bakers and shakers

Shakers are known for their religious beliefs, but also (and more importantly in my case) for their delicious pies and distingushable pie crusts. So I took it as a compliment when Chef called our group "Shakers" last Saturday. Our baking task list included several pies and we managed to crank them all out at a good rate despite the fact that we were down a group member. It must have been the Shaker mentality. 

Pumpkin Pie

Strawberry Chiffon Pie

Lemon Chiffon Pie

Chiffon pies have beaten egg whites folded into the other ingredients so this makes them light and airy. A refreshing pie for summer, although they don't hold up extremely well in the heat.

Lemon Meringue Pie

This pie isn't finished without a light (or heavy) scorching of the meringue. A shout out to my partner Russ for the lovely toasting seen below.



Pecan Pie

This was my favorite of the pies we made this weekend. And I couldn't believe how easy it was to make! Basically, if you have a large bottle of dark corn syrup and pecans, you're well on your way to making pecan pie. 

We also made a chocolate silk pie which is not pictured because a) I forgot to take a picture of it and b) it didn't taste very good due to the fact that we used a recipe with cocoa powder instead of real chocolate. Not recommended for a taste of happiness.

Overall, I feel more confident in my pie making skills and I am looking forward to moving on to tarts next week. Also, I will never buy a pre-made pie crust again. Neither should you. Free pie crust making lessons will be offered if necessary. 

On a closing note, I'd like to share my very favorite dessert of the week with you. The plate full of scrumtrulescent chocolate dipped strawberries that awaited me when I arrived home from work on Thursday. Much thanks to my fiancé, Greg, who always seems to know how to make me happy.