Peppermint Bark

Want to look totally awesome next Christmas? Mix up a batch of peppermint bark to hand out to family and friends. It will look like you spent a lot of time making a fantastic homemade gift... but it is soooooo easy! I can't exactly attribute this recipe to any particular one... I scoured Pinterest and read dozens of recipes for peppermint bark, and this is what I decided to go with. That's the great part about this confection - you can make it pretty much anyway you want. Last year I used some Andes mint chips that I had bought at the store and created a bark with vanilla and chocolate, Creme de menthe, and the candies. It was really good too!

24 ounces vanilla almond bark

2 tsp peppermint extract

8-10 crushed candy canes

Line a large baking pan (I used a 12x17) with parchment paper. In a microwave safe bowl, warm the bark for 45 seconds to a minute. Stir. Continue to microwave in 30 second intervals and stir after each heating. When you begin to get close, reduce warming time until bark is smooth. You do not want to overcook the bark. It will clump and become useless to you. Add 2 tsp of peppermint extract and 2/3 to 3/4 of the crushed candy cane. Stir until completely combined. 

Pour bark onto parchment paper and spread until evenly smooth. Top with remaining crushed candy cane.

Place in the refrigerator and allow to cool completely, about an hour. Break apart into small pieces. Store in an air-tight container. Look absolutely fantastic!

Coconut Cream Pie

Every now and then I earn the title "the good child" from my mama. That's always a nice feeling. I earned it recently with this addition to my Thanksgiving dessert menu, which was requested by you guessed it... my mama. It was touch and go there at first - mama had asked for the pie with meringue, but I earned my way off the hook after everyone had tried this version. This has never been a pie that I requested or sought out - I'm much more fond of chocolate, french silk, or chess - but it did have a really good flavor and my stepdad and grandfather finished off this pie. I found more than a dozen recipe variations on Pinterest, but this is the one I decided to try: Coconut Cream Pie. I used my Pie Crust recipe again for this one.

1 baked pie crust

For the Toasted Coconut Topping
½ cup flaked, sweetened coconut

For the Coconut Custard
1½ cups coconut milk
1½ cups half-and-half
5 egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
4 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp butter
¼ tsp salt
1½ cups flaked, sweetened coconut
1½ tsp vanilla

For the Whipped Topping
2 cups heavy whipping cream
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Spread coconut evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Place into 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes until coconut has just begun to turn brown. Be careful!  Coconut goes from toasting to toasted very quickly!  Watch it carefully, and go with the lesser time and add what you need. Set aside to cool.

Pour coconut milk and half-and-half into a liquid measuring cup. Add egg yolks and whisk together. Set aside.

***coconut milk is not the same thing as coconut cream. Ensure you have coconut milk!***

Add sugar and cornstarch to a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk egg and milk mixture together once more and then slowly begin to add to the sugar and cornstarch, whisking together constantly.

Bring custard mixture to a boil. Switch to a rubber spatula or wooden spoon and continue to stir constantly. Boil one minute.

Remove from heat and add butter, coconut, vanilla and salt.

Spread custard into pie crust. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until set, about 30-45 minutes.

For whipped topping:

Add sugar and heavy whipping cream to large bowl. Whisk with an electric mixer just until stiff peaks form. Add vanilla and whisk just until combined. Spread whipped cream on top of coconut custard. Refrigerate until ready to serve. When ready to serve, top with toasted coconut.

Chocolate Meringue Pie

I think that, next to apple pie, there is nothing more American than Chocolate Meringue Pie. And nothing quite so tasty. They are somewhat temperamental to make though... I learned that many, many years ago when I tried to make my first one. To put it nicely... it was a disaster. Runny, flat meringue, just blecht. Put a few years on me, add a little more patience, and this attempt was an amazing success. I found this recipe on Pinterest - Aunt Julia's Chocolate Pie. I just made one tiny tweak - I added a teaspoon of ground espresso, which helps intensify the chocolate flavor. I also used my own Pie Crust recipe, but you can use whichever you like.

1 baked pie crust

1 cup sugar
2 cups milk (calls for whole, but I used 2 percent)
3 1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp ground espresso
3 large eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 tsp cream of tartar
2 Tbsp confectioners' sugar

Separate eggs. I placed the whites in a large bowl and put those in the refrigerator to chill for the meringue. I left the yolks in half the egg shell until ready to add to the mixture. I also put the whisk attachment into the freezer to chill before making the meringue. In a bowl, combine 1 cup of milk, flour, and cocoa powder and whisk thoroughly to combine. In a saucepan, add remaining 1 cup of milk and sugar, and heat over medium-high heat until simmering. Slowly add the milk-flour-cocoa mixture and stir until combined.

Bring to a boil. Add egg yolks one at a time, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil.

Once the mixture comes to a boil, add the vanilla and then remove from heat. Pour the mixture into the baked pie crust and set aside.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. To make the meringue, add the cream of tartar and a pinch of salt to the egg whites. Using a hand-held mixer, whisk on high speed until foamy. 

Sift the confectioners' sugar a little at a time and whisk until the whites are glossy and hold stiff peaks when the whisk is lifted.

Spoon the meringue onto the chocolate filling being sure to spread all the way up the the edge of the crust.

Bake until meringue is golden brown, about 3-5 minutes.