Pie No. 1: Plum Chestnut Créme
Luckily, I caught the end of plum season in New England. Make sure to pick firm plums if you’re going to make this pie. And you should most definitely make. this. pie.
(Yield: 1, 9” pie)
Chestnut Créme Ingredients:
· 1 ½ pounds of peeled, roasted chestnuts (Buy a sealed pack of them already peeled and roasted—it saves a lot of time and hassle)
· 1 ½ cups of whole milk
· 1 cup of granulated sugar
· 1 cup of water
· 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
· 1 cup of heavy cream, whipped to firm peaks
Directions:
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, simmer chestnuts with milk until soft for 10 minutes. In another saucepan, bring sugar and water to a simmer until sugar dissolves. Drain chestnuts, then puree them in a food processor with the sugar syrup until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl and chill in refrigerator for up to 30 minutes. Stir in vanilla, then fold in the whipped cream when cooled.
Pie Filling Ingredients:
· 4 cups of sliced fresh plums (about 1 ½ pounds)
· 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
· ½ cup of sugar
· ¼ cup of flour
· ¼ teaspoon of salt
· ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
· 1 egg, separated
Directions:
In a large bowl, squeeze lemon juice over the plums. Combine sugar, flour, salt, and cinnamon, and add it to plums. Toss to coat. Place one piecrust in pie plate—this is your bottom crust. Brush egg white on bottom crust. Generously spread chestnut crème along inside wall of bottom crust. Pour filling into the pie shell. Gently place second piecrust over the top of the filling. Crimp both top and bottom piecrust edges together. Crack and whip the egg in a small bowl. Brush egg wash on the top crust sparingly. Bake pie at 375 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until filling is bubbly. Cover edges of crust with foil during the last 20 minutes to prevent burning. Cool on a wire rack.
