Nutcracker Pie Recipes

NUTCRACKER

Steps:

• Add the rum, vodka, gin, elderflower liqueur, peach schnapps, lemonade, fruit punch and orange juice to a very large pitcher and stir to combine. Keep chilled in the refrigerator until ready to serve or immediately pour into ice-filled rocks glasses.

MAPLE NUT PIE

Steps:

• Prepare pie shell:
• Roll out dough into a 13-inch round on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate and trim excess dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, then fold overhang under (to reinforce edge) and press against rim of pie plate. Decoratively crimp edge and chill shell until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.
• Lightly prick bottom and side of pie shell all over with a fork, then line shell with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until pastry is pale golden along rim and set underneath weights, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights and bake shell until bottom and side are pale golden, about 10 minutes more. Cool completely in pie plate on a rack, about 20 minutes.
• Make filling while pie shell cools:
• Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
• Soak dried cranberries in hot water until softened, about 10 minutes, then drain well.
• Spread nuts in a shallow baking pan and toast in oven until fragrant, about 6 minutes. Leave oven on.
• Whisk together syrup, brown sugar, butter, eggs, bourbon (if using), vinegar, and salt until combined well, then stir in nuts and cranberries.
• Pour filling into cooled pie shell and bake until filling is just set, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool completely in pie plate on a rack before serving.

SODA CRACKER PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Fold in sugar, baking powder, crackers, vanilla and pecans. Spoon mixture into a greased 9 inch pie pan.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool and serve or fill with the fresh fruit of your choice.

RITZ CRACKER PIE

Steps:

• To stiffly beaten egg whites, add sugar, baking powder, pinch salt, crackers (crumble by hand for larger crumbs), of pecans and vanilla.
• Pour into lightly greased 9" pie pan.
• Bake 30 minutes at 325 degrees.
• Chill and serve with whipped cream.

THE NUTCRACKER "SWEET"

Steps:

• For the caramel nut pies: Roll dough to 1/4-inch and fit into 4 small flan rings and chill. Combine sugar with enough water to cover in saucepan and place over high heat. Cook sugar to caramel stage (a maple syrup color). Carefully add glucose, cream, milk, salt and walnuts to caramel mixture. Cook the mixture, while stirring, until it is thick like pancake batter. Let the mixture cool. Spread the cooled mixture into the bottom of chilled tartlet shells. Pipe or spread creme d'amandes over the caramel. Bake tarts in a preheated 350 degrees F oven until evenly browned on top. Allow tarts to cool, cut into 4-inch slices and finish with sweetened whipped cream before service.
• For the Chocolate Espresso Bonbons: Put the chocolate into a work bowl. Dry roast the espresso beans in a saute pan over a medium flame until a strong coffee aroma is present. Coarsely crush the beans on a cutting board with the bottom of a pan. Make an infusion with the hot espresso beans and cream. Allow the mixture to steep for at least 30 minutes. Strain the cream into a clean pan. Bring the infused cream to a boil and pour over the chocolate. Gently stir the ganache until the chocolate is incorporated. Let cool slightly. Stir in the coffee liqueur, salt and softened butter. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally. Line coffee cup bonbon molds with tempered chocolate, tapping to make sure molds are lined and have no air bubbles. Once chocolate is set, fill molds with espresso ganache leaving room to seal molds. Seal molds with tempered chocolate, allow to set and remove from molds. Finish bonbon cups with a swirl of mascarpone cream "froth" and dust with cocoa.
• Sift flour and salt together and set aside. Place the butter in a mixer and beat until softened. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten egg, beating until just incorporated. Add flour mixture all at once until it forms a ball. Fatten dough into a disk and chill.
• In a mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and almond paste until light and fluffy and smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, incorporating fully. Add pastry cream powder or cornstarch and mix to combine. Add rum and brandy.
• Blend ingredients together and fit into pastry bag for easy piping.

NUTCRACKER PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Fold all ingredients into stiffly beaten egg whites.
• Spread into greased pie plate.
• Bake for 25 minutes.
• Serve with whipped cream.

NUTCRACKER TART

Steps:

• For crust:
• Mix flour, sugar and salt in processor. Add shortening and butter. Using on/off turns, process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer flour mixture to large bowl. Combine 3 tablespoons ice water and vinegar in small bowl; pour over flour mixture. Stir with fork until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls as needed. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap disk in plastic and chill at least 20 minutes and up to 3 days.
• Roll out dough disk on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to 11-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Press dough into tart pan. Trim dough overhang and reserve. Freeze crust 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 450°F. Bake crust until golden, about 17 minutes; if crust bubbles, press with back of fork. Cool on rack. Reduce oven temperature to 400°F.
• Meanwhile, prepare filling:
• Mix 1 1/2 cups cream, both sugars and honey in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until mixture bubbles thickly and darkens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in grated orange peel. Let stand 20 minutes. Stir in walnuts, pecans, cashews and almonds. Spoon filling into crust, distributing nuts evenly. Bake tart until filling is bubbling thickly and is deep amber in color, about 22 minutes. Cool completely on rack. Serve with whipped cream and Orange-Cranberry Compote, if desired.

NANA'S RITZ CRACKER PIE (WITH WALNUTS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Prepare an 8" pie pan with cooking spray (Pam).
• In a gallon size ziplock bag, crush the 21 Ritz Crackers until almost powder-like.
• Add the finely chopped walnuts and 1 teaspoon baking powder.
• Toss with a fork and set aside.
• In a stand mixer or medium bowl using a hand mixer, beat the 3 egg whites until fluffy.
• Slowly add 1 cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until stiff and glossy in appearance.
• Fold the crackers/nuts into the egg whites and pour into the pie pan.
• Bake for 30 minutes.
• Allow to cool completely in refridgerator and top with whipped topping before serving. (Optional- add chocolate shavings on top). Enjoy!

NUTCRACKER SWEET PIE

Steps:

• In a saucepan, steep two Nutcracker Sweet tea bags in boiling water for 4 minutes.
• Remove and discard tea bags, and lower the heat to simmer.
• Add chocolate and butter, stirring until melted.
• Remove saucepan from heat; cool for 10 minutes.
• Add sugar, salt, nuts, eggs, and mix well.
• Pour mixture into unbaked pie shell.
• Bake in preheated oven at 375° for 45 minutes.
• Serve warm or cold, alone or with whipped cream.

OLD-FASHIONED HONEY PECAN PIE

Steps:

• In a saucepan bring the honey to a boil. Quickly beat the eggs into the honey. Add butter, vanilla, nuts, and nutmeg. Pour into the pie shell.
• Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 25 minutes or until set.