Pop Culture

Hamentaschen are unarguably the dessert du jour for Purim, but that doesn’t mean that there’s no room for creative interpretation. Iron out the corners, add a lollipop stick handle for grab-and-go fun, and you’d get these stunningly simple pie pops. Between the tender crust and fruity center, what are they but miniature, triangular pies, after all? Familiar fillings with small twists liven up the standard pastry, sure to satisfy the traditional and adventurous palate alike. Not to mention, the downsized format is perfect for portion control.

Filling options are truly limitless, but I do have three suggestions to get you started.

Creamy chocolate mousse is a fool-proof pick for any crowd, possessing a richness and depth of flavor unexpected from such a simple preparation. Pecan pie, that classy southern belle, meets with the decidedly northern delight of maple syrup. Crunchy, nutty, sweet and salty, this study in contrasts comes together harmoniously in each bite. Finally, the last filling is not one to share with the kids, but a treat for the adults to fight over instead. Tender pieces of ripe pear are gently simmered in and infused with cider and red wine before being stuffed inside those flaky pastry cases. Family-style pies can only dream of being this elegant and fun all at once.

A few months stand in the way of this fun holiday, so you still have plenty of time to dream and scheme up something new. Hit the links for the aforementioned recipes, and check out the Maple-Pecan filling below…

Yield: Makes Enough for 9 - 10 Pie Pops

Maple-Pecan Filling

Name: Maple-Pecan Filling
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 9
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/4 Cup Maple Syrup; 1/4 Cup Plain Non-Dairy Milk; Pinch Salt; 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch; 3/4 Cup Pecan Pieces; 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

No Ratings

Pecan pie meets with the delightful woodsy sweetness of maple syrup. Crunchy, nutty, sweet and salty, this study in contrasts comes together harmoniously in each bite.

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

1/4 Cup Maple Syrup
1/4 Cup Plain Non-Dairy Milk
Pinch Salt
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
3/4 Cup Pecan Pieces
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Instructions

In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, vigorously whisk together the maple syrup, non-dairy milk, salt, and cornstarch, so that there are no lumps of starch remaining. Cook until the mixture comes up to a lively bubble, whisking constantly so that nothing sticks or burns.
Once fully boiling and significantly thickened, turn off the heat and stir in the pecan pieces and vanilla. Cool completely before baking into pie pops.
Proceed as per the instructions in the pie crust recipe.

Recommended Products

Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have experience with all of these companies and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something through my links.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 82Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 17mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 1gSugar: 6gProtein: 1g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

[Written for Joy of Kosher Magazine]

January 28, 2012February 12, 2022

Hannah (BitterSweet)29 Comments

Smooth as Silk Pie

Any given morning can effortlessly and instantly descend into all-out chaos. The relentless push to check more to-do’s off my never ending list growing stronger as the clock ticks away the hours, it can take quite a feat to stop me in my tracks. Despite the monstrous bulk of the bright white carton plunked on the door step not too long ago, had it not been placed squarely in my path, blocking re-entry into the house after one of many grocery runs, I can’t promise I would have found it that same day.

Wrestling the cardboard box inside with precisely zero grace, fumbling to cut through the tape, and finally managing to wedge the styrofoam cooler out, an embarrassment of riches awaited me. Vegan Greek-style yogurt, in plain and vanilla, in great quantity. Enough to eat, and bake with; An impressive number, knowing my appetite for the flavored varieties already.

For a hectic day, a simple yet satisfying dessert was in order. Chocolate pie, ready in a flash, and healthy enough to justify one generous, large wedge per person. Inspired by the wholly decadent French silk pie, this is a less sweet, less rich, and far less guilt-inducing version that you could possibly get away with eating for breakfast. At least I hope so, because that’s what I did.

Yield: Makes 8 - 10 Servings

Greek Silk Pie

No Ratings

Chocolate pie, ready in a flash, and healthy enough to justify one generous, large wedge per person.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 3 hours

Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 9-Inch Pie Crust, Homemade or Store-Bought, Blind-Baked and Cooled
3 Ounces Unsweetened Chocolate
1/2 Cup Vegan Butter
3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
3 Tablespoons Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Instant Coffee Powder
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 (5.3-Ounce) Containers Greek-Style Yogurt, Divided

Instructions

Begin by melting down the chocolate either in a double-boiler or in the microwave, nuking at intervals of 30 seconds and stirring well until smooth. Set aside and let cool for at least 15 minutes.
In the bowl of your stand mixer, thoroughly cream together the butter and sugar as if you were making cookies, until light and fluffy. Beat in the cocoa, salt, coffee powder, and vanilla, followed by one of the containers of Greek yogurt. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, and mix well. Don’t worry if the mixture looks grainy at this point.
Add in the melted chocolate, and whip on high for 3 minutes. Slowly incorporate the final container of yogurt, and then resume beating the filling on high speed for an additional 2 – 3 minutes, until smooth.
Pour the filling into your prepared pie crust, and tap it lightly on the counter to release any air bubbles that may be trapped within, and smooth down the top evenly. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.
Top slices with a generous dollop of vegan whipped cream, if desired.

Recommended Products

October 12, 2011December 14, 2021

Hannah (BitterSweet)44 Comments

Busted by the Passover Police

Not a thing gets past you guys, my dear, astute readers. Rest assured, I wasn’t trying to pull a fast one on anyone, but somehow it managed to slip past my grasp that limoncello is made with vodka, and yes, vodka is in fact made with grain, rendering it chametz for Passover. Doh! Though this oversight can happily be corrected by simply substituting lemon juice for the alcohol, nothing could correct the composition of my finished cheesecake bites. A new dessert was needed for the approaching seder, and soon. So I took to the kitchen and made a lavish semi-freddo, a beautiful thing with ribbons of chocolate and emerald green pistachios… Using cornstarch (corn is considered kitniyot.) Strike two.

Despite the fact that I was bat miztvahed eons ago, I sure do suck at being Jewish.

Not one to give up, though, it was back to the drawing board. Frantically scrambling to mix and match the odd ingredients on hand into something both delicious and kosher, it seemed there was no good resolution in sight… Until I fell upon the leftovers from an experimental whipped creme. Made merely from nuts, this was just the ticket.

Folded in with ample amounts of melted bittersweet chocolate and fresh strawberry puree, this fluffy filling was right at home on top of a thin layer of fresh, sliced strawberries, all in an almond meal and cocoa crust. Nothing wheat-y, grain-y, or otherwise offensive here! Fingers crossed, I think that this one will finally appease the Passover police.

Happy Pesach!

Edited, because I woudn’t want to anger the hungry hordes…. I wasn’t planning on posting the recipe, since it was so last-minute and I’m not prepared to sign off on that whipped topping experiment, but I realized that by substituting a store-bought version, it should work out just as well. So, consider this an extra-special little Passover gift!

Yield: Makes 8 - 12 Servings

Strawberry-Chocolate Mousse Pie

No Ratings

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

Cocoa Crust:

1 1/2 Cups Almond Meal
1/4 Cup Natural Cocoa Powder
1/4 Cup Vegan Butter or Coconut Oil, Melted
2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar

Strawberry and Chocolate Mousse Filling:

1 Cup Fresh Strawberry Puree*
1/4 Cup Light Agave Nectar
Pinch Salt
12 Ounces Bittersweet Chocolate, Finely Chopped
1 1/4 Cups Whippable Vegan Cream or Coconut Cream
1/2 – 1 Cup Sliced Fresh Strawberries

Instructions

For the crust, preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and lightly oil a 9-inch round pie pan. Mix together all of the crust ingredients in a large bowl, and transfer the well-blended mixture to you prepared pan. Use your fingers and the palms of your hands to smoothly press it into the bottom and up the sides, making sure there are no bare patches. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the top edges are slightly deeper brown. Set aside and let cool.
Meanwhile, you can start to get the filling together. In a large, microwave safe dish, combine the strawberry puree, agave, salt, and chopped chocolate. Microwave for 1 – 2 minutes, stirring thoroughly at 30 second intervals, until completely melted and smooth. Set aside for the time being to let cool.
Pour the whippable cream into the bowl of your stand mixer, and whip on high speed for 3 – 4 minutes, until its about tripled in volume, light and fluffy. Take a dollop out and stir it into the chocolate mixture, just to lighten it up a bit. Now, move half of the remaining whipped “cream” and place it in the bowl of chocolate mix. Use a wide spatula to gently fold it in, being careful not to knock out the air
bubbles. Add in the remainder of the whipped “cream,” and fold once more.
Evenly cover the bottom of the baked crust with sliced strawberries, and then spoon the finished chocolate mousse on top. Decorate the edges with additional sliced strawberries, if desired.

Notes

*To make strawberry puree, just take about 1/2 pound of fresh or frozen and thawed strawberries, and blend them into smithereens in your food processor or blender. Strain, if desired (I was in a rush and didn’t; I don’t think the finished pie suffered because of it.)

If You Can’t Take the Heat…

…Then don’t cook with chipotles. Spice is one thing; those distinctive flavors and gentle warmth make cooking come to life, adding a spark that simply cannot be replaced. Chilies, however, are on a whole different playing field, and the threat of their taste bud-obliterating burn has kept me far away for as long as I’ve been cooking. Pick just one wrong, innocent-looking little capsicum, and you’ll pay dearly for hours to come. My reluctance was only reinforced when a venture in chili making went awry after using a whole can of chipotles in adobo sauce in a batch meant to feed six… To call it inedible would be kind.

And yet, for ages it seems, one lone can of those very chipotles remained in the pantry, quietly waiting to be released from their aluminum prison and start some fires. After studiously avoiding them for perhaps a year or so, curiosity (and frugality; as if they would ever go to waste!) got the best of me. Armed with a can opener and a plenty of vanilla ice cream to extinguish the burn, it was time to push the limits and see how these hot peppers behaved… In dessert.

Maybe I’ve spent a few too many late nights watching Alton Brown, but suddenly, the sound of chipotle mashed sweet potatoes became too attractive to put out of mind without a second thought. Presenting such a dish to my straight-up, butter- and cream- mashed potato family would be flat out heresy, so a different approach with clearly needed. Dialing back on the chipotles so that they provided just the slightest tingle on the tongue, a gentle after burn, if you will, their intensity is further tempered by the soothing contrast of brown sugar and rich coconut milk. Better yet, a thin base of dark chocolate adds depth to the dessert, and adds appeal for those who aren’t big on pumpkin or sweet potato pie. Yes, this one is different indeed- Just try a bite for yourself!

Sure, it may not look like a traditional pie, but with filling this good, I wanted to really pile it on, and a standard pie pan simply couldn’t accommodate my ideal proportions. And of course, spice is a matter of preference, so if you’re a real chili-head, go ahead and pack it in, but beware; The difference between 1/2 of and 1 whole chipotle is astounding.

Yield: Makes 8 - 12 Servings

Chocolate Chipotle Sweet Potato Pie

No Ratings

Chipotle peppers add a gentle burn to this luscious, creamy pie filling, further tempered by the soothing contrast of brown sugar and rich coconut milk. Better yet, a thin base of dark chocolate adds depth to the dessert, and adds appeal for those who aren’t big of either pumpkin or sweet potato pie

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

Chocolate Crust:

1 Cup Chocolate Wafer Cookie Crumbs
3/4 Cup Almond Meal
2 Tablespoons Natural Cocoa Powder
2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
5 Tablespoons Vegan Butter or Coconut Oil, Melted
1 Cup (6 Ounces) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Chipotle Sweet Potato Filling:

2 Cups Roasted Sweet Potato Puree*
1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 – 1 Small Chipotle, Canned in Adobo Sauce
1 Teaspoon Adobo Sauce
Pinch Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/4 Cup Tapioca Starch
1 Cup Full-Fat Coconut Milk
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

To Serve (Optional):

Coconut Whipped Creme
Chocolate Shavings or Curls

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and lightly grease a 9-inch round springform pan.
Beginning with the crust, combine the cookie crumbs, almond meal, cocoa powder, and sugar in a large bowl. Pour in the melted butter or coconut oil, and mix thoroughly, until all of the crumbs are moistened and will stick together when pressed. Transfer this mixture into your prepared pan, and use lightly moistened hands or the flat bottom of a measuring cup to smooth it out, pressing it evenly into the base of the pan.
Bake for 10 – 15 minutes, until it no longer appears shiny on top. Immediately after removing the crust from the oven, sprinkle it evenly with your chocolate chips, and let them sit for a moment to soften and become melted. Use a spatula to smooth them out over the crust, to form a fairly consistent layer. Set aside.
Moving on to the filling, simply place all of the ingredients (starting with the lesser amount of chipotle) in your food processor or blender, and pulse to combine. Pause and scrape down the sides of the work bowl as needed, to make sure that everything is getting incorporated, until the filling mixture is completely smooth and homogeneous. Taste for seasoning, and add in more chipotle (or even adobo sauce, if that’s not enough for you) as desired. The heat does tone down a bit after being baked, but not too much, so go easy on those spicy little peppers! Once you’re satisfied with the level of spice, pour the sweet potato mix on top of your prepared crust, and smooth out the top.
Tap the pan a few times on the counter to release any air bubbles before sliding it into the oven. Bake for 20 – 28 minutes, until the edges are set but the center still looks wobbly, much like a cheesecake. Let cool completely before moving the pie into the fridge to cool.
Only after it is thoroughly chilled can you top it with the coconut whipped creme and chocolate shavings. Release the ring from the springform pan and and serve! And yes, if you added just a touch too much chipolte, a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream does help tame the flame.

Notes

*To make roasted sweet potato puree, crank up your oven to 400 degrees. Peel and roughly dice two medium – large sweet potatoes, and toss with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle very lightly with coarse sea salt, and bake for 20 – 30 minutes, until the pieces are fork-tender and lightly browned around the edges. Let cool, and puree to a completely smooth consistency in your food processor or blender. Alternately, you could use canned sweet potato or even pumpkin puree.

A Berry Refreshing Reinterpretation

Bubbling away furiously in the blisteringly hot oven, it was quickly becoming clear that my supposedly simple little tart was not going to behave according to plan. Baking up to a beautiful golden-brown around the increasingly crisp crust, but still almost entirely liquid in the center, something definitely went wrong in the recipe writing process. Disappointing, frustrating, and absolutely humbling, it’s an inevitable occurrence when baking from scratch, but every failure still stings all the same. Of all things, a most ordinary pastry got the best of me- What a blow to the ego!

Removing my mess carefully so as not to slosh that rich magenta berry juice onto the kitchen floor, I was stewing in my own juices, too. Time has been limited every since I took on a full course load of photography classes, and now a day’s worth of edible experimentation would be for naught. Such a sad waste of sweetness.

Like a child sulking at the tail-end of a tantrum, I left the unruly, half-baked dessert to cool and think about what it had done. It’s unlikely that it got the message from my cold shoulder approach, but it gave me time to think, because I wasn’t about to trash everything that easily. It wasn’t until nightfall when inspiration struck, but suddenly, I realized I may just yet have the makings for a stunning summer dessert on my hands.

An overnight rest in the freezer did the trick, completely transforming the once unservable slop into something worth remembering. Now perfectly firm and easy to slice cleanly, it also gained the added element of a refreshingly chilly temperature, making it ideal for these last few hot days of the season. Turns out my initial blunder may have been a blessing in disguise.

Since it was initially conceived as a quick way to clean out the fridge a bit, feel free to improvise with what you have on hand. Any mixture of berries and any flavor of jam will get along just fine in this lightly sweetened, malted crust. I personally can’t get enough of that indescribable malt flavor, but if you can’t get a hold of the flour, an equal measure of cocoa powder could create a delectable chocolate pastry shell instead.

Yield: Makes 10 - 12 Servings

Frozen Berry Tart

No Ratings

Perfectly refreshing for a steamy summer day, fresh berries meet a malted pastry crust in beautiful frozen harmony.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Additional Time 7 hours

Total Time 8 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

Malted Pastry Crust:

1 2/3 Cups All Purpose Flour
6 Tablespoons Cup Barley Malt Flour
2 Tablespoons Dark Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
6 Tablespoons Vegan Butter, Chilled and Cut into Pieces
6 Tablespoons Vegetable Shortening
1 – 2 Tablespoons Ice Water

Mixed Berry Filling:

4 Cups Fresh or Frozen Mixed Berries
1/2 – 1 Cup Granulated Sugar*
3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
1/4 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Cup Apricot Jam or Preserves of Choice

Instructions

Beginning with the pastry, combine both flours, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add in the both fats, and use a pastry cutter or fork to cut them into the dry goods, until the mixture becomes a fairly coarse meal-like consistency with a few lumps, no larger than peas. Drizzle in 1 tablespoon of water, stirring well (I find this works best with your hands, to make sure everything is being thoroughly incorporated). If the dough is still too dry to fully come together, slowly drizzle in the remaining water until you achieve a cohesive ball. Press it together firmly, and shape into a flat round. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before proceeding.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease and flour a 9-inch round fluted tart pan with removable bottom.
Toss together the berries, sugar (to taste), cornstarch, pepper, and salt in a large bowl, until the fruits are evenly coated and distributed. Set aside.
Retrieve your chilled crust from the fridge, and quickly roll it out on a well-floured surface to prevent it from warming up too much. It is a very fragile dough, so don’t panic if it tears or threatens to completely fall apart. Just move it as best you can into the prepared pan, and use your fingers to press it evenly into the bottom and up the sides, patching holes as necessary.
Spread your jam evenly across the empty pastry shell, and finally, top that with your berry mixture. Smooth down the filling so it’s not mounded up in the center, and bake for 40 – 45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. The filling may still be very liquid, so handle it with care.
Let cool completely before covering and carefully moving into the freezer. Let freeze overnight, or at least 6 hours, until firm.

Notes

*Depending on what berries you choose and how ripe they are, their sweetness can vary greatly. To make sure that your tart isn’t too sweet or too sour, add the lesser amount of sugar at first, give the filling a taste, and adjust as desired.

Any mixture of berries and any flavor of jam will get along just fine in this lightly sweetened, malted crust. I personally can’t get enough of that indescribable malt flavor, but if you can’t get a hold of the flour, an equal measure of cocoa powder could create a delectable chocolate pastry shell instead.

Hop On Over

What’s sweet, minty, and green all over? Don’t worry, it’s not the set up for a bad joke, but a grasshopper pie! With roots going back only to the 60’s, it’s a relative new comer on the pie scene, and yet no one is quite sure where the name came from. I might speculate that it’s “green as a grasshopper,” but then why didn’t they call it frog pie, or Calyptomena viridis pie? Not as catchy? No, I can’t imagine that’s the reason…

It was allegedly said that “dinner guests sometimes click their heels with glee over a superb dessert,” but if that were the case, why aren’t there more grasshopper desserts? Wouldn’t we all be clicking our heels over every molten chocolate cake that crosses our lips?

Anyway, enough silliness, because this is one serious pie. Fortified with a splash of creme de mènthe and chilled, it’s a nostalgic adult treat that absolutely screams summer. Traditionally composed of marshmallows and cool whip, it’s one recipe that was all but off limits until recently, but all that has changed thanks to the brilliant Dandies Marshmallows. Now that vegan marshmallows are more abundant, I can even justify using a whole bag in one recipe!

My take on grasshopper pie has some significant differences from the original, however- Most notably, mine gets its bulk and lovely green hue thanks to some creamy avocados, not artificial whipped topping or nasty green dye. Freezing it makes for a truly refreshing treat, and gives it the added bonus of being stable enough to make popsicles out of. Pi-sicles, if you will. Yes, you heard me right- Frozen grasshopper pie on a stick, dipped in chocolate!

What are you waiting for? This a pie that belongs on your summer menu, one way or another!

Yield: Makes 8 - 10 Servings

Frozen Grasshopper Pie

No Ratings

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Additional Time 4 hours 30 minutes

Total Time 4 hours 50 minutes

Ingredients

Chocolate Crust:

1 1/2 Cups Chocolate Cookie Crumbs (15 Chocolate Sandwich Cookies)
5 Tablespoons Vegan Butter, Melted

Mint Filling:

1 Cup Pureed Avocado (From About 2 Small, Ripe Avocados)
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
1/4 Cup Crème de Menthe*
1 10-Ounce Package Vegan Marshmallows
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Peppermint Extract
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Instructions

Begin by combining the cookie crumbs and melted butter in a large bowl, and stir well until there are no dry spots. Transfer this mixture to a 9-inch round pie tin, and use your fingers to press it evenly across the bottom and up the sides. Place the crust in your freezer until firm, at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, you can start preparing the filling. Puree your avocado using a blender or food processor, along with the lemon juice and crème de menthe. Scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically ensure you have no lumps of avocado. Set aside.
Place all of the marshmallows in a medium sauce pan, and set it over moderate heat. Stir continuously until the marshmallows have completely melted, and quickly transfer the marshmallow goo into your food processor or blender. Pulse to combine, and add in the salt, mint, and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides once or twice between pulses, until the mixture is homogeneous. Pour into your frozen crust, and return the whole thing to the freezer.
Let freeze for at least 4 hours, until set and sliceable. If desired, top with chocolate shavings, curls, or ganache.
Alternately, cut into 8 slices, insert lollipop or popsicle sticks into the side crust, and dip in homemade magic shell (a double batch will cover the whole pie nicely and leave you with plenty leftover for other ice cream treats.)

Notes

*To make this pie kid-friendly, replace the alcohol with 1/4 cup plain non-dairy milk and 1 teaspoon peppermint extract.