So, this pie. This pie will rock your socks off. I loved it. The lucky friends I shared it with loved it. Four of us ate the whole thing in under 2o minutes. We’re wild like that.

I made this amazing pie for the 4th of July. Sean and I made plans with our friends Jackie and Danny to have a Independence-Day-Grill-Fest! We figured BBQ chicken, corn, cornbread, and potato salad were all quintessentially Americana, and as per usual, I made dessert. Jackie told me it had to be something that screamed “USA!” So, I instantly began thinking about pies…peach pie, cherry, berry, and cream. Each pie was rejected because, well, it’s like hell in my kitchen in the summertime and pastry dough and the oven on for extended periods of time sounded nightmarish. Then, i started thinking about cold pies, with cookie crusts and custardy fillings. Which led me to think of my mom’s ice cream pie, which in turn led me to thoughts of an ice cream-cream pie hybrid!

So, here’s the breakdown: cinnamon toast crumb crust + toasted coconut ice cream + whipped cream + coconut shavings = delicious!

Can i just say, cinnamon toast crumbs…where have you been all my life?! Best crumbs ever…EVER!

listening to: january wedding: the avett brothers

(thanks to Hannah from Honey & Jam for introducing me to this song!! Makes my heart swoon!)

Since the pie was such a delicious success and since it was fairly easy to assemble (you could totally cheat and use a store-bought crust and ice cream), I have many more ice cream pie concoctions and ideas rolling around in my head…like mini mud pies, strawberry ice cream pie, grasshopper ice cream pie…it’s endless :)

Cinnamon Toast Crumb Crust

Adapted from Momofuku for 2

I used leftover challah buns from Trader Joes. I think you could use any bread that you want. I did have to use the oven for the crust, but not for too long and since this recipe is largely assembly, I was able to do all my baking after the sun went down.

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

2 Tablespoons sugar

Large-ish pinch of cinnamon

Small pinch of salt

1 cup cubed bread

Preheat oven to 350F.

Melt butter in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Toss bread cubes with 2 tablespoons of the butter, cinnamon, sugar, and salt. Spread onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway through, or until golden brown and toasty.

Remove toast cubes from the oven and allow to cool completely.

Once cooled, place cubes into a food processor and process until you have fine crumbs. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and pulse until combined. Press crust into the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate or spring form pan.

Place back into a 350F oven and bake for 7-10 minutes. Cool completely before filling (if filling with ice cream, freeze the crust for about 15 minutes after cooling and before filling).

Toasted Coconut Ice Cream

Adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

I think it is important to seek out unsweetened coconut for this, the sweetened kind would make the recipe far too sugary. I found desiccated, unsweetened coconut in the bulk bins at Whole Foods. I have seen it in the bulk sections of other well-stocked grocers as well. Also, I used evaporated cane sugar with great results.

1 ½ cups desiccated coconut, unsweetened

1 cup whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

¾ cup sugar

pinch of salt

1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise

5 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon bourbon

Preheat oven to 350F. Spread coconut on a baking sheet and bake for 5-8 minutes, stir frequently to toast evenly, until golden-brown and fragrant.

In a medium saucepan warm milk, 1 cup of the cream, sugar, salt, and toasted coconut. Scrape the seeds of the vanilla bean into the saucepan and throw in the pod as well. Cover, remove from heat, and steep 30-60 minutes.

Re-warm coconut mixture on the stove. Set a fine mesh strainer over another medium saucepan and strain the coconut infused liquid into the saucepan. Press down on coconut firmly to extract all the goodness. Discard coconut solids.

Pour the remaining cup of cream into a large bowl and set the mesh strainer over the bowl. In a separate bowl whisk the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm coconut mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the custard back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom and sides as you stir until the mixture is thick and coats the back of the spoon. Pour the custard into the strainer and mix with the cream. Stir in the bourbon and stir over and ice bath until cool. Chill the custard in the refrigerator until completely chilled. Process in ice cream maker according to manufactures instructions.

Assembling your ice cream pie!

Spread freshly churned ice cream (because it’s already like soft -serve at this point, smooth and spreadable!) into prepared pie shell, cover with plastic and freeze until solid. Before serving remove from the freezer for 10 minutes or so to defrost slightly for easy serving. This is a good time to whip up some heavy cream and toast up some large flakes of coconut for garnish.  Top with the whipped cream and a healthy sprinkling of coconut and serve! yumyum!

it seems that the whirlwind of work, family, feasting, and the holiday excitement has finally passed. i can tell because i’m actually sitting at my computer and typing on the keyboard getting ready to post a recipe and photos! not just quickly checking my email and running out the door.

can i tell you something? this, right now…feels amazing. it’s been like a month since i last posted and at first i felt guilty not blogging…but then i realized that was silly, who cares if i blog or not?

what i really felt was sad. sad because i like to bake and blog and take pictures. i like to browse all the other lovely blogs out there, being in awe of all the great talent and snatching up inspiration at every click. it’s fun, i like it, and it makes me happy.

so, this year, my resolution is to perfect my at home time management. usually, i have no problem managing my time. at work, for example, i get stuff done. i’m not one to be idle and chat away the day when i’m at work, i think this is due to my tendency to be extremely awkward in all social scenarios…and if i’m idle at work, i’m anxious. that’s just the way it goes. at home, it’s a much different story. i’m only accountable to myself, so if i get sucked into watching 3 hours of whatever series i’m currently obsessed with…oh well. i’ll get to my tasks later. at work, heck no, i’m getting to my tasks now and i’m doing it as well and efficiently as i can…then i’m going home.

see the problem here? i don’t want to do my best work only at work…i want to my best work on my time.

so, here’s to a new year and a new, more productive me. let’s celebrate! i brought profiteroles and hot fudge sauce!

hot fudge sauce
adapted from epicurious.
i made this sauce with bittersweet chocolate, it’s amazing if you like your chocolate to be serious. i just spied this on joy the baker today…next time i’m adding coffee. she says all there is to say about hot fudge sauce…so check it out.

2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 oz. finely chopped chocolate (i used 70%)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

place cream, corn syrup, sugar, cocoa, salt and half of the chocolate in a medium saucepan. melt chocolate, bring to a low boil and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. remove from heat and stir in remaining chocolate, butter and vanilla. pour onto whatever and enjoy!

coffee ice cream
adapted from the perfect scoop.
the original recipe calls for whole milk and cup and a half of beans…i just used what i had with wonderful results.

1 1/2 cups whole milk (all i had was 2%, it worked nicely)
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup whole coffee beans
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon finely ground coffee

warm milk, sugar, whole beans, salt and a 1/2 cup of cream in a medium saucepan. once warm, cover and allow to steep for hour.

rewarm mixture. pour remaining cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. in a sperate medium bowl, whisk egg yolks. slowly pour temper warm coffee mixture into egg yolks. pour back into the saucepan and stir constantly over medium heat until custard thickends and coats the spoon. Pour custard through the strainer and mix with cream. press the beans so as to extract all of the coffee goodness. mix in vanilla and stir until cool over an ice bath. chill completely before freezing in ice cream machine.

profiteroles
from the perfect scoop.

1 cup water
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
c1 up flour
4 large, room temperature eggs
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon milk

preheat oven to 425 and line baking sheet with parchment or silicone baking mat.
heat sugar, water, salt and butter in a small saucepan, stirring until butter melts. remove from heat and pour all flour into pan at once and stir vigorously until the dough pulls away from the pan and is smooth.

allow dough to cool for about 2 minutes before briskly beating in eggs, one at a time, until smooth and shiny.

either pipe or drop small (walnut) sized rounds onto baking sheet, spacing evenly (about 1 inch apart). mix remaining yolk with milk and brush tops of profiteroles. bake for 30 minutes or until puffed and browned. turn off oven and leave for 5 minutes.

either tear or cut profiteroles in half, top with ice cream and hot fudge.

so, i have pictures from my week of camping…but…i haven’t gone through them yet. extreme laziness got in the way. sorry, it happens.

i did manage to make these sweet little pies and a bit of (extra-easy) vanilla-bourbon ice cream to go with, because pie and ice cream…come on.

tomorrow morning, i am off on a plane and headed east to nyc. i will be visiting one of my very favorite friends and we will be using this as our guide, created by the nicest of nice cindy of quaint handmade. it seems that the summer time has taken me away from this ol’ blog, but it’s okay…we all need a little vacay, even blogs. plus, with fall around the corner, i will definitely be more willing to turn on the oven ;)

vanilla and bourbon ice cream

2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 vanilla bean pod, gutted
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon bourbon

heat milk and sugar w/ vanilla bean until sugar is dissolved. mix in cream and bourbon. allow to cool and rest, well covered, in refrigerator over night. remove vanilla bean pod. process according to manufacturers instructions in an ice cream machine.

sweet cherry pie
this is not a recipe…not even close. sorry. laziness.

i’m going to be honest here, i just made the first recipe for pie crust that i turned to in the first book i grabbed from the shelf. you should use whatever pie dough recipe you prefer. i like all butter, some don’t. who am i to say what pie crust you use. just bake the pie(s) at 350 until the crust is golden and the cherries are a’bubblin…

as for the cherries, i mixed 3 cups of pitted, dark sweet cherries w/ sugar to taste, the juice of a lemon and 2 teaspoons of cornstarch. i rolled out rounds of dough and folded that into some ring molds, added cherries and made a lattice top. i also did it the way, way easier route, galette style. roll out your crust, mound some cherries in the center and fold up the sides.