Six celebratory slices to serve on party day across the pond
Peanut butter chocolate pie (pictured above)
Prep 30 min
Cook 10 min
Chill 2 hr +
Serves 8-10
For the crust
200g Oreo cookies
80g salted peanuts
2 tbsp butter, melted
For the filling
195g cream cheese,at room temperature
105g icing sugar
190g peanut butter,room temperature, sugar/salt-free if possible
100g milk chocolate
175g whipping cream
For the ganache
50g milk chocolate
50g 70% dark chocolate
6 tbsp whipping cream
For the topping
50g milk chocolate
50g salted peanuts
To make the pastry, heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4. In a food processor, pulse the cookies and peanuts to fine crumbs. Mix in the butter, then press into a 20cm springform baking tin. Bake for 10 minutes then set aside to cool.
In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until creamy, then beat in the peanut butter. Melt the milk chocolate over a bain marie and let it cool to lukewarm, then whisk into the peanut butter cream.
Beat the whipping cream until fluffy, then fold into the peanut butter and chocolate mixture. Pour into the pie shell, smoothing the surface with a spatula. Refrigerate the pie for at least two hours, and preferably overnight.
To make the ganache, chop all the chocolate and put it in a bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it is quite hot but not boiling. Pour over the chocolate, let it stand for 30 seconds, then stir until smooth. Leave to cool and thicken at room temperature, then spread over the pie.
To finish, shave the milk chocolate over the ganache. Chop the peanuts and sprinkle over the pie to serve.
From Linda Lomelino’s Pies, by Linda Lomelino (Roost Books)
Banoffee pie
Prep 10 min
Chill 20 min +
Serves 6–8
For the crust
200g digestive biscuits (sweet wholemeal cookies) or Graham Crackers
50g pretzels
60g butter, melted
For the filling
250gtinned caramel or dulce de leche
2 bananas, sliced
250ml whipping cream,whipped
Good-quality dark chocolate, to garnish
Put the biscuits and pretzels in a food processor and whizz to fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and process briefly.
Press the biscuit mixture into the bottom of a greased 20cm springform cake tin and put in the refrigerator to set for at least 20 minutes.
Spread the caramel over the biscuit base, top with the banana slices, then cover with the whipped cream. Grate the dark chocolate over the cream and serve immediately.
From In the Kitchen, by Michelle Curtis and Allan Campion (Hardie Grant)
Blueberry and lemon pie
Prep 1-2 hr
Cook 1 hr
Serves 8
For the crust
300g plain flour, plus more for dusting
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
450g very cold butter,cubed
6 tbsp iced water
For the filling
550g blueberries, washed and dried
100-200g sugar, to taste, plus more for sprinkling
2 tbsp cornflour, plus 1 tsp
extra
1 pinch salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground allspice or nutmeg
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp butter,cubed
Milk, for glazing
Whisk the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Work in the butter with your fingertips, to get pea-sized lumps throughout. Mix in the water with a wooden spoon until a workable dough clumps together.
Halve the dough and lightly press into discs, then wrap separately in clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
On a floured surface, roll one disc to 2-3mm thick, to line a 20cm pie dish, then chill in the fridge. Roll out the other disc for the lid and put on a floured, flat baking sheet and put this in the fridge, too.
Heat the oven to 230C/450F/gas 8. Gently toss the blueberries with the sugar, cornflour, salt and spices in a large bowl. Stir in the lemon zest and juice, then pour the filling into the pie crust. Dot with the butter, cover with the lid, then crimp and decorate the edges with a fork.
Put on a baking sheet, brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Cut vents in the lid to allow steam to escape. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180C/350F/gas 4 and bake for another 40-50 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Cool completely on a rack – about an hour – before serving, to let the filling set.
From How to Cook Everything, by Mark Bittman (HMH)
Key lime pie
Prep 20 min
Cook 15 min
Chill 2 hr +
Serves 8
For the filling
Zest of 2 limes, grated
2 egg yolks
400g (1 can) sweetened condensed milk
120ml key lime juice (or ordinary lime juice)
For the crust
85g unsalted butter
30g light soft brown sugar
30g caster sugar
½ tsp honey
85g plain flour
35g wholemeal flour
1 pinch salt
1 pinch bicarbonate of soda
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
75g unsalted butter, melted
Heat the oven to 160C/325F/gas 3. To make the crust, cream the butter with the sugars and honey until pale and fluffy. Sift in the dry ingredients and mix to form a dough, then roll out on a lightly floured surface to 5mm thick. Lift on to a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, until set and lightly coloured.
Leave to cool, then pulse in a food processor to create fine crumbs. Mix with the melted butter, then press it over the base and sides of a 23cm pie dish and chill until firm.
Beat the lime zest with the egg yolks until thick and fluffy. Gradually beat in the condensed milk, then continue to beat for two to three minutes. Beat in the lime juice, then pour the mixture into the crust and chill thoroughly for at least two hours before serving, and preferably overnight.
From Deep South: New Southern Cooking, by Brad McDonald (Quadrille)
Peach pie
Prep 50 min
Chill 1 hr
Cook 1 hr 15 min
Serves 8
For the crust
325g plain flour
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
225g cold butter,cubed
7-8 tbsp iced water
For the filling
8 large peaches, peeledand cut into 1cm wedges
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
4 tbsp plain flour
65g granulated sugar
65g packed light brown sugar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg,freshly grated
1 pinch salt
1 egg
3 tbsp demerara sugar
To make the pastry, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour,
sugar and salt, then cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add just enough iced water to make a pliable dough, neither wet nor dry.
Divide into two balls, flatten into discs, wrap separately in clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Put one chilled disc on a lightly floured surface and flatten slightly then roll out to 6mm thick and 25cm in diameter, drape over the rolling pin and unfurl in a 20cm pie dish. Press firmly into the bottom and sides of the pan, then trim the edges.
Roll out the second piece into a disc that can cover the top of the pie with 2.5cm overhang, and put on a plate. Chill both the pie shell and top crust in the fridge for 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 190C/375F/gas 5.
Put the peaches in a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, both sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add to the peaches and mix gently. Pour the filling into the pie shell, cover with the lid and crimp together the edges. Whisk the egg with a teaspoon of water, then brush the lid with the egg wash and sprinkle with the demerara sugar.
Cut vents in the top of the pie and bake in the middle of the oven until the filling is bubbling and the crust golden brown – about an hour. Cool for at least an hour before slicing.
From America the Cookbook, by Gabrielle Langholtz (Phaidon)
Blackcurrant and lemon verbena pie
Prep Overnight
Chill 1 hr
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Serves 6-8
For the syrup
2 handfuls fresh lemon verbena leaves,washed
1 vanilla bean
675g sugar
125ml water
For the crust
310g plain flour
30g cornmeal (or polenta)
3 tbsp sugar
¾ tsp salt
140g unsalted butter,chilledand cubed
30g vegetable shortening,cubed
4 tbsp (or more) iced water
For the filling
750g blackcurrants, fresh or frozen
450g caster sugar
30g cornflour
60g butter
Milk, for glazing
1½ tbsp sugar, to finish
Creme fraiche, to serve
Make the glaze: Put all the syrup ingredients in a pot and heat slowly, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat, set aside to steep for at least two hours, preferably overnight, then strain.
Blend the flour, cornmeal, sugar and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and shortening, and pulse to coarse crumbs. Add the water and blend until clumps form. Gather into a ball, halve and flatten into two discs. Wrap separately in clingfilm and chill for an hour.
Combine the blackcurrants, sugar and cornflour with 180ml of the syrup (use the remainder to sweeten cocktails), and set aside at room temperature for an hour.
Put a rimmed baking sheet in the oven heated to 200C/390F/gas 6. Roll out one disc of dough to a 30cm round to line a 24cm pie dish and spoon in the filling.
Roll out and place the second disc over the top, trim the overhang and crimp to seal. Cut vents in the top, brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 180C/350F/gas 4, and bake until golden brown – 55 minutes. Cool, then serve with creme fraiche.
Adapted from The Farmette Cookbook, by Imen McDonnell (Roost)
Read more: www.theguardian.com
