Creme Egg Cookie Pies :))

I'm sure you've seen the creme egg brownies that seem to have swept the nation hahaha and although they look lovely I decided to do something a little different with the creme eggs. Following on from the cookie baking session with my son we also made some Creme Egg Cookie Pies, this idea started off with a different cookie filling but as its easter Creme Eggs it is and honestly they are lovely :))

Creme Egg Cookie Pie

1 sweet shortcrust pastry case (homemade or shop bought)
I used the hazelnut sweet shortcrust pastry that I had left over
1 cookie batch (my chocolate chip cookie recipe)
Pack of creme eggs- I used the mini creme eggs

Pre heat the oven to 180/170c

If your making your own pastry case, blind bake the pastry case first.

Make up the cookie dough but leave out the chocolate chips.

Fill the pastry case with the cookie dough and spread evenly inside. You can do one large one or small individual ones if you prefer.

Cut the creme eggs in half

Place the cookie pie into a pre heated oven for 10 minutes, remove and place the creme eggs into the cookie dough and push them in gently, the dough will be very soft at this stage.

Place back into the oven for a further 4 minutes

Apple Crumble Pie with a pecan crumble

It's British Pie Week this week so I couldn't miss an opportunity to bake a pie. I wanted to do something a little different so I decided on a Apple Crumble Pie (with a pecan crumble)...just perfect, pastry and apple crumble, okay must stop drooling hahaha :)) it really was lovely and all my friends loved it and all took a doggy bag of it home, which is always a good sign

Apple Crumble Pie

For the crumble
150g plain flour
87.5g Demerara brown sugar
100g butter
A good handful of pecans (toasted either in the oven or in a pan)

For the filling
225g Apple (eating or cooking apples) peeled, cored and cut into small pieces
30g Demerara sugar
1 tbsp plain flour
1 pinch of ground cinnamon

Sweet crust pastry
250g plain flour
125g butter
25 icing sugar
A pinch of salt
2 large egg yolks
2-3 tbsp milk

Pastry-
Put the flour, butter, sugar and salt into a food processor (with a metal blade) and blitz quickly until you get fine bred crumbs.
Add the egg yolks and blitz quickly and add the milk (tbsp at a time) until the dough comes together.
Remove and place on a floured work surface and work gently but briefly until it is smooth. Wrap in cling film and chill for at least half an hour.

Roll the pastry out (about 2mm) and gently lift into the tart tin. Push the pastry gently into the corners, you can do this with a small piece of pastry. Trim off the top and prick the base with a fork several times.
Cut some baking paper and scrunch up and line the base with it. Pour the baking beans in and put into a pre heated oven (190/180 fan) for 20-25 mins, take out the oven and remove the baking beans and baking paper and place back in the oven for a further 5 minutes. Remove from he oven.

Crumble-
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
Place the flour and sugar in a large bowl and mix well. Taking a few cubes of butter at a time rub into the flour mixture. Keep rubbing until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Break up the pecans into little bits and add this to the crumble mixture.

Pie filling-
Place the apple in a large bowl and sprinkle over the sugar, flour and cinnamon. Stir well.
Put this into the pastry case and top with the crumble
Bake in the oven for around 30-35 minutes until the crumble is browned.
Serve with thick cream or custard.

Red Velvet Brownie Pie

I decided as it was almost valentines day, well soon anyway, that I would start to do some great valentines inspired recipes and post them for you all. My first had to be something devilish as we had guests, so I decided on a Red Velvet Brownie Pie.....well what more can you ask for...a brownie in a pastry case and beautiful red colour just perfect for valentines :)) it's a must try recipe!

Red Velvet Brownie Pie

Ingredients

For the Pie
½ cup butter, softened
1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs
1 ¼ cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ounce red food coloring
2/3 cup chocolate chips
1 sweet shortcrust pastry case

Preheat oven to 350°. Make shortcrust pastry and blind bake, leave to cool.
Combine cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and food coloring in a small bowl. Stir to form a paste.
Cream butter and sugar in an electric mixer until fluffy. Mix in eggs, one at a time, then add remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add cocoa powder mixture and beat until completely incorporated. Mix in flour and salt. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into the pastry case.
Bake for about 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (or only slightly coloured)
Now enjoy either with ice cream or a cream cheese whipped cream.