Recipes

[Recusant]

The previous thread devoted to sharing recipes was lost in the crash, and never revived. It had some great things in it, and I'm hoping that this one will as well. I'll start it off by offering my recipe for a more interesting pumpkin pie than the one you can find on any tin/can of Libby's solid pack pureed pumpkin. I've always liked pumpkin pie, but it never seemed to me to live up to its potential.

Many people consider the standard pumpkin pie "boring and bland." If I do say so myself, my recipe has changed a few people's opinion about this humble holiday standard dessert. I wrote it out to share with my friends in the UK, where the double size tin of Libby's is not generally available. For those in the US who buy the larger can, just follow most of the recipe on the can (except use brown sugar) and instead of following the spice amounts on the can, double the amount of spices in my recipe. The "teaspoon" here is the US teaspoon measure; approximately 5 milliliters, not the little teaspoons commonly used with tea in the UK. The Imperial teaspoon measure is a bit larger, but will work just fine.

Some people (especially children) prefer the normal recipe, and it's not hard to make one of each. Using the larger can, mix up a batch of the regular filling and fill one pie with half of it. Then take a couple of teaspoons or so of sugar, mix the extra spice into it (adjusting for the spice already in the regular recipe) and add it to the remaining filling. The sugar allows the spices to blend properly into the filling. It's easy to tell the difference between the two--the regular pie should be noticeably paler than the revved up version.

Exceptional Pumpkin Pie

This recipe is a modification of the basic recipe found on the 425g. tins of Libby solid pack pumpkin (available in the Waitrose supermarket, and I'm told, Tesco as well).

Dry ingredients:

8+ oz. (about 1 cup) dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8-1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2+ teaspoon ground allspice
1/2+ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4+ teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground mace
Sprinkle of cayenne or black pepper to taste (I prefer cayenne)

Wet ingredients:

2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 425g. tin of pumpkin
1 425g. tin of evaporated milk
Optional: 2 teaspoons treacle/molasses

********************************

Preheat oven to 425° F / 220° C / Gas mark 7 (If making in ramekins or glass/ceramic dish without crust 350° F / 180° C / Gas mark 4.)

In smaller mixing bowl:

Mix sugar with salt and spices.

In larger mixing bowl:

Beat the eggs, then stir in pumpkin and treacle.
Stir in sugar mix, then stir in evaporated milk.

Makes enough to fill one 9 inch deep dish pie. Pie should have unbaked shortcrust or gingernut biscuit (cheesecake style) crust.

Pour in filling; for pie, bake at 425° F (etc) for 15 minutes, then turn down to 350° F / 180° C / Gas mark 4, and bake for an additional 55 minutes or so. In plain dish or ramekins, it should take about an hour to an hour and 10 minutes or so. You can tell that the pie's done when the filling forms a nice dome, and maybe a few dark patches appear (I prefer to get it out before they do). If you do see those dark patches, take the pie out of the oven--you don't want too many of them because it's an indication that the pie's starting to get overdone. If you're not sure: To test whether it's done, stick a butter knife in the center of the pie; it should come out clean.

Allow to cool to room temperature (or overnight), serve with whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream. Some people prefer just plain cream. That's fine, but I think cream of some sort compliments the flavor of the pie.

[No one]

Recipe for Disaster

Any given situation
humans of opposing mindsets.

[Magdalena]

Awwwww, Recusant! Thanks for bringing it back! 

[xSilverPhinx]

Recipe for Disaster

Any given situation
humans of opposing mindsets.

...xSilverPhinx in the kitchen.

[Recusant]

Awwwww, Recusant! Thanks for bringing it back! 

My pleasure. 

[No one]

Mags:
"Awwwww, Recusant! Thanks for bringing it back!"

Recusant:
"My pleasure."

You are quite the gentleman for being a barbarian and all.

[Recusant]

Civilization doesn't have a monopoly on courtesy. 

[xSilverPhinx]

A barbarian gent, what a concept.

[Magdalena]

A barbarian gent, what a concept.

[Lark]

I don't  think you should be smoking that big cigar while cooking.

[No one]

The ash adds a subtle smokiness.

[Dave]

My new recipe for a bedtime drink:

A mug of hot chocolate with a good measure of "Irish cream" type liqeur added.

Snuggle inside and out!

[Magdalena]

I don't  think you should be smoking that big cigar while cooking.

Are you talking to the resident hippie or Recusant? 

Speaking of things one should and should not do while cooking...
Always wear shoes, especially if you're going to fry something.
Always wear clothes, especially if you're going to fry something.

[Arturo]

I don't  think you should be smoking that big cigar while cooking.

Are you talking to the resident hippie or Recusant? 

Speaking of things one should and should not do while cooking...
Always wear shoes, especially if you're going to fry something.
Always wear clothes, especially if you're going to fry something.

Never add pets or babies, especially if you're going to fry something.

[xSilverPhinx]

I don't  think you should be smoking that big cigar while cooking.

Are you talking to the resident hippie or Recusant? 

Speaking of things one should and should not do while cooking...
Always wear shoes, especially if you're going to fry something.
Always wear clothes, especially if you're going to fry something.

Never add pets or babies, especially if you're going to fry something.

Just simply never fry anything.