Simply Decadent Ganache with Raspberries

Hello everyone! Mary Jane here with a simple, but deliciously decadent recipe for those days you need something fancy but foolproof. My dad's seventy sixth birthday was this week and although he loves chocolate, he just doesn't want a big to-do. He's a retired nuclear engineer who loves God, books, the quiet, birds, the forest, hiking, and peaceful moments. Sense a theme??
                                                    

(Mmmmm, like the inside of a truffle!)

  So, what do you get for a man who doesn't want a big fuss, but still deserves a little treat? Well, we brought over the guitar and played some oldies but goodies, and then handed him a perfectly sized treat for him and his wife. They're not the type to want or need a big cake, or even a full pie. But a sweet little ramekin of chocolate with a cookie crust is just their style.
Now, this recipe also made a larger ganache dessert, but be prepared if you're making a cute little dish like we were. Of course, it was no hardship to have TWO, but just a warning that this recipe makes more than the little pie you see.
                                                     
You'll need 2 cups of heavy whipping cream.
                                                 
8 oz of good chocolate...
Some basic sugar cookies (not pictured, but imagine about ten cookies crushed).
Mix the crushed cookies with 2 TBS of melted butter. Press into the ramekin. Bake at 275F for 10-15 minutes. Let cool.

                                                       
You can microwave the heavy cream and the chocolate, but I'm always afraid I'm going to burn it, so I melt it together in a pan on the stove, stirring constantly over medium heat. When it's all melted, pour into the cookie crust.
                                                      
Let cool overnight in the fridge, or at least two hours. This part is important. Otherwise you just have melted chocolate. When it's chilled, it gives it that velvety smooth texture.

 Line with raspberries or strawberries or chocolate shavings.
                                                          

(Fresh picked berries from down the road!)

We also tried a recipe that included mixing in a few TBS of raspberry jam. Meh. I liked the flavor, but maybe if it was strained... I didn't like the seeds IN the chocolate.

 Oh my goodness. So smooth and chocolatey...

Annnnnnd a close up...

 Ok, that's all for now! I hope everyone is enjoying their summer and be sure to stop by my author pages Mary Jane Hathaway or Virginia Carmichael for all my book news!

More About Pies

Ruthy's post for Peaches and Cream Pie on Saturday still has me drooling. (You can find that recipe here) So, since I've been dwelling on pie (thanks a lot Ruthy!), I decided to revisit one of my very first posts here at the Yankee-Belle.

How many of y'all love pie? Now, how many love pie, but rarely, if ever, make one because you think it's too hard? Well, today I'm going to share Grandmama's secret to easy cream pies. She developed this recipe when she was eighteen years old, then adapted it to the microwave, making it easier than ever. No more standing at the stove, stirring constantly.

Here's what you'll need for a basic cream pie:

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 level Tbsp. flour
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 2 cups milk
• 4 beaten egg yolks (save the whites for your meringue)
• 2 Tbsp. melted butter
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 - 9 in. baked pie crust

In a microwave-safe bowl, mix together sugar, flour, and salt. Add just a little milk to the flour sugar mixture to make a thick paste. (I don't know why that step is here,but I go with it anyway. Maybe it's to make sure there are no lumps.)

Add egg yolks, rest of milk, and butter and mix well. Cook in microwave on HIGH at 2 minute intervals, whisking between each interval. The first two times you whisk the mixture will still be watery and you'll think, "this isn't working." But trust me on this. Three times is usually enough. If not, go to one minute intervals.

While the filling is cooking, you'll want to make your meringue. Beat egg whites, along with 1/8 tsp. cream of tarter until foamy. Beat in 6 Tbsp. sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Continue beating until stiff and glossy. Beat in 1/2 tsp. vanilla.

Once your filling is ready, add vanilla and stir well. Since I was making a coconut cream pie, I also added 1 cup of angle flake coconut.

Pour mixture into pie crust. 

Top with meringue, making sure to seal your edges. Since my brain doesn't process like Ruthy's does, meaning I don't have a bag of toasted coconut in the freezer, I sprinkle more plain coconut on my meringue.

 Brown 15 minutes in a 300 degree oven. 

See, easy as pie!

An added bonus to this basic recipe is that there are so many variations. I gave you the info for a coconut cream pie, but here are some others you're sure to like.

Chocolate Cream: Add 1 pkg. Nestle's Pre-Melted Chocolate (or 2 Tbsp. cocoa) to filling before cooking. Top with meringue. Brown 15 min. in 300 degree oven.

Pineapple Cream:  After cooking, add one small can crushed pineapple, drained. Again. top with meringue.

Banana Cream:  Slice 1 or 2 bananas into crust before pouring in the filling. Top with meringue.

Most of my kids don't care for the coconut cream pie (more for me and Dad), but they'll fight you tooth and nail for the chocolate cream version.



This is at gratuitous photo of my grandson, Elijah. He's too young for pie, but he sure does make us smile.

Ah, yes...that baby is three years old now. My how time flies.

Can you believe it's August? School has started for some and will be soon be starting for others. Before you know it, we'll be putting up fall decorations. And, dare I say it...?

THERE'S CHRISTMAS STUFF OUT AT HOBBY LOBBY!

Time definitely marches on, so we may as well enjoy it.

Bring on the pie!