Pumpkin Chocolate Slab Pie Food

PUMPKIN SLAB PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F. Remove crusts from pouches. On lightly floured surface, unroll and stack crusts one on top of the other. Roll to 18x12-inch rectangle. Fit crust into 15x10x1-inch pan, pressing firmly into corners and sides, stretching dough slightly, if necessary. Fold extra crust underneath and slightly on top edges of pan. Flute or crimp edges. Bake 6 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
• Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat eggs with whisk. Beat in remaining ingredients until well blended. Pour into prebaked crust.
• Bake 33 to 36 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 2 hours. Cut into 4 rows by 4 rows. Store in refrigerator.

PUMPKIN SLAB PIE

Steps:

• Mix the flour, salt, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add the butter. Using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse meal (pea-sized bits with a few larger bits of fat is OK). A pastry cutter makes this step very easy and quick. Drizzle the cold water in, 1 Tablespoon (15ml) at a time, and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon after every Tablespoon (15ml) added. Do not add any more water than you need. Stop adding water when the dough begins to form large clumps. I always use about 3/4 cup (180ml) water. Transfer the pie dough to a floured work surface. Using floured hands, fold the dough into itself until the flour is fully incorporated into the butter pieces. The dough should come together easily and should not feel overly sticky. Form dough into a ball. Cut off about 1/4 of the dough; this will be for the pie crust leaves and the rest will be for the actual pie. Flatten both into a 1-inch thick disc using your hands. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (and up to 5 days) or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using. *If not making pie crust leaves, just wrap all the dough up, chill, and use it all for the bottom crust.
• Whisk all of the filling ingredients together in a large bowl. It will be a little thick. Cover and refrigerate until you need it; or refrigerate up to 3 days.
• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Remove larger disc of pie dough from the refrigerator. Keep the other in the refrigerator as you work. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into (roughly) an 18×13-inch rectangle. Make sure to turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls. Carefully place the dough into a 10×15 inch jelly roll pan; there will be overhang on the sides. Smooth the crust out so it fits nicely into all the corners of the pan. Crimp the edges with your fingers, if desired. Brush edges lightly with the egg wash. Reserve remaining egg wash for step 6.
• Spread filling evenly into the crust. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the filling is only slightly jiggly in the very center. Remove from the oven, set on a wire rack, and allow to cool completely.
• As the pie cools, roll out remaining dough. Roll out into any shape you really want (doesn't matter) and 1/8 inch thickness. Using leaf cookie cutters, cut into shapes. Brush each lightly with egg wash. Cut leaf veins into leaves using a sharp knife or toothpick, if desired. Place onto a parchment paper or silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F (177°C) for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove and set aside to cool before decorating pie.
• Decorate pie with pie crust leaves and/or whipped cream. Leftovers keep well covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN PIE

Steps:

• For the pie crust: Combine the flour, sugar, salt and butter in a food processor and pulse until coarse, with small marbles of butter remaining. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the ice water, then pulse until crumbly and the dough holds together when squeezed. (If too dry, add another sprinkle of water, but do not over mix.) Transfer the dough to a plastic bag, press into a disk and refrigerate for one hour.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Roll out the dough on floured surface, then press it into a deep 9-inch pie plate. Trim the edges to leave 1 inch of overhang, fold it under and flute the edges. Cut a piece of parchment or nonstick foil to the size of the pie plate and use it to line the pie crust. Fill with pie weights and bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Remove the pie weights and return the pie dough to the oven to dry out, about 8 minutes.
• Lower the oven to 325 degrees F.
• For the filling: In a double boiler, melt the semisweet chocolate, bittersweet chocolate and butter, stirring frequently until smooth. Remove from the heat.
• In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, light brown sugar, eggs, cornstarch, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Fold in the melted chocolate mixture. Set the pie plate on a baking sheet and pour the filling into the crust. Bake until the center of the pie has just about set but still has a slight jiggle, about 1 hour. Let cool completely before serving. Top with chocolate shavings.

PUMPKIN-CHOCOLATE CHIFFON PIE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter a 9-inch pie plate. Pulse the chocolate wafers, sugar and orange zest in a food processor until finely ground. Add the melted butter and pulse to combine. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the side of the prepared plate. Bake until set, 15 to 20 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• Combine the chocolate and heavy cream in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until smooth. Pour into the cooled crust and spread over the bottom and up the side; set aside until the chocolate sets, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Sprinkle the gelatin over 3 tablespoons water in a large bowl; let sit 5 minutes. Combine the milk, 2/3 cup sugar, the egg yolks, pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger and salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until the mixture bubbles, 6 to 8 minutes. Carefully whisk the milk mixture into the gelatin mixture until combined. Let sit at room temperature, stirring frequently, until cool but not set, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Beat 3/4 cup heavy cream in a bowl with a mixer until soft peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled pumpkin mixture, then pour into the prepared crust. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.
• Beat the remaining 1 cup heavy cream and 1/4 cup sugar until stiff peaks form. Spread on top of the pie.

CHOCOLATE-NUT SLAB PIE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Pulse the flour, granulated sugar and salt in a food processor to combine. Add the shortening and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Add the butter and pulse a few times until it is in pea-size pieces. Add the egg yolk and ½ cup ice water and pulse a few times until the dough just begins to clump together; add up to ¼ cup more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed. Lay out 2 sheets of plastic wrap; put about three-quarters of the dough on one sheet and the remaining dough on the other. Gently pat each into a rectangle, using the plastic wrap to help you. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Roll out the larger piece of dough into a 13-by-19-inch rectangle (about ¿ inch thick) on a lightly floured surface. Ease into an 11-by-17-inch jelly roll pan, leaving a 1-inch overhang.
• Make the filling: Pulse the nuts in a food processor until roughly chopped. Combine with the chocolate chunks in a bowl, then evenly sprinkle the mixture over the crust. Whisk the melted butter, eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice and vanilla in a bowl; pour over the nut mixture.
• Roll out the smaller piece of dough into a 10-by-12-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface; cut out ten 1-inch-wide strips of dough. Lay 5 strips diagonally over the filling, about 2 inches apart, then lay the remaining strips perpendicular to them. Trim the strips at the edge of the baking sheet (use the trimmings to extend any strips that are too short). Fold in the overhang and crimp the edges with your fingers. Brush the edges and the strips of dough with heavy cream. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake until the crust is golden and the filling is set, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely, at least 2 hours.