Catherine’s Sweet Potato and Coconut Haupia Pie

Shortbread Crust

• 6 TBSP unsalted butter
• 1 TBSP sugar
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup roasted macadamias or coconut
• pinch of salt if nuts are unsalted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix together all the ingredients in a food processor. Press into a 8X8 baking pan. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes or until golden at the edges.

Potato Filling

• 1 1/2 cups Okinawan purple sweet potatoes, roasted and mashed
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 6-ounces can evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until smooth.
2. Raise the oven temperature to 400ºF. Bake for 10 minutes, then lower heat to 325ºF and bake another 30 minutes until the center is set.
3. Allow to cool. Meanwhile, make the coconut topping

Haupia topping

• 2 TBSP granulated sugar
• 2 TBSP cornstarch + 1/3 cup water
• pinch salt
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon light rum (optional)
• Pinch of salt
• lightly toasted shredded unsweetened coconut and/or toasted, crushed macadamia nuts to garnish

• In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine all ingredients except for garnish, and whisk together thoroughly to eliminate all lumps. Place over medium-high heat. Stirring constantly, bring to an almost-boil then lower to a simmer. Continue to cook and stir until the mixture thickens, 6-8 minutes. Add water to reach desired consistency. Add sugar to taste. Remove from heat and allow to cool just until it is no longer hot.
• Pour the haupia over the cooled pie and spread evenly to cover. Refrigerate until the pudding firms up, at least 3 hours or ideally overnight.
• Garnish with toasted coconut flakes or chopped, toasted macadamia nuts. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Earl Grey Shortbread

Delicious and fragrant, light and crisp, these cookies don’t really impart a lot of tea flavor, but are a perfect pairing with a cup of tea. Made these for C’s baby shower. Can be made ahead of time and stored wrapped in parchment in the freezer of refrigerator. Yields 2 dozen cookies.

• 2 cups flour
• 2 TBSP Earl Grey tea
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 sticks (1 cup) butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

 
In a food processor, pulse together the flour, tea and salt till the tea is well distributed.

Add the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla. Pulse until the dough forms

Form into a log and tightly wrap with plastic wrap. Chill for at least several hours.

Slice into 1/3″ slices and place on parchment-lined cookie sheet

Bake at 375 degrees X 12 minutes until golden on the edges

Holiday Baking – Grandma Corrado’s Butterscotch Icebox Cookies with Cranberry & Pecan Squares

Nothing new to the holiday baking repertoire, just a little tweak to Grandma Corrado icebox cookies and pecan squares:

Grandma Corrado’s Butterscotch Cookies with Cranberries

INGREDIENTS
3 1/2 cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 TBSP vanilla
handful walnut halves                                                                                             2/3 cup dried cranberries                                                                                                                 1 tsp cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS

Cream butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a mixer
Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl
Add dry ingredients to sugar mixture                                                                           Add cranberries and mix until ingredients are just combined (the dough will not come together while mixing)
Roll out into a rectangle
Add a row of walnuts in the middle long-ways
Roll the dough into a log
Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for a couple hours
Cut into 1/8th inch rounds
Bake at 325 degrees for 9 min until crisp

Pecan Squares (dad’s and Uncle’s Phil’s favorite:)

INGREDIENTS-CRUST

• 1 c flour
• 1/3 c light brown sugar
• 1/4 c pecans
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 6 TBSP cold butter

Pulse the following ingredients in a food processor till crumbly.  Press into a parchment-lined and greased 8X8 glass baking dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes till golden brown.

INGREDIENTS-FILLING

• 1/3 c heavy cream
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1/3 c maple syrup
• 3 TBSP butter
• 3/4 tsp vanilla
• pinch of salt to taste
• 1 1/2 TBSP bourbon
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Bring the first 4 ingredients to a boil in a small non-stick saucepan.  Turn of the heat, then add the vanilla, bourbon, salt.  Stir in the pecans then top the warm crust evenly.

Bake at 350 degrees until the center is barely bubbling (20-25 minutes)

Let cool for a few hours and cut into small (or big!) squares.  These actually taste better the day or two after.