NO FAIL Buttercrust Pastry Dough / Apple Hand Pie (Empanaditas)

Buttercrust Pastry Dough

Ingredients for about 1 pound pie dough (enough for 1 large pie or 4 turnovers):

2 cups flour (measure carefully, do not pack!)

1/2 cup unsalted butter (4 oz)

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

6 tbsp ice water

Add 1 cup of the flour, butter and short pulse for a minute. Add sugar and salt and ice water … longer pulses. Turn out onto a mat and gently bring to a ball and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Apple Hand Pies

For 4 Apple Hand Pies:

about 1 pound pie dough, divided into 4

egg wash (1 egg beaten with 2 tsp milk)

granulated sugar as needed

For the apple filling:

2 tbsp butter, browned

2 or 3 green apples

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup white sugar

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, or to taste
1 or 2 tsp of water if needed

Ann Landers' Easy Pecan Pie

Ann Landers' Easy Pecan Pie

1 Cup White Corn Syrup

1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar

1/3 Cup Melted Butter

1 Cup Pecans (heaping Cup)

3 Eggs, Beaten

Dash of Vanilla

Pinch of Salt

Mix ingredients well.

Pour into unbaked 9" pastry shell.

Bake at 350° F for 45-50 minutes.


http://www.pinterest.com/sandollar1970/boards/

Classic Chocolate Pie from the movie THE HELP (minus the poop)

Classic Chocolate Pie

Crust:
1 1/4 cups graham crumbs
1/4 cup melted butter

Filling:
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp. salt
4 large egg yolks
3 cups milk
1 cup chopped dark chocolate
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla

whipped cream, for serving (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325F. In a small bowl, stir together the graham crumbs and butter; press into the bottom and up the sides of a pie plate. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until pale golden around the edges.

Meanwhile, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, cocoa and salt in a medium saucepan. Set over medium-high heat and whisk in the egg yolks, then the milk. Cook until the mixture thickens and boils. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate chips and vanilla. Let sit a minute or two, then stir until smooth. Pour into the pie shell and chill completely before serving topped with a dollop of whipped cream. Serves 8.

Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemon Meringue Pie

1 baked 9-inch pie shell, cooled

Meringue

6 tablespoons sugar 
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar 
1/2 teaspoon vanilla 
3 egg whites 

1/3 cup lemon juice 
1/2 teaspoon finely shredded lemon, rind of 
2 tablespoons butter, cut up 
3 slightly beaten egg yolks 
1 1/2 cups water 
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
3 tablespoons cornstarch 
1 1/2 cups sugar

In a medium saucepan stir together the sugar, cornstarch and flour.

Gradually add the water, stirring constantly.

Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly.

Reduce heat and cook and stir 2 minutes more.

Gradually stir about 1 cup of the hot mixture into the egg yolks.

Pour egg yolk mixture back into remaining hot filling in saucepan.

Bring to a gentle boil.

Cook and stir 2 minutes more.

Remove from heat.

Stir in the butter or margarine and lemon peel.

Gently stir in lemon juice.

Prepare meringue: In large mixing bowl combine 3 egg whites, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar.

Beat with mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form.

Gradually add 6 tablespoons sugar, beating the meringue until stiff and glossy peaks form and all the sugar is dissolved.

Pour hot filling into cooled piecrust.

Spread the meringue over the hot lemon pie filling; carefully seal all around the edge of the piecrust to prevent shrinkage.

Bake the pie in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour.

Refrigerate 3 to 6 hours before serving.

Hard boiled EGG Tip - Easiest way to Hard Boil Eggs

Hard boiled EGG Tip!:
Crack your eggs into a Ziploc and get all air out. Drop bag of eggs into a pan with cold water. Med High heat till comes to a gentle boil. Boil for about 7-10 mins (depending on how many eggs). Until eggs are firm. Take out of water, cut open bag and eggs come out very easy. Chop into desired sized pieces. 

THIS TOTALLY BEATS HAVING TO PEEL ALL THE EGGS. 

Old Fashioned Buttermilk Biscuits

Old Fashioned Buttermilk Biscuits

2 cups sifted Martha White flour or all-purpose flour

(sift before measuring)

1 tablespoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

5 tablespoons chilled vegetable shortening

    or lard (makes the best biscuits)

1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 440 degrees with rack in the middle. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. . Add shortening, coating it with flour, then rub between your fingertips until coarsely blended with some 1/2-inch lumps. Make a well in the flour mixture and then add buttermilk, stirring with a fork just until dough forms and holds together (it will be soft and sticky.)

Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead 8 to 10 times. Too much kneading leads to tough biscuits. Roll out dough with a floured rolling pin into a 12-inch round (1/2-3/4 inch thick) and, using a fork dipped in flour, prick all the way through about every 1/2 inch.

Easy To Peel Hard Boiled Eggs

Do you have this problem?
Eggs stick to shells...what a mess!



Add one (1) teaspoon of baking soda to the water
and the shell will come right off effortlessly.



Pass it on!

The Best Tiramisu

The Best Tiramisu

 * 6 egg yolks

* 1 1/4 cups white sugar

* 1 1/4 cups mascarpone cheese

* 1 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream

* 2 (3 ounce) packages lady fingers (approx 24 lady fingers total)

* 1/3 cup KahluaTopping extras

* 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder (dust) 

* 1 (1 ounce) square semi sweet chocolate (shaved) 

Procedure

***To start I chill the bowl I will be whipping the cream in***

* Combine egg yolks and sugar in the top of a double boiler. I do this over boiling water.

* Reduce heat to low.

* Cook for about 10 minutes and don't go anywhere! Stir it constantly.

* Remove the mixture from heat and whip in the yolks until its thick.

* Add the mascarpone to the whipped yolks.

* Beat until combined.

* Pull your chilled bowl out of fridge and whip the cream until the stiff peaks are formed.

* Gently fold into yolk mixture and set aside.

* Split the lady fingers in half.

* Line the bottom and sides of your serving bowl with the lady fingers.

* Brush the lady fingers with the kahlua, espresso or very strong coffee.

* Spoon half of the cream filling over the lady fingers.

* Now you are going to layer - using lady fingers, kahlua and filling.

* Keep going till you run out of lady fingers.

* The top layer of filling is finished off with cocoa or chocolate curls. (Or both!)

BIG SUCCESS HINT: Refrigerate several hours or overnight!