend. 

5 Ingredient French Silk Pie

• 1 prepared baked pie crust, 9 inch, baked and cooled *
• 2 cups  high quality dark chocolate chips
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup real butter
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

Directions:
In a half gallon pot, combine the heavy cream, butter and vanilla bean paste (you can use regular vanilla). Bring cream mixture to a boil.  While cream mixture is cooking, place chocolate in a bowl.  Pour the boiling cream mixture over the chocolate and whisk well until the chocolate is melted and there are no lumps.  Pour the chocolate mixture into the baked pie shell and transfer to the fridge until the pie is set. Allow pie to come to room temperature before serving. I top mine with chocolate mousse or homemade whip cream.


There you go darlings!

Never made pie crust? 

Here's the tutorial from the post on Pecan Pie and Perfect Crust with my darling BFF Gena! You'll love it!

My perfect pie crust recipe:

2 1/4 cup pastry flour (all purpose will work)

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup cold butter 

3 T cold water

3 T white distilled vinegar (trust me?)

Combine the flour and the salt in a large bowl.

I keep the fat pretty cold. Yes, if you look closely I do use butter. It helps with the "mouth feel" of the crust. Buttery and not so greasy. You can use half crisco half butter if you prefer the texture. 

cut in shortening with a pastry blender. combine lightly until the mix resembles course meal or tiny peas: its texture will not be uniform, but will contain small crumbs and small bits and pieces. If you don't have a pastry blender, you can certainly use the wire whisk from your mixer.

Or, my personal favorite...the techno-chef fingers. Just make sure your hands are freezing cold. It's winter, I'm sure you can work that out.

Mmmm pea size.

I use vinegar in my crust. I have for years. It helps with the flaky texture and it actually does make an amazing crust. I made my darling Gena try the crust. Gena was convinced after just one taste. Should you doubt me, please, just try it once. If you don't like it, never return to it. I doubt you'll feel that way though.

Make a well in the dry stuff and add 3 T cold water and 3 T vinegar. You may need more or less, so go with 2 T of vinegar at first...but I can't think if the last time I needed to change the recipe and add more water or vinegar than what it says.

Lightly combine, just until mixed. Overmixing the dough will always result in hard non-flake-like crust. You have been warned. I bring it together.

Kneading it only a few times and making into a ball.
Refrigerate about 30 minutes. It will be easier to work with, and it gives the gluten (protein in the wheat) time to rest so the dough will roll out easier.

Take half of the dough. With your hands form it into a patty. I put my dough between two pieces of wax paper. I've used this method since my granny W. Forever. It's never failed me. Lightly...and I do mean lightly...wipe the counter top with a lightly damp clean washcloth. Place a piece of wax paper down, about 1 foot by 1 foot. Put the dough down. Top with another piece of wax paper of same proportions. Wax paper helps contribute to a tender crust, using extra flour on the counter instead may lead to a dry crust if overdone. This keeps me good.

Totally not necessary to have a Candy-land rolling pin. Gena just has this old thing laying around so I had to use it. Totally cute isn't it?! Roll the dough out into a circle. This may take practice to get it just right. Take your time.

Once to the edges of the wax paper, remove the top piece of paper. Place crust, uncovered side down in the pan, with an inch or so of crust hanging over the edge of the pan.

Now remove the second piece of crust.

Trim the edge so it hangs over about 3/4 inch, then fold it under so it leaves a little rim on the pan. This one comes up about 1/2 inch.

I will now play the flute for your listening pleasure...pppflllkkkkiiispuutttt. Like so.

Don't expect your first pie to look this neat and tidy. I may have made several thousand pies in the course of my days. If, however, yours looks this nice, keep in mind you are a freaky genius and I don't even know what to say.

You will need a 400 degree pre-heated oven. I'm not kidding on that point either. It's really important to heat that bad boy up first. Your crust will be better. Now here's what I do. I have these magic beans see...and they go on this layer of aluminum foil, right on top of the crust. They hold the crust down when it bakes so it doesn't get air bubbles. If you resist the urge to prick holes in the crust, you will be rewarded with a pecan pie that actually isn't glued to the pan by molten carmel superglue stuff that leaked through. Be impressed that I know that...and do, please, learn from my hideous mistake. I made it only once, and I will remember it forever. The humanity of chiseling pie crust off the bottom of the pan. It was a pathetic, dramatic display I don't want to repeat. Use the dry uncooked beans...not like a can of pork-n-beans. The dry bags...you know? Or, use the fancy pie weights...whatever.

Bake 10-15 minutes, just to make the crust nice and pre-cook-like. It will not be golden yet. Very techno-baking term.

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

Pin and Win with Lucky Leaf Springtime 500$ Contest!

 My darlings down at Lucky Leaf  always send me the best goodies in the mail! Seriously. What is the best thing you could send a baker, besides flours? {Tee hee}...

Pie filling! This time it was three free cans of their premium Pie Filling along with some cuter-than-heck recipe cards and a really adorable kitchen timer.  

 I seriously can't get over how simple these recipes were to make! Ya know what though? Their recipes are always easy to make! That's why I love them. Love. Love. Love.
Here are some of my favorites...

This ridiculously delicious

 Wise Woman Apple Cake with Salted Caramel Sauce Recipe 

Another absolute favorite was the Amaretto Peach Cobbler in the Awesome 

Cobbler Post!

The Amazing Dinner Menu 

that included the Sweet and Hot Slow Cooker Pork and Chocotinis! It was a very fun menu and really easy to make ahead of time for the party!

Perhaps my favorite post ever from Lucky Leaf has been the 

Chocolate Strawberry Cake with Rum Ganache

 These New Recipes for spring are so light and luscious, we might be having them all summer long!  The first recipe I made was the Lemony Blueberry Layered Pie. Ladies...if you want your husband to fall over with happiness...go ahead. Use this recipe. When I pulled this creation out of the fridge the words that escaped his mouth were, "You blessed woman!"  So ya know...he then sat down with the entire pan and ate it with a spoon.  I guess he thought it was just for him. I did manage to get a small little nibble...and it was ridiculously divine! The second batch I made, I changed the recipe a bit for my family's preferences. I've made the adjustments below.

Lemony Blueberry Cheesecake

 with Pistachio-Graham Crust

Adapted from Lemony Blueberry Layered Pie  from Lucky Leaf

Ingredients

1 10-inch graham cracker crust in a springform pan  (see recipe below for my homemade with pistachio)
3 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
8-ounces sour cream
¼ cup powdered sugar
2   3.4-ounce box instant lemon pudding mix
2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
¼ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 21-ounce can LUCKY LEAF® Premium Blueberry Pie Filling

Instructions

Make your crust by combining:

2 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup fine ground pistachios, 1/2 cup melted butter and 1-2 T of water.  Press into a 10 inch springform pan.

 It helps to lightly mist your fingers with a little water so they don't stick.

 Bake at 350 degrees for 101-12 minutes.

Allow to cool while making the filling...

Filling directions: Combine cream cheese, sour cream and powdered sugar in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, mix at medium speed for 1-2 minutes, until smooth. Add pudding mix, lemon zest and lemon juice; mix until well blended.

 I have boys. I will not tell you how much they laugh whenever they see this picture of me squeezing the lemon. If you don't understand...I'm not going to explain it to you either.

 Spoon lemon-filling mixture on top and spread evenly. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

Spoon  Lucky Leaf Premium Blueberry Pie Filling on top just before serving. Garnish with fresh lemon zest if desired.

The second recipe I did was the Cherry Coconut Squares. Um Wow! There are only 6 ingredients in these bars and so far, my boys have asked me to make them four times in the last four days. I have a teenage boy and one nipping at his heals. Tell me that they'll stop eating soon. It is starting to get scary. Speaking of scary. These coconut squares are the most delightful coconut shortbread imaginable topped with the super-fruit cherry filling from Lucky Leaf. I'm telling you...you can't lose!

That being said, these whip up in minutes, are delicious to make, and have made their way to the top of the list of "Best Things to Trade" at the lunch table.

  My son says he can get premium trade-items from other kids whenever he brings them in his lunch box...and he still won't trade them with his friends! 

There. That is the ultimate test right there! Punk my lunchbox. That's right. I'm super-bad!

 Cherry Coconut Squares from Lucky Leaf

Ingredients

• ⅓cup sugar
• ¼cup butter
• 1 ½cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• ¼teaspoon salt
• 18-ounce can flaked coconut
• 121-ounce can LUCKY LEAF^® Regular or Premium Cherry Pie Filling

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Cream sugar and butter. Sift flour and salt together and then add to creamed mixture. Mix in coconut.

 Pack 1/2 of this mixture into a greased 9-inch square pan. Spread LUCKY LEAF Cherry Pie Filling on top. Put remaining crumb mixture on top of pie filling. Pat down firmly

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. When cool, cut into 16-squares.

Guess what?!!! The fun hasn't stopped!  Lucky Leaf is opening up a great Contest to you my darlings!!

•  The Grand Prize is 500$, and two additional winners will receive 200$!  
•  To enter the contest, go to the Contest Entry Pin and pin away (Contest starts May 1st)! There isn't anything posted on the page-link until then so you might have to be patient...

There you go my darlings! Join me for this amazing contest and share these outstanding recipes!

Always My Very Best,

Your Friend Chef Tess

Hot Cocoa Cream Pie

Are there really words to go with that picture of chocolate cream pi?. There ought to be about 3 minutes of uninterrupted silence to really pay homage to such a pie.

I can't wait that long. Sorry. Lisa, the same one who sent the picture of the bread ( Lisa's Bread! )...asked me a while back about this chocolate pie. I make it out of dry hot cocoa mix that we get at our church's cannery. It can also be made with chocolate milk, but I love how rich and evil-creamy it tastes made from the dry milk powder...and I'm really picky. In Arizona, we can use hot cocoa about 3 weeks out of the year, so what do I do with all the rest of my mix?...I put it in my pie hole. I thought it was high time to post the actual blog entry so Lisa would stop calling me! Do you blame her?!

Hot Cocoa Cream Pie

2 9 inch prepared pie crusts (Here's my Pie crust recipe.)

Filling:
2 cups cannery hot cocoa mix (you can use any hot cocoa mix you want...measured 2 cups non sugar free)...sugar free, use enough to make 6 cups of cocoa...cool?
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
6 cups water
1 tsp double strength vanilla
1 tsp micro plane grated orange zest
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (of your choice...oh dear...peanut butter chips would be good huh?)

Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a pie pan with pastry dough or use the frozen ones, I don't care. I'm not eating your pie...wait that came out wrong. I didn't mean I wouldn't eat your pie if you used frozen ones. I would eat any pie any day of the week. Please refrain from any words of wisdom about my dairy-air.

Prick a couple holes in the crust with a fork all over to help it bake up really crispy. I don't even tolerate soggy pie crust. Yikes. Ask me how I keep it crispy with cream filling.

Ask me. I mean it...don't forget to ask me.

Bake it for 12-14 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and set aside. Turn down your oven to "warm".

Now...for the filling.
Combine the cocoa mix and the flour in a 3 quart sauce pan. Turn the stove on to medium heat. With a whisk, slowly add the water 2 cups at a time being sure to whisk vigorously. When it's combined add the butter to melt while the mixture thickens. If you're smart, you'll find a little cutie to whisk for you so you can take pictures for your blog. Look out for band-aids...


I sense a young Evil Genius in training. Yes. Yes I do think this grin says it all. Welcome to the Evil Think Tank. This is my son Face (that may not be the name we gave him in the hospital, but it is the one that has stuck to my food blog).

This cooked filling will need to be stirred constantly so it doesn't scorch (15-20 minutes). My son didn't mind. I'm really a good mom and stood there the whole time. It did start to bubble pretty well near the end so I took him off the counter. Just so nobody calls CPS. Now, be sure to remove the pan from the burner completely. Add the vanilla, orange zest and nutmeg. The filling needs to cool a bit. So...let's look at that crust.

Thank you for remembering to ask how I keep my crust from getting soggy. It's chocolate. I've said it before and I'll say it again...chocolate could cause world peace. I may be confused as to how to spell peace. Is it Piece of pie or peace of pie? I do know the answer. I'm sure my High School English teacher would be proud. Will the rest of you at least try to look impressed?!

This will impress anyone...right?

Divide the chocolate chips between the two pie crusts. Put those pie crusts back into the warm oven for 2-3 minutes and then spread out the chocolate like this...

I know it's painful to watch:

That chocolate barrier will act like a fat brown parka and keep the moisture from getting that flaky crust all mushy and nasty. Oh I do love a crispy crust. Did I mention that already? So, let it cool about 15 minutes. I wish I had chocolate galoshes to go with that semi-sweet parka. I would have worn it to the prom. Whoa. I think I just figured out why I never got asked to prom!

I think I also may have been pretty intimidating to the boys with a my bow staff skills. Not to mention my wicked chocolate shaving skills... (this picture is going on Tara's kitchen wall..next to the shadow box of cocoa beans).

Pour the slightly cooled filling into the pie crusts. Chill in the fridge about 30 minutes. Top with shaved chocolate.

I happen to adore it with coconut.

Here's what it looks like cooled and sliced. Very rich. Very evil. Try not to eat the whole thing in one sitting.

There you go.