Pear Delight Pie Food

APPLE-PEAR PIE

Steps:

• Peel the apples and pears; slice 1/2 inch thick. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples, pears, granulated sugar, brown sugar, ginger and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mostly tender, 20 to 25 minutes (reduce the heat if the skillet looks dry). Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, flour and cinnamon. Let cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, place a baking sheet in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 450 degrees F. Cut 1 dough round into nine 1/4-inch-wide strips; cut the rest of that round into strips of varying thickness. Weave the 1/4-inch strips into 3 thin braids, 3 strips per braid (these will be for the edges). Make braids with some of the remaining strips; leave some as is. Refrigerate the braids and strips until firm, 30 minutes.
• Line a 9-inch pie plate with the other dough round; add the filling. Arrange the dough strips and braids (except for the 3 for the edges) parallel to one another on top of the filling. Trim any excess dough around the edges. Brush the edges with beaten egg and line with the 3 thin braids; trim the excess. Brush all of the dough with egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
• Bake the pie on the hot baking sheet, 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F and bake until the filling is bubbling and the crust is browned, about 1 more hour. (Cover the crust with foil if it darkens too quickly.) Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

CARAMEL APPLE PIE

Steps:

• For the perfect spiced pie crust: Mix the flour, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a bowl. Add the butter and vegetable shortening. Work the butter into the flour using a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles tiny pebbles. Add the white vinegar, egg and 5 tablespoons cold water and stir until just combined.
• Form 2 equal-sized balls. Place each in a large plastic bag (do not seal) and slightly flatten with a rolling pin; this makes it much easier to roll out the crust later. After flattening, seal the bag tightly. Place in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes to chill.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Remove 1 bag of dough from the freezer (save the other dough for another use), remove the dough from the bag and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough starting at the center and working outward. Be gentle and patient; it'll take a little time to get the dough completely rolled out. If you think the bottom is really sticking to the surface below while rolling, use a metal spatula to loosen it. When fully rolled out, loosen again with a spatula and lift the pie crust into a 9-inch pie pan (or you can roll the pastry over the rolling pin, lift it onto the pie pan and unroll it). Gently press the dough against the corner of the pan and tear off any excess dough. Then tuck under the edges and go around the pie pan pinching the dough to crimp the edge.
• For the pie filling: In a bowl, mix the apples, lemon juice, granulated sugar, flour and salt. Set aside.
• For the crumb topping: Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter, then add in the brown sugar, oats and salt.
• Add the apples to the prepared pie shell and top with the crumb topping. Bake for 1 hour, covering the edge of the crust with foil if it starts to brown too quickly. After an hour, sprinkle the chopped pecans over the pie, then bake for a further 5 minutes.
• Remove the pie from the oven and pour 1/2 jar (or more, if you're feeling dangerous and naughty) of caramel topping over the top. Allow to cool slightly before serving - or don't if you can't wait!

CLASSIC CHERRY DELIGHT

Steps:

• Add the butter to a medium bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds or until melted. Add the graham cracker crumbs and sugar and mix well to combine. Pat the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of a sprayed 8 x 8 baking dish. Set aside.
• Add the cream cheese to a large bowl. Mix with a mixer until the cream cheese of smooth and free of any lumps. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix well. Add the cool whip and mix until the cool whip and cream cheese are combined, but don't overmix.
• Spread the filling evenly over the graham cracker crust, using a spoon or offset spatula. Spoon the cherry pie filling over the top and carefully spread it evenly over the filling.
• Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. I like to leave it overnight.
• Refrigerate leftovers.

PEAR & BERRY PIE

Steps:

• To make the poached pears, put the sugar in a big saucepan with the lemon peel, cardamom pods, nutmeg, cinnamon and 1 litre water. Bring to a gentle simmer. Lower the pear halves into the liquid and place a circle of baking parchment on top, so they cook through properly. Leave over a medium heat, so that a few bubbles break the surface every now and then, and cook for 15 mins. Allow to cool in the liquid. Can be chilled overnight if making ahead.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Dust the work surface with a little plain flour. Roll out the pastry so it's big enough to line a 20-23cm frying pan, pie dish or shallow baking tin. Grate a little nutmeg over the surface, then gently roll again to help it stick. Lift over your dish, press into the corners, then trim the edges. You can give it a pretty crimped edge, if you like, then wrap the off-cuts in cling film and keep in the fridge until needed. Scrunch up a sheet of baking parchment, unfold, and lay it over the pastry. Fill with baking beans and bake for 15 mins. Remove the beans and parchment, brush with some of the beaten egg and return to the oven for another 5 mins.
• Meanwhile, make the filling. Cook the remaining pears and sugar in a small pan until the pears are soft enough to squash with the back of a spoon. Drain off 3 tbsp of the poaching liquid and mix this with the cornflour, then pour back into the pears and continue cooking and squashing for another minute or so, until the filling has thickened.
• Sprinkle the ground almonds over the pastry case, then add the squashed pear mixture and scatter over the berries. Remove the poached pears from their liquid and blot them on some kitchen paper. Arrange them face-up among the pear mixture and berries. Using a mini pastry cutter, cut little shapes from the leftover pastry, then arrange them on top. Brush the pastry pieces with beaten egg and sprinkle with the demerara sugar. Bake for 45-50 mins until the pastry is golden and berry juice is bubbling. Cool for 10-15 mins before serving with custard, cream or ice cream, if you like.

WYATT'S CAFETERIA PECAN DELIGHT PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Let egg whites come to room temperature.
• Butter a 9-inch pie pan. Mix together crackers, pecans and baking powder. Set aside.
• In large bowl, beat egg whites on low speed with electric mixer until foamy. Add cream of tarter, increase mixer speed to medium and beat until soft peaks form.
• Continue beating while gradually adding sugar to mixture. Then increase speed to high and beat, scraping sides of bowl often until stiff peaks form. Mixture will be stiff and glossy.
• Beat in vanilla. Fold in cracker-pecan mixture. Spread mixture evenly in buttered pie pan and bake on middle rack of oven for 40 minutes.
• Let pie completely on wire rack. Don't worry if pie cracks and falls a bit as it cools.
• Cover and refrigerate cooled pie until ready to serve.
• Before serving, prepare topping by whipping cream until it begins to thicken. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and continue beating until cream is thick and forms soft peaks.
• Spread sweetened whipped cream on top of cooled pie and sprinkle 1/4 cup pecans evenly over the cream.
• Leftover pie should be covered and stored in refrigerator.

POACHED PINK PEAR DELIGHT

Steps:

• Peel the pears leaving stem attached.
• Into each pear stick 1 clove, place in deep pot.
• Add sugar, wine, water and food coloring to give desired color.
• Simmer very gently until pears are clear and syrup is thick, basting now and then.
• Chill.
• Serve cold as salad or dessert.

PECAN DELIGHT PIE

Steps:

• Beat egg whites to foam.
• Add salt and cream of tartar.
• Beat to stiff peaks.
• Add vanilla extract and both sugars.
• Beat until consistency of 7 minute frosting.
• Fold in crackers and nuts.
• Grease bottom and sides of pyrex dish and add mixture to dish.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
• Top with Cool Whip or whipped cream when pie is completely cool, or slice and add topping on individual slices when serving.

LATTICE-TOPPED PEAR SLAB PIE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat butter, cream cheese, sugar and salt until blended. Gradually beat in flour. Divide dough in 2 portions so that 1 portion is slightly larger than the other. Shape each into a rectangle; wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight., Preheat oven to 350°. For filling, in a large bowl, combine sugar, flour and lemon zest. Add pears and candied fruit; toss to coat., On a lightly floured surface, roll out larger portion of dough into an 18x13-in. rectangle. Transfer to a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of pan; add filling., Roll out remaining dough to a 1/8-in.-thick rectangle; cut into 1/2-in.-wide strips. Arrange over filling in a lattice pattern. Trim and seal strips to edge of bottom pastry. Brush pastry with milk; sprinkle with coarse sugar., Bake 40-45 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack.

PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE PIE

Steps:

• Set aside five pear halves; chop any remaining pears. In a large saucepan, combine the chopped pears, cranberries, pineapple and sugar. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 4-5 minutes or until some cranberries have popped. Cool for 30 minutes, stirring several times. In a bowl, combine the flour, salt and cinnamon. Stir in cooled cranberry mixture., Line a 9-in. pie plate with bottom pastry; trim and flute edges. Spoon cranberry mixture into pastry shell; arrange pear halves on top. Bake at 400° for 35-40 minutes or until bubbly and crust is golden brown (cover edges with foil for last 15 minutes of baking if necessary). Cool on wire rack. , Roll remaining pastry. Using cookie cutters, cut out small leaves, small pears and a partridge. Place on an ungreased baking sheet; sprinkle with sugar if desired. Bake at 400° for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown. Place partridge in center of pie with leaves and pears around it.