Buttermilk Pie with Pecans is a traditional southern pie that will remind you of warm days and nights in Texas. This pie is a perfect combination of sweetness filled the wonderful flavor of pecans in every bite. I love to collect pie pans and I used one of my favorites for this pie. A beautiful ceramic pie plate that has a fantastic wide fluted edge as part of the pan. This holiday season, look for fun pie pans to fill and give as holiday gifts. You may like your new-found pie pans so, well… pick up a second one and make this pie for your family.

This pie is easy to mix up with on-hand bare-bones ingredients from your kitchen. You will blind bake this pie shell. I recommend the metal pie beads on a chain.  They lay in the pie easily and are easy to lift and remove from the pan. By blind baking the crust, the crust stays flaky while baking this ever-so-rich and decadent southern taste of hospitality. You will find all your pie baking needs at Kitchen Kneads. 

Buttermilk Pie with Pecans

• Pastry for single crust pie (9 inches)
• ½ cup butter softened
• 1 ¾ cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Fill your fluted pie shell with pie weights. These weights can be traditional pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice.  Line the pastry with parchment paper for easy removal if not using the beaded necklace.
2. Place the unbaked shell on a baking sheet. Bake until the edges are light golden brown, 15 minutes. Remove parchment paper and weights; bake until bottom is golden brown, 5 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven setting to 325 degrees F.
3. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in flour and salt, gradually stir in buttermilk and vanilla.
4. Sprinkle pecans into crust; add filling. Bake until center is set, 50-60 minutes. Cover top loosely with foil during the last 15 minutes to prevent overbrowning if necessary.

Source:  Taste of Home

 

Chocolate and Hygge

As a 5^th blog post in the series of chocolate and cacao and cocoa, this post has been the most fun in preparing, taking pictures, and enjoying another version of hot chocolate from around the world. I had the fabulous opportunity to spend the Halloween weekend in Dallas with my daughter and her family. My parents also live in Dallas. We had a 4-generation craft and chocolate weekend. It doesn’t get much better.

The chocolate tasting involved several varieties of chocolate bars that I had brought from Alaska. The varieties included: sea salt dark chocolate, pure dark chocolate, milk chocolate caramel and sea salt, milk chocolate raspberry filled, and a creamy milk chocolate. We also had several varieties of German chocolate: milk sea salt, caramel dark chocolate, and an orange milk chocolate. As we ate small pieces of each chocolate and gave our opinions, laughs and giggles filled the room. Remember this was a 4-generation party so even the 3- and 6-year old participated and had fun.

We had chocolate overload so the next morning, breakfast included a Spanish hot chocolate with fresh whipped cream. I used one of my favorite chocolates, which is Venetian milk chocolate, available at Kitchen Kneads. As the holidays are quickly approaching, try a chocolate tasting this year as a fun activity. Kitchen Kneads has several varieties of milk and dark chocolate.

Enjoy this wonderful creamy delicious hot chocolate. Drinking the hot chocolate was just as much of an experience as making this version of hot chocolate. Picking out the cups with Great Grandma, whipping up the whipped cream, and licking the beaters and using Great Grandma’s tiny spoons to eat the whipped cream off the top. A truly hygge time for the family that is a wonderful family time together and memories.

Spanish Hot Chocolate – Chocolate Caliente

Ingredients:

• 3 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 6 ounces chopped milk chocolate

Instructions:

1. Pour the milk into a medium saucepan and add the cornstarch.
2. Whisk to dissolve the cornstarch.
3. Once the cornstarch is dissolved, heat the milk over medium heat just until it boils.
4. Remove the pan from the heat.
5. Add the chopped chocolate immediately and begin stirring until the chocolate is completely melted.
6. Place the pan back on the stove over medium heat, stirring slowly but constantly.
7. The mixture should thicken quickly. As soon as you see it thicken, remove the pan from the heat so the cornstarch will not thin.
8. Ladle the hot chocolate into desired cups and serve piping hot with fresh whipped cream. Sprinkle chocolate shaving dust on the whipped cream if desired.

This hot chocolate was a great way to end our weekend of crafting.  I didn’t realize how the love of chocolate could create such a family memory.

Try a chocolate tasting and enjoy!!