(Holly)berry Mince Pies

I recently went out for dinner with my good friend, Holly.

Holly and her family are British. And they're the sweetest.

During dinner, we started talking holiday traditions. Every year, around this time, Holly and her family bake mince pies.

Holly tells me that the British take their Christmas fruit desserts very seriously. So much so, they even made a holiday especially for them: Stir Up Sunday.  It’s the Sunday before Advent where the family gets together to “stir up” their Christmas cakes, Christmas puddings, and mince pie fillings, "but they're all pretty much just variations of fruit cake," says Holly. 

I think it’s a holiday we should adopt in North America.

The trouble is, though, if you’re not a fan of fruit cake, you’re in a bit a dilemma. And with so many other delicious, fruit-filled holiday treats to turn your attention and tastebuds toward, it presents some steep competition. That’s why we created the aptly named, Hollyberry Mince Pies – because we think they’ll get your attention.

We started with frozen raspberries, and then added chopped dates for the sweet stickiness – without the added sugar.  Want to make it extra divine? Add a sneaky splash of brandy.

The best part about this recipe is you can add what you have. Don’t have pear? Use apple. No dates? Sub raisins. Want to add almonds instead of pecans? Go nuts!  The partner in crime to this amazing raspberry filling is Holly’s homemade flakey shortbread pie pastry. But for a quick fix, store bought pie crust pastry works great too.

The result is a recipe that, we've decided, can impress the strictest mince pie critic of them all: Holly’s dad.

(Holly)berry Mince Pies

Ingredients:

¾ cup frozen raspberries 

½ cup finely chopped dates

½ cup finely chopped pear

½ cup finely chopped nuts (your choice!)

½ orange – juiced

1 tablepsoon butter

1 tablespoon brown sugar

shake of nutmeg and cardamom

splash of brandy (optional)

batch/packet pie crust (recipe follows)

egg wash

powdered sugar for dusting

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients (except brandy) into a heavy based saucepan over medium heat.  Simmer for 10-15 minutes - stirring occasionally as not to burn the bottom. Remove from heat to allow to cool and add your sneaky splash of brandy, if using.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease mince pie tins or muffin tins.
3. Roll out pastry and using 2 different size round cookie cutters, or glasses, cut 12 x 3” circles and 12 x 2” circles (the larger one will be the bottom and the smaller one the top – you can also use a star/snowflake shape cookie cutter for the top)
4. Line the mince pie/muffin tin with the larger circles of pastry. Fill each with about 1 tablespoon of raspberry filling and top with smaller circle or pastry shape. Cut small steam vents, brush lightly with egg wash, and bake for about 16 minutes or until golden.

Pie Crust: Let us introduce to a buttery crust perfect for any holiday treat.

1 ¼ cup all purpose flour

¼ cup powdered sugar

1 stick unsalted butter

sprinkle of salt

ice water

1. Mix flour, sugar and salt in large bowl.
2. Cut in cold butter until flour resembles course breadcrumbs.
3. Add just enough water to bring into a ball. 
4. Allow to rest in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
5. Handle lightly and roll out on floured surface.

Enjoy, preferably with those you love. Happy holly-days!

Bourbon Pumpkin Pie

I used to be so afraid of pies.  Not eating them, of course.  Who doesn’t love pie?  But making them—that was another story! 

What if I add too much water to the dough, and the crust is tough? What if I don’t add enough water, and it crumbles? What if I over-knead the dough, and it’s tough?  How much am I supposed to knead it?  I want to use butter, but everyone says pie dough made with butter isn’t as flaky…

It was enough to almost make me give up.  Almost.   

But then I realized…It’s just pie.  And so I got in the kitchen, and I practiced.  I made pies, and I got better. That’s really the only way to learn.  I used to be a bad pie maker, and now…I’m not. That feels like an accomplishment! 

Here are a few thoughts and tips about this recipe, and pie in general...

This pie is made with a whole wheat crust, which gives a boost of fiber to your dessert.  Besides the fiber, the whole wheat flour gives the crust a nutty, richer flavor.  If you use your favorite pie dough recipe instead of this one, just know that whole wheat flour will absorb more water than white flour.  Just keep adding the water until the dough sticks together.    

Use butter.  Or coconut oil, if you need a vegan pie.  But shortening has hydrogenated oil, which is just bad news for your heart.  And butter makes a great-tasting pie crust.  Grate your butter to make it very quick and easy to work into the flour.

  

I played with the milk to egg ration for this pie, creating a rich-tasting custard, but without the heavy whipping cream or evaporated milk found in most recipes. 

Bourbon! No explanation necessary.  Except, yum.

I reduced the total amount of sugar from most pumpkin pie recipes, keeping it just sweet enough to still feel like dessert.  I also used coconut sugar (also called coconut palm sugar) to sweeten this pie, but you could substitute equal amounts of brown sugar for the coconut sugar.  While no sugar should be considered a health food, coconut sugar does have some appealing properties for when sugar is appropriate.  Coconut sugar is relatively unprocessed, and it contains trace amounts of nutrients like zinc and iron, and inulin, a kind of fiber and prebiotic.  Some studies suggest coconut sugar has a lower glycemic index, which means it raises your blood sugar more slowly.  It also has a great molasses flavor. 

Lastly, pumpkin!  McKenzie has already been extolling the virtues of pumpkin here and here. 

I hope you enjoy a slice of this pie, savoring every single bite, with someone you love!

Bourbon Pumpkin Pie

Makes 2 pies

2 pre-baked whole wheat pie crusts, see instructions below

2 - 15 ounce cans pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)

6 large eggs

2 egg yolks

2 cups whole milk

¼ cup bourbon

1 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 ½ teaspoons sea salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, whole eggs, egg yolks, milk and bourbon.  Whisk well to combine.  In another bowl, whisk together the sugar and all of the spices.  Sift the sugar into the pumpkin mix to eliminate any lumps.  

Divide the mixture between the two pie crusts.  Bake the pie until just set, about 1 hour.  It will still be slightly wobbly in the middle, but it will set as it cools.  Let the pie cool on a wire rack.  It will keep in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Whole Wheat Pastry Dough

Makes dough for 2 single-crust pies

3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
¼ cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 ½ sticks unsalted butter, very cold
2/3 cup - 1 cup ice water

Put the flour, sugar and salt in a medium mixing bowl.  Grate the butter on a box grater or cut the butter into very small pieces and add to the flour, tossing to coat all the pieces in flour.  Using a pastry cutter, a fork or your fingertips, quickly work the butter into the flour mixture until most of the butter pieces are the size of peas or smaller.  This is very fast if you grate the butter.

Add the water, starting with 2/3 cup and adding more only if needed.  Whole wheat flour can vary in how much water it absolves.  The dough is ready when you pinch in together and it holds.  It will still seem shaggy.  Turn the dough out onto a pastry cloth or parchment paper and gently push it together until it holds in a ball.  Take the dough and turn it over on itself (knead) just a few times.  Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator to rest for at least half an hour and up to 5 days. 

Pre-bake the pie crust before making the pumpkin pie.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Roll out the pie dough and line two pie pans with the dough.  Crimp the edges.  Place a piece of parchment paper over the pie dough.  Fill the center of the pie pan with pie weights or dried beans.  Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the dough is dry but still pale in color.  Remove from the oven and let cool while you make the filling.

Healthy Holiday Baking, A Recipe for Chocolate Pecan Pie

Yes, you should eat dessert! 

During this holiday season, you should not feel guilty about enjoying your favorite holiday desserts.  In moderation, of course.  Eat mindfully.  Savor each and every delicious bite. 

You know our advice:  Eat the real thing.  Don’t try to create low-cal, low-sugar, low-fat treats.  They are also low in flavor in low in satisfaction. 

A rule of thumb:  Eat a small portion of what you really want.  And don’t forget to eat a little broccoli, too.

That being said, there are some ways to sneak some nutrition—and flavor!—into holiday baked goods and desserts. 

Flours

·         Use whole wheat pastry flour in baked goods for added fiber and intact nutrients.  Pastry flour has a lower gluten content than all-purpose flour, so it will create tender cookies, quick breads, pancakes, and muffins.  You can also use it to make pie dough, with great results!

·         You can substitute up to ¼ cup of each cup of flour with an alternative flour, like almond meal, hazelnut flour, ground oats, or flaxseed.  Experiment with different blends to create a flavor and texture you like.

Sweeteners

First of all, please don’t cook or bake with artificial sweeteners.  Our bodies and brains are too smart to be tricked.  Research shows they are just not satisfying, and when we eat artificial sweeteners, we may end up eating more.  Instead, chose natural sweeteners.

·         Honey has a satisfying, floral flavor that adds moisture to baked goods.  It contains antioxidants and micronutrients that are good for your health. 

·         Maple syrup is naturally made from sugar maple trees, and is useful for baking and flavoring in sauces.

·         Blackstrap molasses is a rich, less-processed sweetener that contains many health-promoting nutrients like iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium.

·         Unrefined sugar, or succanat, is made from cane juice and resembles brown sugar.  It is a healthier alternative to refined sweeteners.

·         Brown sugar is another unrefined sugar that adds moisture and tenderness to baked goods.  Light brown sugar and dark brown sugar can be used interchangeably in recipes.

Fats 

·         For pastry crusts, please don’t use hydrogenated vegetable oil.  Use unsalted butter.  Butter adds great flavor to your dough.  The only trick is not to overwork your dough—that’s what creates a tough crust.  If you’re vegan or avoiding dairy, you can use coconut oil.

·         For baked goods calling for liquid oil, try melted butter, extra virgin olive oil or melted coconut oil.  You can bake with olive oil with delicious results!

Chocolate

Try using dark chocolate in recipes.  Dark chocolate—at least 70% cocoa content—contains antioxidants and polyphenols.

Fruit

Winter fruits, including apples, pears, and citrus fruits, are perfect additions to many desserts.  Try fruit crumbles, pies, compotes, or poached fruit.  Leave the skin on for added fiber and antioxidants.  

Here’s a recipe for your holiday table.  It’s not low-cal or low-fat, but it is delicious, with fiber from the whole wheat flour, good fat from the pecans and polyphenols and antioxidants from the dark chocolate.  Enjoy a small piece in the company of the people you love. 

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Serves 8 - 12

1 pie dough

3 large eggs

¼ cup water, or ¼ cup bourbon

1 ¾ cup brown sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ stick unsalted butter, melted

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups pecans

1 cup dark chocolate chips, or chopped bittersweet chocolate

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Whisk together the eggs and water (or bourbon) until very well blended. Add the brown sugar and salt. Blend in the melted butter and vanilla extract.

Place the chocolate and pecans in the pie shell.  Pour the custard filling over the pecans.

Place the pie in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 325 degrees and bake until the center of the pie is set, about 60 minutes.  Let cool before slicing.

Pie Dough

Makes enough dough for 2 pies

2 ¾ cups whole wheat pastry flour, plus more for dusting

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (2 ¼ sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into small chunks

½ cup ice water, plus more if needed

Combine the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor.  Add the butter and pulse, until the flour resembles coarse cornmeal. 

Add the water and pulse.  Check the consistency of the dough by squeezing a small amount together between your fingers.  You want the dough to hold together, without being either too wet or too crumbly.  If it's still crumbly, add a little more ice water, 1 teaspoon at a time.

When you get it to the right consistency, shape the dough into a disk and wrap it in plastic. Put it in the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes. 

Roll out the dough and shape in pie pan.

Happy Holidays!