π Day Pie Bake-Off

Hello Pie and Pi Day Lovers!

Trying to come up with an idea for the pie, I thought about what pi means and how it helps us – calculating the circumference of a circle or a sphere, surface area, and also, how cute is that symbol?  Here in the studio, we wanted to make a play on area, the result of our favorite pi equation (πr²). Are there any famous areas? Area 51! We could make a pie with 51 sq inches of delicious surface area.  With our handy calculation (thank you pi), the diameter needed to be 8.05824”.  Next though, what should be in the pie?  Something aliens would like, right?!  Not knowing what they eat, I googled “what do aliens eat?”  Unfortunately, most people think they eat humans, light, or nothing.  Needless to say I kept searching until I came a cross a synopsis of the 1989 show UFO Coverup Live.  Supposedly, they (the aliens) like Strawberry Ice Cream!  Perfect!

So here is my made-up totally crazy Neopolitanesque pie for you all, Pi Day and any aliens that actually exist and actually like strawberry ice cream.

Area 51 Pie
(I.E – Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream Pie with Chocolate Mousse and Vanilla Whipped Cream)

Since most pie dishes are not 8”, the recipe is for a 9 or 9.5” dish.  You can use these measurements and just have a little extra if you want to make a true Area 51 pie.

I did not want the strawberry ice cream to make my graham cracker crust soggy so I decided to make a chocolate mousse as a protective bottom layer.  And, if we have strawberry and chocolate why not add vanilla whip cream as well.

Graham Cracker Crust
12 graham crackers pulverized
7 Tbs melted butter
pinch of salt

Combine ingredients and press firmly into pie pan.  Bake at 350 for 12 – 14 minutes.  Let cool completely before adding the first layer – chocolate mousse.

Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream
½ c whole milk
½ c heavy cream
1 ¼  c half and half
scant 1 c sugar, divided (2/3 and 1/3)
1 tsp vanilla or seeds from a vanilla bean
½ Tbs strawberry preserves
10 – 12 strawberries hulled and sliced
1tsp lemon zest

Whisk together the milk, cream, half-n-half, 2/3 cup sugar, vanilla, and strawberry preserves until sugar dissolves.  Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour preferably more.  Clean and slice the strawberries.  While mixtures chills, combine strawberries with a  scant 1/3 cup sugar and lemon zest.  Let them macerate for 30 minutes or more in refrigerator.  Then, pulse strawberries and all collected liquid in a food processor.  Add strawberries to the cream mixture.  Add mixture to ice cream maker and make according to manufacturers instructions.  When done chill ice cream in freezer for an hour or so until it firms up a bit.

Meanwhile,

Chocolate Mousse
8 oz good bittersweet chocolate chips
2 cups heavy cream
pinch of salt

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler with the cream.  Don’t let the mixture boil.  You can remove from heat even before all the chips are melted.  The holdouts will melt with the residual heat.  Once mixture is fully melted and combined.  Chill the mixture in an ice bath.  (In a huge bowl add water and ice.  Let the pan with the chocolate mixture in it sit in the ice bath until cool.)  Whip the cooled mixture with a mixer until soft peaks form.

Add mousse to crust and chill.  When mousse is firm, add layer of ice cream.  Let chill overnight in freezer.  Before you are about to serve the pie, whip 1 ½ c heavy whipping cream, 1 tsp vanilla, ½ Tbs sugar and a pinch of salt until soft peaks form.  Add final layer of whip cream and serve immediately!

I used the extra chocolate mouse thinned with a little milk to pipe the numbers on top.  It was difficult not to draw alien eyes on top.  Let’s see if you can resist.

Enjoy and happy π Day!