Author: helenspencerpantazis

Grasshopper Pie

A little bit fussy, Pie
Happy Pi Day! No one could talk me out of making this grasshopper pie – it’s light and tasty and goes down easy. Which is a good thing since I’ll have to make this about 20 more times now that I have this entire bottle of creme de menthe.

Chocolate Cookie Crust:

  • 2 1/4 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (chocolate graham crackers, nabisco wafers, etc)
  • 4 TBSP unsalted butter

Grasshopper Filling:

  • 3 TBSP sugar
  • 1 package unflavored gelatin
  • 1/2 cup creme de menthe
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 4 egg whites
  • 3 TBSP sugar
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Sweetened Whipped Cream Topping:

  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 TBSP sugar

Chocolate Ganache Drizzle:

  • 75g dark chocolate, chopped
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Make Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine chocolate cookie crumbs and melted butter. Pat into the bottom and up the sides of a 9″ pie shell.

Bake for 15 minutes. Set aside to Cool.

Make Filling: Whisk together sugar, gelatin and creme de menthe in a small saucepan. Whisk in egg yolks. Whisk over medium heat until thickened – about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat just before the mixture starts to boil (bubbles around the sides of the pan are fine). Transfer to a bowl and let come to room temperature – stirring occasionally.

Beat egg whites until frothy. Gradually add in 3 tablespoons of sugar. Beat until firm peaks. Set aside.

Whip heavy cream in another bowl. Combine cooled creme de menthe mixture with the whipped cream – folding until smooth.

Gently fold egg whites into the creme de menthe/whipped cream mixture until combined. Pour into cooled chocolate crust. You may have filling leftover. Chill.

Make Sweetened Whipped Cream: Beat cream and sugar together until stiff. Top the pie with whipped cream – by piping or spreading. Chill.

Make Ganache Drizzle: Heat heavy cream in a small liquid measuring cup in the microwave until hot but not boiling. Add chopped chocolate and stir until smooth. Drizzle over the chilled pie. Chill until ready to serve.

Cherry Coconut Cookies

Cookies, Unfussy
Pretty much a kitchen sink cookie – this combo with dried cherries, coconut, rice crispies, and almonds turned out to be a winner, but you could mix it up with just about anything (chocolate chips, nuts, potato chips, cornflakes, pretzels, raisins, etc). Choose your own adventure.
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup unfiltered coconut oil
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups dried cherries
  • 1 cup sweetened coconut
  • 1 cup rice crispies
  • 1 cup slivered or chopped almonds, toasted

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spread almonds in a single layer in a sheet pan and toast until lightly brown and fragrant – about 8-10 minutes. Let cool.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.

Cream butter, coconut oil and both sugars on medium speed until light, fluffy and uniform in color. Scrape down bowl as needed.

Beat in vanilla and eggs, one at a time.

Stir in baking soda and salt. Stir in flour until just mixed.

Combine almonds, cherries, crispies and coconut in a medium bowl. With mixer on low speed, add to the cookie dough until mixed thoroughly.

Scoop or shape into balls using about 1/4-1/3 cup of dough per ball. Place on prepared cookie sheets at least 2″ apart.

Press down slightly to flatten each cookie.

Bake for about 15 minutes, rotating baking sheets half way through, until just starting to brown around the edges.

Coconut Banana Bread

Bread, Unfussy
Here’s a springy little quick bread – lots of coconut, a bit of banana, and a smidge of pineapple.
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1 cup AP, 1 cup whole wheat)
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 2 medium bananas (200g), ripe
  • 1 cup crushed pineapple
  • 3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9″x 5″ loaf pan, or line with a parchment sling.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.

Combine sugar and eggs in a medium bowl and whisk until light in color. Whisk in melted coconut oil.

Combine sour cream, bananas, pineapple and coconut in a medium bowl.

Add egg mixture to flour mixture and fold until combined with some dry patches remaining. Add sour cream mixture, folding until smooth.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake for about 45 minutes or until it springs back when touched lightly in the center.

Let cool for 20 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely before slicing.

Slathering with cream cheese is not a bad idea.

Sugared Shortbread

Cookies, Unfussy
I’ve been watching Ted Lasso lately and it has resulted in two things: saying “I appreciate you” with a little twang, and making sugared shortbread. Both are equally enjoyable.
  • 3/4 lb. unsalted butter
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 TBSP granulated sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line an 8″ square baking pan with a parchment sling – cut one piece of parchment 8″ wide and about 14″ long so it lines the bottom exactly and extends over two of the sides so you can lift out the shortbread easily.

Melt butter and cool slightly.

Process powdered sugar, flour, almond flour and salt in the food processor until mixed well. Pour in melted butter and vanilla extract and pulse until a dough has formed.

Press the dough into the prepared pan – try to make it flat. Using a bench scraper or other straight edge, press the dough around the edges of the pan to even them out. Cut the dough down the middle of the pan so you have two 4″ halves. Now cut the dough perpendicular to that cut into 1″ strips. You will have sixteen 1″ bars.

Bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the shortbread is dark golden brown.

Sprinkle liberally with granulated sugar and let cool completely.

Lift shortbread out of pan and cut again following the cuts you made before. Be appreciated.

Marzipan

Candy, Unfussy
This is my favorite marzipan recipe. Vera would eat the entire batch if I let her. It mixes up quickly in the food processor with the almond flour I usually have in the freezer. Cut it or mold it in shapes, dip it in chocolate, cover a cake, fill a Stolen, etc…
  • 1 1/2 cups finely ground almond flour
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 1/2 tsp. almond extract
  • 1 egg white

Pulse the almond flour and powdered sugar together in the food processor until combined. Add almond extract and egg white and process until a smooth dough has formed.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. Or eat.