Nutcracker Sweet Pie Recipes

Steps:

• In a saucepan, steep two Nutcracker Sweet tea bags in boiling water for 4 minutes.
• Remove and discard tea bags, and lower the heat to simmer.
• Add chocolate and butter, stirring until melted.
• Remove saucepan from heat; cool for 10 minutes.
• Add sugar, salt, nuts, eggs, and mix well.
• Pour mixture into unbaked pie shell.
• Bake in preheated oven at 375° for 45 minutes.
• Serve warm or cold, alone or with whipped cream.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Grease 15 x 10-inch baking pan with Butter Flavor Crisco(r). Set aside. *For Base:* Cream Butter Flavor Crisco(r) and peanut butter in large bowl at medium speed of electric mixer. Blend in brown sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat until creamy Combine flour baking powder and salt in small bowl. Set aside. Combine milk and vanilla in measuring cup. Add dry ingredients and milk alternately to creamed mixture. Mix at low speed of electric mixer. Scrape sides of bowl frequently. Beat until blended. Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350F degrees for 18 - 20 minutes. Cool. *For Frosting:* Cream Butter Flavor Crisco(r) and peanut butter in large bowl at medium speed of electric mixer. Add sugar and milk. Beat until fluffy. Spread on cooled cookie base. *For Drizzle:* Melt chocolate pieces on very low heat in small saucepan. Drizzle chocolate from end of spoon back and forth over frosting. Cut into 2-inch squares. Refrigerate 15 to 20 minutes until chocolate is firm.

Steps:

• For the caramel nut pies: Roll dough to 1/4-inch and fit into 4 small flan rings and chill. Combine sugar with enough water to cover in saucepan and place over high heat. Cook sugar to caramel stage (a maple syrup color). Carefully add glucose, cream, milk, salt and walnuts to caramel mixture. Cook the mixture, while stirring, until it is thick like pancake batter. Let the mixture cool. Spread the cooled mixture into the bottom of chilled tartlet shells. Pipe or spread creme d'amandes over the caramel. Bake tarts in a preheated 350 degrees F oven until evenly browned on top. Allow tarts to cool, cut into 4-inch slices and finish with sweetened whipped cream before service.
• For the Chocolate Espresso Bonbons: Put the chocolate into a work bowl. Dry roast the espresso beans in a saute pan over a medium flame until a strong coffee aroma is present. Coarsely crush the beans on a cutting board with the bottom of a pan. Make an infusion with the hot espresso beans and cream. Allow the mixture to steep for at least 30 minutes. Strain the cream into a clean pan. Bring the infused cream to a boil and pour over the chocolate. Gently stir the ganache until the chocolate is incorporated. Let cool slightly. Stir in the coffee liqueur, salt and softened butter. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally. Line coffee cup bonbon molds with tempered chocolate, tapping to make sure molds are lined and have no air bubbles. Once chocolate is set, fill molds with espresso ganache leaving room to seal molds. Seal molds with tempered chocolate, allow to set and remove from molds. Finish bonbon cups with a swirl of mascarpone cream "froth" and dust with cocoa.
• Sift flour and salt together and set aside. Place the butter in a mixer and beat until softened. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten egg, beating until just incorporated. Add flour mixture all at once until it forms a ball. Fatten dough into a disk and chill.
• In a mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and almond paste until light and fluffy and smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, incorporating fully. Add pastry cream powder or cornstarch and mix to combine. Add rum and brandy.
• Blend ingredients together and fit into pastry bag for easy piping.

Steps:

• Sift the flour, sugar and salt into a large bowl. Add the butter and shortening. Rub the fats between your fingertips and thumbs, or use a pastry blender, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. One tablespoon at a time, work in enough ice water just until the dough comes together, being careful not to over mix.
• Shape into a smooth ball of dough, flatten into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, and up to two days.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the sugar and flour. Stir in the eggs, honey, butter, vanilla and salt. Add chopped pecans and mix well. Pour into pastry shell. Arrange pecan halves around edge and center of pie. , Cover edges loosely with foil. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Remove foil; bake 20-25 minutes longer or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Store in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Fold all ingredients into stiffly beaten egg whites.
• Spread into greased pie plate.
• Bake for 25 minutes.
• Serve with whipped cream.