Today is
National Pi Day. Since S
t. Patrick's Day is March 17, I thought I'd post a
'Green Pie' to celebrate both holidays.
Pi Day is an annual celebration commemorating the mathematical constant
Pi.
Pi has been calculated to over one trillion digits beyond its decimal
point. As an irrational and transcendental number, it will continue
infinitely without repetition or pattern.
Pi Day is observed on
March 14 (or
3/14), since
3, 1 and 4 are the three most significant digits of Pi in the decimal
form.
In 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives supported the designation of Pi Day.
Grasshopper Pie
is named because for its
green color, although modern recipes may omit
coloring the pie green. That would be a shame, though, since it's what makes it a classic. This pie was most likely invented in the
1950s
in the U.S, and may have been inspired by the
"Grasshopper
Cocktail" invented at about the same time.
Grasshopper Pie is a chiffon pie usually made with a
Chocolate Cookie Crust, so you see why it's perfect for
DyingforChocolate.com.
Chiffon pies in the 1950s were often a combination of whipping cream, gelatin, sugar, eggs, and flavoring (
see vintage recipe at the end of this post). In the case of the
Grasshopper Pie,
common flavoring used was alcohol in the form of
crème de menthe, and
sometimes other alcohol like crème de cacao. For non-alcoholic pie,
mint flavoring was achieved by using mint extracts instead, though these
might still contain a tiny amount of alcohol. Green food coloring gave the pie a light green color.
There are huge differences between classic recipes for
Grasshopper Pie
and modern ones. Since gelatin can be annoying to work with,
many people now prepare the pie by melting marshmallows and blending
them with milk or whipping cream, and sometimes cream cheese. Several recipes advocate the use of specific
cookies like Oreos in the crust, but I use chocolate wafers.
I
n the US, Grasshopper Pie tends to be most popular in the South, but other parts of the country enjoy it too. The pie rose in popularity especially up until the 1970s. Many ice cream stores capitalized on the flavor of this pie
by producing their own version with mint or mint chocolate chip ice
cream and a cookie crust. Some ice cream stores are particularly known
for their grasshopper ice-cream pies.
Following are several different recipes for Grasshopper Pie. As I said, this is perfect for Pi Day and St. Patrick's Day! Let me know if you have a special family recipe. Grasshopper Pie is so Retro!
Simple Grasshopper Mallow Pie
from Kraft
Ingredients
1/4 cup green creme de menthe
1 jar (7 oz.) JET-PUFFED Marshmallow Creme
1 pt. (2 cups) whipping cream, whipped
1 OREO Pie Crust (6 oz.)
ADD
creme de menthe gradually to marshmallow creme in large bowl, beating
with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Gently stir in
whipped cream.
POUR into crust.
REFRIGERATE 4 to 6 hours or until chilled. Store leftover pie in refrigerator.
Frozen Grasshopper Pie
from
cooks.com
Ingredients
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 rows Oreo cookies (lg. pkg.) crushed (
you can also use chocolate wafers)
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup creme de menthe
1/4 cup white creme de cacao
2 cup (1 pt.) whipping cream, whipped
Directions
Combine
crushed Oreos and butter and press in bottom of 9 x 13 inch pan.
In
large bowl combine sweetened milk, creme de menthe and creme de cacao.
Fold in whipped cream.
Pour over crust. Cover.
Freeze 6 hours or until firm. Garnish with chocolate curls. Return leftovers to freezer.
Expert Grasshopper Pie
From Bon Appétit
Ingredients
Crust:
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
22 chocolate wafer cookies
3 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
1 cup whole milk
Pinch of salt
3 large egg yolks
2 Tbsp cornstarch
6 ounces good-quality white chocolate (such as Baker’s or Lindt), chopped
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp green crème de menthe
2 Tbsp light crème de cacao
3/4 cup chilled whipping cream
Shaved white and dark chocolates
Directions
For crust:
Spray 9-inch-diameter glass or ceramic pie dish with nonstick spray.
Finely grind chocolate cookies and sugar in processor. Blend in butter.
Press crumb mixture onto bottom and up sides of prepared dish. Freeze.
For filling: Combine milk and salt
in heavy small saucepan. Bring to simmer. Whisk egg yolks and
cornstarch in medium bowl to blend well. Gradually whisk in hot milk
mixture. Return mixture to same saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat
until mixture thickens, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Add white
chocolate and butter; whisk until smooth. Transfer custard to large
bowl. Whisk in crème de menthe and crème de cacao. Set custard over
another large bowl of ice water until cold and thick but not set,
stirring often, about 30 minutes.
Whip cream in medium bowl until stiff
peaks form. Stir 1/3 of whipped cream into custard. Fold in remaining
whipped cream. Pour filling into crust. Freeze at least 5 hours or up
to 2 days. Garnish with shaved chocolates.
And one more,
Vintage Cookbook Recipe for Grasshopper Pie that includes gelatin!
