Coconut Cream Pie

Coconut Cream Pie (from Saveur Magazine):

the crust:

1 cup pastry flour
1 Tbsp powdered milk
1 tsp salt
2/3 cups vegetable shortening (I'm using butter because that's the way I am)
Directions:
-Heat oven to 400f.
-Whisk together flour, powdered milk and salt in a bowl. Mix in cold shortening/butter until lumps the size of marbles form. Make a well in the center and add 3 Tbsp cold water. Mix gently until a soft dough forms. Pat dough into a 5" disk and set on a lightly floured surface.
-Roll the dough into an 11" circle and transfer to a 10" aluminum pie tin (the only pie tins of this type I could find were 8 3/4", this just made for a much fuller pie). Trim the edges of the dough and place another 10" pie tin on top sandwiching the dough, press down gently. Bake the pie shell upside down on a sheet pan until it is golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool, invert, and set aside.

Custard filling:

4 1/3 cups milk
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
6 eggs
Pinch of salt
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1 tsp vanilla extract of paste (this is my addition, just thought it would round it out nicely)

Directions:

-Bring the milk to a boil over medium high heat. While that is heating, in a large bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, cornstarch and pinch of salt. Slowly pour the milk in a thin stream into the egg mixture while continually whisking (this will temper the eggs and keep them from curdling on you). Pour the mixture back in the pot and cook over medium heat,
stirring constantly, until very thick (about 10 to 15 minutes). Stir in the coconut and pour (well, scrape, it's very thick) the mixture into a large bowl (or I used a 9x13" pan for quicker cooling). Press plastic wrap onto the surface of the filling to prevent a skin from forming, and allow to cool to room temperature (this took about an hour in the 9x13" pan).
-Transfer the filling to the crust, smooth out the top, and if it's cool enough, Pipe with sweetened or unsweetened whipped cream and sprinkle on the coconut. I found mine to be a bit warm yet to pipe on the cream, so I covered it with plastic wrap and chilled it for an hour before topping. You may use "Dream Whip" topping instead if you wish.

This was a wonderful, rich, but not too sweet pie. Next time I make it, I may find a way to add a little more coconut flavor, but really this was fabulous as is.

How to Make Your Home Smell Good Without Potpourri

Sugar Crusted Breton Butter Cake (from the aforementioned Butter Sugar Flour Eggs):

1/2 ounce fresh yeast or 1/4 ounce active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

10 Tbsp lukewarm water

8 Tbsp (4 ounces, one stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces and slightly softened

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 Tbsp confectioner's sugar for dusting

Directions:

- Dissolve the yeast and 1/4 cup warm water in a medium bowl. Once the yeast is dissolved, work in 1/2 cup of the flour until the mixture is well blended and forms a little ball. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and allow to rise in a warm spot for about half hour.

-Combine the remaining 1 3/4 cups flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture and blend together with your fingers, sprinkling the lukewarm water in gradually to make a pliable dough. If the dough seems dry, you may need to add another Tablespoon or so of water. Knead until smooth, about 4 minutes, and return to the large bowl, cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled for about one hour.

folding in the butter:

-Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and dust the top with flour. Roll into a rectangle about 8 1/2 by 11" . Turn the dough so that the 8 1/2 wide section is towards you. Dot the lower 2/3rds with the butter pieces and sprinkle on the granulated sugar. Fold the dough as if you are folding a letter in thirds. Folding the top section (the unbuttered section) down first then bringing the lower section up over the top to form a rectangle. Roll the folded dough into another rectangle 8 1/2 x 11 inches again. Turn the dough so the narrow end faces you, and fold the dough again into thirds the same way you did the first time. Cover the rectangle with a damp towel and let rest about 15 minutes. Roll the dough again into a rectangle and fold as you did before, rest under a damp towel for 15 minutes. And one last time, roll the dough out to 8 1/2 x11" and fold into thirds as before. Cover with a damp towel and let rest 15 minutes.

-Heat the oven to 400 f. Butter and flour a 9" round cake pan.

-Roll the dough into a circle (as best as you can) about 10 inches in diameter (it's ok if it isn't a perfect circle, mine was more of a square). Transfer the dough to the pan and fold up the corners to fit into the round pan. Using a sharp knife or a razor blade, score a crosshatch pattern on the top of the cake (like tic-tac-toe)

-Bake for 20 minutes, brushing the top of the cake every 5 minutes with the butter that oozes out of the cake. After 20 minutes, sprinkle the top of the cake with the confectioner's sugar and continue baking, without brushing, until golden brown on the top, about 10 minutes more.

-Let cool on a rack until the crust is just slightly hardened. Serve warm cut into wedges.

The sugar hardened crunchy crust contrasts beautifully with the moist chewy buttery insides. This is not a very sweet cake and I actually think next time I make it I may sprinkle sugar on the dough which each fold I make.

Thank me later for the way your home smells while this is baking.

Old Fashioned Ginger Creams

Gram Danning's Ginger Cream Slices
1C sugar
1C shortening
2 eggs
2/3 C molasses
1t. baking soda
1C lukewarm water
1t. ginger
2Tbsp fresh grated (minced) ginger (this is one of the changes I have made)
1/3 cup small dice crystallized ginger (this is another of the optional changes I made)
1/2 t. cloves
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
3C flour
Directions:
-Cream shortening; add sugar. Beat until light and fluffy.
-Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add molasses, blend together.
-Sift flour, measure. Resift with salt and spices. Mix soda with lukewarm water.
-Add dry ingredients alternately with liquids to the creamed mixture.
-Pour into greased and floured 10x16 inch pan.
-Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. When cool, spread with following icing. Cut into as many slices as you like (I tend to get about 40, or less if we are looking for a big hunk of ginger love).


Fondant Icing
2C sugar
1 1/4 C milk
1t. butter
1/2 t. vanilla
1/8 t. salt
Directions:
-Cook sugar, milk and butter to soft ball stage (232-235 degrees f). Cool
-Add vanilla and salt. Beat until creamy and of spreading consistency.
These are great with a nice dark roast coffee or herbal teas and even better when shared with loved ones. The bars do dry out fairly quickly, so it's best to cut and keep them sealed with some plastic wrap (or indivudually wrapped if they last that long).