Crustless Quiche

This savory, crustless quiche is an elegant, yet easy, recipe! The eggs have a light and airy quality that are well-balanced with hearty bits of ham and Swiss cheese. This delicious recipe pairs easily with a salad anchoring a meal that’s satisfying enough to be called either brunch or dinner!

Savory, Crustless Quiche - Ham & Cheese
Makes one 9-inch pie

Ingredients:
1/2 large sweet onion, diced and sautéed
2 tablespoons butter
5 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup ham, finely diced
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1-2 cups Swiss cheese, grated
Fresh chives for garnishing

Directions:
1. Prepare a 9-inch pie dish by buttering all of the surfaces, or spraying with a cooking spray.

2. Preheat the oven to 350°F

3. In a skillet, saute the onion in 1 tablespoon of butter until softened. Remove from the heat and let the onions cool slightly.

4. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until combined. Add the cream and whisk some more until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, Kosher salt, and back pepper; continue whisking. Fold in the sour cream and cottage cheese. Stir in the cooled, cooked onions.

5. Layer the diced ham in the quiche pan. Sprinkle the ham with the Parmesan and Swiss cheeses. 6. Pour the egg mixture over the ham and cheese.

7. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the egg is set in the middle, or reaches a temperature of 165°F in the center. Let cool slightly, then slice and serve.

Banana Cream Pie

Banana Cream Pie is a favorite across many generations for a good reason! The memorable flavors of sweet banana and creamy vanilla custard are wonderfully compatible and so delicious. This recipe introduces a playful peanut butter graham cracker crust that can’t be beat. But, the real show stopper is the impressive meringue topping, caramelized by the kitchen’s most thrilling tool — the culinary torch!

Banana Cream Pie
Makes One 9” Pie

Peanut Butter Graham Cracker Crust:
4 tablespoons butter, plus 1 tablespoon butter for greasing the pie pan
1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (roughly 14 whole graham cracker sheets)
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Meringue:
3 large pasteurized egg whites, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/3 cup superfine caster sugar

Custard Filling:
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 large eggs
3 large yolks (reserve the whites for the meringue)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes
2 large bananas, sliced

Prepare the crust:
Generously butter a 9" pie pan. In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers into fine crumbs. In a medium sized bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and salt. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in the microwave and in a small bowl, stir together with the peanut butter until combined. Slowly add the butter and peanut butter to the graham cracker mix, using your hands to combine until the crust beings to stick together. Press the mixture evenly to the bottom and up the sides of the buttered pie pan. Chill the pie crust for about 2 hours.

Make the custard and banana filling:
In a medium sauce pan, heat the milk over medium until milk is just scalding. (You will know it is scalding when the milk reaches 180°F and it begins to steam and bubbles start to form.) In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, eggs, egg yolks, sugar, brown sugar, salt, and cornstarch until smooth. Stream in 1/2-cup of the hot milk stirring continuously. Gradually add the remaining hot milk continuing to stir. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan used to heat the milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring continually, until the mixture comes to a soft boil, stirring all the while. Remove from heat. While hot, add the vanilla extract and the cubes of butter. Stir until the butter is melted and combined into the mixture. Set the mixture aside to cool to room temperature. Place a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the pastry cream to prevent the formation of a “skin.” Refrigerate for one hour or until cooled. Arrange the banana slices in a single layer on the chilled graham cracker crust. Pour the custard filling on top of the bananas. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours.

Make the meringue:
In a stand mixer set to low speed, beat the egg whites until they are frothy. Add the cream of tartar and increase the mixer speed to medium. Continue beating the egg whites until large bubbles form around the edges and the whites begin to get fluy. Gradually add the sugar one teaspoon at a time until fully incorporated. Continue beating on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Spoon the egg whites over the top of the custard, evenly spreading and covering the pie all the way to the edge of the crust. Use the back of a spoon to lift up the egg whites to create varying peaks. Use a culinary torch to toast and gently caramelize the meringue. Serve and enjoy!

Spicy Chocolate Mousse Pie

In this recipe, we explore the uniquely complex and deeply satisfying flavors of Mexican chocolate. This Spicy Chocolate Mousse Pie boasts a crumbly, chocolate cookie crust, and a mousse so light it almost evaporates in your mouth. Meanwhile, a little sweet heat is left behind ready to tickle your taste buds!

Spicy Chocolate Mousse Pie with Fresh, Homemade Vanilla Whipped Cream
Makes one 9-inch pie

Chocolate Mousse Filling:
1 tablespoon hot water
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
4 pasteurized egg whites (or 1/2 cup pasteurized liquid egg whites)
1 cup sugar
10 oz. 70% semisweet baking chocolate, chopped, plus some for garnishing
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups heavy cream, divided
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Crust:
2-1/2 cups chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs (roughly 30 cookies; like Oreos)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder
Pinch of salt
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon for greasing the pie dish

Vanilla Whipped Cream:
1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Make the crust. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a pie dish pan with 1 tablespoon melted butter.

2. In a food processor, pulse the chocolate cookies (including filling) until fine crumbs form, about 2 minutes. Add the cinnamon, espresso powder and a pinch of salt and pulse a few times to incorporate. In a medium bowl, melt the remaining butter and mix in the cookie crumbs, coating them until the crumbs are coated.

3. Pour the crumb mixture into the pie dish and use the bottom of a measuring cup to press the mixture firmly to the edges to create a crust. Bake for 10 minutes until crust is set. Let it cool to room temperature.

4. Prepare the mousse filling by combining the espresso powder in the hot water, stirring until dissolved. Set aside. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites and sugar on medium high speed until the whites have tripled in volume and stiff peaks have formed, roughly 5-6 minutes. Use a spatula to scrape the mixture into a large bowl.

5. Clean the mixing bowl and in the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, and vanilla on medium-high speed until medium peaks form and the cream is pillowy, roughly 2 minutes. Do not over whisk.

6. Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl positioned over a saucepan of simmering water stirring until the chocolate is melted and smooth, roughly 4-5 minutes. Stir in the espresso mixture.

7. Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the egg whites, then gently fold in the whipped cream to the egg and chocolate mixture until no white streaks are left. Do not over mix or the mousse will start to deflate.

8. Use a large spoon to scoop the mousse into the pie dish and spread it evenly over the bottom of the crust. Mound the remaining in the center to be higher than the crust edge. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

9. Make the whipped cream topping by whisking the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, roughly 2 minutes. Do not over whip or the cream will become curdled and grainy. Top the pie with the whipped cream and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. When ready to serve, sprinkle with the shaved chocolate and dust with a pinch of cinnamon and cayenne, if desired.

Salted Caramels

Everyone loves the captivating flavors of fresh homemade caramels! 

The little known secret? They are deceptively easy to make. Fresh, homemade caramels make great treats for sharing as little gifts in the holiday weeks ahead. IN THIS ISSUE, we show you, step-by-step, how to  master boutique caramels made in your own kitchen.

Handcrafted Caramels
Makes about 120 - 140 pieces, depending on size

Ingredients:
Vegetable oil (for coating pan)
3 cups heavy cream
3 cups granulated white sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 cups light corn syrup
1-1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Prepare a 9 x 13 rimmed pan prior to starting to cook. Oil the bottom and sides of the pan well using a tasteless vegetable oil, one that stays liquid at room temperature. Line the pan with a criss-cross of parchment paper cut to match the pan’s size with a little extra at the ends; avoid any wrinkles in the corners. Set aside.

2. Wipe the interior of a large saucepan or Dutch oven with a light coating of oil. Measure the heavy cream, sugars, light corn syrup and salt into the pan. Over medium-low heat, stir the ingredients together until well-combined and the sugar is dissolved.

3. Increase the heat to medium. Continue stirring until the cream-sugar mixture reaches a boil. Stop stirring. Using a brush dipped in warm water, wash down any sugar crystals that may have formed on the edge of the pan. Allow the mixture to cook, without stirring, until it reaches the firm-ball stage, around 248°F as measured on a candy thermometer clamped to the side of the pan. (If you do not have a candy thermometer, use a water test to check for the appropriate sugar stage. A drop (approximately 1/4 teaspoon) of caramel in cold water should form a firm ball, yet be pliable.)

4. Remove the caramel from heat, add the butter and vanilla stirring until melted and well-combined with the cream-sugar mixture. (Cutting the butter into half-inch cubes will help to efficiently melt and distribute this key ingredient.)

5. Carefully pour the caramel into the prepared, lined pan. Allow the caramel to set and cool to room temperature. This will take several hours or overnight. (For evenly sized caramels, make sure the pan is setting on a level surface.)

6. Once cooled, lift the sheet of caramel from the pan to a safe cutting surface. The caramel should retain its shape. Neaten the edges of the caramel to remove the rounded edges. Cut the caramel slab vertically and horizontally in desired sizes and shapes with a long-bladed cook’s knife. We suggest 1-1/4-inch by 1/2-inch pieces, or 1-inch squares. Wrap the pieces in nonstick wrap such as parchment paper. Store at cool room temperatures for up to 2-3 weeks.