How is it already the end of August? I feel like I say this every summer, but this has definitely been the quickest one yet. The past three months have been a complete whirlwind, but of course there was plenty of time for epic desserts.

It would be impossible to pick a favorite, but this Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Pie that I’m sneaking in right at the end here would definitely be a contender. There’s been a lot of dessert making going on in our house so I was hesitant to load Matt and I up with even more, but I couldn’t let the summer go by without sharing this outrageous Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Pie I discovered about six months ago from my Sally’s Baking Addiction cookbook.

The base of this no-bake pie is a classic Oreo crust because the only thing better than peanut butter is chocolate and peanut butter. Then there’s a layer of fresh banana slices that get covered with a creamy peanut butter filling. The whole pie is frozen and topped with fresh whipped cream so that each bite is light and balanced.

I’ve always loved bananas, but other than banana splits I hadn’t really eaten too many desserts incorporating banana. This Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Pie has the perfect amount of banana flavor. It’s secondary to the peanut butter and chocolate Oreos and adds a great freshness to the pie.

As with most no-bake pies, this one is incredibly easy to make, which is both a great thing and a dangerous thing. You’ve been warned! Enjoy!

Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Pie

 

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Yield: 8-10 servings

Ingredients

• 28 Oreo cookies, crushed into crumbs (do not remove cream filling)
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 large bananas, thinly sliced, plus more for decoration if desired
• 2 cups heavy cream, divided
• 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter (not natural peanut butter)
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon plus ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract, divided
• ½ cup powdered sugar

Directions

1. Make the base of the pie. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the Oreo crumbs with the melted butter and salt. Use the flat bottom of a measuring cup and your fingers to press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Place the banana slices in an even layer on the bottom of the crust and set aside.
2. Make the filling. Place a metal mixing bowl or the metal bowl of a stand mixer in the freezer along with the metal beaters or beater for 5-10 minutes. Remove and add 1 cup of the heavy cream (make sure your cream is cold) and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 4-5 minutes.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand-held mixer, use the paddle attachment to beat the cream cheese and peanut butter together until creamy and smooth. Add the granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon of the vanilla extract then beat until combined. Use a spatula and gently fold in the whipped cream from the previous step. Spread the peanut butter filling into the springform pan on top of the banana slices.
4. Make the whipped cream. Place the metal mixing bowl or the metal bowl of a stand mixer back in the freezer along with the metal beaters or beater for 5-10 minutes. Remove and add the remaining cup of the heavy cream (make sure your cream is cold), powdered sugar and the remaining ¾ teaspoon of vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high until stiff peaks form. Spoon over the top of the pie, cover and freeze until firm, about 6 hours. Let pie sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving and top with additional banana slices if desired.

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Lauren Uncategorized 4 Comments

I have a huge dessert obsession, except when it comes to fruit pies. I love key lime pie, pumpkin pie, pecan pie and definitely ice cream pie, but I’m fairly indifferent when it comes to fruit pies. Matt, on the other hand, has a huge fruit pie obsession, specifically cherry pie. Usually if there’s a fruit pie I might take a bite, but that will be the extent of it. However, a few years ago, Matt’s parents came to visit and brought a Raspberry Peach Pie from an orchard near their house. Raspberry is one of Matt’s favorite fruits, but it definitely isn’t mine. I figured I would try a bite and that would be the end of it. Instead, I couldn’t stop eating the Raspberry Peach Pie! The tartness of the raspberries mixed with the rich sweetness of the in-season peaches had me hooked.

I’ve been wanting to recreate that pie for years, but I haven’t been adventurous enough in the kitchen with pie making. I’ve also been all about simple recipes this summer so I brainstormed how I could still get that same mouthwatering combination in an easier manner than test-baking pies all summer. The answer was easy – Raspberry and Peach Turnovers! I love working with store-bought puff pastry because it’s ready to use as soon as you thaw it. If you’ve never bought puff pastry before you can find it in the freezer section of your grocery store, usually near the other frozen desserts and fruit.

Peaches are in peak season right now and I’ve been getting some super sweet and juicy ones at the store. I tossed the fresh peaches with raspberries, cinnamon and a little brown sugar for some added sweetness. The fruit mixture gets stuffed in the puff pastry before being topped with an egg wash and baked until golden brown. The heat of the oven reduced the raspberries to an almost jam-like texture in the turnovers, which paired really well with the sweet peaches and cinnamon flavoring. Pie crust is good, but for me, puff pastry takes the cake pie. It’s light, flaky and definitely buttery.

Since the Raspberry Peach Turnovers are so simple on their own I decided to give them a little something extra. You could top them with powdered sugar OR you could drizzle them with this easy fresh raspberry glaze. Look how pretty the glaze looks on the turnovers! The glaze also helps bring in some additional raspberry flavoring and sweetness. Don’t be shy with the glaze; after I took these photos I smothered the turnovers with all the rest of the glaze!

One bite of these turnovers brought me right back to that raspberry peach pie, but I love how easy then puff pastry turnovers are. These are perfect to make for a brunch treat, a fruity dessert or simply because you have fresh raspberries and peaches to use. The bulk of the turnover is the fruit so make sure your fruit is ripe and bursting with fresh summer flavor!

Raspberry Peach Turnovers with a Fresh Raspberry Glaze

 

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Yield: 8 turnovers

Ingredients

for the pastries

• 1 package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets - 17.3 ounce package), thawed according to manufacturer’s instructions (see note)
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 2 cups diced ripe peaches, skin on
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1½ tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 egg

for the glaze

• ⅔ cup fresh raspberries
• 1 ½ tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk

Directions

for the pastries

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or coat with nonstick spray and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the raspberries, diced peaches, cinnamon and brown sugar.
3. Roll each sheet of puff pastry into a 12” square. Divide each 12” square into 4 squares.
4. Scoop some raspberry and peach filling onto the center of each puff pastry square. I found about ⅓ cup was the perfect amount for not over-filling them. Fold one corner of the puff pastry square to the opposite corner to make a triangle. Press the edges together with your fingers and then press down with a fork to seal the turnover. Cut a couple slits in the top of the turnover so it doesn’t puff up too much while it is baking. Repeat for the remaining turnovers.
5. Beat the egg with a teaspoon of water then brush over the tops of the turnovers. Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Let cool before topping with the glaze.

for the glaze

1. Combine the raspberries, water, sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring and mashing the raspberries frequently. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Strain over a fine mesh colander into a bowl to remove the seeds then let cool. Once cool, whisk in the powdered sugar and milk. If your glaze is too thick, add some more milk. If your glaze is too thin, add some more powdered sugar. Drizzle over the cooled turnovers.

Notes

You want to try to touch and work with the puff pastry the least amount of time possible because touching it makes the pastry warm, which means less of a rise during the baking. I leave the second roll of puff pastry in the fridge until I’m done working with the first one.
The amount of brown sugar you want to use may depend on how sweet or tart your fruit is. I found 1½ tablespoons to be the perfect amount of sweetness for us when we used in-season raspberries and peaches.

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Lauren Uncategorized 2 Comments

Happy Friday, friends! It is the last day of my self-proclaimed ice cream week and I have an epic grand finale for you. Hot Fudge Brownie Sundae Ice Cream Pie! I’ve turned the classic dessert into an ice cream pie because everyone needs more ice cream pie in their lives. Especially during the summer time. I love making ice cream pies year round though; it is my go-to dessert to make for someone’s birthday or any type of celebration. Usually my ice cream pies have four major components: cookie or graham base, ice cream, some sort of decadent topping and whipped cream. Well, five components if you include the cherries, candy or other goodies that get sprinkled on top.

This pie uses Monday’s Chocolate Brownie Walnut Ice Cream in an unbelievable way. Or a criminal way, as my Dad said when he tried it. As in, “that ice cream pie was criminal – it should be outlawed!” Direct quote right there. The first layer of this pie is your standard no-bake Oreo crust. On top of the crust we have a layer of hot fudge, since we are trying to replicate the hot fudge brownie sundae after all. I was making so many other components of this pie that I went with store bought hot fudge, but you could definitely make your own if you have a go-to recipe. I don’t have a hot fudge recipe on Lemon & Mocha, but I’m adding it to my list to test for you all!

Next we have the Chocolate Brownie Walnut Ice Cream. I debated whether I wanted to have an entire brownie layer or to put the brownie chunks in the ice cream, but I went with the latter. There’s just the right amount of brownie chunks and walnuts that you get some in every bite, adding the perfect fudgy and crunchy texture.

I used a chocolate ice cream base because more chocolate makes everything better, but you could certainly use vanilla ice cream before folding in the brownies and walnuts. Simply follow my Vanilla Bean Ice Cream recipe up until the step where you’re about to put it in the ice cream maker, then follow the Chocolate Brownie Walnut Ice Cream recipe for brownie and walnut mix-in directions. Or, if you’re using the shortcut version I talked about in Monday’s post you would just mix the brownies and walnuts into your favorite store-bought vanilla ice cream. Finally, pile on the quick homemade whipped cream followed by plenty of cherries.

Obviously I love eating ice cream pies because I’m ice cream obsessed, but the reason I love making them is because of the flexibility of the components. Feeling ambitious and like you want to show-off? Go full-on homemade with everything. Short on time? Pick up everything you need at the store. I usually fall somewhere in between. I like to have one or two components I can impress with and then take shortcuts on the rest to save time.

I can’t wait for you all to try this Hot Fudge Brownie Sundae Pie soon since it is so crazy criminally delicious. I have been trying to eat really well, but I could not avoid this one when it was sitting in the freezer! So be sure to make it soon, especially if you feel like living dangerously! Ha!

Brownie Fudge Sundae Ice Cream Pie

 

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Yield: 8-12 servings

Ingredients

• 24 Oreo cookies
• 5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup hot fudge
• 1 batch chocolate brownie walnut ice cream
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Cherries, for topping

Directions

1. Line a pie dish or a springform pan with plastic wrap. Make sure plastic wrap is hanging over the sides. When the pie is done you will want to remove it from the pan so you can get a clean cut. If you don’t care about getting a clean cut, you can make the pie directly in the pie dish without any plastic wrap, but it will be hard to get out the first piece or two.
2. Crush the Oreo cookies (filling and all) in a food processor or in a plastic bag with a rolling pin until they resemble fine crumbs. Add the melted butter, sugar and salt then pulse in the food processor until combined or stir together until combined in a mixing bowl. Press the cookie crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pie dish and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
3. Heat the hot fudge if it’s not pourable. Pour the hot fudge into the bottom of the chilled Oreo crust and put in the freezer until chilled.
4. If you are using homemade ice cream, you can pour the ice cream straight from the ice cream machine into the chilled hot fudge Oreo crust. If you are using semi-homemade ice cream (see note), pour the softened ice cream with the walnuts and brownie pieces mixed in right into the chilled hot fudge Oreo crust. Lightly cover and freeze until firm, about 6-8 hours.
5. Place the metal stand mixer bowl or a metal mixing bowl and the metal beater of your stand mixer or the metal beaters of your hand mixer in the freezer to chill for at least 15 minutes. Pour the cold heavy cream and the sugar into the chilled bowl then beat until you see stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream over the top of the ice cream pie. Top with the cherries before serving.

Notes

The pie will be best if you add the fresh whipped cream right before serving. Fresh whipped cream will also be okay in the fridge for a few hours so you could make the whipped cream and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to top and serve the pie. If you do freeze the pie with the whipped cream (we did this with the leftover pie) it will still be good, but it won’t be a light whipped cream topping; it will be frozen.
If you would prefer to use store-bought whipped topping, you will need 2 cups.

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Lauren Uncategorized 0 Comments

This summer has been slipping away! I had a recipe all planned to share with you for the Fourth of July, but suddenly it was the week before the holiday weekend and I hadn’t cooked or photographed it yet.

I knew I couldn’t let the week pass by without providing some holiday-worthy red, white and blue inspiration so I grabbed everything I needed, whipped it together and snapped some photos. All for you. Don’t you feel special?

I first made this No-bake Red, White and Blue Lemonade Cheesecake Pie back in college. The recipe was actually in a Kraft ad in my Food Network magazine that summer and with my newly discovered lemon obsession I knew I had to make it for Matt and I.

The pie was light, refreshing and super simple to put together.

Somehow I forgot all about it until I was racking my brain for a creative red, white and blue dessert idea.

If you remember my Summer Berry Trifle blog post from the other year I am always looking for new spins on the traditional flag Fourth of July cake I used to make every year with my grandma.

This No-bake Red, White and Blue Lemonade Cheesecake Pie is perfect and will make you the hero of your barbecue! Plus, did I mention that there’s only 8 ingredients and NO BAKING? Enjoy!

No-bake Red, White & Blue Lemonade Cheesecake Pie

 

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Yield: 8-10 servings

Ingredients

• 10 graham cracker squares, crushed into crumbs (about 1.5 cups of graham cracker crumbs
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 8 ounces Cool Whip, thawed
• Halved strawberries, for topping
• Blueberries, for topping

Directions

1. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a medium mixing bowl until they come together and resemble coarse crumbs. Press into the bottom and sides of a lightly greased 9-inch pie pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to make sure the crumbs are packed down tightly. Refrigerate for 2 hours before using.
2. In a medium bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until whipped and creamy.
3. Slowly add the ½ cup of lemonade concentrate (be sure not to add the whole can!) and beat after each addition. Once well combined, fold in two cups of the Cool Whip. Pour the mixture into the crust and refrigerate for four hours.
4. When ready to serve, top with the remaining Cool Whip, strawberries and blueberries. You could top with the fruit beforehand, but the red juice from the strawberries might run on the Cool Whip.

Notes

If you want to skip the first step simply use a pre-made graham cracker crust. I use light cream cheese and light Cool Whip, but regular or light works for this recipe. This pie (and crust) both freeze well.

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Lauren Uncategorized 0 Comments

Thanksgiving is almost here! Only a few more days until we get to say thanks for all the good events and people that graced our lives over the past year. Of course, our thanks would not be complete without an all-day marathon gorge fest.

After the glorious turkey, mashed potatoes lathered with gravy, piping hot biscuits, tart cranberry sauce and 23 other dishes, the great finale of any traditional Thanksgiving meal are the pies. Along with the pies comes the great pie debate. Apple pie or cherry pie? Pumpkin pie or lemon meringue pie? Blueberry pie or the ever mysterious chess pie?

One of my favorites is the classic pecan pie, although it is usually missing a very important key ingredient. Chocolate! Once you experience pecan pie loaded up with chocolately chip goodness you will never want to settle for regular, plain old, chocolate-lacking pecan pie again.

How pecan pie minus chocolate chips is the standard completely boggles my mind. I found a mini pie pan at Christmas Tree Shop last year and have been itching to bake up some cuteness.

Mini pies are fantastic because they take less time in the oven, are adorable and you can have a whole pie all to yourself! Thanksgiving is all about sharing, but when it comes to dessert… just don’t get your fork too close to my pie…

Mini Molten Chocolate Pecan Pies

 

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Yield: 5 mini pies

Ingredients

• 3 eggs, beaten
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¾ cup dark corn syrup
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1¼ cups pecan halves
• ¾ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 sheet unbaked pie crust, pressed into mini pie pans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pre-bake the pie shells, making sure to use pie weights, for 7 minutes.
2. Combine the eggs, brown sugar, flour, vanilla extract and corn syrup in a medium mixing bowl. Add the melted butter and stir. Add the pecans and chocolate chips then stir. Distribute evenly into the prepared mini pie shells.
3. Bake for 20 minutes with a sheet pan underneath to catch any dripping.

Notes

To make one pie instead of mini pies, press the pie crust into a 9" pan. Pour all the filling into the pie shell then bake for 50-60 minutes. Cover the crust with aluminum foil partway through baking so the crust doesn't get burnt.

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Lauren Uncategorized 0 Comments