Sugar Cream Pie

I found a recipe for "Indiana Sugar Cream Pie" in one of my mother's magazines. After reading through the ingredient list, I couldn't figure out how that could possibly make a pie, so I started doing some research on the internet. It turns out there are several variations on the sugar cream pie, but they all stick with the same key ingredients: sugar (brown, white, or both), cream (or half and half), and some spice on top (nutmeg, and/or cinnamon).

Here's the variation I came up with. It does make a rather low, dense, custard-type pie that is very sweet. I easily served ten people with this pie.

Sugar Cream Pie

Ingredients:
1 unbaked pie shell
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups half and half or light cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons butter
ground nutmeg
cinnamon

If you are making your own pie crust, prepare it and crimp the edges. Do not bake it. If you're looking for a pie crust recipe, you might want to check out this blog entry.

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, and salt. Spread this mixture evenly in the bottom of the pie crust.
In a medium bowl, mix together the half and half with the vanilla. Pour this over the sugar mixture in the pie crust.
Cut up the two tablespoons of butter into small pieces and distribute evenly over top. Sprinkle with nutmeg and cinnamon.
Cover edges of pie with foil to prevent overbrowning of crust. Bake in 350-degree oven to 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Top should be lightly browned and bubbly. Cool on wire rack. The pie will set as it cools. Within two hours, cover and store in refrigerator.

Pie is served cold.

King Cake

I made this for a New Year's Eve party, but many people make it for Three Kings' Day or Mardi Gras. From the research I did online, most people hide a plastic baby in the cake. Whoever finds the baby receives good luck, becomes king or queen for the day, and/or has to throw the next party.

I found the plastic baby in the baby shower department of a craft store. They come six in a pack, so I guess I can still make plenty of King Cakes.

King Cake

Ingredients for cake:
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 package active dry yeast
1/3 cup warm water (110-115 degrees)
1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
4 tablespoons white sugar (these two amounts are used separately)
1 egg
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 3/4 cups flour

Ingredients for filling:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup raisins
1/3 cup pecan chips (or chopped pecans)
2 tablespoons melted butter

Ingredients for icing:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons softened butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2-3 tablespoons milk

Heat the milk over medium-high heat until small bubbles form around the edge. Do not let it get to a full boiling. Remove from heat and stir in the 2 tablespoons of butter. Set the mixture aside to cool to room temperature.

Warm 1/3 cup water to 110-115 degrees. If you get it too hot, just give it a minute to cool. Pour the water in a large bowl and dissolve the yeast with 1-1/2 teaspoons of white sugar. Let stand about ten minutes.

When the ten minutes are up, the yeast mixture should look dreamy and a little bubbly. Add the cooled milk mixture. Whisk in the egg. Stir in the 4 tablespoons of sugar, the salt, and the nutmeg.

Transfer this to a large mixer bowl and beat in the flour one cup at a time. When the dough is all combined, turn in out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead it for 8-10 minutes. The dough should be smooth and elastic.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled large bowl. Turn the dough over once so that is it coated in the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for two hours. The dough should double in size.

After the two hours is over, punch the dough down. Then roll it out to a large rectangle, about 10 x 16 inches.

In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the filling. Mixture should be rather crumbly. Sprinkle the filling over the rolled-out dough. Then roll like a jelly roll, starting at the wide side. Bring the ends together to form an oval shape.

Place the ring on a cookie sheet that has been greased or lined with parchment paper. Let is rise for 45 minutes.

Bake in 375 degree oven for 20 minutes. While the cake is baking, make the frosting by combining the ingredients listed above. After you take the cake out of the oven, push the doll into the bottom of the cake. Frost while warm. Sprinkle with green, purple, and yellow sugar crystals for that Mardi Gras look.

Eggnog Cream Cups

This recipe came from a friend, who doesn't remember where she got it from. If you like eggnog as a drink, you will definitely like it as a cookie!

Eggnog Cups

Ingredients for “cookie cups”:
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened

Ingredients for filling:
¾ cup cold whipping cream
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons egg substitute
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon rum extract

Lightly grease 24 mini muffin cups with cooking spray.

Combine flour, ½ cup sugar, salt and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg in large bowl. Add butter and beat with electric mixer on medium speed until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Scoop and roll dough into 1-inch balls. Press into bottoms of muffin cups (I used a shot glass for this). Then press up the sides of the muffin cups. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake cups 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes before removing to wire racks.

For the filling, beat cream and 3 tablespoons sugar in another large bowl with electric mixer at high speed until soft peaks form.

Add egg substitute, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and rum extract. Beat until stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

When you’re ready to serve, pipe or spoon the filling into each cup. Sprinkle with extra nutmeg.Yields: 24 cookies