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The Dessert

Pumpkin Pie - Slimmed Down
Submitted by: Faith0425

Faith0425 Pumpkin Pie

Crust:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter (1/2 stick), diced
1 large egg white
1/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons ice water, plus more as needed
vegetable cooking spray

Filling:
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated skim milk
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
2 tablespoons dark rum
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon fine salt

Crust: In a food processor, pulse the flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt until combined. Add the butter and pulse the mixture until it resembles cornmeal mixed with pea-sized bits of butter, about 10 times. Add the egg white, vinegar, and water, and pulse 1 or 2 times; don't let the dough form into a ball in the machine. (If the dough is very dry add a couple of teaspoons of cold water.) Remove the bowl from the machine, remove the blade, and bring the dough together by hand. Form the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Lightly spray a 9-inch pie pan with oil. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a thin disk, about 13 inches in diameter. Transfer the dough to the prepared pie pan and trim the edges, leaving about one inch hanging over the edge. Tuck the overhanging dough underneath itself to form an edge even with the rim. Flute the edge as desired. Freeze the crust for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line the crust with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake on the center rack until firm and just cooked, about 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Lift the foil to remove the beans, return to the oven, and bake until golden, about 10 minutes.
Filling. In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, evaporated milk, brown sugar, eggs, orange zest, and rum. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Sift the dry ingredients over the pumpkin mixture and whisk until thoroughly blended.
Pour the filling into the prepared crust and bake until the filling is just set but not cracked, about 1 hour. Cool on a rack, serve warm or at room temperature.
Serving Suggestion: Wedges of apples, oranges, and pears, and a few cranberries.
Slim down tip
Spray the pie tin with vegetable cooking spray to assure easy serving.
Top with 2 tablespoons of fat free frozen vanilla yogurt for an additional 23 calories.
This is a large serving - cut pie into 10 or 12 pieces instead of 8.

The Hot Beverage

Vanille Coffee
Submitted by: Becky

12 cups brewed coffee
1 pint French vanilla ice cream

12 fluid ounces Irish cream liqueur

Brew 12 cups of coffee. While the coffee is brewing, fill each cup with a scoop of ice cream. Be sure to use large cups (the oversized types you get at coffee houses are best). Top each scoop of ice cream with just enough Irish cream so that the ice cream looks lightly coated. When the coffee is brewed, pour it so that each cup is filled up about halfway. It is then up to each individual to add more Irish cream, half-and-half, or sugar to suit his/her taste. Serves 12.

The Cake

German Christmas Gingerbread
Submitted by: Lady Lynda

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups packed brown sugar
3 eggs
2/3 cup honey
1/4 cup orange liqueur
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup orange juice
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup raisins
1 cup blanched slivered almond

Whisk together the flours, baking powder, and spices. In a large bowl, cream the butter or margarine with the brown sugar. Beat in the eggs, then the honey, orange liqueur, sour cream, and orange juice. Beat the flour mixture into the creamed mixture, and then stir in the raisins and almonds. Turn batter into a greased and floured tube pan. Bake cake at 350°F (175°C) for 80 minutes, or until it tests done with toothpick. Transfer to a rack to cool. When serving, top with whip cream. 14 servings.

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