First Prize Smores Pie Food

EASY S'MORES PIE

Steps:

• In a medium bowl mix crumbs, sugar and salt. Add melted butter and mix until combined and moistened. Press the mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch (23cm) tart pan. Bake the crust in a 350°F/180°C preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, then let it cool completely on a wire rack before adding the filling.
• In a medium heatproof bowl, place chopped chocolate. Set aside. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the heavy cream and butter to a low boil until melted. Remove from the heat and pour mixture over the chocolate. Let stand for 1 minute. Using a rubber spatula or a whisk, stir mixture until melted and smooth. If mixture is not completely melted, heat in the microwave for 20 seconds and stir, until melted. Pour mixture over crust and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• In a heatproof bowl, combine egg whites, sugar, and salt, and set mixture over a saucepan of simmering water, keeping heat on low. Constantly yet gently whisk mixture by hand until warm to the touch and smooth, and sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. If you have a thermometer, the temperature should reach 160°F/71°C. Remove from heat.
• Using an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk egg white mixture until stiff peaks form and meringue is thick and glossy, about 6-8 minutes (start with low speed and gradually increase to medium-high), adding in vanilla extract near the end.
• Spread meringue gently over chocolate filling and swirl it decoratively using the back of a spoon. Toast topping using a kitchen torch. Place in the fridge until serving.
• Tart will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.

S'MORES PIE

Steps:

• For the crust: Whisk together the flours, granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a very large bowl until well combined. Using a pastry cutter or your hands, work the butter and shortening into the dry ingredients until it has a coarse sand-like consistency. Combine the water and vinegar in a small bowl, then add that to the mixture and mix until a dough forms.
• Divide the dough into two discs, wrap each in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
• For the filling: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a quarter-sheet tray with parchment paper.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll out one disc on a lightly-floured work surface. Lay the dough on the sheet tray, evenly covering the bottom. (Do not cut off the excess dough yet.) Lay the chocolate bars over the top of the dough. Sprinkle mini marshmallows over the chocolate. Roll out the second dough disc and lay that on top of the marshmallows, covering the pie entirely. Cut off excess dough from the top piece and fold the edge of the bottom dough over the edge of the top dough. Press the edges together with a fork or crimp the edges. Brush with the egg wash and poke several holes in the top with a fork. Bake until golden, 45 to 50 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
• For the glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk and salt in a bowl until it has the consistency of thick glue. Glaze the top of the pie and immediately add sprinkles. Allow the glaze to set, about 15 minutes. Slice and serve.

S'MORES PIE

Steps:

• Prepare the Crust: Stir together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar in a medium bowl until well combined. Press mixture into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Freeze until Crust is set, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the Filling: Whisk together egg yolks, milk, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan until completely combined. Cook over medium, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and bubbly and comes to a boil, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low; whisk in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until incorporated. Stir in vanilla. Gradually add chopped chocolate, whisking just until melted. Remove from heat.
• Spoon Filling into chilled Crust. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on surface of Filling. Refrigerate until chilled and firm, about 3 hours.
• Prepare the Topping: Beat whipping cream and marshmallow creme with a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment on medium-low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Increase mixer speed to medium-high, and continue beating until mixture is smooth and medium peaks form, about 3 minutes. Spoon Topping over set Filling. If desired, garnish with chocolate shavings.

4-INGREDIENT S'MORES PIE

Steps:

• Combine the chocolate chips and cream in a large microwave-safe bowl and heat for 2 1/2 minutes. Stir until completely smooth (the chocolate may appear separated at first, but just keep stirring). Pour into the prepared pie crust, loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, about 4 hours or up to overnight.
• Preheat the broiler.
• Use kitchen shears to cut each marshmallow in half, on a bias, from one corner to the opposite corner. Arrange the marshmallow halves, cut-side down, on top of the chilled pie. Broil until golden, watching closely and rotating the pan as needed, about 1 minute. Let the pie cool completely, then cover loosely with plastic wrap and return to the fridge until the ganache sets again, 1 to 2 hours.

S'MORES PIE

Steps:

• Make the crust. Crumble graham crackers into the work bowl of a food processor and process until finely ground. Alternatively, you can put them in a bag and whack them with a rolling pin until finely crushed. Pour melted butter into crumbs and mix (hands are best for this) until the butter is fully incorporated and the texture is that of wet sand. Butter or oil a 9-inch pie pan and firmly press the graham cracker crumbs against the sides, then against the bottom of the pan (the underside of a measuring cup works well for smoothing the bottom crust). Chill for at least 30 minutes to avoid crumbling when serving.
• While the crust chills, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare the chocolate filling. Put the chocolate in a large mixing bowl. Heat the cream in a saucepan until scalded - do not boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 1 minute. Whisk the cream and chocolate together until glossy and smooth. Add a pinch of salt, then crack the egg into the chocolate mixture and whisk to fully incorporate. Pour into chilled crust and bake for 25 minutes, or until the filling is set but still slightly wobbly in the center. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
• Prepare the marshmallow topping. Pour 1/4 cup water into the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the gelatin on top. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, stir together the remaining 1/4 cup of water, sugar and corn syrup just until sugar is dissolved. Heat until a candy thermometer reads 260 degrees, or hard-ball stage. Remove from heat, turn stand mixer to medium speed to begin beating the bloomed gelatin, and slowly pour in sugar syrup, aiming it down the side of the bowl to prevent splatter, and scraping any remaining syrup from the pan with a heat-proof spatula. Slowly increase the speed of the mixer, and beat until the mixture is white, fluffy and doubled in volume. Add vanilla and beat for a few moments more. Pour the mixture on top of the cooled chocolate layer, gently spreading it to the edges of the crust with a spatula. Refrigerate, uncovered, 30 to 60 minutes.
• The last step: brûlée the marshmallow. A torch is best for this (a propane torch from the hardware store or a butane crème brûlée torch). If using a torch, clear the area of any flammable items, ignite the torch, and slowly wave the flame over the surface of the marshmallow until you achieve the desired level of toastiness. If you do not have a torch, use the broiler of your oven. Preheat the broiler, cover the edges of the pie crust with foil or pie shields, place the pie on a baking sheet and broil - watching carefully to prevent burning - for 2 to 3 minutes, rotating as necessary.
• To slice the pie, it helps to dip your knife in hot water, then dry it with a towel. The heat facilitates easy slicing through the marshmallow layer.

MILE-HIGH S'MORES PIE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a medium bowl until combined. Press evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake until lightly toasted, about 10 minutes; set aside to cool.
• Make the filling: Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until almost simmering. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium bowl to make a thick paste. Whisk about one-third of the warm milk into the egg mixture until smooth. Add this mixture to the remaining milk in the saucepan and cook, whisking constantly, until it starts to bubble and thicken, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, whisking, until thick like pudding, 1 to 2 more minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the chocolate until melted and combined. Whisk in the butter until combined. Pour the filling into the graham cracker crust and refrigerate until completely cool, about 2 hours.
• Make the meringue: Whisk the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and salt in a large heatproof bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer) until combined. Set the bowl over a medium saucepan with 1 inch of simmering water (don't let the bottom of the bowl touch the water). Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is just hot to the touch and the sugar is completely dissolved, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Remove the bowl from the saucepan. Add the vanilla. Beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until stiff glossy peaks form, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a 3/4-inch-wide tip. Pipe large marshmallow-size mounds on the surface of the pie, leaving a small border of the filling exposed. Pipe another layer of mounds on top in a slightly smaller circle, then pipe a third layer on top, using the rest of the meringue. Use a kitchen torch to toast the meringue (or toast under the broiler). Refrigerate the pie until cooled before slicing, at least 1 hour.

FIRST PRIZE S'MORES PIE

Steps:

• 1. Make the crust. Crumble graham crackers into the work bowl of a food processor and process until finely ground. Alternatively, you can put them in a bag and whack them with a rolling pin until finely crushed. Pour melted butter into crumbs and mix (hands are best for this) until the butter is fully incorporated and the texture is that of wet sand. Butter or oil a 9-inch pie pan and firmly press the graham cracker crumbs against the sides, then against the bottom of the pan (the underside of a measuring cup works well for smoothing the bottom crust). Chill for at least 30 minutes to avoid crumbling when serving.
• 2. While the crust chills, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare the chocolate filling. Put the chocolate in a large mixing bowl. Heat the cream in a saucepan until scalded - do not boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 1 minute. Whisk the cream and chocolate together until glossy and smooth. Add a pinch of salt, then crack the egg into the chocolate mixture and whisk to fully incorporate. Pour into chilled crust and bake for 25 minutes, or until the filling is set but still slightly wobbly in the center. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
• 3. Prepare the marshmallow topping. Pour 1/4 cup water into the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the gelatin on top. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, stir together the remaining 1/4 cup of water, sugar and corn syrup just until sugar is dissolved. Heat until a candy thermometer reads 260 degrees, or hard-ball stage. Remove from heat, turn stand mixer to medium speed to begin beating the bloomed gelatin, and slowly pour in sugar syrup, scraping any remaining syrup from the pan with a heat-proof spatula. Begin increasing the speed of the mixer, avoiding any splashing, and beat until the mixture is white, fluffy and tripled in volume. Add vanilla and beat for a few moments more. Pour the mixture onto the cooled chocolate layer, gently spreading it to the edges of the crust with a spatula. Refrigerate, uncovered, 30 to 60 minutes.
• 4. The last step: brûlée the marshmallow. A torch is best for this (a propane torch from the hardware store or a butane crème brûlée torch). If using a torch, clear the area of any flammable items, ignite the torch, and slowly wave the flame over the surface of the marshmallow until you achieve the desired level of toastiness. If you do not have a torch, use the broiler of your oven. Preheat the broiler, cover the edges of the pie crust with foil or pie shields, place the pie on a baking sheet and broil - watching carefully to prevent burning - for 2 to 3 minutes, rotating as necessary.
• 5. To slice the pie, it helps to dip your knife in hot water, then dry it with a towel. The heat facilitates easy slicing through the marshmallow layer.