Michigan Chestnut Pie Recipes

BRANDIED PUMPKIN AND CHESTNUT PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, toss pumpkin with butter and granulated sugar. Arrange on a baking sheet. Roast, tossing occasionally, until caramelized and very soft, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool (this can be done up to 5 days ahead).
• Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees. Purée pumpkin in a food processor or blender. In a bowl, combine 1 cup purée with 1 cup cream. Save any leftover purée for another use: it freezes well. Whisk together eggs, brown sugar, brandy, ginger, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and cloves. Stir in pumpkin mixture.
• In a separate bowl, combine chestnut paste with remaining 1/4 cup cream. Spread chestnut mixture in pie crust. Top with pumpkin filling.
• Transfer pie to a rimmed baking sheet and bake until pie is firm to the touch but jiggles slightly when moved, about 1 hour. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.

CHESTNUT PIE WITH RUM CREAM

Steps:

• Make the crust: Place all crust ingredients in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about the size of peas. (To mix by hand, combine ingredients in a large mixing bowl, rubbing the dry ingredients together using your fingers.) Turn out dough onto a clean work surface and shape into a flattened disk. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm and cold, about 2 hours.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to an 11-inch round. With a dry pastry brush, sweep off excess flour; fit dough into a 9-inch metal pie plate, pressing firmly into bottom and sides; trim edges as necessary. Cover with plastic wrap; chill pie shell until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line pie dough with a sheet of parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Transfer to oven and bake until light brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove pie weights and parchment paper. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
• Make the filling: In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons butter over low heat until it turns brown and has a nutty aroma. Add 1 tablespoon sugar and chestnuts and cook, stirring, until caramelized, about 2 minutes. Carefully add 1 tablespoon rum to deglaze skillet; transfer chestnuts to a baking sheet to cool.
• In a medium bowl, mix together remaining 1/4 cup butter, chestnut puree, chestnut cream, and creme fraiche together until well combined. In another medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, eggs, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and remaining 2 tablespoons rum. Add egg mixture to chestnut mixture and stir until filling is just combined.
• Sprinkle chestnuts over bottom of crust and top with filling mixture. Transfer pie to oven and bake until set, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• Make the rum cream: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk together heavy cream, mascarpone, sugar, rum, and vanilla bean seeds until ribbons form, about 5 minutes. Transfer cream to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip. Decoratively pipe cream in a clockwise fashion, starting from the outside and working toward the center, to cover. Garnish pie with candied chestnut strips and tuile.

MICHIGAN CHESTNUT PIE

Steps:

• Using a strong, sharp paring knife, cut an X into the flat side of each chestnut shell. This will allow the steam to escape, preventing the chestnuts from bursting and making them easier to peel. Place chestnuts in a single layer on a baking pan. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Chestnuts will be roasted when shells begin to peel back. Remove chestnuts from oven and let stand for five minutes to cool. Peel the shells and skin away from the nuts. In a saucepan, combine chestnuts, sugar and water, bringing the liquid to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 25-35 minutes, until the majority of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Strain chestnuts, reserving sugar syrup, and transfer to a food processor and blend until smooth. Add in syrup slowly until desired consistency is obtained. To make the pie, beat egg yolks well. Add sugar, whipping cream, orange juice, Grand Marnier and chestnut puree. Fold egg whites into chestnut mixture. Spoon mixture into pie shell. Sprinkle with grated nutmeg. Bake at 350 degrees about 45 minutes or until center is set. Serve cold with whipped cream.

CHESTNUT MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Toast the fennel seeds in a small dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Pulse the cookies in a food processor until finely ground. Add the fennel seeds and melted butter; pulse until moistened. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom and up the side of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake until lightly browned and set, about 8 minutes; let cool completely.
• Make the filling: Combine the chestnuts, sugar, 1 cup heavy cream and the vanilla seeds and pod in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cream is very thick and the chestnuts are softened, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook until it smells nutty and is golden brown, about 4 minutes. Discard the vanilla pod from the chestnut mixture; transfer the mixture to a food processor, add the browned butter and process until smooth. With the machine running, slowly add the remaining 1½ cups heavy cream and the eggs; process until combined. Let stand until thickened and cooled, about 1 hour.
• Carefully pour the filling into the crust (it will be full). Bake at 350 degrees F until the filling is set, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely.
• Make the meringue: Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Whisk the sugar, cream of tartar, salt and egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer. Set the bowl over the boiling water (don't let the bowl touch the water); continue whisking until the mixture is hot (135 degrees F) and the sugar dissolves, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Transfer the bowl to the stand mixer; beat with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Increase the speed to high and beat until stiff, thick and glossy, 2 to 3 more minutes. Spread the meringue on top of the pie. Toast with a kitchen torch.

UPPER PENINSULA PASTIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir shortening and water until shortening is melted. Gradually stir in flour and salt until a very soft dough is formed; cover and refrigerate for 1-1/2 hours. , Cut potatoes and rutabagas into 1/8- or 1/4-inch cubes; do not make cubes too large or they will not cook properly. Gently combine ground beef and pork; break into small crumbles. In a large bowl, combine potatoes, rutabagas, onions, meat mixture and seasonings. , Divide dough into 12 equal portions. On a floured surface, roll out 1 portion at a time into a 8-in. circle. Mound 1-1/2 to 2 cups filling on half of each circle; dot with 1 teaspoon butter. Moisten edges with water; carefully fold dough over filling and press edges with a fork to seal. , Place on ungreased baking sheets. Cut several slits in top of pasties. If desired, brush with cream or beaten egg. Bake at 350° until golden brown, about 1 hour. Cool on wire racks. Serve hot or cold. Store in the refrigerator.