Wow. Despite this photo, I have to rate this recipe a fail. How sad it that?
I don't have a lot of experience making cream pies so I followed this recipe to the letter. You start out making your own graham cracker crust which I have never had much luck to begin with. It's not hard to make, it's just I've never had success getting it to slice easily or release from the pie pan. Still I gave it my best shot. Next I went ahead and made the honeycomb candy. I had major doubts about this component of the pie. I wasn't really sure what it added to the whole dish?
Don't get me wrong, it's a great chemistry experiment for making a lighter airy version of peanut brittle without the peanuts but as a topping for a cream pie, I just wasn't feeling it. Onto the filling. It seemed to be going well, seemed firm after spending the night in the fridge. All that was left was to add the topping. Spread out little melted bittersweet chocolate on the top of the pie, pieces of honeycomb and then more chocolate. Here's where I went all Sandra Lee stupid by not realizing that I had just put hot topping on a cold pie thus making the cold pie very loose. Yet despite a couple of hours in the freezer, the pie was only slightly less soupy and totally unfit for human consumption. The middle was soft, the crust was impossible to cut, and the topping needed a chisel to get through. Even if the filling had that nice firm texture I'm not sure it would have worked that with candy topping. Could the recipe be fixed? I consulted with the folks who have much more experience fixing recipe disasters than I do, the chefs at Cook's Illustrated. Their section on cream pies described exactly the problem I was having. Their answer is cornstarch and some evaporated milk. They had no answer for the bizarre topping.
Sad to say, the folks at the office won't get to try this pie...at least this week. I may attempt it again in the future or I may just visit everyone else's kitchens to sample their pies. That is, if there's any left.
Sad Dim Sum Sunday.
15 comments:
Soupy or not, that looks really good. Nothing like a piled high pie.
I went the savory route (and more)over at the Buzzkill.
Happy Dim Sum Sunday.
Thanks for joining in Buzz, your Zucchini Bacon Pie looks great and sorry for the dual challenges.
Making Space is also up with her luscious pie.
I've had success using egg yolks only, but have also augmented with a bit of flour (but you need to cook longer, to get rid of the taste) and not evaporated milk, but sweetened condensed. I've heard that whipped tofu works, too. As for that bizarre candy coating, I wonder about maybe pulverizing it and sprinkling on top?
Moi, this recipe had no thickener at all so I'd be willing to try either. And believe me,I used small pieces compared to the example photo in the magazine. I think I'd try and find a different topping.
Hey Moi, any secrets to a good graham cracker crust?
Oh Shamy I'm sorry. Tough doing all that hard work for it to come out bad.
I'm up with mine. :)
No worries Dani, it's how we learn, trial and error. Coming over.
You know, it does look like it would be worth throwing on the table with a bunch of kids and a bunch of spoons and letting 'em at it. Then you could hose 'em all off in the yard after. Heh.
Sorry it didn't turn out, though...
I'm up!
Lots of melted butter and about a quarter cup of flour—the consistency should be dough-like. Press into pie pan, and if the filling is to be cooked, pre-cook the crust for about 10-12 minutes, then fill and finish cooking. If the pie will be one that sets in the fridge, then cook the crust about 20-25 minutes.
Now that I've seen the whole write up, it still doesn't look that bad. I'm with MS - take it to the office, put it on the counter with a bunch of spoons and see what happens. Unless it's really burnt, there's no such thing as inedible pie.
Just getting back to this after a veddy veddy full day and noting that Sjhamy the Great described my pie as luscious. Happysniffle Landmark day here at New Cook Central. Thank you!
Um, Shammy not Sjhamy. I'm not sure who that chick is.
Sjhamy is Rap/Chef artist. Her cd and perfume line are about to drop.
Bacon scented perfume?
I'm so sorry I missed the big pie-a-palooza dim sum sunday ... and so sorry that the PBCHC bon appetite recipe was a flop - it sure does look good though. I checked out all the other pies - MS & sweeties & Dani & her sweeties spectacular fruit pies & buzzkill real men do eat quiche.
now those biscuits avec gravy - yum
xo S & les Gang
word verification - "braccon" I kid not
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