The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Preparing for the 4th of July

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Preparing for the 4th of July

It's pie month in my kitchen.   That time of year when berrries and stone fruits are the tastiest ever and a great excuse to make a pie or two.

I had my oven all heated up on a warm summer day and, didn't want to let the oven heat go to waste after my two large Sourdough Country Semonlina loaves came out.  I forgot to add the sesame seeds : / to them.  Still they are delicious and made wonderful garlic toast today for dinner. 

There were some raspberries, blackberries and blueberries in the frig, just enough for a mixed berry pie.  So I tossed one together.  Mike loved it.  Blueberry is his favorite pie.  It was throughly enjoyed on his days off from work.  Yes, this pie and bread were baked nearly 2 days ago.

 

The pie crust texture is a little less layered when I use the food processor method, mixing all except the water, which is added after the mixture is removed from the food processor.

Three even TBsp. of Tapioca Flour gives me about the right consistancy for my  9 inch berry pie to 'set up' nicely, not to dry and not to runny.

I get the best results using dark or clear glass pie pans.  I like to brush the crust with milk and sprinkle with different sugar's.  This one had raw turbinado sugar..gives a nice crispness and added sweetness to my not to sweet pies.  I always use a rim cover, bake on a round pizza pan or cookie sheet...saves for runny messes.  Start out in a hot convection 425F oven for 15 minutes and then bake at 375F-350F convection oven, until I see the filling bubbling.  Remove the rim cover, brown the crust up and remove the berry pie.

I ran short on AP flour and added some cake flour and a teaspoon of vinegar to this pastry crust with Kerry Gold Butter and Crisco, sugar and salt in it.  

 

 

 

 

 

I have been wanting to make a good key lime pie for sometime now.  Yesterday I purchased some key limes and baked a KL pie today.  Mike declared it the best KL pie he has ever tasted.

 

It is a version of a Key Lime Pie recipe I found on 'All Recipes.com' and it's a good one...given 5 stars by well over a thousand testers.  There's no egg in this pie and, that's my favorite way to enjoy a KL pie.  It's very easy to make.  The hardest part is juicing those tiny little key limes.  The best way to do it is with a 'garlic press' an absolutely wonderful way to go about juicing these little buggers.  It was suggested by one who had also made the KL pie.

 

 

Just the right texture.  This is just how I like my KL pie to taste.  Mike just loved it...I think he has a new favorite.

 

 

Here's the recipe for the KL pie and also the crust I made of gram crackers...or honey grams.  If your in the mood for a good KL pie, give this one a try.  I don't think you'll be disappointed.

 

Pre-heat Oven to 350F  (175 C)       -   This KL pie and crust was baked in my Toaster Oven... kept the house cool today.

Honey Gram Cracker Crust - 

1 1/2  cups Honey Gram Crackers

1/2 cup sugar

6 TBsp. Melted Butter

In a processor 'or can be done by hand'.  Process the Honey Gram Crackers broken up a bit with the Sugar and Melted Butter.  Until all holds together and is evenly moistened.

Press with fingertips and I also the smooth bottom of a cup.  Press into a 9 inch pie plate.

Bake for about 8 minutes in your 350F pre-heated oven.

Remove and let cool while you prepare your filling.

 

Pre- heat Oven 350F - (175 degrees C )

 

Key Lime Pie Filling

3/4 Cups Key Lime Juice

2 Cans of Sweetened Condensed Milk - 14 oz. each

1/2 Cup Sour Cream

1 TBsp. grated Lime zest

1.  In a medium bowl, combine condensed milk, sour cream, key lime juice and the zest.

2.  Mix well and pour into the graham cracker crust.

3.  Bake in the preheated oven for about 5 to 8 minutes.  Mine took the full 8 minutes.  

Bake until you see tiny pinhole sized bubbles burst on the surface of the pie.  DO NOT BROWN YOUR PIE.

Chill throughly before serving with some whip cream and a garnish with some sliced lime or zest.

 

These are also nice on a hot day. 

Frozen, chocolate dipped banana's with crushed added walnuts.  

Put your sliced banana's on a parchment lined tray with the sticks inserted while you melted your chocolate.

I melted some good quality chocolate in my double broiled and spoon drizzled it over the banana's and rolled them in crushed walnuts.

 

Have a very Happy Fourth of July and don't eat to much pie : )

Sylvia

 

 

 

Comments

PiPs's picture
PiPs

So much good stuff on display ... the key lime pie has caught my eye though!

Happy 4th of July Sylvia

Cheers,
Phil

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Thank you, Phil : )

Sylvia

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Wow!  If I don't eat breakfast -lunch and dinner I can have some bites of all your evil goodness!  Beautiful baking Sylvia.

Thanks for sharing and have a great 4th of July.

Regards

Ian

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

We are enjoying some light summer dinner's...so the pie makes a nice dessert to go with a movie.

Sylvia

breadsong's picture
breadsong

Hi Sylvia,
Beautiful, beautiful pies - and thanks for the tip for juicing the key limes!!!
I juiced a bunch once, but only once - it was a chore. I'll try it your way!
:^) breadsong

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

What a chore juicing, until I used the garlic press.  It works great!  

Thank you for the nice comments, breadsong!

Sylvia

Mebake's picture
Mebake

Really Beautiful Pies, Sylvia! The chocolate dipped bananas are so ingenious.

Happy 4th of July.

-Khalid

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

The frozen banana's are a great way to also put up some banana's for later that might get to ripe.  Very refreshing on a hot day.

Sylvia

evonlim's picture
evonlim

Blue berry pie caught my attention!! yummy !

Happy 4th of July Sylvia

evon

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Sylvia

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

one of those pies for the 4th!  Perfect for a hot summer day. When living in Miami, i could get key lime pie every day just about anywhere,  It is one of my favorites.  Key limes are sweeter than normal limes, are ripe and best for pie when they are completely yellow.  When i buy them  I always get enough for a pie and let them turn yellow in the fridge veggie crisper over several weeks.  Still, green ones are awful good in pie too!  I'll never forget my Grandmother coming back from a trip to Florida so may years ago with a sack of key limes saying 'wait till you see what I make with these!'  It is as happy as i ever saw her.  What fond memories.

Your selection of 4th of July baked and other goodies is just ....terrific!   That berry pie with the beautiful crust and the naked semolina bread are exceptional.

Happy 4th of July Sylvia 

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Thank you DAb : )

I didn't know that about the KL.  I still have about 20 left and they are about half yellow.  They say the Mexican limes are very nice in a pie too.  Tree ripened Mexican limes are yellow and sweet too.

I love a thick upper crust on my pie...because that was the way I had a homemade cherry pie, years ago in a tiny little fish camp resturant...best cherry pie I ever ate.

I really enjoy the sesame seeds on this bread.  I didn't realize I left the seeds off until they were in the oven.  I considered giving the loaves a spray of water, since they were still steaming, give a toss of sseeds on top.  I still wonder if that would have worked.

Sylvia

 

pmccool's picture
pmccool

Because I'd certainly like to have a piece of each of those pies!  Yum!

Paul

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Yes, he does!  He's also very competitive..I  guess that comes from his sport addiction.  He will always leave one small last slice : ) 

Sylvia

trailrunner's picture
trailrunner

You really did it Sylvia !! So yummy !! I wish there were more than 2 of us and I too would make a pie using your receipt !   I shall live viacriously. c

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Have a great 4th!

Sylvia

varda's picture
varda

Glad you don't live around here.   I know a certain sweet-toothed somebody who might just stray away if he saw those goodies up close ;>)  Yum.  Happy FOJ.  -Varda

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Happy Fourth to you and yours!

Sylvia

ananda's picture
ananda

Love it Sylvia,

...all of it!

Best wishes

Andy

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Thank you, Andy : )

Sylvia

Franko's picture
Franko

Hi Sylvia,

Much as I love the tarts and pastries that you find in the UK & EU, it's hard to beat a good NA style pie, especially when it's one of yours! It all looks sooo good to me, particularly the berry pie, but I'd be just as happy with any one your creations if I was lucky enough to be at your table. Hope you and Mike have a super 4th tomorrow!

All the best,

Franko

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Looks like you had quite a nice holiday, jet lag and all, you baked up a load outstanding breads with Andy!

Nothing beats homemade pie...and I know you can bake up some scumptious pastries too!

Thank you for the very nice comments.

Mike's working.  He will have some nice dinner before he leaves and I'll watch fireworks from the far distance of my house.  There is neighborhood parade and pot luck picnic tomorrow.

Sylvia

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

Mine took 10 minutes to have little pin bubbles but my mini oven is 25 F lower than it says.  Thanks for the reminder about this great pie for the summer months,.  My limes I had in the crisper were a little over half yellow.

Can't wait to taste it.  The spoon sure tasted great!  Happy 4th of July to you adn yours Sylvia !

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Looks absolutely delicious!

I was sorry I didn't make my crust a little thicker like yours..the crust is a tasty complement to the pie.

I could have left mine in a little longer.  The bubbles were just barely showing.

It sure is nice to make a pie in a mini, they turn out so nice, even though mine is indoors it sure saves from heating up the house.

Thank you for showing me your beautiful KL pie.  Makes me want a slice...glad I don't have to wait :)

Sylvia

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

Everything bakes better in the mini oven.  = Especially the bread!