The Holidays are approaching rapidly and it just seems like the year is about to "fly by". Isn't that what it always does when it's November? The next thing you know it's January and your cursing yourself for forgetting your scarf and your neck feels like it's about to break off. I mean, unless your a scrooge or from Alaska/Maine.

This week I decided to create a French/Canadian pie that has a lot of history behind it. When the French immigrants originally settled in the north-eastern portions of Quabec there was not an abundantcy of ingredients that they were able to use, mainly due to the very limited growing season. This pie is a Maple Syrup pie, although I converted it with Maple Sugar, it is a very sweet and heavy pie. The pie may seem a bit sweet, but that is exactly what it suppose to be like. I wouldn't recommend making this unless you love the taste of maple syrup.

Pie 8: Lemon and Coconut with a Vodka/Coconut Oil Crust

Pie 8: Lemon and Coconut with a Vodka/Coconut Oil Crust

I can't believe how fast the year is flying by. It seems like only yesterday I was on a one-way flight to NYC. Now, Chris and I are already looking for tickets to go back home for the holidays and thinking of what to buy our loved ones for the holidays. It's amazing how quickly your life can change over the course of a year.

This week I had an interesting challenge presenting to myself from one of Chris's coworkers. She is on a diet that doesn't allow her to eat dairy. Her challenge for me was to make a pie dough without using dairy, substituting it with coconut oil. To be honest, I was a little taken back by this challenge. First of all, I have never seen or heard of coconut oil my entire life. Secondly, because I have never used it I am unfamiliar with it's properties and how it handles as a fatty substance in pie crust. However, like a 18 year old boy signing up for the military I went in head first to see if I could figure out how to make the perfect crust. (**In accent***If I was going to do this, I was going to do it right or I wasn't going to do it, or maybe I would... who knows?)

No butter is difficult for me, especially because I know that butter makes everything taste better. I decided I would replace the butter with the coconut oil and add in vodka to make everything even out. You can't take away all the good things, and besides who doesn't love vodka! The crust turned out to be absolutely delicious, and I felt very superior accepting a challenge and coming up on top. The only thing I would recommend is that if you are expecting coconut oil to work the same way as butter, be prepared and flexible. Coconut oil is far more sticky and will require you to use more flour when you are rolling out the dough.

Lemon Coconut with a Vodka/Coconut Oil Crust:

A Vegan Hangover Crust: (makes 2 crusts)
2 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/4 cup coconut oil, cold
1/4 cup citron vodka (ice cold)
1/4 cup water (ice cold)

This is a dough has the capability to get messy quickly. Similar to how you'd make a butter or shortening crust, coconut oil works in a similar fashion. However, when your fingers come in contact with it, until butter, it instantly turns to oil. Use very cold utensils while working with this substance. In a medium bowl mix the flour, sugar and salt together with a whisk. With a pastry knife cut in the coconut oil. Unlike butter or shortening. Make sure you cut in the coconut oil very finely. Unlike butter, which should be the size of a pea, cut in the coconut oil so there are no chunks bigger than the size of quinoa. If you have chunks in your dough, it will leave solid holes in your crust. Once this is complete, with a rubber spatula, slowly add the water and vodka while you mix and fold the dough. Clump together and place in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours minimum.

Preheat oven to 350. When you roll out the dough, make sure you have a nicely floured surface. Roll out the dough a couple of times and then flip, adding more flour each time so that the dough doesn't stick to the counter. Place in pie shell and flute the edges. With a fork stab the bottom and sides of the pie crust. Place parchment paper in pie and fill with pie weights or beans. Place in oven for 15 minutes. Take out parchment paper/weights and let cool.

Pie Filling:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temp.
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 cup fresh coconut
2 tsp freshly grated lemon zest

Preheat oven to 400. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and the sugar together until light and fluffy. Add one egg at a time and blend until a pale yellow color resembles a satin texture. Add vanilla, lemon juice and buttermilk. With a spatula fold in the lemon zest and 1 cup of coconut. Pour into pie crust. Sprinkle remaining coconut onto top of the pie and place into the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, and then lower the oven temperature to 350 for an additional 40-45 minutes. While I was baking this coconut on top began to brown quickly. I'd recommend adding a little aluminum foil on the top half way through. Chill in refrigerator for 3 hours prior to serving.

ENJOY!

Pie 7: Cream Cheese Pumpkin with Pecan Streusel

Pie 7: Cream Cheese Pumpkin with Pecan Streusel

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. At one point, I was in the lobby of our apartment building and I decided to complement a little girl of her Halloween outfit by saying, "I like your dress Cinderella", only to be screamed at by the little brat, "I'm not Cinderella, I'm Bell!" Obviously she was just trying to fit the role of being a bratty princess.

As expected I dressed up as my famous Chef, Julia Child, and had a marvelous evening with friends. My partner, Chris, went as "Stick of Butter" to complement my outfit. At the end of the night (or 5 minutes after standing in heals singing karaoke into my rolling pin) I realized that I do not have what it takes to be a REAL lady... I'll stick to making pies.

Goodbye October and hellllllooooo November! This weeks pie is special. It's unbelievable one of the best pumpkin pie recipes I've ever had. I highly recommend using this if you want to impress people during your Thanksgiving dinner. It's relatively easy too! Since the last weeks pie was vegan, I wanted to make sure that this one had some richness to it and of course make Christian happy with some lard.

Tip for Perfection:
PREPARE! PREPARE! PREPARE! Always make sure that you prepare before you start to make your pie dough. Make sure you always have the right ingredients and more importantly make sure you read the recipe through thoroughly before you begin to bake. This is key!

Cream Cheese Pumpkin with Pecan Streusel

Flakey and Flavorful Pie Dough:
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup lard (or Crisco if you're health conscience)
5 Tbsp cold butter (chopped into small pieces)
1/4 cup water (cold)
1 large egg, lightly beaten

In a medium sized bowl combine the salt and flour. Cut in your butter and lard with a pastry knife or fork until it resembles small pea size chunks inside the flour. While constantly stiring slowly, add the liquid mixture and egg. Depending on your altitude you might not need to use all the water to get the right consistency. If your mixture is too dry, add more cold water. Cut the dough into two pieces and refrigerate for 2 hours. On a lightly floured surface roll out one of the dough balls. Add it to the pie shell and flute the edges. There are many different ways of fluting your pie. Here is a video of some of the different ways and techniques to help you with this process.

Click here for "Fluting techniques"

You can double the rest of the recipe if you're planning on making two pies, otherwise you can save the other pie dough for another time. You can freeze it for up to 3 months.

Cream Cheese Layer:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1 egg

In a small bowl, cream the sugar and cream cheese together. Add vanilla and egg and mix well. Pour mixture into pie shell and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Pumpkin Layer:
1 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup evaporated milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat over to 350. Combine all ingredients into a medium sized mixing bowl. Blend together well with an electric mixer or whisk. After the cream mixture has been in the fridge for 30 minutes, pour pumpkin mixture over the top of cream mixture and place into the oven. Bake for 50 minutes. If the crust begins to brown too quickly, add aluminum foil around the crust.

Pecan Streusel:
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp butter, softened
1/2 cup pecans, crushed

While the pie is baking. Mix the flour and sugar together. Add the butter and cream together. Finely crush the pecans with a rolling pin (inside a Ziploc bag) or in a food processor and combine with the cream mixture. After the pie has baked for 50 minutes, take out of oven. Using your fingertips add the pecan Streusel on top of the pie evenly and bake for an additional 15 minutes. The pie is best served cold, in order to do so let the pie cool in the refrigerator for 3 hours before cutting into it.

Whipped Cream (recommended to make when consuming)
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp confectionery sugar

Whip together until soft peaks form. Throw a little (or a lot) on each slice.

Enjoy!