Filled Pate a Choux Swans (by Sugar for the brain)
Secrets to Making Turtle Brownies
These sweet confections have finally come out of their shell. Get the step-by-step instructions here.
Pandan Marble Cake, a marble cake for the ultimate vanilla fan.
rich, green pandan leaves (Asian Vanilla) impart a distinctly warm, nutty, sweet, vanilla-like aroma to complement the golden swirls of traditional vanilla. (recipe here)
PIE WITHOUT A PIE PAN
The issue of Easter dessert was a matter of much debate. It was the most hotly contested issue of the Saturday before Easter, though that isn’t really saying much.
The original consensus was for cheesecake. It seemed perfect: cheesy, cakey, and delicious. What’s not too like? The fact that we didn’t have a springform pan to make it in. Then we sent my narcoleptic sidekick on a mad dash around the internet where we could obtain a cheap springform pan that day within walking distance. The answer was nowhere, unless we felt like walking 2.5 miles to Target through questionable neighborhoods, if I recall.
There was then some debate over the option of cake, but I make that all the time, so it didn’t seem right for a fancy Easter dinner. Tiramisu? None of us are 21. Pie? YES. I found myself a nice chocolate pie recipe on the internet. Then we realized we also didn’t have a pie pan. (I found myself regretting my decision to turn down the pie pan over the summer for lack of space in my luggage.) So went we kicked out my friend from downstairs to go pick up some last-minute ingredients (he volunteered, alright?) we also told him to pick up one of those disposable pie pans from the grocery store. He couldn’t find any. But at that point we already had all the ingredients, and none of us really felt like rehashing the Great Dessert Debate for a third time, so we resorted to a cake pan.
Another note: in the midst of the trying to prepare all of the dinner things, we discovered that it is indeed necessary to stir the filling constantly. It gets lumpy otherwise. But don’t tell anyone we made a pie with lumps in it.
Graham Cracker Pie Crust
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
⅓ cup sugar
6 tablespoons melted butterTo crush the graham crackers, your best bet is either a rolling pin or the bottom of a drinking glass. Don’t try to crush too many at once, either; you won’t be able to make the crumbs fine enough. The finer you can make the crumbs, the better.
Mix all of the ingredients together. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom and sides of an 8” or 9” pie pan. Bake at 375ºF for about 7 minutes then allow to cool. While making the filling for the pie, put the crust in the fridge to chill.
Chocolate Pie
⅔ cup sugar
⅓ cup corn starch
½ teaspoon salt
4 egg yolks
3 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups chocolate chips, divided
Heavy whipping cream and sugarIn a saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together the milk and egg yolks. Gradually add this to the saucepan.
Cook the mixture over medium heat while stirring constantly until it comes to a boil, then boil and stir for one minute. Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, vanilla, and chocolate chips. Stir until everything is melted and well-mixed. Pour the mixture into the chilled pie crust, cover with plastic wrap, and cool. Refrigerate for a few hours until the filling is firm and cold.
Whip the cream with sugar to taste. Spread it over the pie (after taking the plastic off, of course) and top with the remaining chocolate chips.
