What to cook for boyfriend's parents? Pie??

[xena1441]

I am meeting the 'rents for the first time and want to make a good impression. I figured what better than food? Does anyone have a good pie or cake recipe (can be a difficult one) good enough to wow?

Many thanks!

[alysonlaurel]

I vote for this one. I have been making it since I cut it out of the magazine to make for Thanksgiving dinner. It's not hard, but it looks and tastes great. If it screws up and won't come out of the pan properly, cut into slices and arrange in a circle on a platter with raspberries in between. It is the best of these flourless chocolate cakes I've ever had. So, so flavorful and light, but rich and intense.

[ktmoomau]

Chocolate cream pie? with real meringue of course.

[LNG212]

What about a cobbler using the great fruit (still!) available at the greenmarket? I got some awesome peaches again today. And fresh fruit cobbler can't be beat. It can be both comfort food and impressive when seasonal produce is used. And it's pretty easy to make.

[Emme]

Gramercy Tavern Gingerbread on Epicurious {I make it into two loaves instead of one bundt)... Make it a couple of days ahead and allow the flavors to steep and marry... then serve warmed w/ vanilla ice cream. You WILL win their hearts.

[foodseek]

This was one of the best recipes I was steered toward by Chowhounders. At least I am refering to the same cake made with Guniness. It has become a family favorite and I can't wait to make it again. I used the bundt cake forms from W/Sonoma and dust with powdered sugar. It is delicious served warm with ice cream or a hard vanilla sauce.

[Emme]

just my opinion, but i much prefer the dense gooeyness of the gingerbread over the guiness cake (both by gramercy tavern). the cake also calls for crystallized ginger chopped whereas the gingerbread does not.

[foodseek]

Thanks. I haven't tried the gingerbread then. I will try to look for that recipe now-if it is anything like the other I will love it.

[Emme]

here ya go! http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...
and fwiw, i like to maximize top crust surface area, and this is readily achieved through making two loaves instead of the bundt, and i check starting at 50-55 minutes... definitely don't overbake it.

if you eat it cold, it's even denser and almost chewy. the spicyness of the gingerbread really varies from hot to cold... it's almost condensed in the cold version, and more aromatic and multi-sensual when warm. ethereal w/ vanilla ice cream regardless.

[foodseek]

Thanks so much-it is in the oven as we speak. House smells heavenly-friends over tonight so I can't wait to serve it. I did use my meat loaf pans since I too like the crusty top.

[Emme]

reserve one of the loaves for a couple of days, and see how great it becomes with time... it will be enjoyed by guests today but by monday, talk about a start-the-week treat.

[abud]

This Concord Grape Pie from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen was incredible. And it's unusual. I'd never had grape pie before.
(http://foodandspice.blogspot.com/).

Concord Grape Pie

4 1/2 cups of Concord grapes (about 2 pounds
)1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of flour
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon of salt
1 unbaked 9 inch pastry shell

Streusel Topping

1/2 cup of oats
1/2 cup of packed brown sugar
1/4 cup of flour
1/4 cup of butter

To make the topping, combine the oats, brown sugar and flour. Cut in the butter with two knives or a pastry cutter until crumbly. Sprinkle the topping over the filling. Cover the edges of the crust with foil.

Bake in a preheated oven at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove the foil, and continue to bake for another 20 minutes or so, or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack before serving.
For the crust, I made a Flaky Butter Pie Crust. The key to a good pie crust is to ensure all of the ingredients are cold.

Flaky Butter Pastry Shell

1 cup of flour
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/8 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 cup of cold butter, cut into 8 pieces
3 - 4 tablespoons of ice water

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking powder. Cut in the butter using two knives or a pastry cutter until the butter is reduced to very small pieces. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of ice water over the dough and combine with a fork. The dough is ready for rolling once it holds together when you squeeze it. If the dough is too dry, add more of the ice water.

On a floured surface, roll the dough out into a flat circle shape with a floured rolling pin. Gently fold the rolled dough in half and transfer to the pie plate. Trim the dough and fold to make the crust edge. Crimp the edges.

[bigjimbray]

I have a recipe I made up in 97 its called Jim`s pineapple cheese pie. it takes about
3-5 minutes to make and then let it set in the refrigerator. and it tastes like a pineapple cheese cake.

[xena1441]

this sounds so different! I may have to give this one a shot!

[kary]

How do you process the grapes to make the filling for this pie? Thanks.

[abud]

Yeeks--sorry I forgot the paragraph about the grapes:

Squeeze the end of each grape opposite the stem to separate the skins from the pulp. Set the skins aside in a medium-sized bowl. Put the pulp in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Press the boiled pulp through a strainer to remove the seeds. Add the seedless pulp to the bowl with the grape skins, along with the sugar, flour, lemon juice and salt. Stir well to combine. Transfer the mixture to the pastry shell.

[yannie]

How about a chocolate mousse torte? or:

Pecan tart: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/102555

Cinnamon Crumble apple pie: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/108650

Mint Chocolate Meltaways (Super delicious, but don't know if cookies fit the bill): http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

My mom's apple cake:

350 oven, 1 hr 15 mins.
4-5 sliced apples, tossed with cinn and brown sugar
Mix together:
3 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
1/2 cup orange juice
4 eggs

Grease and flour tube pan (I have both kinds but like my one piece one the best.) Pour a little more than half of the batter into the pan, spread about half of the apples, and then cover with the rest of the batter. Use the remaining apples for the top. (I sprinkle a little more cinn. on top before baking.)
Be sure to bake so it’s not soggy, but don’t overbake.