Thursday, April 9, 2009

Grand Opening Treats!

For the fourth day of our grand opening celebration, I made one of our family's favorite cream pies (coconut cream) into mini tarts. Each day we've served one of my home baked treats to all who walk through the door. Yum!

I decided in the interest of time,to purchase the tart shells from a fine bakery in the area, and I was quite disappointed in them. They were too thick and not at all flaky. After they were filled and sat out for a time, the filling did seem to soften them up a bit, and they were a tiny bit better. But, I don't think I would purchase them again. I would try to find time to make my own!



Here is the recipe. Give it a try!
Susan's Banana Cream or Coconut Cream Pie
Combine in a heavy saucepan:
2/3 cup sugar
5 tbl flour
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups whole milk

In a separate bowl, slightly beat 3 egg yolks.

Cook sugar and flour mixture on medium heat to boiling. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add a small amount (few tbls) to the egg yolks, then beat the egg yolk mixture into the custard. Return to heat and boil one more minute, stirring constantly.

Pour into a large bowl. Fill a large bowl with cold water to use as a water bath. Cool the custard surrounded by the cold water. Add 1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla and 4 Tbl butter. Stir with a wire whisk often, until cool.

Cover and refrigerate over night.

For coconut cream, add 1 cup shredded coconut. For banana cream, add three medium sliced bananas.

Fill cooled pie shell with filling and top with shipped cream.

One last note. Last night, I posted about returning to my roots. Check out this floral lapel creation!


I made these 20 years ago when I had a millinery business making hats and hair accessories. I sold to Nordstrom across the nation. Last week, a customer came into the store expecting to find some! I took the order and made one for her today.....now that's what I call returning to my roots, even if it was just for a minute!


5 comments:

michelle said...

My favorite pie! Ever. I've never thought to make miniatures, though, how cute are those?

And how fun that you made a lapel pin after all this time! I still have some of those...

linda said...

Those pies are soooo cute, how sad the crust was a bust! The lapel pin looks real, how beautiful.

emily said...

That's one of my top favorite pies, second only to Grandma's chocolate. How fun to have miniatures! I'm sorry that you were unhappy with the crusts, though. I wish I could pop in to one of your events! Good luck!

shannon said...

I LOVE coconut cream and banana cream pies!--Thanks for sharing your recipe...

What a beautiful hat accessorie! My goodness--You are so the epitamy of elegance!!

Denise said...

I just moved my costumes the other day into a different friend's basement and she was quite shocked (as was I) to realize that I have about three or four HUGE moving boxes filled with your BowZone creations! I just can't part with them.

I could use one of those little tarts right now, though!