Toasted Almond Cream Pie With Boysenberry Topping Recipes

DARK CHOCOLATE WHOOPIE PIES WITH TOASTED ALMOND CREAM

Steps:

• For the whoopee pies: Position 2 oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
• Combine both kinds of chocolate and the butter in a medium heatproof bowl. Fill a medium pot about a third of the way with water and bring to a simmer. Place the over the simmering water and lower the heat. Melt the chocolate and butter gently together, stirring and scraping the sides to avoid scorching, until melted, then remove the bowl from the heat. Cool 2 to 3 minutes.
• Whisk together the sugar, eggs and vanilla in another bowl. Set aside. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder in another bowl. Whisk in the egg and then the chocolate mixture. Do not overmix.
• Spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick spray and drop the batter on them in large spoonfuls about 2 inches in diameter, leaving room between each to allow spreading.
• Bake, rotating and switching the positions of baking sheets halfway through, until the whoopee pies puff up slightly and settle, 6 to 8 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before gingerly lifting them off and transferring to a flat surface.
• For the filling: Heat the milk in a medium saucepan until hot and add 3/4 cup toasted almonds. Turn off the heat. Allow the almonds to steep in the milk 25 to 30 minutes. Strain the milk and pour it back into the same pan.
• Beat together the sugar, cornstarch, flour and egg yolks in an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until thick, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Pour some of the hot milk mixture over the eggs and blend. Pour the egg mixture back into the milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the almond extract and continue to cook until the mixture begins to bubble, then cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring. Transfer to a bowl and cover with a layer of plastic pressed against the surface so the cream doesn't form a skin. Refrigerate 1 hour.
• Sandwich some of the cream and the remaining 1/4 cup toasted almonds between chocolate rounds. Drizzle with melted chocolate if using. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

TOASTED ALMOND CREAM PIE WITH BOYSENBERRY TOPPING

Steps:

• Make filling:
• Stir sugar, cornstarch and salt in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in half and half, then yolks. Whisk over medium heat until custard thickens and boils, about 8 minutes (custard may be lumpy; whisk until smooth). Remove from heat. Whisk in extracts. Transfer to medium bowl. Press plastic onto surface; chill until cold and firm,at least 4 hours.
• Beat 1/2 cup cream in medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Whisk 1/4 of cream into filling to loosen. Fold remaining cream into filling; then fold in ground almonds. Cover and refrigerate up to 1 day.
• Make crust:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Rollout dough disk on floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Fold overhang under; crimp edge, forming high-standing rim. Press whole almonds on diagonal into crust edge, spacing 1/2 inch apart. Pierce crust all over with fork. Freeze 10 minutes. Line with foil and beans or pie weights.
• Bake crust until sides are set, about 15 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Bake until cooked through and pale golden, covering edge with foil if nuts brown too quickly and piercing with fork if crust bubbles, about 10 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool. Spoon filling into crust; chill.
• Make topping:
• Reserve 1/4 cup berries. Transfer remaining berries to processor; puree. Firmly press puree through sieve into measuring cup. If necessary, stir in enough reserved juice to yield 1 cup. Transfer 1/2 cup puree to saucepan; mix in crème de cassis. Sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand 15 minutes. Add sugar. Stir over medium-low heat until gelatin dissolves and mixture begins to simmer, about 2 minutes. Mix in remaining 1/2 cup puree. Chill just until cold but not set, 30 minutes.
• Spoon topping over filling; chill until set, at least 3 hours and up to 1 day.
• Garnish pie with whipped cream and reserved berries.

ALMOND CREAM PIE OR PECAN CREAM PIE

Steps:

• In saucepan, combine, sugar, salt and cake flour. Stir in milk and egg yolks. Whisk all smooth.
• Cook on med-high for 3 minutes while stirring. Turn down heat. Continue whisking over low heat until the mixture coats the back of a spoon and is smooth and thick.
• Take mixture off heat, stir in butter, and both extracts. Add chopped almonds. Stir until blended. Pour into bowl, cover and cool. Once cool to touch, pour into already cooked pie shell. Cover with plastic wrap, directly on cream(to prevent a skin from forming).
• Chill in fridge for 4-6 hours.
• For Topping: in a chilled bowl, pour whipping cream, powder sugar and vanilla. Whip until soft peaks form.
• Spoon or pipe onto chilled pie. Garnish with toasted slivered almonds.
• Variation: pecan cream pie: take out almond extract, increase vanilla extract to 1 teaspoon. Use chopped toasted pecans instead of almonds for filling and use toasted chopped pecans for garnish.

ALMOND CREAM PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Combine graham crumbs, 1/3 cup sugar and butter; press onto bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate. Bake 10 min. Remove from oven; reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
• Combine 1/2 cup of the remaining sugar and cornstarch in small bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup milk. Beat egg yolks until blended; stir into cornstarch mixture. Bring remaining milk just to boil in medium saucepan on medium heat. Gradually add cornstarch mixture, mixing well after each addition. Cook on low heat 5 min. or until thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in almond extract. Pour into crust.
• Beat egg whites in large bowl with mixer on high speed until foamy. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating constantly until stiff peaks form. Spread over pie filling, sealing egg white mixture to edge of crust.
• Bake 12 to 15 min. or until lightly browned. Cool completely. Refrigerate 3 hours.
• Melt chocolate as directed on package; drizzle over pie. Sprinkle with nuts.

STRAWBERRY ALMOND CREAM PIE

Steps:

• Filling: Combine cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, and vanilla and almond extracts in a medium bowl; stir until smooth.
• Spread evenly over bottom of graham cracker crust.
• Topping: Place 1 1/2 cups strawberries in food processor; process until puréed.
• Combine strawberry purée, 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring with a whisk.
• Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
• Reduce heat to low; cook 1 minute.
• Remove from heat and cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
• In a large bowl, combine remaining strawberries and lemon juice; toss to coat.
• Arrange berries in a circular pattern over filling.
• Spoon glaze evenly over berries.
• Sprinkle toasted almonds around edge.
• Cover and chill 3 hours.

COCONUT ALMOND CREAM PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Combine 1 1/3 cups coconut, chopped almonds and butter; press firmly on bottom and up side to rim of 9-inch pie plate to form crust. Bake 20 minutes. Cool.
• In heavy saucepan, combine EAGLE BRAND® with egg yolks. Add water, almond extract and pudding mix; beat until well blended.
• Over medium heat, cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cool 15 minutes.
• Beat in sour cream. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup coconut.
• Pour into prepared crust; cover. Chill thoroughly. Top with whipped cream. Garnish as desired. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

TOASTED ALMOND CHEESECAKE PIE

Steps:

• Pour milk and almond extract in large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes. Gently stir in 1 cup of the whipped topping. (Mixture will be thick.) Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the almonds onto bottom of crust; cover with the pudding mixture.
• Spread remaining whipped topping over pudding layer; sprinkle with remaining 2 Tbsp. almonds. Cover.
• Refrigerate several hours until chilled. Store leftover pie in refrigerator.

EASY PASTRY DOUGH

Steps:

• Blend first 4 ingredients in processor 10 seconds. Add shortening; process just until very coarse meal forms. Beat egg with 2 tablespoons water; add to processor. Blend until large moist clumps form, adding more water if dry. Gather dough into ball; divide in half. Flatten each piece into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill at least 1 hour. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Let dough soften slightly before rolling out.)