Chocolate S'more Pie

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:
1 graham cracker crumb crust, baked and cooled completely
7 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not more than 70% cacao; not unsweetened), finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1 large egg, at room temperature for 30 minutes
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Vegetable oil for greasing

Method:

1. Make chocolate cream filling: Make graham cracker crumb curst and reserve.

2. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Put chocolate in a large bowl. Bring cream just to a boil in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan, then pour hot cream over chocolate. Let stand 1 minute, then gently whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Gently whisk in egg and a pinch of salt until combined and pour into graham cracker crumb crust (crust will be about half full).

3. Cover edge of pie with a pie shield or foil and bake until filling is softly set and trembles slightly in center when gently shaken, about 25 minutes. Cool pie to room temperature on a rack (filling will firm as it cools), about 1 hour.

4. Make marshmallow topping: Sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup cold water in a large deep heatproof bowl and let stand until softened, about 1 minute.

5. Stir together sugar, corn syrup, a pinch of salt, and remaining 1/4 cup water in cleaned 1- to 1 1/4-quart heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then boil until thermometer registers 260 degrees F, about 6 minutes.

6. Begin beating water and gelatin mixture with an electric mixer at medium speed, then carefully pour in hot syrup in a slow stream, beating (avoid beaters and side of bowl). When all of syrup is added, increase speed to high and continue beating until mixture is tripled in volume and very thick, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla and beat until combined, then immediately spoon topping onto center of pie filling; it will slowly spread to cover top of pie. Chill, uncovered, 1 hour, then cover loosely with lightly oiled plastic wrap (oiled side down) and chill 3 hours more.

7. Brown topping: Preheat broiler.

8. Transfer pie to a baking sheet. Cover edge of pie with pie shield or foil and broil 3 to 4 inches from heat, rotating pie as necessary, until marshmallow topping is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Cool pie on a rack 10 minutes. Slice pie with a large heavy knife dipped in hot water and then dried with a towel before cutting each slice.

Lattice-Topped Apple Pie

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1/3 cup cake flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 ounces cream cheese, chilled
4 ounces cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon ice water
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
4 pounds large apples - peeled, cored and cut into eighths
lemon, juiced and zested
3/4 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground mace
4 ounces unsalted butter
1/2 cup apple cider

Method:

1. MAKE THE PASTRY: In a large bowl, stir the all-purpose flour with the cake flour, sugar and salt. Add the cream cheese and use your fingertips to break up the cheese into the mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until pea-size clumps form.

2. In a small bowl, mix the ice water with the yolk and cider vinegar. Gradually add the ice water mixture, stirring with a fork. Turn the pastry out onto a lightly floured surface and press it into a 10-inch log. Starting at the far end of the log, use the heel of your hand to quickly smear the pastry away from you, a little bit at a time. Use a pastry scraper to gather up the pastry and repeat the smearing process one more time. Gather the pastry together. Cut off one-third of the pastry and pat each piece into a disk. Wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days.

3. MEANWHILE, MAKE THE FILLING: In a large bowl, toss the apples with the lemon juice and zest, 3/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, salt and mace. In 2 large skillets, melt the butter. Add the apples and any accumulated juices and spread them in each skillet in a single layer. Cook the apples over moderate heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned in spots. Add 1/4 cup of the apple cider to each skillet, cover and cook, shaking the pans occasionally, until the apples are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the lids and let the apples cool. If the juices are not thick and syrupy, simmer uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes longer. Let cool completely.

4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the large pastry disk to a 12-inch round. Ease the pastry into a 9-inch glass pie plate. Trim the overhang to 1/2 inch and refrigerate. Roll out the smaller pastry disk to a rough 12-by-8-inch rectangle; trim the edges. Using a pastry or pizza cutter and a ruler as a guide, cut eight 12-by-1-inch strips. Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Weave the strips into a lattice on the baking sheet and brush the lattice with water. Sprinkle with sugar and freeze just until firm, about 10 minutes.

5. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Fill the pie shell with the cooled apples and their juices and flatten them slightly with a spatula. Brush the rim of the pie shell with water and slide the lattice on top. Press the edges together to seal. Trim any overhanging lattice. Fold the rim over onto itself and crimp decoratively. Bake the pie for about 1 hour, until the crust is golden all over and the filling is bubbling. Cover the rim with strips of foil if they become too brown. Transfer the pie to a rack and let cool completely.

Sweet Southern Pecan Pie

Prep Time: 10 min.
Cook Time: 50 min
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup SPLENDA(R) Sugar Blend for Baking
1 cup dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
1 (9 inch) unbaked pastry shell

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Combine eggs, SPLENDA(r) Sugar Blend for Baking, corn syrup, butter and vanilla, mixing well; stir in pecan halves. Pour filling into pastry shell.

3. Bake for 50 minutes or until filling is set or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean.

4. Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm.

Pumpkin Pie

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups fresh Pumpkin Puree or canned
3 large eggs, lightly beaten, plus
1 egg for glaze
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pumpkin puree, and 3 eggs. Beat well. Add evaporated milk, and combine. Set aside.
2. Between two pieces of plastic wrap, roll pate brisee into a 12-inch circle. Fit pastry into a 9-inch glass pie plate; trim dough evenly along edge, leaving about a 1/2-inch overhang. Pinch to form a decorative edge. If the dough begins to soften, chill for 15 minutes.
3. Make the glaze: Beat the remaining egg, and combine with heavy cream. Brush glaze very lightly on edges of pie shell. Fill pie shell with pumpkin mixture. Transfer to prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F, and continue baking for 30 minutes more. Cool on a wire rack.