Holiday Nog And Apple Cider Pie

HOLIDAY NOG AND APPLE CIDER PIE

Ever wonder why the people over at Kraft foods didn’t expand the JELL-O brand? They make a gelatin, a pudding and a pie filling for cream pies. For three separate desserts. Why didn’t anyone try to combine the qualities of gelatin with the qualities of pudding? Well, tradition never stopped AFC Global from experimenting with a new concept. Here are the results! Combining a juice with the cream produces a gelatin-like cream. You don’t need the actual gelatin nor agar to produce something unique yet familiar and enjoyable!

Oh, and served in a carob cookie cider pie crust! Topped with dairy free whip cream!

Makes 1, 9 inch pie

Holiday Nog Filling:

1 qt. So Delicious coconutmilk Holiday Nog

1 c. light brown sugar

2 t. imitation vanilla

1/4 t. pink Himalayan salt

1/2 t. finely ground nutmeg

1 c. apple cider mixed with 1/2 c. plus 2 T. cornstarch in cup till completely dissolved

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In large saucepan, over medium heat, combine holiday nog, brown sugar, vanilla, salt and nutmeg. Stir to dissolve sugar, then bring to slow boil.

Add liquid cornstarch, stirring continuously till thickened. Reduce heat to low and cook 10 minutes longer, stirring often. Remove from heat and let set till pie crust is ready to fill.

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Cookie Pie Crust: Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1-1/2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

1 t. pink Himalayan salt or less table salt

1 t. baking soda

1 t. powdered ginger

1/2 c. dark brown sugar

1/2 c. cold margarine

2 t. vanilla (I used imitation)

1 t. liquid smoke

1/4 c. cold apple cider

1/3 c. carob chips

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In large mixing bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda and ginger. Stir well to make sure salt and baking soda are evenly distributed through flour.

Add brown sugar and mix with clean fingers to circulate evenly.

Add cold margarine in pieces, then using pastry cutter or 2 forks in crisscross motions mix till dough becomes mealy.

Mix vanilla, liquid smoke and cider in separate cup, then add to dough. Mix lightly to incorporate liquid.

Add carob chips, again stirring to disperse evenly and till dough moves away from sides of bowl.

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Placing dough:

Liberally grease sides and bottom of 9 inch pie plate going all the way to the top of the rim. Do the top too.

Form dough into a disk. Place on flour-dusted counter top. Using rolling pin, lightly roll into the approximate size of the bottom of the pie plate. Fold in half and place on 1/2 of the pie plate, then unfold centering it onto plate.

Using fingers push dough from center all around up to the rim. The more even you make the crust over the entire pie plate, the better the baking results. Strive for perfection. Don’t make an edge or lip or roll-over or crimps. Up to the rim only and the same thickness as the rest of the crust.

Now, take a fork and prick the tines around the bottom and sides of dough all the way through the dough so you hear the ding on the plate. This allows steam to escape while baking – about 1 inch apart.

Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 17 minutes or till crust is done. It will be soft till it cools. Cool on wire rack to room temperature before filling.

Once cooled and before you fill the pie, take a table knife and very gently slip it under rim of shell to carefully loosen where it might have stuck. Doing this before you fill the pie saves from having to do it as you cut each slice later.

Notes: Tired of the graham cracker and cookie pastry shells at the market? They’re not all that great are they? Why not enjoy the crust along with the filling? With this cookie crust you do just that. And it’s easy to make.

The carob chips I used were about one-third the size of a regular chocolate chip, which makes for a more uniform crust. They also don’t melt quite the same as a chocolate chip, so won’t melt all over the plate while in the oven.

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When ready to fill pie:

First paint the inside of the crust with some pudding, in order to fill any cracks, sort of like spackling a hole in the wall, but more for protective purposes here. Do the top of the rim too. Do this after you run the knife gently and carefully under the top edge to loosen the crust in the pie plate.

Pour Nog Cider Pudding into pie shell. Smooth with spatula if necessary. Refrigerate till set and ready to serve.

Whip 1 c. thawed RICH’S Dairy Free Whip Topping into moderately firm peaks. Halfway through the whip add a little vanilla and powdered ginger. Spread on top of pie, then sprinkle with nutmeg.

Serve.

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