aka Coffee Ice Cream Tart
When asked what I would like to host for Club: Baked, I sat down with the hubs and the Baked Explorations cookbook and discussed the possibilities. I was asked to pick something from the pies and tarts section, which for me was just perfect. I prefer pies, with their ease of preparation, their forgiving nature, and of course, the lack of scientific, precise measuring that make so many cake recipes downright frustrating for me. And this recipe had no flour which, for someone who has a flour bomb go off regularly while baking, also includes less clean up. Right around my hosting time, we were having a pretty over the top dinner, so I wanted something just a little special. With some hemming and hawing (debating between this and the Whiskey Pear Tart, apparently we like booze in our desserts), we finally settled on the Mississippi Mud Pie (A).
Of course, after just discussing the ease of preparation of most pies, I landed with the one that has so many steps. Luckily, each step is fairly easy, a simple stirring of ingredients and a pour into the pie shell, so what looked initially like a daunting recipe turned out to be pretty easy and straight forward. Although, all the stopping and starting in between steps dragged it into a two day process for me.
I started with the making of the ice cream. The Baked guys have a recipe for Coffee Ice Cream in the cookbook, but since I didn't have any instant espresso powder, or Kahlua, I ended up adapting my almond milk ice cream recipe. I simply added just a pinch over 1 1/2 cups of whole coffee beans to the milk base after the first simmer, and continued to heat on low for about an hour, maybe two. Until it tasted like a strong latte. After scooping out the beans and discarding, I added another 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup cream to compensate for the of the liquid that evaporate or got tossed with the beans, stirred and voila! Coffee Ice Cream.
After making the ice cream, I set about making the crust. After scooping mounds of icing from the center of each sandwich cookie, I was able to use the wafers to make the crust. (Was anyone able to find just the wafer part? Please tell me where you get such a thing!)\
The bourbon fudge...let me pause a moment here. Bourbon AND Fudge. These are pretty much two of my favorite things and together and, well, let's just say that I had no dirty dishes.
Cookie Crust, check.
Bourbon Fudge, check.
Toasted Pecans and Coffee Ice Cream, check and check.
More bourbon fudge, check, check, and check.
A little freezer action and some sparkly candles, and this thing was ready for it's debut.
This pie was incredibly rich. One of those desserts where just a little sliver will fulfill your sugar/chocolate/ice cream craving. For someone who eats a Dove dark chocolate to satisfy a sugar craving, this was super sweet. I loved the coffee ice cream. For me, that was the best part. Next time, I would add more pecans maybe even mixing them into the ice cream. They offered a texture change with their crunch and cut down on the crazy sweetness of the rest of the ingredients. I would also skip the chocolate drizzle on top simply because it was such a rich pie, I didn't feel it really needed it. Okay, probably a light chocolate drizzle for, as my husband says, "flair." (Love that guy!)
Also, grease the pan! I guess I missed this step. But I had a h*ll of a time getting out the first slice. The second was a little better, but I think a light greasing would have solved the whole mess.
I think the best thing about learning to make this pie is the sheer volume of possibilities it opened up, and to me, that's the mark of a good recipe. One that introduces you to something that you can build on. Tweaking the ice cream and fudge flavors and even the toppings and you have an almost limitless amount of ice cream pie possibilities. Graham cracker crust, caramel in place of the fudge with a vanilla ice cream topped with pecans would be a nice fall treat. Maybe served with some warmed spiced apples. Kind of a Kriss Krossed apple pie a la mode. For Christmas, peppermint chocolate fudge with candy cane ice cream. Plain fudge and caramel ice cream topped with nuts for a toffee flavored ice cream pie...
Thanks everyone for baking along! Next up: Speculaas by Fiona: Ms Fifikins
Mississippi Mud Pie (A)
Yield: One 9" Pie
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cookie Crust
30 chocolate wafer cookies, about 6 oz
1 tbsp granulated sugar
6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
For the Filling
4 oz good quality dark chocolate (60-72%)
1/4 c plus 1 tbsp heavy cream
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp light corn syrup
1 c confections' sugar, sifted
1 tbsp Kentucky bourbon
1 pint good quality coffee ice cream
1/2 c toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
For the Bourbon Fudge Topping
2 tbsp heavy cream
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp light corn syrup
3 oz good quality chocolate (60-72%)
1 tsp Kentucky bourbon
Make the Chocolate Cookie Crust
In a food processor, pulverize the wafer cookies into a very fine crumb. You should have about 1 1/2 cups. Place the crumbs into a bowl, add the sugar and stir until combined.
Pour the melted butter over the crumbs and mix well. Transfer the crumb mixture to a 9-inch pie plate and press it into the bottom and up the sides. Use the back of a large spoon to get an even crust. Set the crust aside in the refrigerator.
Make the Filling
Place the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. In a medium saucepan, bring the cream, butter and corn syrup to a simmer. Remove the mixture from the heat, pour it over the chocolate, and let sit for 1 minute. Then whisk the chocolate mixture until it is completely smooth. Whisk in the confectioners' sugar and bourbon.
Spread the fudge evenly over the bottom of the pie crust, cover it and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Soften the coffee ice cream by placing the container in the microwave for 10 seconds on high. Put it into a large bowl and use a rubber spatula to beat it until it is slightly malleable. Spread the ice cream over the chilled fudge filling, sprinkle it with pecans, gently pressing them into the ice cream, and freeze the pie for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the ice cream is firm.
Make the Bourbon Fudge Topping
In a small saucepan over low heat, heat the cream, butter and corn syrup together until the mixture beings to simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate. Whisk until the fudge is smooth - if you still have a few stray chocolate chunks, reheat the mixture over very low heat until they are completely melted. Stir in the bourbon.
Beat the fudge topping until it reaches room temperature, and pour it over the ice cream and pecan layer in a zigzag pattern. Freeze the Mississippi Mud Pie until it is set, about 20 minutes. To serve the pie, cut it with a warmed sharp knife.
The pie will keep in the freezer, tightly covered, for up to 4 days.
When asked what I would like to host for Club: Baked, I sat down with the hubs and the Baked Explorations cookbook and discussed the possibilities. I was asked to pick something from the pies and tarts section, which for me was just perfect. I prefer pies, with their ease of preparation, their forgiving nature, and of course, the lack of scientific, precise measuring that make so many cake recipes downright frustrating for me. And this recipe had no flour which, for someone who has a flour bomb go off regularly while baking, also includes less clean up. Right around my hosting time, we were having a pretty over the top dinner, so I wanted something just a little special. With some hemming and hawing (debating between this and the Whiskey Pear Tart, apparently we like booze in our desserts), we finally settled on the Mississippi Mud Pie (A).
Of course, after just discussing the ease of preparation of most pies, I landed with the one that has so many steps. Luckily, each step is fairly easy, a simple stirring of ingredients and a pour into the pie shell, so what looked initially like a daunting recipe turned out to be pretty easy and straight forward. Although, all the stopping and starting in between steps dragged it into a two day process for me.
I started with the making of the ice cream. The Baked guys have a recipe for Coffee Ice Cream in the cookbook, but since I didn't have any instant espresso powder, or Kahlua, I ended up adapting my almond milk ice cream recipe. I simply added just a pinch over 1 1/2 cups of whole coffee beans to the milk base after the first simmer, and continued to heat on low for about an hour, maybe two. Until it tasted like a strong latte. After scooping out the beans and discarding, I added another 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup cream to compensate for the of the liquid that evaporate or got tossed with the beans, stirred and voila! Coffee Ice Cream.
The bourbon fudge...let me pause a moment here. Bourbon AND Fudge. These are pretty much two of my favorite things and together and, well, let's just say that I had no dirty dishes.
Cookie Crust, check.
Bourbon Fudge, check.
More bourbon fudge, check, check, and check.
A little freezer action and some sparkly candles, and this thing was ready for it's debut.
This pie was incredibly rich. One of those desserts where just a little sliver will fulfill your sugar/chocolate/ice cream craving. For someone who eats a Dove dark chocolate to satisfy a sugar craving, this was super sweet. I loved the coffee ice cream. For me, that was the best part. Next time, I would add more pecans maybe even mixing them into the ice cream. They offered a texture change with their crunch and cut down on the crazy sweetness of the rest of the ingredients. I would also skip the chocolate drizzle on top simply because it was such a rich pie, I didn't feel it really needed it. Okay, probably a light chocolate drizzle for, as my husband says, "flair." (Love that guy!)
Also, grease the pan! I guess I missed this step. But I had a h*ll of a time getting out the first slice. The second was a little better, but I think a light greasing would have solved the whole mess.
I think the best thing about learning to make this pie is the sheer volume of possibilities it opened up, and to me, that's the mark of a good recipe. One that introduces you to something that you can build on. Tweaking the ice cream and fudge flavors and even the toppings and you have an almost limitless amount of ice cream pie possibilities. Graham cracker crust, caramel in place of the fudge with a vanilla ice cream topped with pecans would be a nice fall treat. Maybe served with some warmed spiced apples. Kind of a Kriss Krossed apple pie a la mode. For Christmas, peppermint chocolate fudge with candy cane ice cream. Plain fudge and caramel ice cream topped with nuts for a toffee flavored ice cream pie...
Thanks everyone for baking along! Next up: Speculaas by Fiona: Ms Fifikins
Mississippi Mud Pie (A)
Yield: One 9" Pie
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cookie Crust
30 chocolate wafer cookies, about 6 oz
1 tbsp granulated sugar
6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
For the Filling
4 oz good quality dark chocolate (60-72%)
1/4 c plus 1 tbsp heavy cream
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp light corn syrup
1 c confections' sugar, sifted
1 tbsp Kentucky bourbon
1 pint good quality coffee ice cream
1/2 c toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
For the Bourbon Fudge Topping
2 tbsp heavy cream
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp light corn syrup
3 oz good quality chocolate (60-72%)
1 tsp Kentucky bourbon
Make the Chocolate Cookie Crust
In a food processor, pulverize the wafer cookies into a very fine crumb. You should have about 1 1/2 cups. Place the crumbs into a bowl, add the sugar and stir until combined.
Pour the melted butter over the crumbs and mix well. Transfer the crumb mixture to a 9-inch pie plate and press it into the bottom and up the sides. Use the back of a large spoon to get an even crust. Set the crust aside in the refrigerator.
Make the Filling
Place the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. In a medium saucepan, bring the cream, butter and corn syrup to a simmer. Remove the mixture from the heat, pour it over the chocolate, and let sit for 1 minute. Then whisk the chocolate mixture until it is completely smooth. Whisk in the confectioners' sugar and bourbon.
Spread the fudge evenly over the bottom of the pie crust, cover it and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Soften the coffee ice cream by placing the container in the microwave for 10 seconds on high. Put it into a large bowl and use a rubber spatula to beat it until it is slightly malleable. Spread the ice cream over the chilled fudge filling, sprinkle it with pecans, gently pressing them into the ice cream, and freeze the pie for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the ice cream is firm.
Make the Bourbon Fudge Topping
In a small saucepan over low heat, heat the cream, butter and corn syrup together until the mixture beings to simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate. Whisk until the fudge is smooth - if you still have a few stray chocolate chunks, reheat the mixture over very low heat until they are completely melted. Stir in the bourbon.
Beat the fudge topping until it reaches room temperature, and pour it over the ice cream and pecan layer in a zigzag pattern. Freeze the Mississippi Mud Pie until it is set, about 20 minutes. To serve the pie, cut it with a warmed sharp knife.
The pie will keep in the freezer, tightly covered, for up to 4 days.
