For some reason, it seems that most people consider nut pies to be pretty cut and dry. You’ve got your pecan pie and maybe a chocolate walnut pie, but most don’t seem to explore much beyond those basics. Well, I invite you to start venturing outside of the expected because this chapter is not your typical collection of nut pie recipes.
Have you ever noticed that many of the most beloved candy bars contain nuts? I think it’s because so many of us enjoy that combination of crunchy, salty, sweet, and smooth. Why should candy bars have all the fun? In this chapter, I’ve combined these same delicious flavor and texture combinations into pies that will remind you of your favorite candy bar.
Almond Joy Pie,
Turtle Pecan Pie,
Candy Bar Pie … you get it. This is not to mention
Peanut Butter Pie—with its creamy peanut butter filling and hot fudge to top it off, it’s like the world’s biggest, most deliciously satisfying Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.
For those times when you’re looking to skew toward the more traditional, I’ve got that covered, too.
Maple Pecan Pie makes an already-sweet pie even sweeter and the little twist of raisins in
Raisin Chocolate Walnut Brownie Pie make a surprisingly different and delicious flavor combination.
Growing up, we didn’t have candy that often, but when we did, you could be sure it was an Almond Joy, my mom’s favorite candy bar. Today, I still don’t have candy bars very often, but I do continue to adore that coconut, chocolate, and almond combination. So, as I am apt to do, I simply transferred all of these flavors into a pie. In this recipe an Oreo cookie crust stands in for the milk chocolate coating of an Almond Joy bar. Coconut flavors are packed into the smooth, creamy pie filling. It took me a while to perfect this recipe, but after many tweaks and adjustments I’ve created a pie that’s just as satisfying as biting into an Almond Joy. In other words, it’s a little slice of heaven!
Plan ahead; the pie must be refrigerated for at least six hours before final assembly and serving.
Makes one 9-inch pie, 6 to 8 slices
Level: Moderate
Crust
Coconut Cream Filling
½ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1⅓ cups whole milk
¾ cup water
¼ cup cream of coconut (preferably Coco López brand, often found in the mixed drinks section of most grocery stores)
3 egg yolks, beaten
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon coconut extract
½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
½ cup toasted sliced almonds
To make the coconut cream filling, in a medium saucepan off of the heat, whisk together the sugar, salt, and flour. Add the milk, water, and cream of coconut and stir to combine. Place the saucepan over medium heat. When the mixture begins to simmer and thicken, after about 3 to 4 minutes, whisk 1 tablespoon of the heated mixture into the egg yolks. Whisk the egg yolks into the cream mixture and let it simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Then stir in the vanilla and coconut extract. Add the sweetened coconut and mix until it is evenly incorporated into the mixture. Set aside.
To assemble the pie, pour the ganache along the bottom of the Oreo crust. Place the pie shell in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes to harden the ganache. Remove the shell from the refrigerator and pour the coconut cream into the pie shell. Refrigerate the pie shell again for at least 6 hours and for as long as overnight. Once cooled, remove the pie from the refrigerator and evenly distribute the whipped cream across the top. If you choose, use a pastry bag to pipe the whipped cream or an offset spatula to create a more finished look. Drizzle the hot fudge sauce over the whipped cream and sprinkle the toasted sliced almonds over the fudge.
Almond Joy Pie can be served immediately or stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Parents beware: This pie is a sugar high on a pie plate … but your kids are guaranteed to love it! Candy Bar Pie is somewhat untraditional for obvious reasons, but the kicker is that it utilizes a pretzel crust. The saltiness of the pretzels is the perfect complement to this otherwise sugary-sweet pie. This is one of those recipes you should feel free to get creative with. I use Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Twix, and Snickers in this version, but feel more than free to swap them out for your kids’ (or your!) favorite chocolate treats.
Makes one 9-inch pie, 8 slices
Level: Moderate
Crust
Filling
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3½ tablespoons cornstarch
⅛ teaspoon salt
4 large egg yolks
2½ cups whole milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
4 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, chopped
3 Twix, chopped into small pieces
1 Snickers bar, chopped into small pieces
Assorted candy chunks of your choice, to taste
To prepare the chocolate cream filling, in a large saucepan off of the heat, whisk together all of the sugar, the cornstarch, and the salt. Once thoroughly combined, whisk in the egg yolks and milk. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking nonstop, until the mixture starts to bubble and thicken, after 4 to 5 minutes. Add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Then stir in the vanilla. Add the chocolate, one third at a time, and whisk until the chocolate is fully melted. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for 20 minutes before continuing. After slightly cooling, add the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and brownie pieces, stirring until they are thoroughly combined with the chocolate cream.
To assemble the pie, spread the caramel sauce evenly along the bottom of the pretzel crust. Sprinkle the chopped Twix and Snickers bars evenly over the caramel. Pour the chocolate cream over the candy bar chunks. Cover the pie tightly with plastic wrap and place the pie in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours.
When ready to serve, remove the pie from the refrigerator and evenly distribute the whipped cream across the top. If you choose, use a pastry bag to pipe the whipped cream or an offset spatula to create a more finished look. Sprinkle your favorite candies on top of the whipped cream. This pie also tastes great with a little bit of caramel sauce or hot fudge drizzled across the top.
Candy Bar Pie should be served cold, and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
In my previous book I shared my recipe for one of my very favorite nut pies, Maple Walnut Pie. Since then, I’ve played around with the recipe a bit and—I can’t believe I’m saying this—I now have a hard time deciding which pie I like better, the original or this revised version, made with pecans. One thing is for sure: Maple Pecan Pie is a great alternative to the traditional pecan pie because it’s not too sweet and packs an impressive maple punch. I suggest using Grade B pure Vermont maple syrup to bring out the full maple flavor, but Grade A also works well. To intensify the maple taste, garnish this pie with maple whipped cream.
Makes one 9-inch pie, 6 to 8 slices
Level: Moderate
Crust
¼ cup heavy cream (to glaze the crimped pie edges)
Filling
1½ cups Grade B pure Vermont maple syrup (you can also use Grade A)
3 eggs
¼ cup dark Karo syrup
½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped
Garnish
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
To prepare the pie shell, on a clean, lightly floured work surface, roll out half the disk of dough with a rolling pin until it forms a 10-inch circle. Wrap the remaining half of the dough tightly in plastic wrap and reserve it in the refrigerator for future use for up to 5 days. Fold the circle in half, place it in a 9-inch pie plate so that the edges of the circle drop over the rim, and unfold the dough to completely cover the pie plate. Using your thumb and index finger, crimp the edges of the pie shell. Brush the edges of the pie shell with heavy cream to create a perfect, golden brown finish. Set the pie shell to the side while you make the filling.
To prepare the filling, in a medium saucepan over high heat, boil the maple syrup until it reduces to 1¼ cups. This should take between 5 and 8 minutes, but do watch the saucepan to make sure the syrup doesn’t boil over; if it does, lower the heat. Once boiled, pour the maple syrup reduction into a heat-proof measuring cup to make sure you now have 1¼ cups of syrup. If necessary, pour the maple syrup back into the saucepan and continue reducing, then measure again. Leave it in the heat-proof measuring cup and allow it to cool.
Using an electric mixer set on high speed, beat the eggs until they are foamy. Set the mixer to medium speed and add the maple syrup, Karo syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, and vanilla. Mix until the ingredients are thoroughly combined, scraping the sides of the bowl at least twice as you go. Once mixed, stir in the pecans. Pour the pecan mixture into the pie shell, distributing it evenly across.
To bake, place the pie plate on the lined baking sheet and bake it for about 50 minutes, or until the center of the pie is firm. Transfer the pie plate to a wire cooling rack and allow the pie to cool and set for 1½ hours before serving.
When ready to serve, remove the pie from the refrigerator and garnish with maple whipped cream. If you choose, use a pastry bag to pipe the whipped cream or an offset spatula to create a more finished look. You may also scoop the maple whipped cream or maple ice cream onto serving dishes to accompany the pie slices.
Maple Pecan Pie is best served at room temperature or warmed at 350°F for about 10 minutes. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
It’s not often that I find myself at a loss for words, but it’s hard to find the right ones to do justice to this peanut butter indulgence. Unlike the Chocolate Peanut Butter Dream Pie in my first book (which incorporates both chocolate and peanut butter flavors), this pie shines the spotlight squarely on the peanut butter, with just a hint of additional chocolate. I know it’s hard to believe, but even with all of this richness, Peanut Butter Pie is surprisingly light and creamy. Yet, utterly decadent!
Makes one 9-inch pie, 8 slices
Level: Moderate
Crust
Vanilla Cream Filling
½ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1⅓ cups whole milk
¾ cup water
3 egg yolks, beaten
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, seeds scraped out with the point of a sharp knife and reserved (or, alternatively, 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract)
Peanut Butter Filling
¾ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
4 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, chopped
¼ cup creamy peanut butter, softened
Garnish
¼ cup Hot Fudge Sauce
2 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, chopped
To prepare the vanilla cream filling, in a medium saucepan off of the heat, whisk together the sugar, salt, and flour. Add the milk and water to the whisked dry ingredients and heat the mixture over medium heat, constantly whisking and scraping the sides of the pan. Monitor the mixture carefully; when it begins to simmer and becomes thick and bubbly after about 4 minutes, let it cook for 1 minute more. You’ll know it’s finished when the cream thickens to the point where it coats the back of a spoon. Add 2 tablespoons of the heated mixture to the egg yolks and mix them together well. Whisk the egg yolks back into the cream in the saucepan and let the cream simmer for 2 minutes, stirring and scraping the sides constantly to prevent burning. Add the vanilla seeds (discard the pod) or vanilla extract and whisk to combine. Allow the cream to cool for at least 30 minutes before adding the peanut butter filling.
To prepare the peanut butter filling, using an electric mixer set on high speed, beat the heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar until you have achieved a whipped-cream texture. Fold in the ¾ cup
peanut butter until it is well incorporated. Fold the peanut butter filling into the cooled vanilla filling to combine them into peanut butter cream.
To assemble the pie, pour the ½ cup of hot fudge along the bottom of the pie shell. Evenly distribute the chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups on top of the hot fudge. Spread the softened peanut butter over the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Scoop the peanut butter cream on top of the peanut butter, distributing it evenly. Place the pie in the refrigerator to set for at least 2 hours.
Evenly distribute the whipped cream across the top of the pie. If you choose, use a pastry bag to pipe the whipped cream or an offset spatula to create a more finished look. Drizzle the ¼ cup of hot fudge over the top. Finish the pie by sprinkling the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup pieces across the top. Keep the pie in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
Peanut Butter Pie can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
How Do I Soften Peanut Butter?Simply place the desired amount of peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 20 seconds. Once heated, immediately incorporate the peanut butter into the recipe as directed.
Raisin Chocolate Walnut Brownie Pie
I originally created this as a more straightforward chocolate-walnut pie, which went on to become an extremely popular item in my store. Somewhere along the line, though, I discovered that the simple incorporation of raisins really highlights the chocolaty goodness of this pie. The finished product is almost reminiscent of a brownie … but with raisins. As if all that weren’t enough, it’s extremely easy to make. Talk about a win!
Makes one 9-inch pie, 6 to 8 slices
Level: Easy
Crust
¼ cup heavy cream (to glaze the crimped pie edges)
Filling
½ cup chopped unsweetened chocolate
½ pound (2 sticks) salted butter
2 eggs
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup raisins
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
To prepare the pie shell, on a clean, lightly floured work surface, roll out half the
disk of dough with a rolling pin until it forms a 10-inch circle. Wrap the remaining half of the dough tightly in plastic wrap and reserve it in the refrigerator for future use for up to 5 days. Fold the circle in half, place it in a 9-inch pie plate so that the edges of the circle drop over the rim, and unfold the dough to completely cover the pie plate. Using your thumb and index finger, crimp the edges of the pie shell. Brush the edges of the pie shell with heavy cream to create a perfect, golden brown finish. Set the pie shell to the side while you make the filling.
To prepare the filling, in a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the unsweetened chocolate with the butter, stirring constantly. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for 10 minutes. Using an electric mixer set on high speed, beat the eggs until they are foamy. On low speed, mix in the flour, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Add the butter-and-chocolate mixture and mix until all of the ingredients are well combined. Add the raisins, chocolate chips, and walnuts on low speed. Pour the filling into the unbaked pie shell, spreading it evenly across the bottom.
To bake, place the pie plate on the lined baking sheet and bake it for about 45 minutes, or until the middle of the pie is firm to the touch. Transfer the pie plate to a wire cooling rack and allow the pie to cool and set for 1½ hours before serving. Top it off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a warm brownie sundae effect.
Raisin Chocolate Walnut Pie is best served at room temperature or warmed at 350°F for about 10 minutes. When covered tightly in plastic wrap, it will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Turtle candies are one of those perennial favorites that defy generational divides. Did you know that DeMet’s Original Turtles brand has actually been in production since 1918? It makes sense: It’s hard to go wrong with chocolate-dipped pecans ensconced in caramel deliciousness. Well, this pie reminds me of those delectable turtle candies, and it certainly serves up that same sort of gooey, chewy satisfaction.
Makes one 9-inch pie, 6 to 8 slices
Level: Moderate
Crust
¼ cup heavy cream (to glaze the crimped pie edges)
Filling
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup Karo syrup
2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups pecans
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
Garnish
¼ cup Caramel Sauce
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
To prepare the pie shell, on a clean, lightly floured work surface, roll out half the disk of dough with a rolling pin until it forms a 10-inch circle. Wrap the remaining half of the dough tightly in plastic wrap and reserve it in the refrigerator for future use for up to 5 days. Fold the circle in half, place it in a 9-inch pie plate so that the edges of the circle drop over the rim, and unfold the dough to completely cover the pie plate. Using your thumb and index finger, crimp the edges of the pie shell. Brush the edges of the pie shell with heavy cream to create a perfect, golden brown finish. Set the pie shell to the side while you make the filling.
To prepare the filling, using an electric mixer on medium speed, mix the eggs, sugar, Karo syrup, melted butter, and vanilla together until they achieve a cream color. Remove 1 cup of the mixture and set it to the side. Stir the pecans into the remaining mixture until they are combined evenly throughout.
To assemble the pie, sprinkle the chocolate chips across the bottom of the pie shell. Pour the pecan filling over the chocolate chips, spreading it evenly across. Stir the caramel sauce into the cup of reserved filling, making sure to blend them well. Pour the caramel mixture over the pecan filling, spreading it evenly across.
To bake, place the pie plate on the lined baking sheet and bake it for about 50 minutes, or until the middle of the pie is firm to the touch. Transfer the pie plate to a wire cooling rack and allow the pie to cool and set for 1½ hours before serving.
To serve, drizzle the top of the pie with hot fudge sauce and caramel sauce.
Turtle Pecan Pie can be served cold or at room temperature. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When covered tightly with plastic wrap, it can also be frozen for up to 2 weeks.
Pie in a Jar
I love creating mini pies in mason jars for entertaining and gifts. It’s such a welcome yet unexpected way of creating a fabulous-looking treat. To make these individual pies, you’ll need a wide-mouth, short and squat mason jar (I like to use a ½-pint jar). Use the top of the pie jar to cut out one disk of
Traditional Pastry Piecrust dough for each jar. Use the remainder of the dough to create a “pie shell” by lining the bottom and sides of the jar. Scoop Mixed Berry Crumb Pie filling (or the pie filling of your choice) into the shell until it’s about three-quarters full. Place a dough disk over the filling so that it’s flush with the top of the jar. Crimp the edges as you would with a normal pie. For additional decoration, you can use your favorite cookie cutter to cut out festive shapes from the remaining dough and place them on top of the piecrust. (If you’d prefer, you can also sprinkle
Cinnamon Sugar Crumb Topping, over the filling in lieu of the piecrust topping.) If you do not decorate the piecrust, use a fork to puncture the top of the pie 1 or 2 times to allow ventilation.
These jars are designed for canning and preservation purposes, so they are made of thick, sturdy glass that handles heat from the oven well. Simply place the jars on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in an oven preheated to the temperature indicated on the pie recipe you are using for the filling. Bake the mini pies for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Allow the pie jars to cool before serving. If you are giving them as a gift, tie a festive ribbon around the top of the jar for decoration.
