Coconut Custard Meringue Pie

For me, coconut cream pie conjures up memories of watching Gilligan's Island.  Which in turn leads to the question - who did you root for, Mary Ann or Ginger?  I was always a Mary Ann girl myself.  It's not that I didn't appreciate Ginger's penchant for the dramatic - the classic updo (how did she manage to have enough hairspray for upteen episodes worth of lacquered locks), the mid-of-the-afternoon evening gown (she had these on board for a "three hour tour", a "three hour tour"?) , the high heels (ok, I can understand having these on board).  So what was so appealing about Mary Ann?  She was probably a lot easier to bunk with - not a closet hogger what with only that one checkered shirt and those shorts.  What she lacked for in the dramatic she made up for with the wholesome.  But mostly I think it's because she made all those coconut cream pies!

This recipe is not exactly a "cream" pie.  It's actually topped with a meringue.  Which I find makes for a lighter pie (please read: less guilty to eat).  But it can stand against any one of its cream kin.  And win.

Now this has got me thinking - Betty or Veronica..... 

Pie Crust

   

This is a single crust pie (which means that you make a recipe for a double crust and save one half for another pie!)  You have to blind bake it, as the coconut custard does not have to bake inside the shell.

 

Coconut Custard 

The coconut custard tastes like a delicious coconut pudding!  If you have a hankering for this pie, but not enough time to make it, make the custard and call it a day!

Meringue

The best part of the meringue is that it can stand up on a hot day.  Sorry, whipping cream....

Assembly

Ta Da

Coconut Custard Meringue Pie

adapted (barely) from Food and Wine

Ingredients

Flaky Pie Crust

(You can link to the recipe for the blueberry slab pie for directions on how to make a pie crust.  Since I make so many pies (yes, many of them are still in edit mode in the list of upcoming blog posts), I'm preparing a post on how to make a flaky pie crust.  Coming soon.....)  

2 cups whole milk 

3/4 cup sugar 

1/3 cup all-purpose flour 

Pinch of salt 

4 large eggs, separated 

1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut (about 6 ounces) 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

Pinch of cream of tartar 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Roll out one round of the Flaky Pie dough.  Line a 9-inch glass pie plate with it. Trim the overhang to 1 inch, fold it under itself and crimp decoratively. Refrigerate until chilled, about 15 minutes.
2. Line the dough with foil and fill with  dried beans. Bake for 30 minutes, or until nearly cooked through and dry to the touch. Carefully remove the foil and weights. Bake for 10 minutes longer, until golden. Let cool completely.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk with 1/2 cup of the sugar, the flour and salt; whisk until smooth. Cook over moderate heat, whisking, until the mixture is the consistency of sour cream.
4. Put the egg yolks in a bowl and gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture. Whisk the egg mixture in the bowl back into the saucepan and cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly until thickened. 
5. Set a strainer over a medium heatproof bowl and strain the custard into the  bowl. Stir in 1 1/4 cups of the coconut and the vanilla. Press plastic wrap directly onto the custard and refrigerate until chilled.
6. Once chilled, spoon the custard into the baked pie crust and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
7. Preheat the oven to 350°. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar at medium speed until frothy. Increase the speed to high and beat until firm peaks form. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat until glossy. Spoon the meringue onto the custard, spreading it to the edge of the crust and swirl decoratively, using the back of a spoon. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of coconut on top. Bake until the meringue is golden and the coconut toasted, 7 minutes. Let cool, cut into wedges and serve.

Bacon Bourban Pecan Brownies

Bacon brownies.  Well, actually they're bacon bourbon pecan brownies.  But I thought I'd have you at bacon.

Bacon (for some inexplicable reason) seems to have this intoxicating power over people (men).  Bring it up, fry some up, or just plain bring it home (I know, I know...), and people (men) become entranced.  It's their Pied Piper.

If you watch Top Chef (as I do), there's inevitably an episode (or four) in every season where the chefs decide to incorporate bacon into their desserts.  And in every episode (or four) it is a hit or miss.  "What?", you say.  A miss.  Sad but true.  Not every dessert with bacon, um, saves someone's bacon from elimination (again, I know, but it's late...).  

So, what's the allure?  There was only one way to find out.  So I decided to try bacon with brownies.  I made a couple of tweaks along the way (like changing out the pecans for walnuts, which technically makes it bacon bourbon walnut brownies - but this is all about the bacon, isn't it?) 

Wondering what I thought of them?  I prefer my bacon on cheeseburgers.  And the Monarch?  Well, let's just say that I definitely had him at bacon.... 

 

 

 

 
Bacon Bourbon Pecan Brownies
adapted from Food and Wine

1/2 cup pecan (or walnuts)

1/2 pound sliced bacon (I would try apple smoked bacon next time)

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped 

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped 

1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 

1 cup granulated sugar 

1/2 packed cup light brown sugar 

3 tablespoons bourbon

4 large eggs 

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing 2 inches of overhang on 2 opposite sides. Butter the paper.
3. Spread the pecans on a baking pan and toast until fragrant. Let cool and then  chop the nuts until coarse.
4.In a skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat. Drain on paper towels and let cool; reserve 3 tablespoons of the fat. Finely chop the bacon.

(Note: the original recipe suggested that the bacon be cooked until crisp.  Since the bacon crisps even more when the brownies are baked, I would fry until cooked through only and then remove from heat.)

5.In a saucepan, combine both chocolates with the butter and stir over very low heat until melted; scrape into a large bowl.
6. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat in both sugars with the reserved 3 tablespoons of bacon fat. Beat in the bourbon. Add the eggs and salt and beat until smooth. Sift the cocoa and flour into the bowl and beat until blended.
7.Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the bacon and pecans on top.
8. Bake for about 50 minutes, until the brownies are set around the edges but slightly wobbly in the center.  (I like really fudgy brownies - so I undercooked them a little and put them in the fridge overnight.)
9. Transfer the pan to a rack and let the brownies cool completely. Lift the brownies out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut into squares or rectangles and serve.

The Monarch, the Mrs and the Minion!

What?  When?  Where?  Why?

Hold on.  I'm getting there.  See, the Monarch and the Mrs. have been a little preoccupied lately working on their newest adventure, the Monarch and the Mrs. Nursery.  Sadly, the Kitchen has been a little neglected of late.  As has the blog.  Mea culpa.

But, dear Readers, since initial aversions have high-tailed it out of here, and the night table is once again supporting the hefty weight of a teetering pile of cooking magazines, the Mrs. is getting ready to make a faithful and regular comeback (please read: once a week....for now).  Well, at least until the little Minion arrives.  Then all posts will be surreptitiously, well, posted at what she expects will be the oddest of hours and times.

So, for those of you who have held out the faintest of hopes that sweet visions would once again grace this blog - thank you.

The Monarch and the Mrs will see you back here very soon.  (As soon as we stop licking the spoons, and gazing fixedly at the brownies cooling on the counter...)

In the meantime, anyone have any good suggestions for a stroller?

Biscotti

Biscotti recipe and pictures to come today!  Stay tuned.....

Pumpkin Yumkins

The chicken or the egg.  The pumpkin or the seed.  The Starbucks pumpkin muffin or the Pastry Queen pumpkin yumkins.  Yikes!  I'm trying to figure out which came first!  Let me backtrack a little.  See, I'm not a terribly big fan of the pumpkin (with apologies to all who are.)  But the Monarch is.  So, I am now assiduously seeking out all recipes pumpkin in the hopes that I will a) realize what I've been missing all this time, b) keep the Monarch knee-deep in pumpkin goodness, c) find a reason to use those cans of pumpkin puree which I bought on sale, you know, just in case there was a pumpkin shortage and d) find a reason to start my own pumpkin patch next year (more on this year's foray into vegetable gardening another time).  So, in the spirit of keeping a pumpkin open-mind, I decided to try one of Starbuck's pumpkin muffins.  And it was......AWESOME!  With the taste buds now on board, my mind went into reverse engineering mode.  How could I make such a muffin at home?  My check-list began.  Method: quick bread (read: stir wet ingredients into dry).  Components: all things pumpkin-y and muffin-y (read: pumpkin, seeds, spices, flour, sugar, baking powder).  Recipe: ummmm.  Then I remembered.  Pumpkin yumkins, this week's choice from Project Pastry Queen bore quite a resemblance to these muffins.  So, off I went.

Here's what it looked like:

Um, you know the step where you spoon the batter into the muffin tins?  Well, my little nephew was over while I was making these and he decided that he's like to try his little hand at photography.  So, let's just pretend that the picture is sitting in this spot...

 

This inspired choice was by Amanda of Fake Ginger fame.  You'll find this Pastry Queen Project recipe on her site.  Stay tuned next week for yet more pumpkin goodness.

Chili

It's official.  Fall has arrived.  Thoughts of crumbles, cobblers and crisps have flitted away like the autumnal leaves swirling in the wind.  Instead visions of soups and stews and scrumptious (read: chocolate!) desserts are fast rooting in my mind.  Goodbye raspberries.  So long blueberries.  Auf Wiedersehen asparagus.  We'll meet again soon!  But right now pumpkins are sprawling in patches all across the city.  Harvested squashes are waiting in crates, crook-necks straining.  Pies are now pear-ed and pecan-ed.  And the ubiquitous cranberry has taken centre stage.  Welcome, Fall.  Hello, old friend.  We have much to talk about.  Many plans to make to usher in the season.

As I scribble off my list of chilly-weather warmers (hmmmm, it may finally be time to make that milk chocolate malt ball cake, just saying), why don't you give this chili a try?

 

Beef and Bean Chili (barely) adapted from FINE COOKING

For the chili
1 to 1-1/2 Tbs. chili powder
1 Tbs. ground cumin
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. dried oregano
Pinch to 1/8 tsp. cayenne
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
1 tsp. kosher salt; more to taste
1-1/2 to 2 Tbs. seeded and chopped fresh jalapeño
1-1/2 cups chopped onion
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
One 14-oz. can diced tomatoes, with their juices
One 15-oz. can kidney or black beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbs. molasses
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
Sour cream, for serving
Fresh cilantro leaves, for serving

Make the chili

In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and cayenne.

In a deep sauté pan or Dutch oven, heat about 1 Tbs. of the oil. Add the ground beef to the pan, breaking up the chunks of meat, season it with the 1 tsp. of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally until the meat is no longer pink. Drain the meat in a colander placed over a bowl to catch the grease.

Add another 1 Tbs. oil to the pan. Add the onion and chopped jalapeño and season with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat until just tender, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Add another 1 Tbs. oil and the spices and cook, stirring for about 1 minute. Return the meat to the pan. Add the diced tomatoes and their juices and 1/4 cup water. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for at least 20 minutes, although longer is fine. Stir in the beans and cook, uncovered, for another 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the molasses and balsamic vinegar.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I recently came across a statement from the authors of this bake-book that in their kitchen the cookie is king.  If that's in fact the case, then I say all hail the chocolate chip.  Cookie, that is.

So, when I came across this recipe, it was a no-brainer for my selection for Project Pastry Queen.  Two types of nuts.  Three types of chocolate chips.  Chewy.  Gooey.  Uber awesome cookies.

Which brings me to the question, if the cookie is king in the kitchen, what the heck is queen?!?

PS - The Monarch said this is queen in the kitchen.  I thought he'd say it's me. Go figure...

 

All-time Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies (The Pastry Queen)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups walnuts

1 1/2 cups pecans

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 1/3 cups all purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 scant teaspoon salt

3 cups chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli milk, bittersweet and semi-sweet chips)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.  Arrange the nuts on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast them for 7-9 minutes until golden brown and aromatic.  Cool the nuts and then chop coarsely.

2. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon mats, or grease generously with butter or cooking spray.  Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and both sugars in a large bowl on medium speed about 1 minute, until fluffy.  Add the eggs and vanilla and beat on medium speed for one minute.  Add the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Mix on medium-low speed until incorporated.  Stir in the walnuts, pecans and chocolate chips.

3. Drop the dough onto prepared baking sheets using a 1 3/4" diameter ice cream scoop.  Spread the cookies about 1 1/2" apart as they will spread.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are medium brown around the edges.