Icecream PIECAKEN Fail!

Well, when is a PIECAKEN ever really a Fail?

Last week I saw a pie recipe online like no other. It was a chocolate ganache pie with a shredded coconut crust. For starters, what an excellent idea for a gluten-free crust.  Secondly, dark chocolate ganache in a pie is my kind of pie!  So I thought, "Wouldn't it be a great idea to make a similar pie and put it inside of a fruit-flavoured icecream cake?" 

Well, it was a great idea, but making it happen was a whole other deal.  My original thought was to put the pie inside a lime or raspberry gelato (something tart or sour), which would have paired nicely with a bitter chocolate.  But all I could get at the store here was Strawberry Frozen Yogurt. And I also wanted to change up the original recipe by using a darker 70% chocolate with a butter-based ganache, which is very bitter tasting but delicious. However, once the whole thing was put together, the sweet strawberry ice cream made the dark chocolate pie taste far too bitter.

So what did I do?  I removed all the ice cream, the cookie crust and the chocolate truffle that I used for decorating and made an ultimate bowl of ice cream.  Then I let my wonderful dark chocolate pie come back to room temperature (it was not very tasty while frozen) and enjoyed a slice of that on its own.

Although it was a fail, I can see that a semi-sweet chocolate pie would have been the way to go with a raspberry gelato.  Alternately, with the strawberry ice cream, I would have made a milk chocolate or white chocolate ganache coconut pie. 

Anyway, the process of putting it together is the same, so if you want to try your own version, here is a photo instruction on how I made the Icecream & Coconut Pie PIECAKEN (see below for further tips and instructions):

Some added instructions: 

For the coconut crust, I used 2 cups of unsweetened shredded coconut, mixed with 1/4 cup of coconut sugar and 1/3 cup of melted butter, which I then pressed into a parchment lined pie pan.  I baked this for about 12 minutes at 350 degrees F.

For the pie filling, my butter-ganache was: in a small saucepan, bring to a boil 1/2 cup of whipping cream with 1/2 cup of butter.  Pour it over 8 ounces of 70% dark chocolate and stir until smooth.  Pour into the cooked coconut pie crust.

For a milk chocolate pie filling, follow this truffle recipe with regular milk chocolate (you don't need to use the Caramelia chocolate in the recipe).

Place the pie in the bottom of the icecream cake to make it easier to cut.  If it is in the middle (as I learned the hard way), the ice cream underneath squishes out.

Work fast before your ice cream melts and get it back into a deep freeze as quickly as possible!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie in a Rice Treat Cake PIECAKEN

There is no more delicious combination than peanut butter, milk chocolate and Rice Krispie squares, for children aged zero to 100. So if you are planning a party for a mixed group of kids and adults, or if you need to make a birthday cake for someone who absolutely LOVES Rice Krispie squares, this PIECAKEN is the perfect dessert. Decorate it however you like - as a fancy birthday cake or a simple snacking dessert!

The instructions may seem long, but actually this PIECAKEN did not take me much time at all! The crust was made in just 15 minutes.  The filling took less than 10 minutes, as did the Rice Krispies treat. And there was a manageable amount of dishes to wash. Plan to make this over two nights, or make your crust and pie on a Friday night and your Rice Krispie 'cake' on Saturday morning so it is ready for a Saturday-night party. 

The best part about this cake is that it does not dry out and you can enjoy the leftovers for five days or more (if refrigerated).


RECIPE: Chocolate-Peanut-Butter-Pie-in-a-Rice-Krispie-Cake PIECAKEN

You need:

Tools:

• 9" pie plate (either aluminum or glass)
• 9" or 10" Springform pan (it does not need to be a springform pan, but needs to be at least 3" tall)
• Parchment paper
• Plastic wrap
• Spoons, mixing bowls, etc....

For the rice treat 'cake':

• 1 340 gram box of Kellog's Rice Krispies (I bought the Brown Rice version)
• 1 large bag of mini marshmallows
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine

For the pie crust:

• 1 400 gram box of Graham cookie crumbs (I used a half box of HoneyMaid, but you can use any other brand, and you can also use the whole cookies and just crush them yourself with a  rolling pin & Ziplock bag)
• 1/2 cup of butter
• 1/2 cup of sugar

For the pie filling:

• 8 oz (227 grams) of good quality Milk Chocolate
• 1/2 cup of peanut butter
• 1/2 cup of whipping cream

For the Topping:

• 2 cups or 500 ml of Whipping Cream OR 1 container of Cool Whip
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• Chocolate syrup (Hershey's or other 'ice cream' syrup)

Instructions:

Make the pie crust:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F
2. Line your pie plate with a round piece of parchment paper equal to the size of the pan (it should be large enough to cover the top edges) Butter or grease the pan and the paper with lard/shortening (by buttering the pan will help your parchment stick to it and buttering the parchment will keep your crust from sticking to it!).
3. Place the Graham crumbs in a medium mixing bowl. Add the sugar and stir until dispersed.
4. Melt the butter in a small pan on the stovetop or in a small dish the microwave for 45 seconds.
5. Pour the butter over the crumb/sugar mixture and mix with a large spoon until the ingredients are damp.
6. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pie plate and up the sides.
7. Place pie crust on a cookie sheet (this makes it easier to handle) and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.  Take out and let cool.

Make the filling:

1. Follow my Peanut Butter Milk Chocolate Truffle Recipe. You can find it here (on www.ultimatechocolateblog.blogspot.com). Do not follow the steps for rolling or coating, simply mix the "Truffle" and then pour it in the pie crust.
2. Place it in the fridge to set for 2 hours.

Make the rice treat cake:

1. Make a double batch of rice treats. You can find the original Kellog's Rice Krispies Recipe here, or you can use Wikihow to see both the stovetop or microwave methods: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Rice-Krispies-Treats#Original_version
2. Leave it in the bowl or pot and immediately assemble the PIECAKEN.

Assembling the PIECAKEN:

1. Prepare your Springform pan by lining it with parchment paper or plastic wrap and grease the paper or plastic wrap with butter or shortening.
2. Press about 1/3 of the rice treat into the bottom of your Springform pan.
3. Take the pie out of the fridge and immediately flip the entire pie & plate upside-down into the centre of your Springform pan.
4. Press the rest of the warm rice treats into the Springform pan all around and on top of the pie. Ensure you have a nice even/flat treat.
5. Let the cake set in the fridge for a half hour or more sot eh rice treat can cool and harden. Then take out and run a knife around the outside.  Then flip your entire cake upside down onto your serving plate.
6. With a spatula, decorate with any of the 'Topping Options' below:

• Peanut Butter Buttercream Icing (i.e. take your favourite buttercream recipe and mix in about 1/2 to 1 cup of peanut butter, depending on your taste)
• Peanut Butter & Chocolate Whipped topping (Beat 2 cups of whipping cream until mixed, fold in 1/4 cup chocolate ice cream syrup and 1/2 cup of peanut butter)
• Cool Whip Peanut Butter topping (fold 1/2 cup of peanut butter into 1 container of Cool Whip - for a chocolaty version add 1/4 cup of chocolate syrup)
• Make another half batch of the 'truffle' mix and pour over the top of the cake.

Enjoy!

The FAKEN PIECAKEN: All the PIECAKEN without the BAKIN'!

Why fake a PIECAKEN?  Well, there are a few reasons. The first is, hmm, how can I put this nicely.... laziness.  For instance, my husband wanted to make an entry for our annual Piecakenfest, but he did not want all the trouble of making one from scratch and worrying about whether or not the cake was cooked (it is not easy to tell when there is a pie in the centre of the cake). So he decided to fake it.

First, he made a Strawberry pie in an 8" pan. Then he bought an Angel Food Cake mix and some Cool Whip.  He made the Angel Food Cake in two pans that were the same size as the pie (8").  Once the cake layers were made, he placed the pie between the two layers of cake.  It was a little crooked, and slightly broken in parts, but no one noticed because he iced the whole concoction with the Cool Whip.  So essentially, the Strawberry Pie was the filler between the two layers of Angle Food Cake.


A home-made strawberry pie is the perfect filling between
two layers of Angel Food Cake (with sprinkles inside).
Once iced, no one can tell that there
is a pie in the middle of this cake!

It actually turned out wonderfully and the kids really liked it. And as you can see from the picture above, it looked quite tasty too. It really was the perfect summer dessert. 









Another reason why you might want to make a 'FAKEN PIECAKEN'? You want to put a no-bake pie inside of a cake.

A friend of mine had the idea of putting a banana cream pie inside of a chocolate cake.  Since the banana cream pie could not be heated, he had to make the cake separately and then slice it in half and carve out a space for the pie. 

After placing the pie in the centre, he covered the entire cake in a light whipped chocolate icing and some toasted coconut (see picture to the right). That was another big hit with the chocolate and banana fanatics, as well as the kids.

Along the same lines, I have an idea for a 'FAKEN PIECAKEN' made with a no-bake Chocolate-Peanut Butter Pie. I think it will pair nicely with a Rice Krispie cake. Sounds delicious, right?  I will get around to making it soon and will post the recipe here.

If you have any great ideas for a FAKEN PIECAKEN, feel free to 'share' in the Comments below. Share your links as well!

For now, Happy PIECAKEN Bakin'!

The Christmas PIECAKEN: Mincemeat Pie in a Fruit Cake!

A friend of mine made a very cool Christmas PIECAKEN for our Piecakenfest in August (that's right, Christmas in August) and it was a real hit. I also thought that if there was such a thing as a British PIECAKEN, this would certainly be it.

So if you are thinking of making a PIECAKEN for your Christmas Potluck, a great Christmas cake and Christmas dessert idea is to make a Mincemeat Pie inside of a Rum-filled Fruit Cake, decorated with white and red icing.

If I can convince my friend to give me her recipe, I will post it here.  But if you know a great recipe for Mincemeat Pie, and a recipe for Fruit Cake (see blow for recipe links), simply bake your mincemeat pie, then make your fruit cake batter, pour a little in the bottom of a cake pan, flip your pie upside down into it and then pour the rest of the batter on top of the pie.  Spread the batter around and then bake the cake for as long as your cake recipe suggests.  Voila! You have a Christmas PIECAKEN!

Another Christmas-y idea is to place a Mincemeat Pie inside of a Ginger-Spiced Cake (see below for recipe links).

What other Christmas PIECAKEN ideas can you come up with?  Feel free to put them in the Comments section below!


Here are some links to recipes that look tasty:

Anna Olson's Mincemeat Pie from the Canadian Food Network:
http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/mincemeat-pie/12729/

A British recipe on About.com that uses store-bought mince-meat:
http://britishfood.about.com/od/christmasrecipes/r/mincepies.htm

Fruit Cake Recipe that uses Brandy or Rum:
http://www.canadianliving.com/food/dark_christmas_cake.php

A moist Ginger Spice Cake Recipe:
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/nov/14/fresh-ginger-cake-recipe

Raspberry Pie Nestled in a Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake (Recipe)

This PIECAKEN is bursting with bold, bittersweet flavours. And it worked out perfectly the very first time I tried it, without any need for tinkering with my recipe.  So here is the recipe for a rich, delicious dessert, worthy of any high-end dessert café or a fancy dinner party.

And be prepared - this is a large cake!  You really should be planning to serve at least 12 people with this cake (and even then, you will still have a few leftover pieces). If you want something smaller, use a small pie (4"), cut the cake recipe in half, and place in a 6" to 8" cake pan (instead of 10").

Raspberry Pie Nestled in a Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake (Recipe)

For the pie, you need:

• The Perfect Pie Crust (see our recipe here)
• 4 cups of frozen whole raspberries (one 600g bag less a cup)
• 1 cup of sugar (preferably unbleached, golden cane sugar or a whole brown sugar)
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

For the cake, you need:

• 16 ounces / 454 grams of 70% dark chocolate (any 70% dark chocolate, such as Lindt, or an organic and Fair Trade brand like Green & Blacks or Camino brands), broken into 1 inch pieces.
• 1 lb butter / 454 grams (for a milk/dairy free version, use equivalent in Coconut Oil), chopped in cubes
• 1 and 1/4 cups of sugar (I have now made this cake with regular granulated sugar, organic golden cane sugar and a lower glycemic version with coconut sugar - they all worked out great!
• 8 eggs, at room temperature (place in a bowl of warm water if cold)
• 1.5 tsp. of sea salt

For the topping/glaze:

• 8 ounces / 227 g of semi-sweet dark chocolate (50% to 65%)
• 1/2 cup cream or 1/3 cup water
• 1 tbsp. corn syrup, agave syrup or honey

Baking Instructions:

To make the pie:

1. Thaw the raspberries in a medium mixing bowl in the fridge overnight or on the counter for 4 hours (or in the microwave from frozen for 1 minute).  Then pour out some of the juice from the bottom of the bowl (pour into a cup and drink it - it's healthy!).
2. Add the sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice and stir well.
3. Pour into your prepared pie shell (follow the recipe and be sure to pre-bake the pie crust for 10 minutes first before adding the filling).
4. Add a top crust and seal with an egg wash (1 egg yolk and three tbsp. of water, milk or cream) and brush the top with the egg wash.
5. Poke holes in the top crust with a fork.
6. Place the pie on a flat cookie sheet or pan to make it easier to move in and out of the oven (it also catches drips and keeps your oven clean!)
7. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 35 to 40 minutes
8. Let cool on a cooling rack for 1/2 to 1 hour before putting into your cake mix.

To make the cake:

1. Prepare a 10" springform cake pan with a round parchment paper in the bottom (you can use a regular 10" cake pan if you do not have a springform pan in that size).  Grease the paper and the sides of the cake pan.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Place the chopped butter and chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over a double boiler (a small pot with 1 inch of water in it at a low simmer) and stir constantly until melted. Remove from heat. You can use the stainless steel bowl from your stand mixer, if it does not have a thick-plated or rubber base.
4. Add the sugar and stir well.  Let rest five minutes.
5. Add all 8 eggs and mix with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) until well blended (do not over-beat, if it starts to get fluffy, stop mixing).
6. Toss in the salt and mix for about 10 seconds more with your hand mixer or with a spatula.
7. Pour 1/3 to 1/2 of the cake batter into your prepared cake pan.
8. Flip your pie over, upside-down onto the centre of the batter in the pan.
9. Pour the remaining batter over the pie.  Spread the batter around and into the edges to even out the top.
10. Bake in a preheated oven for 50 minutes. Turn off oven when done baking.  Open the door, pull out the oven rack the cake is sitting on and leave the door open for 15 minutes until the cake cool and sinks a bit.  Remove carefully from the oven, then let cool completely on a cooling rack. Refrigerate for at least two hours before flipping onto a serving plate and topping the cake.

For the topping and cake presentation:

1. Once completely cooled and chilled, run a hot knife around the edges and, if using, release your springform pan sides and remove. Place your serving plate upside down and centred onto the cake, then flip the cake and plate over so the cake is upside down on your serving plate (this means the pie inside the cake is now right-side-up!).
2. Place your broken chocolate pieces into a heat-proof bowl.
3. Boil the cream in a small pan on the stove top until it just reaches the boiling point. Pour it over the chocolate and stir with a wooden spoon slowly until completely mixed and smooth.
4. Add the tbsp. of syrup and stir. This will add a nice shine to your glaze. 
5. Pour over the cake and, working quickly with an offset spatula, spread to the sides and run along the sides to smooth out. Wipe any excess off of the serving plate with wet and dry paper towels.

Serve chilled, with red wine or a good dark roast coffee and enjoy!

Savoury Piecakens - Chicken Pot Pie in a Cornbread Recipe

Of all the PIECAKEN information available online, I have yet to find any info on savoury piecakens, so it is quite possible that this is a category that my friends and I have created all on our own.  During the last PiecakenFest that we had here on Manitoulin Island, we included a separate competition category for Savoury Piecakens.  With five entries, we were able to see a variety of dinner-style PIECAKENs, and each one was definitely an entire meal in itself.

I have made four Savoury PIECAKENs and have enjoyed each and every one. So today I will share one of these tasty recipes, as well as pictures of two different versions of the same recipe.

Recipe:  Chicken-Pot-Pie-Inside-of-a-Sour Cream-Cornbread PIECAKEN

Pie Crust: You can purchase a prepared pie crust, or follow my "Perfect Pie Crust" recipe that appeared in a previous post here.

 
To make it easier to remove the pie plate later, prepare your 8" or 9"disposable aluminum, glass or other pie plate by greasing it with lard or butter and cutting a round parchment paper slightly larger than the plate (enough to cover the upper edges - about 1/4" past your crust edges). Press the parchment paper into the pie plate (greasing it makes the parchment stick to the plate). Then grease your parchment paper and dust it with flour before placing your pie crust dough in.

Remember to bake your crust for at least 10 minutes at 350 degrees F before adding the filling. Otherwise your bottom crust may be too soft for the piecaken if not pre-baked.
 
 

Chicken Pot Pie Recipe:

You need:

• 2 cooked chicken breasts, lightly seasoned with salt or other seasonings (bake the chicken breasts in the oven on a pan for 25 minutes at 350 degrees F or for 35 or 40 minutes if frozen, or buy pre-cooked chicken breasts). Slice into bite-sized pieces.
• 2 small cans of Campbell’s Original Cream of Mushroom soup (this one has the most natural ingredients, or try to choose a brand with no modified starches, artificial colors or flavours).
• ½ cup chopped Carrots
• ½ cup finely chopped broccoli
• Finely chopped onions and garlic (if you want them)
• ¼ cup frozen corn or peas

1. Stir fry all your vegetables (onions and garlic first until softened, then add others) in a medium-sized pot on the stove. Or steam vegetable together until softened.

2. Add the mushroom soup to the mixture and stir. Warm the entire mixture together on medium heat on the stovetop until warm and well mixed.


3. Add the filling to your prepared pie crust and then add a top crust and press with a fork around the edges until you get a sealed pie. Make an egg wash (egg yolk and a few tablespoons of water or cream and beat together) and brush it on the pie crust top prior to baking. Stab it with a fork about five times to let the steam escape. You can also brush a little egg wash in between the edges of the top and bottom crust before pressing with a fork to get them to stick.

4. Bake your Chicken Pot Pie for 25 to 35 minutes at 350 degrees F until crust is golden brown.

Cornbread Recipe and Piecaken Preparation

You need:

• 2.5  cups 18% sour cream (you can use any % fat sour cream, but I like Gaylea Gold Sour Cream because it doesn't have any additives)
• 1.5 cups yellow cornmeal
• 2 cup all-purpose unbleached flour (I’ve also used light spelt flour and rice flour as alternates)
• 2 tbsps sugar (or agave)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 4 tbsp butter, melted

 

Instructions:

 

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

 

2. Sift together all dry ingredients into a bowl.

 

3. Combine beaten egg and sour cream.

 

4. Add the egg and sour cream mixture and the melted butter to the dry ingredients and stir the batter until just mixed.

 

5. Prepare a 9" or 10" springform pan (or 9 x 13" rectangular pan) with parchment paper and by greasing the sides.

 

6. Spoon 1/3 batter into bottom of the pan and spread it around to cover the bottom (a thin 1/4-inch layer is enough)

 

7. Flip your Chicken Pot Pie upside down onto the batter. Remove your pie plate and parchment paper.

 

8. Spoon the rest of the batter onto the pie and spread all the batter around and into the cracks and edges.

 

9. Bake piecaken for 45 minutes to 1 hour (until a knife, inserted just next to the pie edges, comes out clean)

 

10. Let cool slightly and then run a knife around the insides. Release and remove spring form sides. Serve warm.  If bringing to a potluck, then reheat gently later and ensure there is moisture (such as a pan of water) in the oven to prevent it from drying out.  You can wrap with foil also to protect the sides or put the spring form sides back on while re-heating.

Optional: You can top it with cheese and herbs or smoked salt if you like, or wait until cooked, then top with a ketchup glaze (see below).   

Ketchup Glaze: Simmer 1 cup of ketchup, 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and 1 tbsp molasses in a small saucepan on stove for 5 minutes or until thickened. Spread on top of piecaken or decorate by spooning into a Ziplock bag and cutting the corner.

Piecaken Tips: Make the pie on one day/evening and make the piecaken the next day. b

The Perfect Pie Crust

For any good PIECAKEN, you need a great pie crust. I have experimented with many pie crusts over the last five years (since I opened my pastry, cake and chocolate business) and this one is, by far, my favourite. I started with a recipe that I found on the inside of a box of lard, and then I made a few changes to prevent stickiness and found that I ended up with a flakier, crisper crust. Plus, although lard is fat, it does not contain hydrogenated vegetable oil like most shortening does, so you are saving on any added unhealthy ingredients.

Here is my recipe:

Recipe: Tasty, Crispy Pie Crust

You need:

• 5.5 cups flour (unbleached, all-purpose)
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 lb lard
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp vinegar (white)
• 3/4 cup water

Prepare your pie plate by using a little of the lard to spread around the pan and on top of the sides (to prevent the crust edges from sticking).  Then dust with flour.  PIECAKEN Tip: cut a parchment paper the same size as your pie plate and line the pie plate with it, then slather more lard on the parchment and dust with flour. This will make it easier for you to extract your pie from its plate later.
Instructions:

1. Combine the flour and salt in a stand mixer bowl (or regular medium or large baking bowl). 

2. Chop lard into pieces (about 1-inch in size).

3. With paddle attachment on a stand mixer, mix the lard with the flour and salt until it is crumb-like in texture. If you do not have a stand mixer, use two knives or a whisk to chop up the lard and mix with the flour and salt until the mixture is crumb-like.

5. In a measuring cup (1 or 2 cup measure), beat the egg, then add vinegar and mix well. Add the water until you reach 3/4 of a cup and mix well again.

6.  Add slowly to lard/flour/salt mixture. Beat for about 10 to 30 seconds more until well combines.  Flour your hands and the dough as you extract it from the bowl and roll into a ball on the counter (it may be sticky, just dust well with flour until you can form a ball).

7. Divide into four balls of dough.

8. Roll one ball out into a circle about 1/8 inch thick. Place pie pan upside down on the dough and cut a circle about ¾ of an inch larger than the pie plate.  Take pie plate off and sprinkle a little flour on the pie crust and rub it around to spread across the whole surface. Fold the pie crust in half then in half again the opposite way. Pick up and place in pie plate container and unfold.

8. Press crust edges with a fork all around the pie.  Poke a few fork holes in the bottom of the crust also (if you don't have pie weights, otherwise, place those in the bottom of the pie to prevent bubbling).  

9. Egg wash: Mix an egg yolk with about two tablespoons of water and beat with fork.  Then brush on pie crust, particularly on the top sides.

10. Bake at 350 preheated oven for 10 minutes.

11. Add filling and bake pie as per recipe.  Cut a circle of raw pie crust dough for the top and press it into the sides (gently). Trim any excess.  Brush top with egg wash and bake as per your pie recipe.

If you are making a PIECAKEN with this recipe, there is no need to stress about making a beautiful looking pie crust - it will not matter if you have lovely folds or leaf cut-outs if it is going to be baked inside of a cake! It just needs to have the right structure and be well sealed, so that it clearly looks like a slice of pie inside of a cake when you slice into your PIECAKEN.

This pie crust can be used in any PIECAKEN recipe.  Including:

• Pumpkin-Pie-In-A-Vanilla-Cheesecake PIECAKEN

Enjoy!