Pies/Cobblers

Caramel Pear Pie




6 cups sliced peeled ripe pears (about 6 medium)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cold butter, cubed
18 caramels
5 tablespoons 2% milk
1/4 cup chopped pecans
Pastry for single-crust pie (9 inches)

In a large bowl, combine pears and lemon juice. In another bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar, tapioca, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Add to pears; stir gently. Let stand for 15 minutes.

Pour into pastry shell. In a small bowl, combine the oats, flour and remaining sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over pears. Bake at 400° for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan over low heat, melt caramels with milk. Stir until smooth; add pecans. Drizzle over pie. Bake 8-10 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 6-8 servings.
Pastry for single-crust pie (9 inches)

In a large bowl, combine pears and lemon juice. In another bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar, tapioca, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Add to pears; stir gently. Let stand for 15 minutes.

Pour into pastry shell. In a small bowl, combine the oats, flour and remaining sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over pears. Bake at 400° for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan over low heat, melt caramels with milk. Stir until smooth; add pecans. Drizzle over pie. Bake 8-10 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 6-8 servings.

County Fair Pie




1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches)

In a bowl, beat the butter, sugar, flour, eggs, and vanilla until well blended. Stir in nuts and chips. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 325° for 1 hour or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 6-8 servings.

Snickers Pie




5 Snickers candy bars (2.07 ounces each), cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 pastry shell (9 inches), baked
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup peanut butter
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Place candy bar pieces in the pastry shell; set aside. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, sour cream and peanut butter; beat on low speed just until combined.

Pour into pastry shell. Bake at 325° for 35-40 minutes or until set. Cool on wire rack. In a large heavy saucepan, melt chocolate chips with cream over low heat; stir until smooth. Spread over filling. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. Cut with a warm knife. Makes 8-10 servings.

Plum Pie




4 cups sliced fresh plums (about 1-1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Frozen deep-dish pie shell

Topping:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons cold butter

In a large bowl, sprinkle plums with lemon juice. Combine the sugar, flour, salt and cinnamon. Add to plums; toss gently to coat. Pour into pie shell.

For topping, in a small bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over filling.

Bake at 375° for 50-60 minutes or until filling is bubbly. Cover edges of crust during the last 20 minutes to prevent overbrowning. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 8 servings.

Apple Pie A La Mode




1 can (21 ounces) apple pie filling
1 graham cracker crust (9 inches)
2 cups butter pecan ice cream, softened if necessary
1 jar (12 ounces) hot caramel ice cream topping
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Spread half of the pie filling over crust. Top with half of the ice cream; freeze 30 minutes. Drizzle with half of the caramel topping; layer with remaining pie filling. Freeze 30 minutes. Scoop remaining ice cream over top. Freeze, covered, until firm.

Remove from freezer 30 minutes before serving. In a microwave, warm remaining caramel topping. Serve pie with warm caramel topping; sprinkle with pecans. Makes 8 servings.

Note: To toast nuts, bake in a shallow pan in a 350° oven for 5-10 minutes or cook in a skillet over low heat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

Sweet Potato Pie




1-2/3 cups pie crust mix
1/4 cup chopped pecans
3 to 4 tablespoons cold water
3 large eggs
2 cans (15 ounces each) sweet potatoes, drained
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1-1/2 to 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
Whipped topping and additional chopped pecans, toasted, optional

In a small bowl, combine pie crust mix and pecans. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Roll out to fit a 9-in. deep-dish pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate. Flute edges; set aside.

In a food processor, combine the eggs, sweet potatoes, milk, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and salt; blend until smooth. Pour into pastry.

Bake at 425° for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°; bake 30-35 minutes longer or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Garnish with whipped topping and toasted pecans if desired. Makes 8 servings.

Coconut Pecan Pie




3 eggs
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches)

In a bowl, beat eggs. Add sugar, butter, lemon juice and vanilla; mix well. Stir in coconut and pecans; pour into pie shell. Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until set. Cool completely. Store in the refrigerator. Makes 6-8 servings.

Chocolate Malt Shoppe Pie




1-1/2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened
1/2 cup crushed malted milk balls
2 tablespoons milk, divided
3 tablespoons chocolate malted milk powder
3 tablespoons marshmallow creme
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Additional heavy whipping cream, whipped, optional
Additional malted milk balls, optional

Combine wafer crumbs and butter; press into an ungreased 9-in. pie pan. Freeze until set. Combine the ice cream, crushed malted milk balls and 1 tablespoon milk; spoon into crust. Freeze for 1 hour.

In a large bowl, combine the malted milk powder, marshmallow creme and remaining milk. Add cream; whip until soft peaks form. Spread over ice cream layer. Freeze for several hours or overnight. Just before serving, garnish each serving with additional whipped cream and malted milk balls if desired. Makes 6-8 servings.

Coconut Banana Cream Pie





3 cups sweetened shredded coconut
7 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoons salt
3 cups half-and-half cream
4 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large firm bananas, sliced
Whipped cream and sliced bananas, optional

In a large skillet, saute coconut in butter until golden. Reserve 2 tablespoons for garnish. Press remaining toasted coconut onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9-in. pie plate. Bake at 350° for 7 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
   
For filling, combine the sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt in a large saucepan. Stir in cream until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.

Stir a small amount of hot filling into egg yolks; return all to pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature without stirring.
   
Place bananas in the crust. Cover with cream mixture. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. Sprinkle with reserved coconut. If desired, garnish with whipped cream and bananas. Refrigerate leftovers. Makes 6-8 servings.

Maple Apple Cream Pie




1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches)
2 tablespoons butter
6 medium Golden Delicious apples (about 2 pounds), peeled and cut into eighths
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Line unpricked pastry shell with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 450° for 8 minutes. Remove foil; bake 5 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack.

In a skillet, melt butter. Add apples and brown sugar; cook and stir until apples are tender and coated, 15-20 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Spread evenly into shell.

In a saucepan, combine cornstarch and syrup until smooth; gradually add milk. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot filling into egg yolks; return all to pan, stirring constantly.

Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat; add vanilla. Cool to room temperature without stirring. Pour over apples. Chill until set, about 2 hours.

In a small bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Gradually add sugar and cinnamon; beat until stiff peaks form. Serve with pie. Store in the refrigerator. Makes 6-8 servings.

Mint Chocolate Pie




2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
2 cups cold 2% milk
1-1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
5 to 6 drops green food coloring, optional
2 packages (3.4 ounces each) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 pastry shell (9 inches), baked

In a small bowl, beat cream and sugar until soft peaks form. In a large bowl, combine the milk, extract and food coloring if desired. Add pudding mixes beat for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Fold in cream mixture and chocolate chips. Pour into pastry shell. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until set. Makes 6-8 servings.

Old-Fashioned Raisin Pie




2 eggs
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
2 cups raisins
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pastry for double-crust (9 inches)
Additional nutmeg, optional

In a bowl, beat eggs. Add sour cream. Stir in raisins, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Place bottom pastry in a pie plate; our in filling. Top with a lattice crust.

Bake at 450° for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°; bake 25 minutes longer or until filling is set. If desired, sprinkle with nutmeg. Makes 8 servings.

Mud Pie




18 cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, finely crushed
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 squares (1 ounce each) semisweet chocolate, melted
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional
2 cups cold milk
2 packages (3.9 ounces each) Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding
1 carton (8 ounces) Cool Whip Whipped Topping, thawed
Chocolate curls, optional

In a small bowl, combine crumbs and butter; press onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9-in. pie plate. Combine chocolate and condensed milk until well blended. Pour into crust; sprinkle with pecans if desired.

In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Spoon 1-1/2 cups pudding into crust. Stir half of the whipped topping into the remaining pudding until well blended. Spread over pudding; top with remaining whipped topping. Refrigerate for 3 hours. Garnish with chocolate curls if desired. Makes 10 servings.

Walnut Tart




1/3 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1 cup all-purpose flour

Filling:
2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, divided

In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk. Gradually add flour just until blended (mixture will be crumbly).

Press onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9-in. tart pan with removable bottom. Place pan on baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 12-14 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.

Sprinkle nuts over crust. In a small heavy saucepan, combine sugar, butter, corn syrup and 2 tablespoons of cream. Boil and stir over medium heat for 1 minute longer. Pour over walnuts.

Return pan to baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until bubbly. Cool on a wire rack. In a small bowl, beat remaining cream until stiff peaks form. Serve tart at room temperature with whipped cream. Makes 10-12 servings.

Banana Cheesecake Pie




1 package (11.1 ounces) no-bake home-style cheesecake mix
1/2 cup crushed vanilla wafers (about 15 wafers)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
1 cup 2% milk plus 1-1/2 cups 2% milk, divided
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant banana cream pudding mix
2 medium bananas, cut into 1/4-in. slices
1 cup whipped topping
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

In a large bowl, combine contents of the crust mix, wafers and sugar; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9-in. deep-dish pie plate.

In a large bowl, beat 1 cup milk and contents of filling mix on low speed until blended. Beat on medium for 3 minutes or until smooth (filling will be thick). Spoon into the crust. Chill for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk remaining milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set (pudding will be stiff). Arrange banana slices over filling. Spread with pudding, then whipped topping. Sprinkle with pecans. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Makes 8 servings.

Sweet Potato Pecan Pie





1 sheet refrigerated pie pastry
1-1/2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1/3 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Pecan Layer:
1 large egg
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup corn syrup
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup chopped pecans

On a lightly floured surface, unroll pastry. Transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond edge of plate; flute edges.

In a small bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, milk, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, salt and spices. Spread evenly into pastry shell.

For pecan layer, in another small bowl, whisk egg and brown sugar until blended. Add the corn syrup, butter and vanilla; mix well. Stir in pecans. Pour over sweet potato mixture.

Bake at 350° for 45-55 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. Makes 8 servings.

Creamy Lemonade Pie




1 can (5 ounces) evaporated milk
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant lemon pudding mix
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup thawed lemonade concentrate
1 graham cracker crust (9 inches)

In a large bowl, combine milk and pudding mix; beat on low speed for 2 minutes (mixture will be thick). In another large bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Slowly beat in lemonade concentrate. Gradually add in pudding mixture. Pour into crust. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until set. Makes 6-8 servings.

Mixed Berry Pie




2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold butter, cubed
6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

Filling:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
Dash salt
1/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup halved fresh strawberries
3/4 cup fresh blackberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter

In a large bowl, mix flour and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Gradually add ice water, tossing with a fork until dough holds together when pressed. Divide dough into two portions so that one is slightly larger than the other. Shape each into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour or overnight.

For filling, in a large saucepan, whisk sugar, cornstarch, salt, water and, if desired, cinnamon until smooth; add blueberries. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 400°. Gently fold raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and lemon juice into blueberry mixture. On a lightly floured surface, roll out larger portion of dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate. Add filling; dot with butter.

Roll remaining dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; cut into 1/2-in.-wide strips. Arrange over filling in a lattice pattern. Trim and seal strips to edge of bottom pastry; flute edge. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven setting to 350°; bake 45-50 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 8 servings.

Cherry Rhubarb Cobbler




Filling:
1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling
3 cups fresh or chopped frozen rhubarb
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, cubed

Crust:
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk

Spread fruit in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with sugar and dot with butter; set aside.

For crust, in a large bowl cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Combine flour and baking powder; add alternately with milk to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Pour over fruit; bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes. Yield: about 12 servings.

Note: If using frozen rhubarb, measure rhubarb while still frozen, then thaw completely. Drain in a colander, but do not press liquid out.

Peach Cobbler




2 large peaches, peeled and sliced
1-1/2 cups sugar, divided
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash ground nutmeg
3/4 cup milk

In a bowl, combine peaches and 3/4 cup sugar; set aside. Pour butter into an 8-in. square baking dish. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and remaining sugar; stir in milk just until combined.

Pour over butter. Top with the peaches. Bake at 375° for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 8 servings.

Blueberry Pie




3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold water
5 cups fresh blueberries, divided
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 pastry shell (9 inches), baked

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt and water until smooth. Add 3 cups blueberries. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly.

Remove from the heat. Add butter, lemon juice and remaining berries; stir until butter is melted. Cool. Pour into pastry shell. Refrigerate until serving. Makes 8 servings.

Cherry Almond Mousse Pie




1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk, divided
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
1/2 teaspoon almond extract, divided
1 frozen pie shell (9 inches), baked
1 jar (10 ounces) maraschino cherries, drained
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup cold water
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds
Chopped chocolate, optional

In a small saucepan over low heat, cook and stir 1/2 cup milk and the chocolate until chocolate is melted and mixture is thickened, about 4 minutes. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon extract. Pour into pie shell; set aside.

Set aside eight whole cherries for garnish. Chop the remaining cherries; set aside. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in water and remaining milk.

Beat in pudding mix and remaining extract. Fold in whipped cream. Stir in chopped cherries and almonds. Pour over pie. Chill 4 hours or until set. Garnish with whole cherries and, if desired, chopped chocolate. Makes 10 servings.

Buttermilk Lemon Pie




1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
4 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pastry for single-crust pie (9 inches)

Line a 9-in. pie plate with pastry. Trim, seal and flute edges; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour and salt. In a large bowl, beat the buttermilk, eggs, butter, lemon juice, lemon peel and vanilla. Add to sugar mixture; mix well. Pour into crust. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

Bake at 400° for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325°; bake 40-45 minutes longer or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Store in the refrigerator. Makes 6-8 servings.