dessert alchemy.

made some desserts last night.

















taro root in sweetened coconut milk. (not me, farmer's market)
pineapple pistachio custard
blackberry meringue pie.


pineapple pistachio custard.
you'll need to first make a simple custard. scald two cups of milk (slowly, don't you dare burn that milk) with a dash of salt and half a cup of sugar. i used confectioners, but i'm sure plain white would work as well. just before the milk boils, turn off the heat. pour a little of the milk into five beaten egg yolks. then pour the mixture back into the pot with the custard. heat til thick. stir stir stir. and i always cheat and throw a package of gelatin in with it to ensure setting. cool.
once that's taken care of and in the fridge, just throw together a pack of pistachio pudding, add some chopped pineapple, and mix with the pudding. chill til you like it. it's delicious. promise.

blackberry meringue pie.
prepare a simple pie crust. about two cups of flour. a stickish of butter. blend together with a pastry cutter or two knives until you get frustrated, give up, and just start doing it with your hands. once that's mixed well, sprinkle fourish tablespoons of ice cold water and mix with your hands til dough forms a ball. wrap and refridgerate.
in a small saucepan, combine two cups of blackberries, some butter, 1/3 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup of flour and spices as you see fit (cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, garam marsala!?). you could also throw in some triple sec or grand ma. heat and stir and smash till you've got a lovely dark purple mash.
pull your dough back you. roll it out to 1/4 inch thick, cut a circle with your pie plate as a guide, fold the dough in half, place in plate and unfold. spoon in your lovely dark purple mash and then bake uncovered for thirtyish minutes at 400 or until you see bubbling. while the pie is cooking, i'd take those five egg whites you have from making the custard and put them in a chilled bowl with as much sugar as you like and some cream of tartar. beat it slow. get some peaks. and spoon onto your blackberry pie after it has cooled from its stay in the oven and then throw that pie in the oven again just long enough to get some nice browning. i usually have run out of time at this point and bake it for a minute and then throw it under the broiler while i count to fifteen.


let it all chill. put it on a plate. enjoy your purple green platter.










c'est bon, clean up the splatter.