Pie Camp for Pi Day

Pie Camp for Pi Day!

As you know, I have been teaching Pie Camp for over eleven years. The many folks who have bellied up to my baking counter, over 4000 now, and the number of pies that have been made by pie campers at camps, not to mention all the ones they make when they return home, plus all the pies from those who have my first book Art of the Pie? Well, I can’t even begin to imagine how many that is. Like PI, it may be an irrational number that goes on and on for ever. 🙂 3.1415926535897323846… well, you get the idea.

So today, I’d like to ask you for a virtual Pi Day Drum Roll because here is the cover of my new book, Pie Camp: The Skills You Need to Make Any Pie You Want. The release date is October 6, 2020 and it’s ready for you to pre-order now.

To celebrate Pi Day, Pie Camp, and all things pie, I’m sharing one of the recipes from Pie Camp with you at the end of the post. But, first let me tell you about the new book because I’m darn excited about it. 

Let me tell you about Pie Camp!

Pie Camp: The Skills You Need to Make Any Pie You Want will take your pie making to the next level. We will focus on technique: how to decorate pastry with braided crusts, troubleshoot a custard that won’t set, create beautiful layered pies, and perfectly thicken your fruit filling. Then, once you have the foundations down, you’ll be able to mix and match crusts, fillings, and toppings to your heart’s delight.

There are a dozen “master” recipes—from flaky to tender to cookie crumb crusts, and fruit to cream to chiffon pies—that I hope will become part of your pie maker’s repertoire and will open the door for you to conjure up any pie with self-assurance. Plus there are gluten-free crust options for every pie. You’ll also find recipes for easy homemade ice cream and Pie-Lets for one or two. There are 150 recipes, and 100 photos, once again by Andrew Scrivani, showing you beautiful finished pies and the processes along the way to make them. So if you’ve been wondering what I’ve been up to, this is it! Can you tell that I’m excited?

Mocha Banana Freezer Pie for Pi Day

Now for PI Day, here’s a sneak peek Mocha Banana Freezer Pie recipe for you from Pie Camp.

Mocha Banana Freezer Pie from Pie Camp: The Skills You Need to Make Any Pie You Want (Andrew Scrivani Photo)

Print Recipe

MOCHA BANANA FREEZER PIE

It's easy. It's yummy. It's very cool because it is made with a coffee and chocolate no-bake filling! And, it's one of my favorite recipes in the new book. Leave out the bananas and you’ll have a Mocha Freezer Pie. Either way is really good. Recipe from Pie Camp: The Skills You Need to Make Any Pie You Want (Countryman Press Oct 2020)

Course: Dessert

Keyword: pie, mocha, chocolate cookie crumb crust

Equipment

• Makes one 9-inch (23 cm) deep-dish pie

Ingredients

CHOCOLATE COOKIE CRUMB PRESS-IN CRUST

• 1¾ cups (227 g) chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs (for gluten-free I used Mi-Del Chocolate Sandwich Cookies)
• 4 tablespoons (56 grams) butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

FILLING

• 2 eggs
• ⅓ cup (78 ml) espresso or strong dark coffee
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (125 g) granulated sugar, divided
• 1 cup (236 ml) heavy whipping cream
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract divided
• ¼ teaspoon coffee extract
• 2 ripe bananas sliced in ½-inch full moons
• 2 tablespoons store-bought chocolate sauce
• 2 tablespoons pistachio nuts finely chopped (optional)

Instructions

COOKIE CRUMB CRUST PROCEDURE

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Make the cookie crumbs by processing them in a food processor or placing them in a large resealable bag and rolling with your pin until finely crushed.
• Place the cookie crumbs and sugar into a bowl. Add the melted butter and distribute it well with clean hands or a fork.
• Turn the mixture into the pie pan and evenly spread it out over the bottom and up the sides, but do not spread on top of the rim. You can use your fingers, the back of a spoon, or even the rounded side of a coffee cup or a small bowl. Try to make the depth of the crust even on the sides and the bottom.
• Bake for 6–8 minutes until the edges have gained a little color, although the chocolate cookies are dark so you won't see them get much darker. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool while you make the filling.

FILLING, FREEZING, AND FINISHING

• Separate the eggs and set the whites aside. Place the yolks in a small saucepan.
• Lightly mix the egg yolks with a whisk or fork.
• Whisk in the espresso, cocoa powder, ¼ cup (50 g) of the sugar, and ½ teaspoon of the vanilla.
• Turn the heat to low and cook for a minute or two while whisking constantly. It won’t take long for the mixture to thicken. When it does, immediately remove from the heat and, using a rubber spatula, turn into a medium bowl. Be sure to get all of the yummy mixture from the sides of the saucepan into the bowl, too. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
• In a stand mixer, or with a handheld electric beater, whip the egg whites with 2 more tablespoons of sugar until you have medium-stiff peaks. With a rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped whites into the cooled coffee-cocoa mixture.
• In a stand mixer or with a handheld electric beater, add the heavy cream, remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla, and coffee extract. Whip on high while raining (sprinkling) in the remaining ¼ cup (50 g) sugar until the peaks hold their shape. With a rubber spatula, gently fold into the filling.
• Lay the sliced bananas in the bottom of the cookie crumb crust.
• Lightly spread the filling over the bananas and freeze overnight.
• Before serving, drizzle the chocolate sauce and sprinkle the optional chopped pistachio nuts over the top of the pie.
  

Notes

NOTE: I used Mi-Del Chocolate Sandwich Cookies for my gluten-free crust.

 

P.S. Entry for the Pi Day Giveaway on Instagram officially ends 3/15 at midnight PST. Three winners (US only) will be picked on 3/16/20 to receive a copy of Art of the Pie: A Practical Guide to Homemade Crusts, Fillings, and Life. Go Pie and Go Pi!