Pie Crazy–Red Raspberry Pie Filling

I use to think that cupcakes were the rave.   They are cute and tasty, and you can make just about any flavor imaginable, but truthfully, my new rave is homemade pie.  Pies offer a sense of nostalgia for me.  My grandmother and mother made them often, and made them well.

I have actually discovered the more pies you make, the more efficient you become at making them. What once seemed like a dreaded chore, now seems like a – piece of pie.

And how about the cost of buying a pie these days.  Whoa… Hold on to your wallets folks!  They certainly aren’t cheap.  So, why not make your own?

I searched the archives here at The Joy of Caking and found I’ve made and shared quite a few pies with you.  I guess maybe my new rave isn’t so new after all.  Here is the list I came up with.

Farm Country Peach

Vanilla Cream Pie. 

Custard Pie

Red Raspberry Custard Pie with Vanilla Crumb Crust

Old-Fashioned Blueberry Custard Pie

Mini Apple Pies

Homemade Apple Pie 

Lemon Meringue Pie 

Guilt Free Mini Pies

Icebox Banana Chocolate Pie

I see I’ve still have a lot of pies flavors yet to go, and that’s just fine with me.

This red raspberry pie filling is about as raspberry as you’re going to get.  I used berries that I had frozen from our own raspberry bushes. I’d say the filling leans toward the tart side.  If you prefer a more sweet filling bump up the sugar by 1/4 cup.

  

Raspberry Pie Filling

2 tbsp. corn starch

2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

a dash of salt

1 c. granulated sugar

2 pints of fresh, or frozen red raspberries

3 tbsp. margarine

prepared double  pie crust

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix corn starch, flour, salt, and sugar.  Blend all ingredients until thoroughly mixed.  Pour sugar mixture over berries and fold lightly until berries are completely covered.  Pour into prepared bottom pie crust, dot with margarine, and cover with top crust. 

Follow the instructions for baking the pie according to your pie crust recipe.

What do you think?  Is pie the new rave, or is it just me?

 

Advertisement

Icebox Banana Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

Warm weather = icebox pie.  It’s just that simple.  And what could be better than a plate of creamy, chocolaty, crunchy, peanut buttery, banana pie?

This recipe was adapted from Kraft Food & Family Spring 2007 magazine.

Peanut Butter Graham Cracker Pie Crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Crush (1) package (not a box) of honey graham crackers

4 tbsp. butter

3 tbsp. brown sugar

2 tbsp. creamy peanut butter

In a large bowl, add crushed graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar; set aside.

In a small bowl, microwave butter and peanut butter until melted and add to graham cracker crumbs; mix thoroughly.

Press firmly into 9” pie plate and bake for 6 minutes, or until light golden brown.  Cool completely.

Pie Filling

1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 c. creamy peanut butter

2 bananas

2 packages of  vanilla instant pudding (I used sugar-free)

2 c. milk

1 c. non-dairy topping, thawed (I used sugar-free)

1/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips for topping

In a large bowl, add milk and vanilla pudding.  Mix about 2 minutes, or until thickened.  Fold in non-dairy topping and place in refrigerator.

Peel and quarter bananas, slice and place on bottom of prepared pie crust.  Microwave chocolate chips and peanut butter in small bowl until melted. Cool slightly, and pour on top of sliced bananas. 

Remove pudding from refrigerator and pour over chocolate – peanut butter mixture. 

Melt remaining 1/4 c. of chocolate chips and drizzle over top of pie. Return to refrigerator and chill for at least 3 hours before serving. 

*Note – if you like frozen pie, this can be frozen and served that way too.  Take the pie out of the freezer about 20 minutes before cutting to serve.

I have resolved myself to make a few more changes to this recipe the next time I make it.  First, I’m going to make homemade vanilla pudding to use in it, and second, I’m going to eliminate the whipped topping. 

Do you have a favorite icebox pie recipe?  Let’s hear about it!