Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemon Meringue Pie
Source: Maida Heatter's Pies & Tarts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1997 ed.), pg. 43.

This pie reminded me of the one my mother used to make. The filling is tart and although to me is has a somewhat chemical taste, I'm thinking this is quite normal as they all have that flavor. The jury is still out on that...

The trickiest aspect of lemon meringue pie is the meringue. It often separates from the side of the crust. Parts of mine did as well. Maida instructs that you be sure that the meringue touches all sides but even that doesn't assure it won't happen. The dreaded part for me is always the beaded moisture that often appears on top of the meringue. I remember my mother's pies did this sometimes. Maida mentions this and says that it is caused from cooling the pie in drafty areas. She suggests putting it in the dish cabinet. So, I did -

I think it worked because I didn't notice any moisture droplets. Hooray for that!

This pie is fairly easy to make and it doesn't take that long if you have all of your ingredients lined up. There is minimal stirring but you do have to be fast once you start the filling.

For the crust, I used my go-to recipe. You can, of course, use Maida's pie crust recipe or purchase a ready-baked one. Many recipes call for a cookie crumb type crust and I think that would be a nice option.

This recipe makes 1 9" pie. 

1 9-inch baked pie crust (she recommends her pie crust recipe here but you can use any crust you prefer, even a purchased one)

Finely grated zest of 3 lemons
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
4 egg yolks (reserve the whites for the meringue)
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature

Meringue

4 egg whites
Pinch of salt
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 400.

Combine the lemon zest and juice. Set aside. 
Place the egg yolks in a small bowl and also set aside.

In a heavy saucepan (at least 2-quart size), combine the cornstarch, sugar and salt. Gradually add the water and stir with a rubber spatula. Over medium heat, stir constantly until the mixture begins to boil. Continue to stir for 1 1/2 minutes. The filling will become very thick and develops an opaque appearance.

Add the butter.

 Stir until melted. Remove the pan from the heat.

Add a little of the hot mixture to the bowl of eggs and mix well. Add more until the egg mixture is hot.

Now add the egg mixture into the cornstarch mixture. Stir well.

Mix in the lemon juice.

Bring the pot to a boil again and boil for one minute, stirring constantly.

Pour the filling into the pie shell and proceed to the meringue.

To make the meringue, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt at high speed until soft peaks form. Reduce the mixer speed and add the sugar, a few tablespoons at a time, beating 20 seconds between additions. Increase the speed to high and mix until stiff peaks form.

Apply the meringue while the filling is still warm. Use a spoon and make sure the meringue touches all sides of the crust. Do an upward sweep with the spoon to form peaks.

Bake for 7-9 minutes until the meringue is slightly browned. Let the pie cool in a draft-free area (she recommends the dish cabinet). Refrigerate after cooling.

Creamy Coconut Cream Cheese Pie with Bimini Chocolate Sauce

Creamy Coconut Cream Cheese Pie with Bimini Chocolate Sauce
Source: Maida Heatter's Pies & Tarts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1997 ed.), pg.68-69.

Okay, I was not impressed with this pie. When I first tasted it, I thought I had missed something so I went back and looked at the recipe again. I could find no errors. The pie isn't sweet enough and the coconut flavor is very mild. However, the chocolate sauce really makes it. So, if you make the pie, by all means, add the sauce! Maida says that it is optional but without it, I'm afraid this would be a very bland pie. :(

I did not have creme de cacao but instead used kahlua. I'm not sure if this affected the taste - perhaps so. I've never used creme de cacao and I'm not familiar with taste of it.

Crumb Crust

I just used a ready made graham cracker crust for this. If you prefer to make your own, just mix 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1 TBS. sugar, 1 tsp. ginger, 1 tsp. cinnamon and 2 oz. of melted unsalted butter and press it into your pan.

Filling

6 oz. Philadelphia brand cream cheese (at room temperature)
2 TBS. sugar
1/4 cup milk
3 1/2 oz. (1 1/3 cup) shredded coconut
2 TBS. cognac or brandy
2 TBS. cream de cacao
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
2 cups heavy cream

Combine the cream cheese, sugar, milk, coconut, cognac (I used brandy) and creme de cacao (I used kahlua) in a food processor and blend for 30 seconds. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Soften the gelatin in the water (about 5 min.)

Place the container of gelatin in a pan of hot water (not boiling) until it has dissolved.

Set aside 2 TBS. of the heavy cream. Whip the remaining cream until you have a soft shape.

Stir the 2 TBS. of heavy cream that you reserved into the gelatin.

Add the gelatin/cream mixture to the whipped cream while mixing.

Fold the whipped cream and the cheese mixture together. (If the mixture is runny, place the bowl in a larger bowl of ice water and fold gently until it thickens).

Pour the filling into the crust and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Bimini Chocolate Sauce  
1/2 cup heavy cream
6 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2 TBS. unsalted butter

Place all ingredients in a sauce pan over low heat and stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted. 

Whisk the mixture until smooth.

Serve at room temperature.
 

Longchamps' Cheesecake

Longchamps' Cheesecake
Source: Maida Heatter's Cakes (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2011 ed.), pg. 138.

This cheesecake is named after a restaurant chain in New York. It is very easy to make and wonderful. The lemon zest gives the cheesecake a nice touch. After making this I realized that the crust was your basic graham cracker crust and not the nightmarish way she normally does it (maybe she discovered this later??)  

Although the recipe does not call for a water bath, I always use one when making a cheesecake. However, since this one will be covered with topping, that might not be important to you.

About the topping - she recommends either fresh blueberries or strawberries.  I had frozen strawberries on hand and used those. Her method was different (I will explain both ways in the recipe). Enjoy!

Crumb Crust

1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
7 TBS. plus 1 tsp. (1 stick minus 2 tsp.) unsalted butter

Butter the sides of a 9 x 2.5 or 3 inch springform pan. (Leaving the bottom unbuttered makes it easier to transfer to a serving plate). Combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter and stir until evenly distributed. Remove and reserve 1 1/2 cups of the mixture. Press the remainder on the sides of the pan. Press the reserved crumbs on the bottom. Press firmly all over. Place in refrigerator or freezer until you are ready to use it.

  
Filling

16 oz. Philadelphia brand cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
6 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Finely grated rind of 2 large lemons


Adjust oven rack 1/3 up from the bottom and preheat to 350.

In a large mixer bowl, beat the cream cheese until soft and very smooth. Add the sugar and beat well, scraping the sides of the bowl to fully incorporate.

Add the salt.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Beat in the cream.

Add the vanilla.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the lemon zest. Pour the mixture into the prepared crust and bake 80 minutes (I baked it for 70 minutes since I have a hot oven). Turn the oven off, open the door about 6 inches and let the cheesecake cool in the oven. (Note: I used a water bath)

After the cheesecake has cooled, remove it from the pan and refrigerate for a few hours or longer.

Topping

Since I was using frozen strawberries for the topping, I didn't follow Maida's instructions. It probably would have worked however. Her Method: Use 2 cups of fresh strawberries or blueberries and 1/2 to 3/4 cup of seedless red currant preserves. Wash the berries and dry them thoroughly. Melt about 1/2 cup of the preserves in a small saucepan, stirring over low heat. Let it come just to a boil. Mix it with the berries and spread over the cake.

The Method I Used: Allow the frozen strawberries to thaw. Drain them, reserving the liquid. Add enough water to reserved liquid to measure 1/2 cup. Mix cornstarch and reserved liquid in medium saucepan until well blended. Bring to boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute. Cool. Stir in strawberries; spoon over cooled cheesecake. 

New York City Chocolate Cheesecake

New York City Chocolate Cheesecake
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2006 ed.), pg. 104.

This is a very rich dessert but oh, so good! I took Maida's advice and added whipped cream and cherries to offset the richness. You can also use strawberries or other fruit. The cookie crust is made from chocolate wafer cookies and I made these myself. If you don't have time to make the wafers, you can always buy cookies at the store or even use chocolate graham crackers. 

This is a great treat to serve at a party or get-together. I ate a big slice of this last night while I was watching the Emmy Awards. I can tell you right now that this is a dessert I will be making again!

Note: A reader informs me that their cake sank as it was cooling. I didn't have this problem but she suggested letting it cool for several hours inside the oven.)

Crust

8 oz. chocolate wafer cookies (store-bought or make your own)
3 oz. (3/4 stick sweet butter, melted

Adjust rack one-third up from the bottom and preheat oven to 375. Butter the sides only of a 9x3 inch springform pan.

Place the wafer cookies in a food processor fitted with a metal blade.

Process until the cookies become fine crumbs and transfer them to a mixing bowl.

Pour the melted butter into the crumbs.

Use a fork to stir the butter with the crumbs.

Pour about two-thirds of the crumbs into the pan and tilting it at a 45-degree angle, form a layer of crumbs around the edge of the pan with your fingertips.

Use the remainder of the crumbs for the bottom of the pan. Press gently but firmly.

Filling

12 oz. semisweet chocolate (2 cups morsels or 12 squares, coarsely chopped)
24 oz. (3 8-oz. packages) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs (large or extra-large)
1 cup sour cream

Place chocolate in a double boiler and melt over low heat (barely simmering water). Set aside to cool slightly.

Cream the cream cheese until it is very smooth.

Add the vanilla.

Add the salt.

Add the sugar and mix well.

Add the chocolate.

Mix well, scraping sides of the bowl as necessary, until the mixture is smooth.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well.

Add the sour cream.

Pour the mixture into the crumb crust. Smooth the top with a spatula or turn the bowl briskly back and forth.

Ready for the oven - bake for one hour.

After baking, allow to cool completely on a rack. Then cover the top of the pan with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.

Remove the cheesecake from the pan right before serving (or earlier). Before unclasping the pan, run a sharp knife around the sides. Release the pan. If you want to remove it from the bottom pan, use a thin, wide spatula and carefully slide it under the crust and rotate it all the way around. The cake is firm and easy to transfer. Refrigerate it until you are ready to serve.