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Sweetened Whipped Cream

Chocolate Whipped Cream

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Maple Walnut Pie

This pie’s very autumnal—and begs for a glass of aged rum on the side. Toasted walnut oil is found at most gourmet markets and health food stores. Makes one 9-inch pie

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup maple syrup

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons toasted walnut oil (see Note)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups walnut pieces

1 recipe Short Crust or Walnut Crust, lined into a 9-inch pie plate

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.

Whisk the eggs and maple syrup in a large bowl until smooth. Whisk in both sugars, the toasted walnut oil, vanilla, and salt until the sugars dissolve. Stir in the walnut pieces and pour into the prepared crust.

Bake until the pastry at the edges is lightly browned and the filling is puffed and almost set, with just the slightest jiggle at the center when tapped (but no waves across its surface), about 55 minutes.

To cool: Place on a wire rack at least 30 minutes before slicing.

To store: Once cooled, the pie can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Note: If you can’t find toasted walnut oil, substitute regular walnut oil.

Variations: Add ½ teaspoon rum extract with the vanilla.

Add ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon or ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg with the salt.

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Good nut pies start with good nuts: fresh, never rancid or crumbled. Store nuts in a sealed plastic bag in the freezer for up to 1 year, but always smell them before use to make sure they haven’t gone rancid. Use directly from the freezer.

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Prebaking a Crust

Called more formally “blind baking,” this step prevents the depressingly soggy crusts that often occur with puddinglike fillings. First, check the recipe to see if the filling, once in the crust, will also be baked; this will determine how long you prebake the crust (see below).

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F. Roll out the crust, fit it into the pie plate, trim it, and flute the edges, as directed on section Pies, Tarts, and Fruit Desserts. Prick the bottom and sides in multiple places with a fork. Cover the crust with aluminum foil, then pour in about 2 cups ceramic pie weights or uncooked dried beans (which will not be suitable for cooking afterward, but can be used again and again as pie weights). Bake for 10 minutes. Gently peel off the foil, taking the weights with it; continue baking for about 3 more minutes, or until set, if the added filling will also be baked in the crust; or for 8 to 10 more minutes, until lightly browned, if the filling will not be baked more than a few minutes (at most, just long enough to brown the meringue). Cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before using.

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Custard Pie

This rich, old-fashioned pie is best after a barbecue or a wintry stew. It’s also best eaten when still slightly warm—or cold for breakfast the next morning. Makes one 9-inch pie

2 large eggs plus 3 large egg yolks, at room temperature

½ cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 cups whole or low-fat milk (do not use fat-free)

¼ cup powdered nonfat dry milk (see Note)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

1 recipe Short Crust, Butter Crust, or Almond Crust, lined into a 9-inch pie plate and prebaked (for instructions on prebaking, see box left)

¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.

Whisk the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar in a large bowl until thick and lemony yellow, about 2 minutes.

Whisk in the cornstarch, then whisk in the milk, powdered nonfat dry milk, vanilla, and salt until the powdered milk is fully dissolved. Pour this mixture into the prebaked crust; sprinkle the nutmeg over the top.

Bake until puffed and set, about 1 hour.

To cool: Set on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

To store: The cooled pie can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Note: The powdered milk provides