Week #25 & #26 - Chocolate/Peanut/Caramel & Margarita

I'm finally getting back on track with the pie baking after several stressful weeks of pie baking too near to the last minute. I doubt that anyone who knows me well would say that I am an organized person, but I do not enjoy leaving things until the last minute either. Can't handle the pressure of a deadline, I suppose. So, finally, this week I made two different pies within a couple of days to get back on track.

Week #25 - Dark Chocolate, Peanut, Caramel

Technically, this is suppposed to be a tart. But, with 24+ weeks under my belt, I just figured I could make a few modifications and I would just have some little pies, right? Needless to say, if you follow this blog with any regularity, things did not turn out as intended. Do they ever for me?

First, this was by far the most complex recipe that I have tried to execute. There were all kinds of tools required, of which I had... none. And, there were a lot of steps to construct the different elements. The recipe includes some instructions for constructing the "shells" that I could not complete either, so I just thought I would throw individual crusts into their own ramekin and all would be well. It wasn't.

In the end, I would not even consider what I ended up with to be a pie (not even through my deluded eyes). The crust ended up being far too runny to roll into a crust. The consensus is that the lack of the proper stand-up mixer implements infused too much air into the mix and it was overmixed, so what I ended up with was basically tiny cakes covered with chocolate, peanuts, and caramel. You can kind of see in the picture below that this supposed pie ended up being just a layering of different elements on top of each other.

It ended up tasting okay, actually, but it was not a pie by any reasonable definition. Say it with me: "They can't all turn out."

Week #26 - Margarita

This one was a straight recommendation from a friend at work (including a link to the recipe; thanks, A.P.) and is a brilliant addition to the menagerie. I have this one ranked in the top five. It is easy to make and would be a refreshing, tasty summer pie. Plus, it has a nice tequila bite. What more could you ask for?

This is not the most beautiful in full pie state; the presentation is much more about individual slices. Nonetheless, here is the full pie.

And, a slice. Much cuter!

The simplicity of this recipe really allows the flavors to shine through. You can taste each individual component, the fresh-squeezed lime juice, the tequila, the whipped cream. And, the lime zest gives it a nice textural component. This is definitely one of my favorites. It did not last long at work either, so I apparently was not the only one who enjoyed it.

Oh, how I love the Martha! Convicted felon or not, makes no difference to me.

Time flies

This is becoming more and more of a blur, but the margarita pie makes twenty-six weeks. I can not believe that I am half way done already. Now, the fun should really begin as some local fruit starts to become available. Hopefully I have learned something over the past months and can produce some worthy pies over these next few.

It is should be a glorious summer of pie in our household!