In this section:
Apple Cranberry Pie
Apple Nut Tart
Apple Praline Pie
Banana Pie
Berry Fillings
Butterscotch Pie
Chocolate Pecan Tart
Chocolate Pie
Corn Flour Crust
Cornmeal Crust
Cottage Cheese Pie
Cream Cheese Dough
Currant Scones
Gooseberry Pie
Hawaiian Pineapple Pie
Key Lime Pie
Lemon Cream Tart
Maple Pecan Pie
Mashed Potato Pizza Crust
Meringue Pie Crust
Nut Tart
Peach Pie
Pear Tart
Pecan Pie
Peanut Butter Pie
Pie Crust
Raspberry Cream Cheese Pie
Rhubarb Custard Pie
Rhubarb Sour Cream Pie
Strawberry Pie
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Tomato Olive Tarts
Vinegar Pie
Apple Cranberry Pie
1/3 c white granulated sugar
3 T GF baking mix
3 T chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 t cinnamon
4 Jonathan [Jongold, your choice] apples, peeled, cored, sliced
2/3 c fresh or frozen cranberries
Use a regular 10-inch double crust for this pie. Can add extra butter and a few shakes of cinnamon to change the taste of the crust being used.
Arrange the apples on the first pie crust and sprinkle with cranberries.
Sprinkle fruit mixture with flour/sugar/cinnamon mix. Add dots of
butter. Cover with second crust. Bake in for 40 minutes in a
350-degree oven. 
Apple Nut Tart
The combination of apples, raisins, and nuts make this an extra-special apple pastry. For a full pie, consider using a lattice crust top; for tarts, use a glaze of powdered sugar and lemon juice.
3 to 4 apples, thinly sliced
1/2 c white granulated sugar
3 to 4 T golden raisins
3 to 4 T walnuts or pecans, chopped
1/2 t GF cinnamon
1/2 t grated lemon peel [lemon zest]
2 t lemon juice
1 egg yolk, beaten with 1 to 2 t tap water
Prepare a 9-inch GF pie crust. Consider adding one Tablespoon of cinnamon or one Tablespoon of grated lemon peel to the dough.
In a large bowl, combine apples, sugar, raisins, walnuts, cinnamon, lemon peel, lemon juice; toss lightly to coat and spoon into non-baked pie crust.
To make a lattice top, cut the second crust into 1/2-inch strips and arrange strips in a lattice design over filling. Brush lattice strips with egg yolk mixture.
Bake in a 350-degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes. Remove pie at 35 minutes and cover edges with foil and place strips of foil over lattice to prevent excessive browning or burning. Remove from oven and cool.
When
using small pie pans or tart pans, add a glaze to the baked pie of powdered
sugar and lemon juice. Brush or drizzle glaze over baked tarts while still
warm from the oven.
Apple Praline Pie
5 to 6 c apple slices [or canned apple pie slices]
1/2 c white granulated sugar
5 T cornstarch [or substitute 5 T GF baking mix]
1/2 t GF cinnamon
1/2 t ginger, finely ground
1/4 t kosher or non-iodized salt
1 T lemon juice
2 T butter or margarine
1/3 c butter or margarine, melted
2/3 c GF brown sugar
2/3 c pecans, chopped
1 unbaked pastry shell for 9-inch pie plate
Combine apples, sugar, cornstarch, spices, and lemon juice. Spoon into unbaked pastry shell. Dot with two Tablespoons butter. Bake in 400-degree oven for 45 minutes.
Melt one third cup butter in saucepan; stir in brown sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add pecans and pour over pie. Return to oven and bake for an additional five minutes at 400 degrees.
Note: Omit the pastry shell for this pie and bake in ramekins or in a
regular pie pan. Grease the ramekins or pie pan with a solid shortening
such as Crisco.
Banana Pie
For this easy banana pie, I use a pie shell made with coconut. The cream cheese crust with the addition of three fourths cup lemon zest works well also. And, of course, what is wrong with a plain tasty crust.
1 8-oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 c GF sour cream
3 T white granulated sugar
3 c bananas, sliced and dipped in lime or lemon juice
3/4 c whipping cream, whipped, for topping
Blend the cream cheese and sour cream. Add the sugar and mix a second time. Stir in the bananas.
Pour
mixture into prepared, baked pie shell. Freeze two to four hours until
firm. Remove from freezer a few minutes before serving. Top with
whipped cream.
Berry Fillings
With a tart pan or ramekin, a berry filling in a coconut or cookie crust may fill the bill for a tasty and simple dessert.
2 pkg frozen strawberries [raspberries or pie filling]
1/4 c white granulated sugar
2 T cornstarch
2 T quick-cooking tapioca
1/4 t non-iodized salt
2 c reserved berry juice [add enough tap water to make 2 cups]
1 T lemon juice
Combine sugar, cornstarch, tapioca, salt, and juice in a saucepan. Place over Medium heat, stir constantly until
thickened and clear. Remove from heat; add lemon juice. Cool.
Fold in the fruit. Fill tart pie shells and serve. Can add a dollop
of whipped cream and a sprinkle of finely ground nuts.
Butterscotch Pie
A pudding pie or this filling will test your taste buds for butterscotch. It's also a good recipe to share with a neighbor at coffee time.
1 pre-baked pie shell
3/4 c GF brown sugar
1/4 c cornstarch
1/4 t non-iodized salt
3 c milk or milk substitute
3 egg yolks, beaten [save whites for topping]
2 t butter [or margarine]
2 t GF vanilla flavoring
In a
saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in milk. Cook
over Medium heat until thickened. Stir continuously. Remove from
heat. Cool for a few minutes. Blend a small amount of the cooked
mixture into the egg yolks. Then, blend egg yolk mixture into cooked
mixture. Blend well. Cook again until the first bubbles begin to
appear in the mixture. Remove from heat. Stir in the margarine and
the vanilla. Pour into prepared pie shell. Cool. Add beaten
egg whites to top of pie. Brown egg white topping in a 350-degree
oven. Check at four minutes. May need another minute or two to begin
browning. Remove. Cool and refrigerate or serve.
Chocolate Pecan Tart
The treasure in these pecan tarts is the chocolate lining. With a crust and a layer of chocolate, add a scoop of ice cream and add a thick chocolate syrup with a sprinkle of what else, chopped pecans.
1 1/2 c GF baking mix
1/2 t non-iodized salt
1/2 butter or Crisco
1/3 c powdered sugar [confectioner's sugar]
2 T apple cider vinegar
1 t GF vanilla flavoring
1/2 c pecans, finely ground or flour consistency
1 large plain Hershey chocolate bar
2 T light cream or half 'n half
Sift together the flour and salt and add the Crisco and cream together. Add the powdered sugar and blend well. Add water, vanilla, and pecan flour and blend again. Three and half-inch tart pans will take a generous Tablespoon of the dough. Shape in each pan with your hands. Grease the tart pans lightly with a solid shortening such as Crisco. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Note the flours used and adjust baking time accordingly. Do not over-bake or over-brown. [Your flour combination could take 8 to 10 minutes].
Remove tart crusts from oven and cool slightly. When tart pans are cool enough to handle, spread in and drizzle on the melted chocolate. Do both sides and bottoms. To serve, loosen tart shells from pans, place on plates or sauce dish and fill with ice cream.
Comment: Melt chocolate in double boiler over hot water or can use the microwave. Blend in cream or half 'n half to enhance pouring quality. Depending on the milk chocolate candy bar being used, the hot water method may be the safest and give the best finished product.
Kids love tart shells covered with chocolate and will come up with dozens of filler suggestions. Or, help to break up those not used so they can be allotted to the snack can.
Orange Filling: Instead of using a Hershey chocolate bar to line the tart crust, use almond bark that has been thinned with a half cup of half 'n half with a fourth teaspoon of orange flavoring added. For the filling, beat three or four eggs slightly with one fourth cup orange juice and one teaspoon lemon juice. Add one half cup sugar and one eighth teaspoon salt. Combine well and cook to thickened stage in a double boiler over hot water. Cool when thickened. Beat one cup whipping cream until very thick and add to cooled orange pudding mixture. Add one Tablespoon grated orange rind. Pour into tart shells and garnish with a half orange slice, the rind included.
Lemon
Filling: Repeat above recipe with the substitution of lemon rind and
lemon juice. Garnish with a half lemon slice, the rind included.
Chocolate Pie
This chocolate pie recipe can be made into tarts or a full pie. The recipe came to us from a German family, so our reference for it has always been as German Chocolate Pie.
1 4-oz pkg sweet chocolate
1/4 c butter
1 12-oz can evaporated milk
1 1/2 c white granulated sugar
3 T cornstarch
1/8 t non-iodized salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 t GF vanilla flavoring
1 non-baked pie shell for a 9-inch plate [add 1 Tablespoon cocoa and 1/2 cup finely chopped coconut to the regular recipe for pie crust]
1 1/2 c flaked coconut
1 cup pecans, chopped fine
Melt
chocolate and butter in a saucepan over Low heat. Remove from heat and
blend in milk. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine sugar,
cornstarch, and salt. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Blend in chocolate
mixture. Pour into pie shell. Combine coconut and nuts.
Sprinkle on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Check for
doneness by inserting knife in center.
Corn Flour Crust
I like using this flour combination for mince pie and for pudding pies. The tough item to find is corn flour, so I have often substituted cornstarch or milo [sorghum] flour. Both work, but not quite as well as the real thing--corn flour. When I double the batch for a double-crust pie, I use the electric mixer. For one crust, the mixer is nice, but a wooden spoon and hands do as well.
1 c corn flour [or, milo flour]
1/3 c rice Krispies, pulsed to flour
2 to 3 shakes of non-iodized salt
3/4 stick of butter
1 egg, beaten
1 T water +
Combine dry ingredients. Add butter and use pastry blender to form
softened crumbs. Add beaten egg and water. Form into a soft ball and
knead on a floured surface. Shape into pie shell in a 9-inch pie
plate.
Cornmeal Crust
This is an excellent crust for use in small muffin tins, ramekins, and rounded ceramic coffee cups that are oven-proof. Bake the crust five to six minutes to firm it up and then add a filling that may be juicy or contain extra liquid. This crust is excellent for mini-quiches, deviled crab fillings, sausage and fruit combinations, a variety of fruit and pie fillings, and for leftover stew pot pies.
1 c cornmeal, finely ground [not the regular supermarket cornmeal or any of the generic varieties; you can re-grind supermarket cornmeal a couple of times, but be sure that you are using fine grind or choose corn flour]. And, the usual reminder--it may be difficult to find GF cornmeal off the shelf at your local store. You may need to seek out a mail order commercial source to obtain a product that is certified as being gluten-free.
1 c GF sour cream
1 t GF baking powder
Simple. Just mix together and spoon into mini-muffin tins. Press
dough against the sides to form a cup. Fill with your choice of filling
and bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes.
Cottage Cheese Pie
For the pie shell, consider adding one half cup lemon zest to the regular baking mix crust. Do not omit the vinegar for the pie crust.
Pie filling:
1/4 t GF cinnamon, ground
1 16-oz container cottage cheese, cream-style
4 to 5 t cornstarch
1/2 c honey
1 1/2 t GF vanilla flavoring
1 t lemon juice
2 eggs
For garnish: 10 to 12 strawberries and 2 T lemon juice
Put all of the ingredients [not the strawberries] into food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Pour into prepared crust. Bake on the middle shelf of a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes or until set. Remove from oven and cool well. Decorate with sliced strawberries in rings around the top of the pie. Serve chilled.
Note: Strawberries will maintain color better if sliced, placed in bowl,
and sprinkled with lemon juice.
Cream Cheese Dough
How could you make Tassies with a pecan filling or Pecan Pie without Cream Cheese Dough. Most cooks likely have their own version of cream cheese dough that they use for roll-ups, pie shells, for selected quiche recipes. I'm not sure if this recipe came on a cream cheese container or if it is from an exchange; these proportions are what we use or thereabout for the cream cheese pie dough recipe.
2 sticks of margarine or butter [occasionally, Crisco]
1 8-oz package of cream cheese
a t of lemon, orange or lime zest [or a t of juice from what's in the refrigerator]
2 c of GF flour mix
1/4 to 1/2 c of powdered sugar [confectioner's sugar]
optional: a shake or two of non-iodized salt
Cream the butter and cheese together, mix in the zest or juice. The mixer on low does this task very well and then finish up with a wooden spoon. If time permits, the dough works better if allowed to chill overnight in the refrigerator. Wrap in plastic or wax paper and fold over the ends so the package is air tight.
This dough is excellent for use with a pecan filling. I prefer to use the smallest muffin tins from an Okalahoma friend. For that size, we use her title of Tassies. For the larger pie pan, we use the name of Pecan Pie. Any variation of the filling will work; the following ingredient listing is great, too.
1/3 c butter or margarine
1 c GF brown sugar, cream with butter
4 eggs, added one at a time and combined
1 c light corn syrup or molasses
2 to 2 1/2 cups of broken pecan pieces or walnuts
1/2 t non-iodized salt and 1/2 t apple cider vinegar
Bake the crust partially--for 5 to 7 minutes. Take crust out of the oven, allow to cool for a few minutes before filling. Bake the pie for 35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the filling comes out clean. Serve warm or cold.
With the extra cream
cheese dough [or make a second batch]: With any pie dough and especially
with cream cheese pie dough, there was always a baking of dough roll-ups that
were seasoned with a bit of butter, cinnamon, and sugar. For the cream
cheese dough, it was rolled out into a circle, smeared over with soft butter,
sprinkled with chopped nuts, and then had a sprinkling of cinnamon and
sugar. Next the circle of dough was cut into wedges. These wedges
were rolled up from the outside to the center and formed a nice roll-up.
The roll-ups were placed on a cookie sheet or bread pan, brushed with a bit of
beaten egg and sprinkled with a mix of cinnamon and sugar. One--just one
of the roll-ups was laced with nutmeg. [whoever got that one had to carry
in the wood the next night]. Roll-ups were baked with the pies. They
were the kid treats. They were special and just plain gourmet each week on
Friday when the baking was done for the weekend. It wasn't until I was at
the University of Minnesota that I learned from Jewish student friends that what
I had known as pie dough roll-ups were in fact a tradition for Hanukkah called
Rugelach. ["rugel" means royal in Yiddish, and once you taste
cream cheese pie dough roll-ups, you'll know why].
H. Louise Baugher, Oklahoma City, OK
Currant Scones
Scones make for wholesome snacking; eat them as they come from the oven, split them and spread them with butter, jam or jelly, or tuck them into a corner of a lunch box. The best thing about scones is that you can almost always mix up a few ingredients you probably have on hand and turn out a batch of toothsome scones.
2 c GF baking mix
2 t GF baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t non-iodized salt
6 T butter [cut into small pieces]
1/4 c honey
1/4 c yogurt [plain or whatever you have on hand]
1/2 t GF vanilla or almond flavoring
1 c currants [or 1 pkg dried currants]
1 egg white
1/4 c sugar/cinnamon mix
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix well. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, combine honey, yogurt, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Mix well. Stir in currants. With fork, stir into honey mixture until moistened.
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and shape into an 8-inch circle about one inch thick. Cut into 8 wedges. Place wedges on a baking sheet that has been greased with a solid shortening such as Crisco. Brush each wedge with lightly-beaten egg white. Sprinkle with sugar/cinnamon mix. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
Comment: In the dried fruit section at our grocery store, there is a
display or eight different dried fruits. Each fruit packet is a potential
for use in this recipe for scones. And don't omit making up scones with
grated orange, lemon or grapefruit rind. They are a special treat with a
cup of tea or coffee; and can be a staple for your snack attack.
Gooseberry Pie
Whether you are using fresh or canned gooseberries, the following recipe is a standard winner. In our area of the Midwest, where there is timber and non-attended creek banks, wild gooseberries and morels have found a home. In our area, most parkland also hosts gooseberries. In my block, three neighbors have gooseberries growing in backyards. One or two pies and a fresh supply of jam is on the agenda each mid-summer.
1 1/2 to 2 cups white granulated sugar
1/3 to 1/2 c GF baking mix
2 to 3 T butter or margarine
Mix and sprinkle through 4 to 5 cups gooseberries. Place a prepared dough for crust in 9-inch pie plate, pour in berries and dot with butter. Put on top crust, brush with milk, sprinkle with 1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar and bake in a 350-degree oven for one hour and ten to fifteen minutes. Check rim of crust at about 45 minutes; a ring of aluminum foil may be needed to help to prevent over browning.
Suggested crust. Use a traditional GF flour crust. one and half cups
GF baking mix three fourths to one cup of Crisco; one teaspoon
non-iodized salt; one egg; one Tablespoon apple cider vinegar; and enough water
or milk or buttermilk to mix. Blend first with a pastry blender.
Roll dough together with hands. Form into two balls. Place dough for
bottom crust into pie plate and shape. Roll out top crust between two
pieces of floured waxed paper. Turn over bottom piece of paper with crust
to place over filled pie.
Hawaiian Pineapple Pie
A cool, creamy pie, enriched with pineapple and pecans, is ideal on a hot summer night. Use a pre-baked coconut pie crust for the shell for this pie. Can also be made in 5-inch ramekins.
1 can sweetened condensed milk [about 15 oz]
1/2 c lemon juice
1 c whipping cream
1/4 c white granulated sugar
2 bananas, peeled, sliced
1 20-oz can crushed pineapple, well drained
1/4 c flaked coconut
1/4 c chopped nutmeats [pecans, etc.]
1/4 c maraschino cherries [if tolerated]
In a medium bowl, mix the milk and lemon juice.
In another bowl, whip the cream. Gradually beat in sugar until stiff peaks form.
Arrange a layer of banana slices in the baked pie shell. Top with a layer of the condensed milk mixture.
Top with a layer of crushed pineapple Cover with a layer of whipped cream. Garnish with coconut, nutmeats, and maraschino cherries.
Chill
three to four hours before serving.
Key Lime Pie
1 T unflavored gelatin
1/3 c lime juice [fresh or bottled Key Lime]
1 c boiling water
1/4 c white granulated sugar
1 13-oz can evaporated milk, chilled
1/4 c cold water
1 pkg GF instant vanilla pudding mix
Pinch of grated lime rind
1 GF pie shell [try a regular crust with coconut and lime zest added]
In a blender, combine gelatin and lime juice. Wait for a couple of minutes for the gelatin to soften, then add the boiling water. Cover and blend on high speed. Add the sugar and evaporated milk, cold water, pudding mix and the grated lime rind. Blend just until smooth.
Chill mixture for 20 minutes in the refrigerator--just until the mixture begins to set. Spoon mixture into pie shell and chill until firm. [3 to 4 hours or for overnight].
Serve with a whipped cream topping. Or, lightly combine this mixture with three beaten egg whites. Spoon into parfait glasses. Garnish with half lime slices.
Comment: An alternate pie crust that works well for both key lime and
lemon pies [or tarts]. Process in the food processor or blender, two cups
sweetened, shredded coconut with a half cup sugar. Process until coconut
is minces and fine. Blend this mixture into two beaten egg whites.
Use this mixture for crust. [Can add two Tablespoons of rice flour, but it
holds up well with the sugar and coconut mix]. Does especially well in
small pans and in tart pans.
Lemon Cream Tart
Use a cream cheese crust for this tart. [butter or Crisco, cream cheese, sugar, and a bit of salt].
4 egg yolks
1 T grated lemon peel
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c lemon juice
Whipped cream: one cup whipping cream, one Tablespoon sugar, and one teaspoon GF vanilla flavoring.
Whisk together egg yolks and lemon peel until mixture is light colored. Add milk and lemon juice. Pour into partially baked crust. Bake in a 350-degree oven until filling is set [about 15 to 16 minutes].
Beat
all of the whipped cream ingredients until stiff peaks form. Pipe or
spread over cooled tarts or pie.
Maple Pecan Pie
With addition of Vermont maple syrup, this pecan pie is a bit more special and comes up to the awarding winning category. My friend who shared this recipe chastised that "it can only be made with Vermont maple syrup," and then added, "all other brands will be failures."
Pastry:
2 c GF baking mix
1 egg
1/2 t non-iodized salt
1 T apple cider vinegar
1 T white granulated sugar
1/2 to 3/4 c solid shortening such as Crisco
1 to 3 T milk or water
Filling:
4 eggs, well-beaten
3/4 c white granulated sugar
1/2 c maple syrup
1/2 c light corn syrup
1/2 c dark corn syrup
2 1/2 to 3 T GF vanilla flavoring
1/4 t non-iodized salt
1 1/2 c pecans, broken
Additional maple syrup
Pastry. Sift together flour, salt, and sugar. Place in mixing bowl. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture resembles cornmeal crumbs. Combine milk, vinegar, and egg. Add liquid a bit at a time, sprinkling over flour mixture and tossing with a fork to form a soft dough. Knead with hands and form into two discs. Use one disc for the shell for this pie. Wrap the extra dough with plastic wrap. Freeze for later use.
Filling. Mix sugar, syrups, vanilla and salt with beaten eggs until
blended. Stir in pecans and melted butter. Brush inside of
pastry shell with a beaten egg white. Pour in filling. Bake in an
oven preheated to 350 degrees for 55 minutes or until center is set.
Remove from oven and brush hot pie with maple syrup. Cool and store in
refrigerator.
Mashed Potato Pizza Crust
Most of the flour mixes work well for use as a pizza crust. This mashed potato crust represents a taste change and is simple to put together.
5 medium potatoes 3/4 c homemade tomato sauce
1 T margarine or butter 1 t oregano
2 to 3 T cornstarch 12 oz Mozzarella cheese
Boil the potatoes approximately 18 minutes. Do not cook until soft or mushy. Drain. Add margarine. Mash. Add cornstarch. Mix well with either a wooden spoon or with your hands. When you can form a ball, set aside and chill for 25 to 30 minutes. Grease a pizza pan or cookie sheet with corn or olive oil. Spread on the potato dough and crimp edges to form a ridge. Pour on tomato sauce and smooth with the ball of spoon. Sprinkle with oregano. Add your favorite topping of hamburger, sausage, onion, mushrooms, whatever. Top with GF pizza sauce and the Mozzarella cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in an oven which has been preheated to 425 degrees. Potato crust will become lightly browned.
Comment: Olive oil
appears to work best for greasing the pan for this pizza. McCormick has a
prepared pizza seasoning that is excellent with hamburger and sausage. To
make a tomato sauce, puree a can of tomatoes in the blender [onion, pepper,
tomato preferred] and then add garlic powder, a few shakes of oregano.
Cook until lightly thickened. This sauce can be sealed in a plastic bag,
flattened and frozen. When using leftover mashed potatoes, add a few
shakes of nutmeg for a taste change.
Meringue Pie Crust
A meringue pie crust made with or without nuts and coconut is an excellent treat with many kinds of fruit pies--especially with fresh fruits such as strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries. For the filling, prepare a pudding mix, fruit combined with sugar, and use a whipped topping. [meringue pie shell, pudding, fruit, more pudding, topping].
3 large egg whites, room temperature
1/4 t non-iodized salt
2/3 c white granulated sugar
1/4 t GF almond flavoring
1/4 c sliced almonds, crushed
Optional: 2/3 c shredded coconut
In a large bowl, beat the egg whites and salt with an electric mixer at high speed until whites begin to mound. With the mixer at high speed, add sugar, about two tablespoons at a time, and the almond extract. Beat until the sugar has dissolved.
Beat until whites will stand in stiff glossy peaks when a beater or spatula is pulled out of the mixture. With a spatula, fold in the coconut and the almonds.
Grease lightly a 9-inch pie pan with a solid shortening such as Crisco. Wipe off any extra shortening with a tissue. Spread meringue in pie place to cover bottom and sides of pan up to the rim. Make sides slightly thicker than the bottom and about a half inch higher than the rim of the plate.
Bake
35 to 40 minutes in a 325-degree oven until firm to the touch. Turn off
oven and allow meringue shell to dry and cool inside the oven. Do not
remove until both the oven and the meringue are completely cooled. Do not
open the oven door while meringue is cooling.
Nut Tart
Use either a soft cookie dough or pie dough mixture and add the finely ground nuts. This dough, full of almonds or hazelnuts, is baked in two layers [two different pans], then spread with jelly and whipped cream. With a dollop of sweetened whipped cream, it would please a Viennese.
1 c GF baking mix
1 t GF baking powder
1/4 t non-iodized salt
1 1/2 c filberts [or blanched almonds], finely ground
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 + 1/2 c white granulated sugar
1/2 c butter or margarine
1/4 to 1/2 c currant jelly
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the nut flour and sift again. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until fluffy, add one fourth cup sugar, beat. Cream in butter. Add the half cup sugar and cream together thoroughly. Stir in the dry ingredients.
Pour batter into two heavily greased 9-inch pie pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. Check at 10 minutes for over-browning and if the tart crust is done. Cool. [Or, use tart pans or 5-inch ramekins].
When cooled, brush on layer of jelly and frost with a heavy layer of sweetened whipped cream.
Whipped Cream. Beat one cup whipping cream until thick. Blend in one
Tablespoon sugar and one half teaspoon GF vanilla flavoring.
Peach Pie
This is a gelatin-based fruit pie. Fresh strawberries and strawberry gelatin may be substituted for the peaches and orange gelatin, if desired. This pie is a great treat during the peak weeks of the peach season.
Crust:
1 1/2 c GF baking mix
1 1/2 T white granulated sugar
1 t non-iodized salt
1 T apple cider vinegar
1/2 c corn oil [or solid shortening such as Crisco]
Filling:
1 c white granulated sugar
2 T cornstarch
1 c water
2 T orange-flavored gelatin
2 1/2 to 2 c fresh peaches, sliced
1 1/2 c whipped cream
Mix together ingredients for crust. Mixture will be crumbly. Shape with hands. Move to 9-inch pie pan. Press crust into pie shell. Flute edges. Pierce crust 15 to 20 times with a fork. Bake crust in a 375-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until crust begins to brown.
In a saucepan over Low heat, cook sugar, cornstarch, and water until clear. Remove from heat. Add dry orange gelatin, stir to dissolve and cool.
Arrange peach slices in cooled pie shell. Pour orange mixture over peaches
and chill. Serve with whipped cream seasoned with one and half teaspoons
of white granulated sugar and one eighth teaspoon of cream of
tartar.
Pear Tart
Use a regular GF pie dough for the crust of this tart. Add one half teaspoon of GF almond flavoring and one half cup almonds that have been finely pulverized in the blender to the crust while mixing.
Filling:
5 to 7 pears, peeled, cored, sliced
2 to 3 T GF baking mix
1/4 to 1/3-cup honey
Glaze:
1/3 to 2/3 c apricot preserves
1 to 2 t tap water
In a large bowl, toss the pear slices with the flour. [or shake on flour from a flour shaker and then toss lightly]. Add honey and toss again. Turn pear filling into non-baked tart shells or pie shell. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven.
Boil
preserves with water for 2 to 3 minutes and drizzle glaze over pears.
Return to oven and bake for an additional 10 to 12 minutes.
Pecan Pie
This is a traditional recipe for pecan pie. It's the "not-too-sweet" version made with powdered sugar [confectioner's sugar] crust. It can also be made with a flour crust or with the cream cheese crust. When doing it in muffin tins, we often use the coconut pie crust recipe. If you prefer a sweeter filling, add extra sugar.
1 stick butter [or margarine] plus 1/4 c melted butter
1 c GF baking mix
4 T powdered sugar [confectioner's sugar]
1 c pecans
3 eggs
1 c dark corn syrup [Karo's]
1/3 c white granulated sugar
dash of salt
Crust. Mix the butter, flour, and powdered sugar into a soft dough. Shape into a 9-inch pie pan. Trim the edges and flute the crust. Do not pre-bake the crust.
Filling. Mix the melted butter, eggs, syrup, sugar, and salt to combine
and finish with a mixer until smooth. Place pecans on the crust over the
bottom of the pie shell. Pour the filling over the pecans. Bake for
40 minutes in
an oven preheated to 350 degrees. Check for doneness in the
center by inserting a knife. May need to bake a few minutes longer.
Allow pie to cool for one to two hours before cutting.
Peanut Butter Pie
1 3-oz pkg cream cheese
1/3 c peanut butter
1 c powdered sugar [confectioner's sugar]
1/4 c milk
1 8-oz carton GF whipped topping, thawed
1 baked and cooled 9-inch pie shell [add 1/4 c cocoa and 1/4 c melted chocolate to the regular recipe for a GF pie crust] Optional: add one half cup finely shredded coconut into the dough. Note: or, use four Tablespoons of Nutella in the crust and one half cup finely chopped peanuts.
1/4 c chopped peanuts
1 chocolate Hershey candy bar
In a
mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Mix in peanut butter and
sugar. Gradually add milk and mix well. Fold in the whipped
topping. Spoon mixture into chocolate crust. Garnish with peanuts
and shavings from a chocolate Hershey bar.
Pie Crust
A friend once sent a leaflet with 36 different pie crust recipes. That represents many good cooks and also many differences. Each cook develops their own "best pie crust recipe." This is one of those "best."
2 c GF baking mix
1/4 t non-iodized salt
2 T dry milk powder [regular or buttermilk]
1 egg
1 T apple cider vinegar
2 T milk or milk substitute
3/4 c of a solid shortening such as Crisco
Combine dry ingredients, whisk. Add remaining ingredients. Using a pastry blender, mix well. Will turn into a coarse crumb mixture. Using hands, form into a ball and knead six to eight times.
This amount
of dough will make a double crust pie or two single crust pies. For a
baked shell, bake in a 425-degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes. As an
non-baked shell, any of the typical fillings may be added before baking.
Raspberry Cream Cheese Pie
This is an easy pie to put together and works well with either raspberries or strawberries. With the addition of one half cup finely chopped or ground walnuts to a regular GF flour crust, there is a special presence of crust and there is just enough of the cream cheese filling to fully feature the raspberries.
Filling:
1 8-oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 c white granulated sugar
1 t vanilla flavoring
1 egg
1 T lemon juice
2 T milk [or orange juice]
Topping:
1 heaping pint of fresh raspberries [or 2 c frozen, thawed] plan to reserve a few berries for garnish.
1/4 c white granulated sugar
1 T plus 1 t cornstarch
2 T water
Make up one crust pie shell with a GF baking mix and add one half cup ground or finely chopped walnuts. Bake pie shell in a 350-degree oven for five minutes. Remove from oven and pour in filling. Return to oven and bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes.
Beat cream cheese until fluffy, then beat in remaining filling ingredients. Pour into hot shell and bake until set [about 20 to 25 minutes].
While pie is cooling, make topping: place berries in a non-reactive pan with the sugar and stir well. Crush berries slightly to release some of the juice. Allow to sit until soupy--about 10 to 15 minutes. Then place over Medium heat and cook until mixture is hot and first bubbles begin to rise. Do not boil.
Dissolve cornstarch in water and add to fruit mixture. Cook, stirring,
just until mixture is thick and clear. Usually about 2 minutes.
Remove from heat, allow to cool, then spread on cooled pie and chill well.
When cooled, scatter reserved berries on top of pie. [best done at serving
time].
Rhubarb Custard Pie
This mixture is excellent made as a 9-inch pie, but also works well made as tarts. [Either a tart tin or a 5-inch ramekin]. Use your regular pie crust with an extra Tablespoon of GF brown sugar added.
Filling:
3/4 c white granulated sugar
3 T GF baking mix
1/2 c whipping cream
2 to 3 T apricot preserves
1 egg yolk
3 to 3 1/2 c rhubarb, chopped
Topping:
1/2 c GF baking mix
1/2 c GF brown sugar
1/4 c butter or margarine, softened
In a large bowl, combine sugar and flour. Mix well. Add cream, apricot preserves, and egg yolk. Mix well. Stir in rhubarb. Pour into un-baked pie shell. Sprinkle topping over filling.
Bale
in a 350-degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes. Let stand for about 30
minutes. Drizzle with a glaze made of one half cup powdered sugar, three
Tablespoons milk, and a sprinkle of ginger. Serve plain or with a small
dollop of whipped cream.
Rhubarb Sour Cream Pie
This is a basic sour cream pie recipe which is excellent for use with rhubarb, apples, or pears.
Filling for pie:
1/4 c white granulated sugar
2 T GF baking mix
1/4 t non-iodized salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 t vanilla flavoring
2 cups rhubarb, chopped [an extra cup is fine]
1 c GF sour cream
1 GF unbaked pie shell
Topping:
1/3 c white granulated sugar
1/3 c GF baking mix
1 t GF cinnamon, ground
Filling for pie. Combine sugar, flour, salt, eggs, and vanilla. Add sour cream to rhubarb. Add sugar/flour combination. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake in a 400-degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake 20 minutes longer.
Topping. Meanwhile, mix sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Remove pie from
oven. Sprinkle mixture over pie. Return to oven, raise heat to 400
degrees and bake 10 minutes.
Strawberry Pie
This pie uses egg white for the crust. Of the seven recipes for strawberry pie reviewed, there were seven different methodologies suggested. There is no reason to show preference to this one other than "it's the way my mother did it."
4 eggs, separated [use egg whites for crust]
pinch of non-iodized salt
1/4 t cream of tartar
3/4 c white granulated sugar plus 2 T
3/4 c walnuts or pecans, finely chopped
1 t GF vanilla flavoring
4 to 6 c strawberries, fresh or frozen
3/4 to 1 c whipping cream, whipped
Beat egg whites with salt until foamy. Add cream of tartar and continue beating until stiff. Gradually add sugar and beat again until very stiff. Fold in the nuts and vanilla. Grease a 9-inch pie plate with butter [not margarine or Crisco]. Pour in the egg white mixture. With a spatula or your fingers, make a nest of the egg white crust. Bake crust in an oven preheated to 300 degrees for 55 minutes. Remove carefully. Cool.
With the juice from the
strawberries or with water and a few mashed berries, make a thin glaze thickened
with one Tablespoon of cornstarch. Cool glaze. Add the extra two
Tablespoons of sugar to the strawberries. Toss and mix lightly. Pour glaze
over strawberries. Mix lightly. Pour strawberries into crust.
Allow glaze to set. Top with whipped cream.
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
3 T cornstarch
1/2 t non-iodized salt
1 1/2 c white granulated sugar [plus 3/4 c for top of crust]
2 c strawberries, halved
2 c rhubarb, diced
1 to 1 1/2 T butter [unsalted]
1 GF 2-crust pastry, unbaked
Blend cornstarch, salt, and sugar. Add to fruits and mix lightly. Place filling into a 9-inch pie shell; heap center of filling slightly above top of pan so as to support top crust. Dot with butter. Moisten rim of pan. Place top pastry over filling. Trim edge. Flute. Cut several gashes in top pastry. Brush top pastry lightly with milk. Sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake in 325-degree oven for 35 minutes until crust is lightly browned.
Comment: Can change this recipe a bit by substituting GF baking mix for
the cornstarch. My personal choice is to use a cream cheese based crust
for either strawberry or rhubarb tarts and pies.
Tomato Olive Tarts
Use tart pans or 5 1/2 inch ramekins for this mixture. Use a regular pie crust recipe and consider adding a Tablespoon of basil or a teaspoon of garlic powder or your favorite vegetable tart crust.
Filling:
2 c Swiss cheese, coarsely grated
1 box cherry tomatoes [24 to 30 tomatoes] halved
1/2 c basil, thinly sliced [or 1 t dry basil]
20 olives, pitted, thinly sliced
10 green olives stuffed with garlic, chopped
3 eggs
1/2 c milk
1/8 t non-iodized salt
1/8 t black pepper
In a bowl, toss together cheeses, tomatoes, olives, and basil
In a second bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper.
Press dough into each tartlet pan. Arrange equal portions of the tomato mixture. Arrange tomato halves and olives with smooth side up for attractive presentation.
Add egg mixture to fill shells.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove tartlets to rack and cool. Remove tartlets from molds and serve warm [or at room temperature].
Note: Can bake
in handled soup bowls. Press in dough and fill. Bake at 400 degrees
for 12 to 15 minutes and then reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees to complete
baking.
Vinegar Pie
Several of the cookbooks in my collection from the 20s and 30s have entries for Vinegar Tarts. In the 1930s when lemons may only be available in our small town "in season," it was common for my mother to serve vinegar tartlets several times during the year. We gave them that name dignity, however everyone knew they had been baked in oversize jar lids. But then the English teacher from the city came to our district. And with her came our first tart pan. The 19-cent black ink marking on the bottom has faded, but the thoughtfulness of the giver still shines bright in our minds.
2 to 3 eggs
1 c white granulated sugar, divided
1 T GF baking mix
1 c cold water
2 T apple cider vinegar
cinnamon in a shaker to dust over the top
In a bowl, beat together the eggs and a fourth cup sugar until blended. In a saucepan, combine the remaining three fourths cup sugar, flour, water, and vinegar. Beat with a hand beater or whisk. Combine well. Bring to a full rolling boil until sugar is dissolved. Pour hot mixture in a slow stream [my book says thread] into the egg mixture while you are continuing to beat or whisk the eggs constantly. Pour the combined mixture from the bowl back into the saucepan and cook over Moderate heat until the back of your mixing spoon is coated. Do not boil. Do not overheat. Do not overcook. Pour hot filling into baked pie shell. Transfer to a preheated 350-degree oven and bake for 15 minutes or until center is set. Cover edge of crust with aluminum foil or a pie shield. Remove from oven and dust with cinnamon or a mix of cinnamon and one or two shakes of nutmeg.
Serve plain or with whipped cream. Note: If you are out of vinegar, try two Tablespoons of rum. If you're not out of vinegar, hide it and try rum at least once anyway.
Crust: Crust for vinegar pie was made with 2 cups flour, 14 Tablespoons of butter, 1 teaspoon salt, and 6 Tablespoons of ice water. There were no exceptions UNLESS you were a hog farmer and then you were expected to make a lard crust. I use the vinegar, Crisco, egg, flour, sugar, and dash of salt recipe for vinegar pie.
Comment: Whether or not your vinegar custard was watery, had lumps, or had a few soft or hardened areas was a measure of "your skill as a cook" to the ladies in the area Extension Club. Your success [or lack of it] may even make the club minutes. It was certain to make conversation at club next month. And it meant 4 stars if the crust met the test for flakiness.