Mile High Summer Berry Pie Food

SUMMER BERRY PIE

Steps:

• For the crust: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees.
• In a food processor, process the graham crackers until evenly fine, about 30 seconds (you should have 1 cup crumbs).
• Add the sugar and pulse to combine.
• Continue to pulse while adding the warm melted butter in a steady stream; pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand.
• Transfer the crumbs to a 9-inch glass pie plate.
• Using a ½-cup dry measuring cup, press the crumb mixture into the plate.
• Use your thumb to square off the top of the crust.
• Bake the crust until fragrant and beginning to brown, 15 to 18 minutes; transfer to a wire rack and cool completely while making the filling.
• For the filling: Combine the berries in a large colander and gently rinse (taking care not to bruise them); spread the berries on a rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels and gently pat dry with additional paper towels.
• In a food processor, puree 2 ½ cups mixed berries until smooth and fully pureed, about 1 minute.
• Strain the puree through a mesh strainer into a small nonreactive saucepan, scraping and pressing on the seeds to extract as much puree as possible (you should have 1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups).
• Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a small bowl to combine, then whisk the mixture into the puree.
• Bring the puree to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon; when the mixture reaches a boil and is thickened to the consistency of pudding, remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice, and set aside to cool slightly.
• While the puree is cooling, place the remaining berries in a medium bowl.
• Heat the jelly in a second small saucepan over low heat until fully melted.
• Drizzle the melted jelly over the berries and toss gently with a rubber spatula to coat.
• Pour the slightly cooled puree into the cooled pie shell and smooth the top with a spatula.
• Distribute the glazed berries evenly over the puree and gently press them into the puree.
• Loosely cover the pie with plastic wrap; refrigerate until chilled and the puree has set, about 3 hours or up to 1 day.
• For the whipped cream: Just before serving, beat the cream, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer on low speed until small bubbles form, about 30 seconds.
• Increase the speed to medium; continue beating until the beaters leave a trail, about 30 seconds longer.
• Increase the speed to high; continue beating until the cream is smooth, thick, nearly doubled in volume, and forms soft peaks, about 30 to 60 seconds.
• Cut the pie into wedges and serve with whipped cream.

MILE HIGH BUMBLEBERRY PIE

Steps:

• Prepare and bake pie shell.
• FILLING:.
• In medium saucepan, combine cornstarch and sugar; stir in water and 1 cup blueberries. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Simmer 2 minutes or until very thick and clear, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon rind and juice. Cool 5 minutes.
• Stir in remaining berries. Spoon into pie shell. Refrigerate until set, about 3 hours. At serving time, sprinkle with icing sugar.

EASY BERRY PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured work surface, press crusts together and roll out to a diameter of 14 inches. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Cut each peach into eight slices (24 slices total). In a bowl gently fold cut peaches and berries together with 1/4-cup sugar to coat, being careful not to crush berries. Gently spoon fruit mixture in to the center of the pie dough round and spread out from the center to about 10-inches. Fold the edges of the piecrust dough up over the fruit, pleating the edges as you go around.
• Whisk together egg yolk and water. Brush pleated edges of pie with egg mixture and sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of sugar over crust. Break butter into small pieces and place all around the pie. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.

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.

CAFE HON'S MIXED BERRY PIE

Steps:

• For the crust: Process the flour, salt, shortening and butter in a food processor until you get the visual consistency of fine meal.
• Place the fine meal into a bowl. With a fork make a hole in the meal. Pour the ice water in the hole and gently mix the water into the fine meal. Continue this process until the fine meal has the consistency of play dough.
• Flour your board and rolling pin, and then roll out the dough. Divide the dough in half and roll out dough for a 2 crust 9-inch pie.
• For the filling: If using frozen fruit, measure first, then thaw and drain fruit.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon, stir with fork. Place 1 crust into the pie pan. Spread 1/3 of the sugar mixture on the bottom and add fruit. Top the mixed berries with the rest of the sugar mixture. Wet the edges of the bottom crust by dipping your finger in the ice water and rubbing it around the edge of the crust. Place the top crust on the pie and gently press the top crust to the bottom. Trim with a knife and roll under. Press together with the thumb and forefinger to make a scalloped edge. With the knife, place 8 1/2-inch slits on the top of the pie. Bake for 45 minutes. When checking the doneness of the filling, insert a knife into the center of the pie. If there is little or no resistance, the pie is done.

MILE HIGH PIE

Steps:

• Combine walnuts and biscuits. Add butter and mash thoroughly.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 10-inch diameter springform pan and press biscuit crust into base and 2-inches up side. Cover this crust with waxed paper, cut to fit bottom exactly. Fill pan with split peas, up to height of sides and bake "blind" for 1 hour. Let cool while still filled.
• When crust is cooled, removed pea weights and paper. Meanwhile, whip egg whites with cold water and salt until peaked. Fold in sugar a little at a time. Add vanilla and keep cool.
• Unmold ice cream from containers and cut horizontally through middle of each to yield 4 discs total. Place disks in pie crust, alternating strawberry and vanilla flavors. Top with meringue, letting it fall all around the ice cream. Set in freezer for 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Remove pie from freezer and place in oven to brown meringue tips. You may also use a blowtorch instead. Serve with chocolate sauce.

MILE HIGH RASPBERRY PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Unroll pie crust into pie tin.
• Press almonds into crust.
• Bake crust 10-12 minutes, or until golden. Let cool.
• Whip the cream, set aside or let chill in fridge.
• Mix egg whites, raspberries, lemon juice, almond extract, and sugar in mixer until stiff.
• Fold whipped cream into fluffy, pink, raspberry mixture.
• Pour into cool pie crust.
• Freeze at least 4 hours, on until serving.

MILE-HIGH STRAWBERRY PIE

Steps:

• With an electric mixer, beat the egg whites, strawberries, lemon juice, and sugar for 20 minutes (that's not a typo; it really takes 20 minutes!). It will resemble meringue when ready.
• Fold in the Cool Whip.
• Put in the prepared crust.
• Freeze for several hours.