Incredibly Decadent Desserts

1. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place flour, salt, and baking powder in a food processor; process to combine. Cut butter and shortening into ¹/₂-inch pieces. Add butter and shortening to bowl; pulse 3 times or until butter is about the size of dried peas. Sprinkle ice water and vinegar over mixture; pulse 3 to 4 times or until mixture looks sandy. Pour mixture onto a lightly floured work surface; gather mixture together, and press into a ball. Divide into 2 pieces (1 piece measuring two-thirds of dough and the other remaining one-third of dough). Cover each with plastic wrap; press into a disc. Chill 30 minutes.

3. Unwrap largest dough disc, and place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll to an 11-inch circle. Place into a 9-inch pie plate lightly coated with baking spray. Fold edges under, and flute decoratively. Unwrap smaller dough disc and place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll to ¹/₄-inch thickness. Cut as many 1¹/₂-inch decorative shapes as possible using a floured cookie cutter, rerolling scraps only 1 time.

4. Place strawberries and next 7 ingredients in a large bowl; toss gently to combine. Pour filling into prepared pie plate. Arrange cut-outs on top of filling. Brush edge of crust and cutouts with egg white; sprinkle top of pie with turbinado sugar for sparkle and crunch. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Shield edges of pie with foil if getting too brown. Place pie on a wire rack; cool completely before slicing.

SERVES 10 (serving size: 1 slice)
CALORIES 261; FAT 8.9g (sat 4.7g, mono 2.5g, poly 1g); PROTEIN 3g; CARB 43g; FIBER 2g; CHOL 15mg; IRON 1mg; SODIUM 108mg; CALC 36mg

WORKING WITH PIECRUST

1. Folding the edges of the pie dough under gives it a thicker edge. It’s also an opportunity to add a little decorative touch, like crimping or fluting.

2. The cutouts are just fun! You can make them into any shape you like, using any shape cookie cutter you have. Place the cutouts as you like—clustered on one side, in rows, or over the entire surface of the pie.

3. Brush the tops of the cutouts lightly with beaten egg white and sprinkle with sugar for a glistening and sparkly finish.

A double crust seals in all the apples’ natural juices as the pie bakes, making for full-on apple flavor and lots of juicy, tender bits of apple. Tossing the apple slices with apple juice prevents them from browning as you peel and slice them, and it adds an additional boost of apple flavor. Use a variety of apples for a more interesting texture: Golden Delicious for melt-in-your mouth tenderness, Granny Smith for a little tartness, and Honey Crisp for sweetness.

1. To prepare crust, weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place flour, baking powder, and salt in a food processor; process to combine. Cut chilled butter and shortening into ¹/₂-inch pieces; add to bowl. Pulse 2 to 3 times or until butter is about the size of dried peas. Sprinkle ice water and vinegar over mixture. Pulse 2 to 3 times or until mixture is combined and looks like coarse sand.

2. Scrape mixture onto a lightly floured work surface. Press mixture into a ball; divide into 2 equal pieces. Press each half into a 4-inch disc. Cover each disc with plastic wrap, and chill 30 minutes. (The dough can be made 1 day ahead. If it’s chilled for 24 hours, let it stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before rolling.)

4. To prepare filling, place apples and juice in a large bowl; toss to coat. Stir together brown sugar and next 5 ingredients (through salt) in a small bowl. Sprinkle apples with brown sugar mixture; toss well to combine.

5. Unwrap 1 dough disc, and place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll to an 11-inch circle. Place into a 9-inch pie plate lightly coated with baking spray. Pour filling into prepared pie plate (the pan will be very full). Arrange diced butter on top of filling. Roll remaining half of dough into a 10-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Place dough on top of pie; fold edges under, and flute decoratively. Cut slits in top of dough to allow steam to escape. Lightly brush top of dough with egg white. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.

6. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 350˚. Bake an additional 1 hour or until golden and bubbly. Shield edges of pie with foil if getting too brown. Place pie on a wire rack; cool completely before slicing.

SERVES 10 (serving size: 1 slice)
CALORIES 264; FAT 10.4g (sat 5.2g, mono 3g, poly 1.3g); PROTEIN 4g; CARB 39g; FIBER 2g; CHOL 15mg; IRON 2mg; SODIUM 178mg; CALC 30mg

1. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place flour, ¹/₄ teaspoon salt, and baking powder in a food processor; process to combine. Cut butter and shortening into ¹/₂-inch pieces, and add to bowl. Pulse 3 times or until butter is about the size of dried peas. Sprinkle ice water and vinegar over mixture; pulse 3 to 4 times or until mixture looks sandy. Pour mixture onto a lightly floured work surface; gather mixture together, and press into a ball. Divide into 2 pieces (measuring two-thirds and one-third of dough); gently press into 4-inch discs, and cover with plastic wrap. Chill 30 minutes.

3. Unwrap the largest dough disc, and place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll to an 11-inch circle. Place into a 9-inch pie plate lightly coated with baking spray. Fold edges under, and flute decoratively.

4. Combine cranberries, apple, and juice. Sprinkle with granulated sugar, cornstarch, and ¹/₄ teaspoon salt; toss well. Add 2 packages raspberries; toss gently. Spoon mixture into prepared pie plate. Arrange remaining package of raspberries over cranberry mixture. Dot pie with diced butter.

5. Unwrap smaller dough disc; place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll to a 10 x 5–inch rectangle. Cut lengthwise into 10 (¹/₂-inch) strips and arrange in a lattice over raspberries. Seal strips to edge of crust. Brush lattice and edge of pie with egg white. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Shield edges of pie with foil if getting too brown. Place pie on a wire rack; cool completely on wire rack before slicing.

SERVES 10 (serving size: 1 slice)
CALORIES 261; FAT 10.6g (sat 5.2g, mono 3.1g, poly 1.4g); PROTEIN 3g; CARB 39g; FIBER 5g; CHOL 15mg; IRON 1mg; SODIUM 137mg; CALC 27mg

MAKING A LATTICE

1. Use a fluted pastry wheel to cut the dough into strips. You can use a knife or pizza cutter, but the pastry wheel gives it a pretty edge.

2. Place 5 strips of pastry across the filling; rotate the pie so that the strips are vertical. From left to right, number the strips 1 through 5. Fold strips 2 and 4 back, leaving about 1 inch; place one strip of pastry across the pie horizontally; unfold strips 2 and 4.

3. Fold strips 1, 3, and 5 back, leaving about 3 inches; place one strip of pastry; unfold strips 1, 3, and 5. Fold strips 2 and 4 back to center of pie; place one strip of pastry; unfold strips 2 and 4. Repeat process with remaining 2 strips of pastry.

Using the whole lemon is part of the classic Shaker lemon pie. I’m not as hearty as the Shakers, so I macerate them in a sugar mixture for 3 hours (or up to overnight), which tenderizes the rind and minimizes the bitterness of the pith. Use a mandoline to make thin, even lemon slices. And don’t worry too much about getting all the seeds out at first; after the lemons and sugar mixture stand, the rest of the seeds will float to the top so you can easily scoop them out.

1. To prepare lemons and syrup, remove about ¹/₂ inch of each end of the lemons; discard. Slice lemons crosswise as thin as possible. Discard seeds. Combine granulated sugar, cane syrup, and salt in a medium bowl. Add lemons; toss to coat. Cover and let stand at room temperature at least 3 hours or up to overnight.

2. To prepare crust, weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place flour, baking powder, and salt in a food processor; process to combine. Cut chilled butter and shortening into ¹/₂-inch pieces; add to processor. Pulse 2 to 3 times or until butter is about the size of dried peas. Sprinkle ice water and vinegar over mixture. Pulse 2 to 3 times or until mixture is combined and looks like coarse sand. (Do not overprocess the mixture or it will become clumpy and tough.)

3. Scrape dough onto a lightly floured work surface; gather mixture together, and press into a 4-inch disc. Wrap disc with plastic wrap, and chill 30 minutes. (The dough can be made 1 day ahead. If it’s chilled for 24 hours, let it stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before rolling.)

5. Unwrap dough, and place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll into an 11-inch circle. Place into a 9-inch pie plate lightly coated with baking spray. Fold edges under, and flute decoratively.

6. To prepare filling, remove lemons from cane syrup mixture, reserving cane syrup mixture; set lemons aside. Combine melted butter and 2 tablespoons flour in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Add eggs to flour mixture, stirring to combine. Add reserved cane syrup mixture to flour mixture, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Arrange half of reserved lemon slices in bottom of piecrust. Pour cane syrup mixture over lemons. Arrange remaining lemon slices over the top.

7. To finish pie, brush edge of pie with egg white, and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350° (do not remove pie from oven); bake an additional 10 minutes or until filling begins to just set in the middle. Shield edges of pie with foil if getting too brown. Place pie on a wire rack; cool completely before slicing.

SERVES 10 (serving size: 1 slice)
CALORIES 269; FAT 9.5g (sat 4.6g, mono 2.9g, poly 1.2g); PROTEIN 5g; CARB 43g; FIBER 1g; CHOL 87mg; IRON 1mg; SODIUM 186mg; CALC 27mg

1. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a food processor; pulse 3 to 4 times to combine. Add chilled butter; pulse 3 to 4 times or until mixture looks sandy. Add 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk; pulse 5 to 6 times or until mixture begins to clump together. Scrape mixture onto a lightly floured work surface. Gather mixture together, and press into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill 30 minutes.

3. Unwrap dough, and place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll dough into an 11-inch circle. Place dough into a 9-inch pie plate lightly coated with baking spray. Press dough against bottom and sides of pan. Fold edges under, and flute decoratively. Line bottom of dough with parchment paper; arrange pie weights or dried beans on parchment paper. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes. Remove from oven; remove pie weights and parchment paper. Brush pie dough with lightly beaten remaining egg white. Bake an additional 5 minutes to set egg wash. Reduce oven temperature to 350°.

4. Combine corn syrup and next 6 ingredients (through egg whites) in a bowl, stirring well. Stir in walnuts and melted chocolate. Pour mixture into prepared crust. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until center is almost set. Shield edges with foil if getting too brown. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

SERVES 10 (serving size: 1 slice)
CALORIES 300; FAT 13.4g (sat 5g, mono 2.6g, poly 4.3g); PROTEIN 6g; CARB 42g; FIBER 1g; CHOL 87mg; IRON 2mg; SODIUM 141mg; CALC 34mg

When a recipe calls for just a little bit of melted chocolate, I like to melt it in the microwave. Finely chop the chocolate, and place it in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave at HIGH, stirring every 15 seconds, until it’s completely melted and smooth.

I’ll be honest here: Developing a from-scratch crust that is lower in calories and saturated fat while still having a wonderful buttery taste and flaky texture is a tall order. But through lots of trial and error, I’ve found a way to deliver just that. Here are my top tips for creating delicious piecrusts.

1 Make sure your butter (and/or shortening) is refrigerator cold—35° to 38°. (You can stick the butter in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes to make sure it’s really cold.) Why? Cold butter doesn’t mix as well with the flour and other dry ingredients, which is exactly what you want. When the crust goes into the oven, those little pockets of cold butter heat up and produce steam, creating those yummy flaky layers.

2 My secret weapon: Earth Balance Natural Shortening sticks, which have a third less saturated fat than butter without the hydrogenated oils. Commercially prepared shortening is filled with teeny-tiny air bubbles that create flaky layers in the crust, so combining the two gives the best possible flavor and flakiness. You can find Earth Balance Natural Shortening sticks in the refrigerated section of most grocery stores.

3 Using ice water to make the piecrust provides an extra bit of insurance—it helps keep the butter cold. Put three to four ice cubes in a coffee cup with water, and then measure out what you need from the cup, 1 tablespoon at a time.

4 Vinegar helps prevent gluten from forming, creating a tender crust. While it is evaporating as it cooks in the oven, it leaves flaky layers in its wake. Use the mildest vinegar you can find, like white distilled vinegar. Vodka also works in the same way vinegar does.

5 When rolling out the dough, work quickly. The goal is for the fat (the butter or shortening) to remain as cold as possible before the piecrust goes in the oven. Spending too much time handling the dough will warm the butter up, and it will melt and act like glue instead of steam, leaving you with a crust that’s greasy and tough. Use only a minimal amount of flour on your work surface when rolling out the dough—the more flour incorporated into the dough, the tougher and drier it will be.

2. Wrap sweet potato in foil; bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool completely. Peel.

3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a food processor; pulse 3 to 4 times to combine. Add chilled butter; pulse 3 to 4 times or until mixture looks sandy. Add 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk; pulse 5 to 6 times or until mixture begins to clump together. Scrape mixture onto a lightly floured work surface. Gather mixture together, and press into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill 30 minutes.

5. Unwrap dough, and place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll into an 11-inch circle. Fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate lightly coated with baking spray. Press dough against bottom and sides of pan. Fold edges under, and flute decoratively. Brush dough with lightly beaten remaining egg white. Place pan in refrigerator to chill while preparing filling.

6. Place peeled sweet potato, milk, and next 8 ingredients (through egg whites) in a food processor; process until smooth. Pour mixture into prepared pie plate. Sprinkle nuts around edge of filling. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until almost set in the center. Shield edges of pie with foil if getting too brown. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Top with whipped topping.

SERVES 10 (serving size: 1 slice and about 2¹/₂ tablespoons whipped topping)
CALORIES 300; FAT 11.3g (sat 5g, mono 3.9g, poly 1.5g); PROTEIN 7g; CARB 43g; FIBER 2g; CHOL 92mg; IRON 2mg; SODIUM 161mg; CALC 65mg

Using a food processor to combine the filling ingredients breaks down the sweet potato’s stringy fibers, making this pie silky smooth.

Key lime pie can have a rubbery texture or be overly tart, but this creamy curd version is light and satisfying with just the right amount of tartness.

2. To prepare crust, place crackers, brown sugar, and ¹/₈ teaspoon salt in a food processor; process until finely ground. Place egg white in a small bowl; stir with a whisk until foamy. Place egg yolk in a large bowl; set aside. Add egg white and melted butter to food processor; pulse 3 to 4 times or until crumbs are moist (do not overprocess). Press crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate lightly coated with baking spray. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack.

3. To prepare filling, place ²/₃ cup sugar and milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat; bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Add ¹/₃ cup sugar, juice, cornstarch, ¹/₄ teaspoon salt, and eggs to the large bowl containing the egg yolk; stir well with a whisk to dissolve cornstarch. Gradually pour hot milk mixture into egg mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter, stirring until combined.

4. Place pan in a large ice-filled bowl for 10 minutes or until mixture reaches room temperature, stirring occasionally. Spoon filling into prepared crust; cover with plastic wrap. Chill 3 hours or until set. To serve, top pie with whipped topping, and sprinkle with lime rind.

SERVES 8 (serving size: 1 slice and 2 tablespoons whipped topping)
CALORIES 300; FAT 10.3g (sat 5.3g, mono 2.9g, poly 1.3g); PROTEIN 5g; CARB 49g; FIBER 0g; CHOL 108mg; IRON 1mg; SODIUM 199mg; CALC 58mg

KEY LIMES

Tiny Key limes are very tart and just a little bit on the bitter side but so remarkable in a creamy curd pie like this. Use fresh Key limes if possible and be sure to grate some of the rind for decorating the top of the pie. Shelf-stable Key lime juice is an acceptable substitute for fresh Key limes. If Key limes or Key lime juice are impossible to find, substitute an equal amount of regular fresh lime juice for the Key lime juice.

It’s amazing how just a touch of cream cheese—even the ¹/₃-less-fat variety—adds richness and creaminess to this lemon filling. It’s surrounded by a vanilla wafer cookie crumb crust—that doesn’t hurt, either.

2. To prepare crust, place cookie crumbs, cornstarch, and salt in a food processor; process until finely ground. Add butter and egg white; pulse 3 to 4 times or until mixture is well combined and moist (do not overprocess). Press mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate lightly coated with baking spray. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until crisp and golden. Cool completely on a wire rack.

3. To prepare filling, combine sugar, 1 tablespoon rind, and next 4 ingredients (through eggs) in a large bowl, stirring well. Combine milk and cream cheese in a saucepan over medium heat; stir until smooth. Cook until mixture reaches 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge (about 8 minutes), stirring constantly. Gradually add hot milk mixture to sugar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan, and cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add butter, stirring until butter melts.

4. Place pan in a large ice-filled bowl for 10 minutes or until mixture is room temperature, stirring occasionally. Spoon filling into prepared crust; cover surface with plastic wrap. Chill 3 hours or until set. To serve, dollop 1 tablespoon whipped topping on each slice, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon lemon rind.

SERVES 8 (serving size: 1 slice)
CALORIES 259; FAT 10.6g (sat 5.3g, mono 3.3g, poly 1.1g); PROTEIN 6g; CARB 36g; FIBER 0g; CHOL 96mg; IRON 1mg; SODIUM 206mg; CALC 83mg

Cookie crumbs and graham crackers make a wonderful crust for cream pies. However, because of the amount of saturated fat in butter, I often use egg whites to hold the cookie crumbs together. But using all egg whites can result in a crust that isn’t very crisp. Adding cornstarch to the crust soaks up extra moisture and helps give the crust the perfect crisp texture.

How about an adult version of pumpkin pie? This is it. Adding just a touch of brandy elevates the tried-and-true flavor of pumpkin pie and all its traditional spices. Feel free to omit the brandy, if you prefer. There’s no need to replace it with any other liquid. The rich pastry dough is like sugar cookie dough, just less sweet and a little sturdier to support the filling.

1. To prepare crust, weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a food processor; pulse 3 to 4 times to combine. Add butter; pulse 3 to 4 times or until mixture looks sandy. Add 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk; pulse 5 to 6 times or until mixture begins to clump together. Scrape mixture onto a lightly floured work surface. Gather mixture together, and press into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill 30 minutes.

3. Unwrap dough, and place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll into an 11-inch circle. Fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate lightly coated with baking spray. Press dough against bottom and sides of pan. Fold edges under, and flute decoratively. Line bottom of dough with parchment paper; arrange pie weights or dried beans on parchment paper. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes. Remove from oven; remove pie weights and parchment paper. Brush pie dough with lightly beaten remaining egg white. Bake at 375° for an additional 15 minutes or until golden brown. Shield edges of pie with foil if getting too brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.

4. To prepare filling, combine ¹/₄ cup sugar and next 8 ingredients (through eggs) in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk.

5. Heat milk and ¹/₂ cup sugar in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Gradually add hot milk mixture to pumpkin mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan; cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly, about 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add brandy, butter, and vanilla, stirring until combined.

6. Place pan in a large ice-filled bowl for 10 minutes or until filling reaches room temperature, stirring occasionally. Spoon into prepared crust; cover surface of filling with plastic wrap. Chill 3 hours or until set. Top each serving with whipped topping.

SERVES 10 (serving size: 1 slice and about 2¹/₂ tablespoons whipped topping)
CALORIES 289; FAT 9.1g (sat 5g, mono 2.5g, poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 6g; CARB 44g; FIBER 2g; CHOL 93mg; IRON 1mg; SODIUM 169mg; CALC 65mg

This spice-rich pie is aromatic and creamy smooth. Adding cornstarch to the graham cracker crust helps keep it crisp, which is a lovely contrast to the filling.

2.Place crackers, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and salt in a food processor; process until finely ground. Add melted butter and egg white; pulse 3 to 4 times or until mixture is well combined and moist (do not overprocess). Press mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate lightly coated with baking spray. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until browned. Cool completely on a wire rack.

3. Combine milk, ¹/₃ cup sugar, and next 5 ingredients (through cinnamon sticks) in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove pan from heat; add tea bags. Cover and let stand 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Pour milk mixture through a sieve over a bowl, pressing on tea bags; discard solids. Return milk mixture to pan; bring to a simmer. Combine ¹/₃ cup sugar, ¹/₄ cup cornstarch, and eggs in a bowl; stir well with a whisk. Gradually add hot milk to egg mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return mixture to pan; cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add butter, stirring until butter melts.

5. Place pan in a large ice-filled bowl for 10 minutes or until room temperature, stirring occasionally. Spoon filling into prepared crust; cover surface with plastic wrap. Chill 3 hours or until set. To serve, top slices with whipped topping, and sprinkle with ground cinnamon.

SERVES 8 (serving size: 1 slice and 2 tablespoons whipped topping)
CALORIES 290; FAT 9.6g (sat 5.2g, mono 2.5g, poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 6g; CARB 45g; FIBER 1g; CHOL 69mg; IRON 1mg; SODIUM 242mg; CALC 204mg

Traditionally, chai is Indian black tea steeped with a mix of spices, such as cardamom, cinnamon, and black pepper. I like a spice-rich mix, so I added fresh ginger and whole cloves to the filling. Using fresh whole spices is the secret to great chai because they are robust with flavor, natural oils, and aromas. Ground spices lose their potency pretty quickly—six months or so—and become dusty tasting if left on the shelf too long.

Cinnamon and coffee are common ingredients in Mexican-style chocolate, but adding ground red pepper gives this pie a nice kick.

2. Reserve 1 tablespoon crumbs for topping. Combine remaining crumbs, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl, stirring well. Add butter and 2 tablespoons of the egg white (reserve the yolk for the filling); toss with a fork until mixture is moist but still crumbly. Press crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie plate coated with baking spray. Bake at 350° for 9 minutes or until lightly toasted; cool completely on a wire rack.

3. Combine reserved egg yolk, ¹/₂ cup sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon cocoa, espresso, if desired, pepper, and egg in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Place milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat; cook until milk reaches 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge. Gradually add hot milk to egg mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan; cook over medium heat 10 minutes or until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; stir until smooth.

4. Place pan in a large ice-filled bowl for 10 minutes or until mixture cools, stirring occasionally. Spoon filling into crust, and cover surface of filling with plastic wrap. Chill 3 hours or until set; remove plastic wrap. Spread whipped topping over pie; sprinkle with reserved cracker crumbs.

SERVES 8 (serving size: 1 slice)
CALORIES 291; FAT 11.1g (sat 5.1g, mono 2.6g, poly 1.3g); PROTEIN 5g; CARB 44g; FIBER 1g; CHOL 59mg; IRON 1mg; SODIUM 175mg; CALC 77mg

Using only part of an egg white may seem silly or difficult, but using the whole white made the graham cracker crust too wet. If you whip the white briskly with a fork, it will break up and measure easily into the desired amount. Using egg whites in a graham cracker crust is a light baking trick: Since the amount of butter is limited, the white acts as a binder to hold the cookie crumbs together, and it also adds a little crunch to the crust. But, too much egg white will make the crumbs wet and clumpy.

Making piecrust with a food processor is the ultimate way to get flaky crust when using smaller amounts of fat and minimal amounts of added water.

1 One thing to keep an eye on when making pie dough in a food processor is overprocessing, which can lead to disappointing results. The trick is knowing how long one pulse is and keeping the number of pulses to a minimum. A food processor pulse is 1 second (think about the length of time it takes to say “1 Mississippi”)—no longer, no shorter.

2 When adding fat to the flour mixture, start by cutting it into about ¹/₂-inch cubes. Scatter the cubes over the top of the flour, and then pulse the recommended number of times indicated in the recipe.

3 When making pie dough, it’s best to leave the butter in larger bits, about the size of dried peas. Keeping the butter in larger pieces will create pockets of steam as the butter melts in the oven, which will in turn create lovely flaky layers of pastry.

4 If making rich pie dough (like), pulse the fat into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse sand. Pulsing the butter into tiny pieces coats more of the flour with the fat, which makes a more tender crust—kind of like the texture of a sugar cookie.

5 When the liquid is added to the food processor, sprinkle it evenly over the entire surface of the flour mixture so that there isn’t an overly wet area. This will also help prevent the dough from becoming gummy and clumping together.

2. Arrange pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 8 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring after 4 minutes. Cool completely.

3. To prepare crust, weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place flour, ¹/₄ cup toasted pecans, powdered sugar, and salt in a food processor; process until finely ground. Add butter; pulse 3 to 4 times or until mixture looks sandy. Add egg and egg yolk (reserving the white for the filling); pulse 3 to 4 times or until just combined. Scrape mixture onto a lightly floured work surface; press mixture together to form a disc. Cover with plastic wrap; chill 30 minutes.

4. Unwrap dough, and place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll into an 11-inch circle. Gently fit dough into a 9-inch round removable-bottom metal tart pan lightly coated with baking spray. Gently press dough against bottom and sides of pan; trim edges. Line bottom of dough with parchment paper; arrange pie weights or dried beans on parchment paper. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until edges are beginning to brown. Remove pie weights and parchment paper.

5. To prepare filling, combine reserved egg white, corn syrup, and next 7 ingredients in a bowl, stirring until well combined. Stir in ³/₄ cup toasted pecans. Pour pecan mixture into prepared crust. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until just set. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Remove sides of tart pan; slide tart onto a serving plate.

6. Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until chocolate melts, stirring every 15 seconds. Drizzle chocolate over top of tart.

SERVES 12 (serving size: 1 wedge)
CALORIES 291; FAT 13.6g (sat 4.7g, mono 5.3g, poly 2.4g); PROTEIN 4g; CARB 41g; FIBER 1g; CHOL 75mg; IRON 1mg; SODIUM 108mg; CALC 26mg

HONEY

If you prefer a bold honey flavor, use buckwheat or eucalyptus honey; for mild honey flavor use wildflower or clover. Honey has a more concentrated sugar content than granulated sugar or corn syrup. A higher amount of sugar draws in more moisture from its surroundings, keeping baked goods from drying out for a longer time.

Lighter than cheesecake but with the same satisfying creamy texture, ricotta fillings offer the perfect canvas to showcase peak-season fruit. Use any berry that is at its ultimate best.

2. Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours and salt in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Place granulated sugar, oil, and egg in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 2 minutes or until well combined. Add flour mixture; beat until just combined. Roll dough into an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Fit dough into a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan lightly coated with baking spray. Press dough against bottom and sides of pan. (Dough is soft and can be patched with good results.) Chill 15 minutes.

3. Line bottom of dough with parchment paper; arrange pie weights or dried beans on parchment paper. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until edge is lightly browned. Remove pie weights and parchment paper; bake an additional 5 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

4. Place ricotta and cream cheese in a bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 2 minutes or until smooth. Add 1¹/₂ teaspoons lemon rind and next 7 ingredients (through egg yolk); beat at low speed 2 minutes or until well combined. Pour filling into prepared crust. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until just set. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Remove tart from pan.

5. Combine berries and honey, tossing gently to coat. Arrange berry mixture on top of tart. Sprinkle top with ¹/₂ teaspoon rind.

SERVES 8 (serving size: 1 wedge)
CALORIES 292; FAT 10.7g (sat 4.7g, mono 3.7g, poly 1.2g); PROTEIN 12g; CARB 37g; FIBER 3g; CHOL 94mg; IRON 2mg; SODIUM 231mg; CALC 219mg

TEFF

Teff is a tiny, gluten-free grain—about the size of a poppy seed—that has a nutty, earthy flavor. Teff flour is finely ground and an easy way to incorporate whole grains into your baked goods. It is also an excellent source of protein, fiber, and iron and is naturally gluten free. If you’d like to experiment with using teff flour in your baked goods, I would suggest substituting about 25% of the wheat flour with teff flour. I’ve used a ratio of 50% in this tart to allow the flavor of teff to really shine through.

2 large ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, cored, and cut lengthwise into ¹/₈-inch-thick slices

1. Place ¹/₄ cup hazelnuts in a small bowl; set aside. Place ¹/₂ cup hazelnuts and 3 tablespoons sugar in a food processor; process until finely ground. Combine hazelnut mixture, softened butter, ¹/₄ teaspoon salt, and egg in a bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Add flour; beat at low speed until just combined. Press mixture into a 4-inch disc on plastic wrap; cover. Chill 1 hour.

3. Unwrap dough; place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll into an 11-inch circle. Place dough into a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan lightly coated with baking spray. Press dough against bottom and sides of pan. (Dough is very soft and may be patched with good results.) Line bottom of dough with parchment paper; arrange pie weights or dried beans on parchment paper. Bake in lower third of oven at 350° for 11 minutes or until edge is just beginning to brown. Remove pie weights and parchment paper; bake 5 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

4. Gently toss pear slices with 2 tablespoons sugar, melted butter, cornstarch, juice, and ¹/₄ teaspoon salt. Arrange pear slices spoke-like in crust. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until pears are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. Remove tart from oven.

5. Place jelly in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH 30 seconds or until jelly boils. Brush top of tart with jelly. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Remove from pan. Coarsely chop reserved ¹/₄ cup hazelnuts. Sprinkle tart with nuts and blue cheese.

SERVES 8 (serving size: 1 wedge)
CALORIES 284; FAT 14.9g (sat 4.8g, mono 7.7g, poly 1.4g); PROTEIN 5g; CARB 35g; FIBER 3g; CHOL 40mg; IRON 2mg; SODIUM 186mg; CALC 39mg

MAKING THE CRUST

1. Fold the edge of the dough towards the inside and press it into the sides of the tart pan, making a thicker edge.

2. Crumpling the parchment paper before fitting it into the tart makes it easier to handle and fit against the dough. Make sure there are enough pie weights to completely cover the bottom and slightly come up the sides of the pan.

3. Pre-baking the dough (also referred to as blind baking) in the lower third of the oven helps create a crisper bottom crust, especially useful if the filling has juicy fruit.

The Italian crostata is very similar to the French galette; both are rustic fruit tarts, simple and rich with seasonal fruit. This version is baked in a tart pan because I wanted to enrich the crust with egg, sugar, and almond flour, which makes the crust softer and more difficult to pleat around the fruit like a free-form galette. When working with delicate, butter-rich dough, keep it as cold as possible but still pliable.

2. Sprinkle almond flour on a baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 6 minutes or until beginning to brown, stirring after 3 minutes. Cool completely on pan.

3. Weigh or lightly spoon all-purpose flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flours and ¹/₄ teaspoon salt in a bowl. Place softened butter and ¹/₄ cup granulated sugar in a large bowl; beat at medium speed 1 minute or until well combined. Add egg; beat 1 minute or until well combined. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed until just combined. Shape into a ball. Press mixture into a 4-inch disc on plastic wrap; cover. Chill 30 minutes.

4. Unwrap dough, and place on a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough in 8 equal portions, and press into 4-inch mini tart shells lightly coated with baking spray. Press dough against bottom and sides of tart shells.

5. Combine cherries, ¹/₄ teaspoon salt, ¹/₂ cup granulated sugar, cornstarch, juice, and melted butter in a bowl; toss gently to combine. Divide mixture among prepared crusts. Sprinkle nuts on top. Bake at 375° in lower third of oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Shield edges of tarts with foil if getting too brown. Cool completely in pans on a wire rack. Remove crostatas from pans. Sift powdered sugar over top of each.

SERVES 8 (serving size: 1 crostata)
CALORIES 300; FAT 11g (sat 5g, mono 2.8g, poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 5g; CARB 49g; FIBER 3g; CHOL 42mg; IRON 1mg; SODIUM 157mg; CALC 33mg

To make a full-size tart, roll the dough into an 11-inch circle, and then press into a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes. If your cherries are super juicy, add an extra tablespoon of cornstarch with the cherries to help soak up their luscious juice. And the opposite applies too; if the cherries seem a little dry, decrease the total cornstarch to 1 tablespoon.

This is kind of like the classic French Tarte Tatin, but lighter, quicker, and easier to make. Use a combination of apples for deeper apple flavor and texture. If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, you can use any 10-inch ovenproof skillet. And, if it seems too risky to flip the finished tart onto a serving plate, simply scoop it right from the pan.

6 cups peeled 1-inch pieces apple (such as Honey Crisp, Golden Delicious, and Granny Smith)

1. To prepare crust, weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place flour, baking powder, and salt in a food processor; process to combine. Cut butter and shortening into ¹/₂-inch pieces; add to processor. Pulse 2 to 3 times or until butter is about the size of dried peas. Sprinkle ice water and vinegar over mixture. Pulse 2 to 3 times or until mixture is combined and looks like coarse sand. (Do not overprocess mixture; it will become clumpy and tough.)

2. Scrape mixture onto a lightly floured work surface. Gather mixture together, and press into a 4-inch disc. Cover disc with plastic wrap, and chill 30 minutes. (The dough can be made 1 day ahead; if chilled 24 hours, let stand at room temperature 10 minutes before rolling).

4. To prepare filling, place apples and next 5 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl; toss well to combine. Pour apple mixture into a 10-inch cast-iron skillet coated with cooking spray; bring to a boil. Cook on medium-high heat 10 minutes or until apples begin to soften. Combine cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl, stirring until smooth. Slowly pour cornstarch mixture into apple mixture, stirring constantly. Cook 1 minute or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat; let stand 5 minutes. Stir apple mixture to loosen browned bits.

5. Unwrap dough, and place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll into an 11-inch circle. Place over apple mixture, tucking dough down between apples and skillet. Bake at 400° for 37 minutes or until well browned and bubbly around edge. Cool in pan 15 minutes on a wire rack. Carefully invert tart onto a plate.

6. To prepare topping, beat cream cheese and remaining ingredients at medium speed 2 minutes or until smooth and fluffy. Dollop topping onto servings.

SERVES 10 (serving size: 1 wedge and about 1 tablespoon topping)
CALORIES 247; FAT 10g (sat 5.2g, mono 2.9g, poly 1g); PROTEIN 2g; CARB 38g; FIBER 2g; CHOL 19mg; IRON 1mg; SODIUM 120mg; CALC 36mg

Khorasan wheat—sold under the brand name Kamut—is loaded with nutritional goodness and has a wonderful nutty, buttery flavor. If you can’t find it at your specialty grocery store, substitute whole-wheat pastry flour to keep whole grains in the pastry crust. It’s best to assemble the filling after you roll out the pastry so it doesn’t start to juice out too soon—you want all those lovely juices inside the galette.

2. To prepare pastry, weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours and salt in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Place granulated sugar and butter in a bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and egg yolk; beat until well combined. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed until mixture holds together. Roll dough to a 14-inch circle on lightly floured parchment paper; place on a baking sheet.

3. To prepare filling, combine blackberries and next 7 ingredients in a bowl; gently toss to combine. Mound blackberry mixture in center of dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold edges of dough over berry mixture, pressing gently to seal (dough will only partially cover berry mixture).

4. Beat reserved egg white in a small bowl. Brush dough with egg white, and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

SERVES 8 (serving size: 1 wedge)
CALORIES 283; FAT 9.1g (sat 5g, mono 2.4g, poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 5g; CARB 47g; FIBER 6g; CHOL 66mg; IRON 2mg; SODIUM 129mg; CALC 32mg

SHAPING A GALETTE

1. Use lightly floured parchment paper when you roll the dough out so you will be able to pop the whole thing in the oven when assembled. Flouring the paper makes it easier to fold up the edges for encasing the juicy filling.

2. After mounding the filling in the center of the dough, fold about a 3-inch section of the dough up onto the filling.

3. Continue folding 3-inch sections up over the filling, pressing the dough together at the pleated sections. Brushing the dough with lightly beaten egg white and sprinkling with sugar helps the dough become golden brown and crisp.

1. Set aside 3 tablespoons pistachios. Place remaining pistachios and 2 tablespoons sugar in a food processor; process until finely ground. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Add flour and ¹/₄ teaspoon salt to processor; pulse to combine. Place 3 tablespoons sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 2 minutes or until well combined. Add egg; beat until combined. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed until just combined. Press mixture into a 4-inch circle; wrap in plastic wrap. Chill 30 minutes.

3. Unwrap dough; place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll into an 11-inch circle or square. Fit dough into a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan lightly coated with baking spray. Press dough against bottom and sides of pan. (Pastry is very soft and can be patched with good results.) Line bottom of dough with parchment paper lightly coated with baking spray; arrange pie weights or dried beans on parchment paper. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove from oven; remove parchment paper and pie weights. Cool slightly (10 minutes).

4. Combine apricots, jam, cornstarch, and ¹/₄ teaspoon salt in a bowl; toss gently. Arrange apricot mixture in prepared crust. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until golden brown and bubbly. Shield edges with foil if getting too brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Remove from pan.

5. Combine cream, powdered sugar, cheese, and honey in a bowl; beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Chop reserved 3 tablespoons pistachios. To serve, top each wedge with about 2 teaspoons topping, and sprinkle with about ¹/₂ tablespoon pistachios.

SERVES 8 (serving size: 1 wedge)
CALORIES 299; FAT 12.1g (sat 5.4g, mono 4.1g, poly 1.5g); PROTEIN 6g; CARB 45g; FIBER 3g; CHOL 45mg; IRON 2mg; SODIUM 182mg; CALC 47mg

APRICOTS

Apricot season is short, so don’t let it slip by without making this tart. Choose ripe apricots—those that give a little when pressed and are a rich coral color. The pits are easy to remove: Just run a knife around the apricot, starting at the stem end, open it up, and pluck out the pit.