Earl Grey Cream Pie

                 

 Yes, you read the title correctly, Earl Grey Cream Pie. It's as luscious and light as it sounds. The fragrant bergamot, the airy whipped cream and the luscious cream just melt in your mouth. A perfect treat to have with your tea. No joke. It's delicious! I've made this as a full pie and various mini pies. No matter the size it's amazing!


Earl grey is one of my favorite flavor profiles. It has a beautiful balance of dark, floral and citrus notes that can complement almost anything. I'd heard about an earl grey cream pie that is sold in LA. I have never tried it but I have friends that have had it and love it. So I figured I give it try and ask them if it rivals this famous pie.  Let's just say that I satisfied their Earl Grey Tooth.


Things you need to know before making this pie:

1. The tea. I use Twining's tea brand. It has a beautiful flavor and is potent. If using loose leaf tea it's important that you grind your tea. You want the tea to be small so it permeated the tea quickly and intensely. You can steep it in the bag but I found you get a deeper flavor if the tea is physical in the milk.

2. You can totally make this in stages/days. I made the crust first. Baked, filled with chocolate and refrigerated it until it was time to assembly. Made the filling part 1 on day 2 then finished it off (filling part 2 & whipped cream) on day 3. You can totally do this in 1 day but you would have to start early because the filling part 1 needs time to chill and solidify.

3. When you're steeping the tea, keep your eye on it. You want it to simmer/boil without scorching the milk. You want to cook it enough so that it's a beautiful dark grey.

4. When you mix the tea mixture with the eggs do it slowly and stir continuously. If it looks like it's breaking don't panic. Once you add the butter it comes together.

Now you are ready to begin!


If you love everything Earl Grey do yourself a favor and try this pie!!

Prebaking pie: Preheat oven 425F. dock bottom with fork and lined with parchment and weigh down with beans. Bake for 20 minutes, remove parchment & beans and bake another 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

Once pie shells cooled, brush with chocolate ganache. Let chocolate cool and harden before filling.

Pour tea into milk and bring to a boil then a simmer.

Stirring often until you get nice medium dark grey/brown.

Like this! Strain and reserve.

Whisk cornstarch, sugar and eggs until thick and smooth.

Ladle a bit of tea mixture into eggs to temper.

Whisk the rest of the tea mixture.

Return to heat and whisk until thick. Remove from heat and add butter. Incorporate until smooth. Pour into heatproof bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressed into cream to avoid skin. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours, until firm.

Whip the cream into stiff peaks.

Add the firmed earl grey cream and mix together until it looks like.....

This! Beautifully light and airy.

Pour cream into pie shell, top with whip cream and garnish with pistachios. Ready to eat!

Earl Grey Cream Pie

pastry cream adapted from Tartine Bakery's Pastry Cream

VM Easy Flaky Pie Dough: Makes 2 crusts

Pie Crust:
2 1/2 cups Flour
2-4 tbsp Sugar, desired sweetness
1/4 tsp salt
2 stick unsalted butter, cut into cubes and chilled
4-6 Tbsp Water, iced

Chocolate Coating

1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream


Road Map:

1. Into a food processor place flour, sugar, salt and butter. Process until it looks like fine sand. Continue to run processor and the through the tunnel on top add 1Tbsp of iced water at the time until the dough forms. Gather the dough into a ball. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Wrap them in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 F.

2. Roll out dough: lightly flour your surface. Take 1 dough ball and roll out according to the size of your pie dish. Freeze 2nd dough ball for a later use of your choosing. With the tines of a fork dock/dot the bottom of the pie dough. Cover the dough with parchment or foil and weigh down with pie weights ( I use dry beans). Bake on the lower rack for 20 minutes. Then remove the parchment/foil and weights (beans) and return the pie to the middle rack and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Remove and cool completely before filling.

3. Once pie shell is completely cool. Add the chocolate chips and heavy cream into a microwavable bowl and microwave in 10 second installment; stirring each time until velvety smooth.  If you don't want to use the microwave you can place the chips in a bowl and put the cream in a small pot until it simmers then pour it over the chocolate chips until velvety smooth. Pour the chocolate into the pie shell and brush until you have a nice layer of chocolate. (Don't go to heavy on the chocolate you don't have to use it all save the rest to pour over some ice cream!) Allow the chocolate to cool and harden.

Earl Grey Pastry Cream

5 bags Earl Grey Tea Bags (Twining's ) = 2 rounded Tbsp
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp salt
5 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
4 tbsp butter, unsalted

1/2 cup heavy whipped cream
3-4 sugar, to desired sweetness


1. Heat milk, tea and salt in a medium saucepan let it come to a boil and then lower it to a simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring often,  until the color turns to a medium/dark grey. Remove milk from the heat and pour through mesh strainer into a small bowl or large measuring cup.

2. While tea is steeping; whisk, cornstarch, sugar and eggs into a medium bowl until thick and smooth. Add a ladle of the tea mixture to the egg mixture to temper the eggs. Slowly add the tea milk to the egg mixture, whisking as you pour. Once all is mixed return to the saucepan. Whisk continuously on medium high heat until the cornstarch cooks and the mixture thickens. This happens quickly so be watchful.  Remove from heat and add butter, one TBSP at a time, whisk until smooth & completely incorporated. Pour into a heatproof bowl (one preferably with a cover) and place plastic wrap on the surface of the cream to cool and to avoid a "skin" forming on cream. Allow the cream to cool completely in the refrigerator, 3-4 hours.  The cooled cream should be very firm. (Filling part 1)

3. Once cooled, using a hand mixer, whip up the 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream and sugar to stiff peaks.  Add the Earl Grey Cream into the whipped cream and whisk until completely smooth and combined. (Filling part 2)

Assembly:

Fully cooled pie crust with chocolate
Earl Grey Pastry Cream
1/4 cup pistachios, chopped
Whipped Cream: 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream with 2-3 tbsp sugar (whip up like before to stiff peaks)

1. Take fully cooled pie crust and fill to the top with the Earl Grey Pastry Cream. Smooth off the top then spoon and spread the whipped cream. Garnish with chopped pistachios. Serve cold.


BUEN PROVECHO! ENJOY!

Easy Flaky Pie Crust

With Thanksgiving around the corner, I thought I share my pie crust recipe. I've adapted this recipe from different recipes I found online. I love this food processor method, because it makes it so easy. You can make this dough way in advance and freeze it and just thaw it out the night before in the fridge. I do want to say that it is extremely important that the dough remain cold. It gets to warm and soft it's hard to handle and when it bakes you won't get the flaky crust. It's vital that it stay cold!

 If you're up to making a pie from scratch this is a great recipe to have in your recipe arsenal. This recipe makes two crusts. It's so easy you'll wonder why you never did this before!

Buen Provecho!!!

Make the crust. Add 2 1/4 cups of flour in a food processor.

Sugar 2-3 Tbsp

1/4 tsp salt

2 sticks of very very cold butter. In fact I used frozen butter. Cut it into big cubes.

Pulse until you get a sand consistency.

Once you have "sand" turn processor on and let it run while you pour iced water through tunnel. One TBSP at a time until you see.....

this. The dough will ball up. Take out and mold together.

Divide into 2 equal balls and wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes. You can totally make this dough ahead of time and put it in the fridge for a few days.

Roll out dough according to the size of your dish and place in dish. Add filling and bake according to your recipe.

Easy Flaky Pie Crust - 2 crusts

Pie Crust:
2 1/2 cups Flour
2-4 tbsp Sugar, desired sweetness
1/4 tsp salt
2 stick of butter, cut into cubes and chilled
4-6 Tbsp Water, iced
1 egg, whisk (egg wash)


Road Map:

1. Into a food processor place flour, sugar, salt and butter. Process until it looks like fine sand. Continue to run processor and the through the tunnel on top add 1Tbsp of iced water at the time until the dough forms. Gather the dough into a ball. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Wrap them in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.  

2. Roll out dough: lightly flour your surface. Take 1 dough ball and roll out, according to your pie dish. Carefully place dough in dish. Slowly pour Fruit Filling of choice into dough and set aside. Roll out second dough to desired size and top the pie. Crimp the edges. Brush pie with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Make 3 slits in the center of the pie. Bake according to your pie recipe.

Film With A Foodie - Pyscho - Bates' Late Dates aka Devils on Horseback

One of my favorite directors by far is Alfred Hitchcock. I'm obsessed with his films. They are so creative, inventive, genius and suspenseful. Psycho is one of his best. The shower scene alone is amazing! If you haven't seen this classic, you need to!!! Not only do you need to see this movie but you need to eat these delicious dates while you watch.

Bates' Late Dates, aka Devils on Horseback, is a scrumptious bite of sweet, salty and crispy! Beautiful dates filled with creamy cheese and wrapped in delectable bacon. Every component of this dish is delicious on it's own already, just imagine the three together!!! Actually don't imagine it, make this recipe and give your taste buds a treat!

I used two types of dates Madjool & Ajwah. If you can't find these types, use which every one you find in the store. Traditionally Gorgonzola or a blue cheese is used, which I love, in this case I used a garlic herb spread just to mix it up a bit. Both are delicious!

Along with these devilish bites are tongue and cheek named dishes that will delight and satisfy your tummy!

Menu for Psycho:

Bates' Late Dates aka Devils on Horseback

Bloody Tomato Soup with Severed Fingers  (Grilled Cheese Sticks with Roasted Tomato Soup)

Gashed and Slashed Blueberry Pie

Turn off the lights, sit back and enjoy your night with the Master of Suspense!


Buen Provecho!!

I made a double batch! Preheat heat oven 400F.

Carefully cut in half. Don't cut all the way through!

Add enough cheese to fill.

Cut bacon into 3 equal pieces.

Wrap date in bacon!!

Secure with a toothpick.

Place on prepared sheet. I forgot the wired rack and the bottom of my bacon was close to being burned. It was still edible but very very crispy.

Arrange on a platter and enjoy!!! So good!!!!! I'm so excited!!!!

Bates' Late Dates aka Devils on Horseback - 12 pieces

Ingredients:

4 slices of thick applewood bacon, cut in 3 even pieces
12 dates (any kind), pitted
1/4 cup Gorgozola or garlic herb cheese

Side note: I forgot to put the wired rack on my first batch and the bottom part of the bacon over browned, super extra crispy. If you like your bacon that way just put bites directly on the parchment paper and bypass the rack; otherwise use a wired rack on a baking sheet.

This recipe is super easy to double, triple or quadruple. Just make as many as you want!!


Road Map:

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Place 12 toothpicks in a small bow filled with water; let soak 15 minutes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and fit with a wire rack; set aside.

2. Halve dated lengthwise being careful not to cut all the way through. Place a small amount of cheese in the center. Wrap a piece of bacon around each date. Secure bacon with a toothpick.

3.Place dates on prepared baking sheet with wired rack. Bake until bacon is cooked through, 20-25 minutes.

4. Enjoy!!!

No Recipe Grilled Cheese

Grilled cheese is one of the easiest dishes to make and one of the most delicious. I mean who doesn't love bread, cheese and butter?! It's also pretty straight forward how to make one. You need bread, cheese and butter/mayo. For me there are 2 different ways to make a basic grilled cheese:

Number 1: 2 slices of bread, add cheese and butter or mayo on the outside of the bread slices. Cook it on the griddle or non-stick pan. Cook until bread is golden brown. Voila! That's it!

Number 2:  2 slices of bread, slather mayo inside, add cheese and butter or mayo on the outside of the bread slices. Cook it on the griddle or non-stick pan. Cook until bread is golden brown. Ta-da! That's it!

It really is quite simple. You can use whatever cheese you want, any bread you want and add any extras that you love. Grilled cheese is one of the most versatile sandwiches. It definitely is a comfort food! Enjoy it with a delicious Roasted Tomato Soup. Grilled cheese and tomato soup, it's a classic!


Buen Provecho!

any bread. I love sourdough!

This one I used Kraft singles cheese. It melts so amazingly!

This one I used cheddar. I added mayo on the inside.

Cheese filled!

Butter or mayo outside of bread. Mayo is good substitute for butter, if you're out. It helps make a golden brown sandwich.

Put them on a griddle until both sides are golden brown.

Cut in half, diagonally or in sticks. Enjoy alone or with a cup of tomato soup!

No recipe- Basic Grilled Cheese - 2 sandwiches

4 slices of bread (any kind)
2 Tbsp butter
2 tbsp mayo (optional)
4 slices of cheese (any kind)

Road Map:

Number 1: 2 slices of bread, add cheese and butter or mayo on the outside of the bread slices. Cook it on the griddle or non-stick pan. Cook until bread is golden brown. Voila! That's it!

                                                                   OR

Number 2:  2 slices of bread, slather mayo inside, add cheese and butter or mayo on the outside of the bread slices. Cook it on the griddle or non-stick pan. Cook until bread is golden brown. Ta-da! That's it!

 
ENJOY!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

 My favorite seasons are Fall and Winter. There are so many wonderful things that happen during this time of year. The holidays are just around the corner. It's a wonderful time to spend with family and friends, giving thanks to God for all His wonderful blessings and faithfulness to us. It's a fabulous time of year!

What's also wonderful is the weather. I love when the weather changes, the fog rolls in and the air is crisp and bright. This type of weather is perfect for  good comforting soups. One of the most delicious of soups is Butternut Squash Soup. It's velvety texture wraps your taste buds in a cozy blanket. Though this soup taste absolutely decadent it's not, unless you add cream then that's a different story. I wanted a very hearty yet healthy soup, so i bypassed the cream.  It's amazing how simple this soup was to make. There is some time involved because you're roasting the sqaush, but it's so worth the time. There is so much flavor in this soup and the color alone is enticing.

This soup is wonderful as an entree or side. If you want a more richer soup add cream. If you want completely vegetarian, use vegetable stock. Make it your own! Slip into those cozy pajamas and find comfort in this beautiful bowl of soup!

Buen Provecho!

Preheat oven 425F. Cut in half & scoop out the seeds.

Place on a lined baking sheet. I forgot to and I paid the cleaning price!

Season with thyme, salt & pepper. Roast for 50-60 minutes. Put carrots in half way through the cooking time, otherwise they will burn. Learned the hard way on that one, had to cut off the burnt parts. :0

Scoot out roasted flesh and set aside.

Add olive oil to a large pot. Add onions and saute until transparent, 5 mins.

Add roasted squash, carrots and sag leaves.

Add broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Blend in batches until smooth.  Add more broth if soup is too thick. Your preference. :)

Nice and velvety!

A delicious bowl of goodness! Garnish with parmesan cheese or a splash of cream. I added a sage leaf just for contrast for the photo. : 0

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup - 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

1 large butternut squash (about 3 1/2 lbs)
2 small carrots
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 tsp thyme, dried
3-4 fresh sage leaves, whole
4-5 cups low sodium chicken stock
2 Tbsp Olive oil
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
salt and pepper, to taste

Parmesan cheese to garnish

Road Map:

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Cut squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds into a bowl. Reserve to roast later for a healthy treat!

2. Place squash cut-side up on baking sheet and drizzle & spread with olive oil. Season with thyme, salt and pepper.  Roast for 50-60 minutes. Add carrots during the last 30 minutes of cooking, otherwise the will burn.

3. When squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the tender squash and set aside. Add olive oil to a large pan. Add diced onions and saute (5 minutes), season with salt and pepper. Once onions are transparent add squash, carrots, sage leaves and chicken broth.

4. Bring to a boil , reduce heat to low and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes.

5. Use immersion blender to blend soup or pour soup in batches into a blender until smooth. Pour back into pot. If consistency is too thick, add more broth. Season to taste. Add a pinch of nutmeg.

6. Enjoy!