Coconut-Pecan German Chocolate Pie

Thanksgiving 2014

We are hosting Thanksgiving this year for the Elison side of our family. Thanks to Lori for reserving a church to fit the 50 plus people attending. We used SignUpGenious.com to organize the dinner. We signed up for a couple of pies. We decided to make Kerry's favorite pie: Sour Cream Lemon. Natalie found a new recipe that sounded good so here it is.

Coconut-Pecan German Chocolate Pie

Ingredients

Crust: Basic Buttermilk

Filling:
4 ounces German sweet chocolate, chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
4 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans

Topping:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup butter, cubed
2 eggs yolks
1 cup flaked coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 400 degrees bake pie shell for 11-13 minutes until bottom is lightly browned. Cool on wire rack, reduce heat to 350 degrees.

In a microwave, melt chocolate, stir in milk, egg yolks, and vanilla, stir in pecans. Pour into crust and cool for 1 hour.

In a saucepan combine brown sugar, cream and butter. Bring to boil to dissolve sugar. In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks, add small amount of hot mixture, pour into saucepan. Cook for 3 minutes until mixture thickens. Remove from heat, sitr in coconut and vanilla. Cool for 10 minutes.

Pour over filling and sprinkle with pecans

Coconut Cream Pie (5 stars)

50
Coconut Cream Pie
6/3/12


We were home teaching Sarah and she mentioned that her favorite pie is Coconut Cream. I thought we had made a coconut pie already but after reviewing the posts, I guess not. It is a Lion House recipe and I really like their pudding - it beats the jello pudding, cooked or instant that we used to make. We doubled the amount of coconut from the recipe because it sounded kind of skimpy. The recipe is for two pies so we can give one to Sarah. It was her idea after all. We exceeded the maximum capacity of the double boiler trying to make two pies, so for the last stage we sent to a medium pan directly on the stove at a lower temperature and it seemed to work. Here's our modified recipe.

Paula Dean Double Boiler

Crust: 2 Buttermilk bottom crusts

Filling:
4 cups whole milk, divided
2 cups half-and-half
2 Tablespoons butter
1-1/4 cups sugar, divided
3 egg yolks, discard the whites
1/4 teaspoon salt

Adding garnish

1/2 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups coconut
Whipped cream and toasted coconut for garnish

Place 3 cups whole milk, half-and-half, butter and 3/4 cup sugar in double boiler and stir. Heat over medium high heat until butter is melted.

In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar and salt. Slowly add egg mixture to hot milk mixture, stirring constantly. Cook for 15 - 20  minutes stirring frequently.



In a separate bowl, mix 1 cup whole milk, and cornstarch then add slowly to hot mixture, stirring constantly. Continue stirring for about 2 minutes and then stir frequently for 15 - 20 minutes. When pudding is thick, stir in vanilla and coconut. Allow to chill in refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours. Top with whipped cream and toasted coconut.

Coconut Cream Pie

Joslyn, Dante, and Jordan

Peanut Butter Pie (4 stars)

48
Peanut Butter Pie
5/20/12

It turned out to be quite a weekend. Abby graduated from Seminary and we had a solar eclipse. Of course we didn't get to see the eclipse because we were at Seminary Graduation but we are proud of Abby. Kerry didn't think you could have peanut butter without chocolate. It must be a Reeses thing: "You got your chocolate in my peanut butter", "No you got your peanut butter on my chocolate". So this is a variation on a recipe by adding a black bottom of chocolate fudge. Natalie didn't think we had enough chocolate, maybe we should add another layer.

Close-up

Abby's Seminary Graduation Certificate

Crust: Single pre-baked buttermilk crust

Filling:

3/4 cup peanut butter

1-1/2 cups powered sugar

2 cups whole milk, divided

1 cup half-and-half

1 Tablespoon butter

3/4 cup sugar, divided

2 egg yolks

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup cornstarch

3/4 teaspoon vanilla

6 oz Smucker's fudge ice cream topping.

Layer bottom of pie crust with about 6oz fudge topping. Mix together peanut butter and powdered sugar with a pastry cutter until it resembles course corn meal. place on top of fudge layer, saving some aside to place on top of pie.

Place 1-1/2 cups milk in top of double boiler, add half and half, butter and 3/8 cup sugar. Cook until butter is melted and milk is scalded.

In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks until broken up, add remaining sugar and whisk very well. Add to hot mixture slowly, stirring constantly. Allow to cook for 15 to 20 minutes stirring occasionally.

Mix 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch together and slowly add to the hot mixture. Sir constantly to avoid lumps forming. Stir for two minutes then every 5 minutes until mixture has cooked for 15 - 20 minutes.Add vanilla, stir well.

Pour filling over peanut butter mixture in pie shell. Sprinkle reserved peanut butter filling on top. Chill.

Finished Product

Peanut Butter Pie

Black Bottom Key Lime (5 stars)

43

Black Bottom Key Lime Pie

4/14/12

Key Lime is one of my favorite pies, but not the fake one with green food coloring. This is a recipe from Crisco and is a little twist on the simple Key Lime. It uses a fudge bottom layer, macadamias, and then a key lime - sour cream layer. I've discovered that the key to pies with sour cream is to add the sour cream after the filling has cooled to room temperature.



Fudge Layer



Crust: Single Buttermilk Crust

Filling:

1/2 cup chocolate fudge ice cream topping

2/3 cup chopped macadamia nuts

1 tsp unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup boiling water

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch



1 cup milk

Crushed Macadamia

3 egg yolks lightly beaten

1/3 cup key lime juice

1/4 cup shortening

1 cup sour cream





Topping

1 cup whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 Tablespoons powdered sugar

Chocolate shavings

Bake bottom pie shell at 425 F for 15 minutes or until lightly browned, cool completely.

Spread fudge topping over bottom of cooled pie crust. Sprinkle with nuts. In a separate bowl, stir gelatin with boiling water until completely dissolved.

Combine sugar and cornstarch in medium saucepan. Stir in milk until smooth. Sir in egg yolks and key lime juice. Add shortening. Cook on medium heat stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir in gelatin mixture slowly. Pour into a large bowl and chill for 40 to 50 minutes. Fold in sour cream and pour into pie crust over the fudge and macadamia nuts. Chill two hours.

Combine cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Beat until stiff, spoon on top of pie, garnish with chocolate shavings.



Natalie and Pie



Slice of Heaven



Pauline's Sweet Potato Pie (5 Stars)

40
Pauline's Sweet Potato Pie
3/24/12

I've worked with Pauline for several years now. She's from South Carolina so the recipe has to be authentic. At every work party her Sweet Potato Pie is always the first dessert to go. For some reason in my mind sweet potatoes are an orange color but actually sweet potatoes are yellow and yams are orange. The pie turned out very well with a golden brown crust. But next time I would cut back the sugar by 1/4 cup, it was plenty sweet.

Sweet Potato Pie

Grandma and a slice of pie

Crust: Single Buttermilk Crust

Filling:
1-1/2 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes (about 2 large potatoes)
1-1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 large eggs, separated

Preheat oven to 400 F, bake potatoes until tender, about 40 minutes. Remove skins and mash until smooth. In a large bowl, combine potatoes, sugar, milk, egg yolks, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Beat until smooth. In another bowl, whip egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold into the potato mixture. Pour batter in pastry shell and bake at 400 F for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 F and bake for 45 minutes or until set.

Scottish Apple Pie (4 Stars)

39
Scottish Apple Pie
3/18/12

I wanted to make a pie with a St. Patrick's Day theme but wasn't interested in just adding green food coloring. I remembered this recipe we found back in 2005 on the epicurious.com website. Although its not Irish the Murray's are from Scotland so I thought, close enough. Evelyn Herring posted this explanation: "My mother was raised in Scotland and learned to cook at a time when quality ingredients were hard to come by. She had to be imaginative, often substituting ingredients and improvising recipes." The ginger snaps add the spice and the orange marmalade and zest give it an interesting flavor.

Crust: 2 crust buttermilk

Filling:
6 -7 large Granny Smith apples
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup gingersnap cookie crumbs
1/3 cup marmalade
1/3 cup golden raisins
1 teaspoon grated orange peel zest

Glaze:
Heavy whipping cream
Coarse sugar












Mix apples, sugar, cookie crumbs, marmalade, raisins, and orange peel in large bowl. Line large pie plate with bottom crust. Pour in filling and top with remaining crust. Brush on whipping cream, cut vents, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in preheated oven at 425 F for 15 minutes. Rotate pie 180 degrees, cover crust edge with foil, bake at 375 F for 40 minutes or until bubbling thickly.

Pear Fig Pie (3 Stars)

38
Pear Fig Pie
3/10/12

We celebrated Karly's birthday yesterday but she declined to have a birthday pie and opted for cake instead. This recipe sounded like an interesting combination,we made a slight variation but I think it turned out well. Kerry had a laughing fit as she watched me juice the tiny tangerines on the orange juicer - it was funny and time consuming.

Embedded pecans

Crust: Double buttermilk crust

Filling:
3 large pears
1 cup diced dried figs
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh tangerine juice
1 teaspoon tangerine zest

Filling

2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 cup pecans

Finished Pie

Combine one third of the peeled and sliced pears, figs, sugar, tangerine juice, tangerine zest in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Simmer until the fruit has absorbed most of the liquid. Add remaining pears, honey, lemon juice, 1/2 cup pecans. Roll out bottom crust, line pie plate, add filling. Roll out top crust, sprinkle remaining pecans on crust, gently roll into crust, embedding them deeply. Cover pie with top crust. Brush with cream and sprinkle a little sugar. Bake for 15 minutes at 425 F, rotate pie 180 degrees, reduce heat to 375 and bake for another 35 - 40 minutes until filling is bubbling thickly.

German Chocolate Pie (4 stars)

37
German Chocolate Pie
3/4/12

Spencer and Natalie announced their engagement on Friday!! We are very happy and decided to celebrate with a German Chocolate Pie which is one of Spencer's favorite flavors. This recipe makes 2 pies, that way we can take one pie to Spencer's family as a peace offering.

German Chocolate

Spencer, Natalie, engagement ring, and pie

Crust: Two buttermilk baked pie shells

Whipped Cream

Filling:
4 cups milk, divided
2 cups half and half
2 Tablespoons butter
1-1/4 cups sugar, divided
3 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cornstarch
1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping

Garnish: Whipped Cream

Mix 3 cups sugar, half-and-half, butter, and 3/4 cup sugar and stir. Cook in a double boiler until butter is melted.

In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Slowly add egg mixture to hot milk mixture, stirring constantly. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

Mix 1 cup milk and cornstarch in a separate bowl and slowly add to hot mixture, string constantly. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until pudding is thick. Add vanilla, chocolate chips, coconut, pecans, and caramel topping. Stir until blended and chocolate chips are melted.

Almond Crunch Blueberry Pie (4 stars)

35
Almond Crunch Blueberry Pie
2/19/12

Here's another pie recipe from Crisco. With all the berries I thought it would be too tart but turned out to have a light blueberry flavor. I liked the crust with the tangerine zest. It caed for tangerine and lemon but we just used tangerine.

Blueberries

Pie Crust

Preparing Filling

Crust: Buttermilk with tangerine
1-1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 Tablespoon sugar
3 Tablespoon buttermilk
2 teaspoon tangerine zest
2 teaspoon lemon zest

Before

Filling:
3 cups fresh blueberries
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon tangerine zest

Topping:

After

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped almonds

Mariel and Callie the Cat

Prepare crust and refrigerate. Mix eggs, sour cream and zest. Then add sugar, flour and salt, mix well. add blueberries and set aside. Prepare bottom curst and pour in filling. Mix topping ingredients and sprinkle over filling. Bake at 375 F in a pre-heated oven for 1 hour or until golden brown.

Josh and Sydney

Leftovers

Apple-Raspberry-Cranberry (4 stars)

34

Ready to roll out

Apple-Raspberry-Cranberry
2/11/12




This is another Crisco recipe with a few variations. I like the Apple Raspberry combination but we have never tried cranberries.

Crust: Buttermilk with a substitution of 1/2 cup flour whole-wheat

Rolled out crust

Filling:
3 large Granny Smith Apples
2 cups coarsely chopped fresh cranberries
1 package frozen raspberries (12 oz)
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 Tablespoons Currants
3 Tablespoons tapioca
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Rolling up crust on rolling pin

Preheat oven to 425 F. Combine dry ingredients, add apples, cranberries, and raspberries, almond extract. Mix well. Roll out dough and place in deep dish pie plate. Add filling and cover with top crust. Bake for 15 minutes then rotate pie 180 degrees, reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 30 - 40 minutes until bubbling thickly.

Bottom crust with filling

Adding top crust

With glaze

Adding top crust

Razanna Cream Pie (3 Stars)

30
Razanna Cream
1/15/12

Bottom Crust

We have been searching for unique pie recipes and this one sounded interesting. It's a banana cream pie with a raspberry glaze from the Lion House Pie book. It takes a while to make these cream pies and I get tired of standing so I rolled the computer chair to the stove. I know it sounds like the lazy-man's method to pie making and Kerry thought it was pretty funny too. I'm thinking about getting a cook-stool to avoid the teasing.

Crust: Buttermilk bottom crust

Filling:

Cooking the filling

2 cups whole milk, divided
1 cup half and half
1 Tablespoon butter
3/8 cup sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1/8 tespoon salt
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 bananas, sliced
Glaze:

Raspberry Glaze

3/4 cup raspberry preserves
2 Tablespoon warm water
1 cup raspberries


Prepare bottom crust and allow to cool. Combine 1-1/2 cup milk, half and half, butter and 3/8 cup sugar in double boiler and cook until butter is melted and milk is scalded. Whisk egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar and salt very well. Slowly add mixture to the hot milk, stirring constantly. Allow to cook for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.  In a separate bowl, mix 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch together and then slowly add to the hot mixture stirring constantly . Allow to cook for 15 minutes stirring frequently. When thick remove from heat. Slice bananas into pie shell and pour mixture over bananas. Cool and then chill in refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours. mix preserves with water and spread on top of pie, sprinkle with raspberries.

Adding bananas from a chair

Stirring from a chair

Mixed Apple Pie (4 Stars?)

29
Mixed Apple Pie
1/7/12

We made this pie for some friends who have suffered a recent tragedy. We call it a mixed apple since we used different varieties of apples: Pink Lady, Jonagold, and Fuji.All three are listed under the good cooking apple category. I hope it turned out okay, when you give away the pie, you may never know.

Crust: Buttermilk Double Crust

Filling:
6 large Apples
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tablepoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
2 Tablespoons flour

Prepare crusts, mix all ingredients together and pour into bottom shell, lay apples flat. Bake in the center on the bottom rack in a preheated oven at 425 F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 F, rotate pie 180 degrees, cover outside rim of crust to prevent over-browning and bakke for 40 minutes until filling is bubbling thickly. Cool completely before serving.

Mixed Apple Pie

Pennsylvania Dutch Sour Cream Apple Pie (3 Stars)

28
1/7/12
Pennsylvania Dutch Sour Cream Apple Pie

Mixing the topping

Long name for a pie, its from the Ken Haedrich's PIE Book. We are always on the lookout for sour cream recipes and this one looked interesting.

Crust: Buttermilk bottom crust

Filling:
1-1/4 cups sour cream
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 cups Granny Smith apples

Topping:

Ready to bake

1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
6 Tablespoons unsalted melted  butted

For the filling, mix together all ingredients then add the apples. Pour into prepared pie shell and lay apples flat. Cook in preheated oven at 425 F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 F and bake for 30 minutes. Prepare topping  by mixing together all ingredients except butter. When mixed add butter and mix well. Remove pie from oven and add topping spreading over hot pie and packing down lightly. Continue to bake for 20 minutes. Cool for 2 hours before serving.

Finished Pie