Wednesday 13 March 2013

Biscoff Cream Pie

When I first starting snooping around the Internet looking at food, this stuff called Biscoff was revolving all over the place - and it continues to be one of the most talked about item in the food blog world.

But - being from Canada - I had no CLUE what people were talking about. 

I knew I needed to get my hands on some as. soon. as. possible.

And while on vacation in Florida over Christmas, I dragged my sister-in-law to Wal-Mart one evening after coming back from the Animal Kingdom so I could get some.

Being that I had to drag it across a border, we held off sampling it until back in Canada. 

Then we dug in.

Oh.  My.  We Canucks are so deprived.

Biscoff cookies are given out as a treat when flying with Delta airline.  They were so incredibly popular, that the company that distributed the cookies started making them available in stores.  I'm not sure how they got around to making and distributing the spread, but they did.

Biscoff spread is the same consistency as peanut butter, and is kind of cinnamony and caramely.  Is that a word?  Cinnamony.  Anyway, the flavour is kind of hard to describe.

But it's SO. SO. SO. good!

Since I only had so much to work with (I only brought back three jars!  Geez!), I had to be super-choosy about what I wanted to do with it.

Even though I just wanted to eat it directly from the jar with a spoon.

I turned to Darla at Bakingdom.  I remembered she'd done a couple of things with Biscoff and I was POSITIVE she would have a killer recipe that I could try.

Oh boy.

Does she EVER.

This pie.

Start with the base.  Darla recommends using chocolate cookie crumbs, but I decided to use shortbread cookies because I really wanted the Biscoff to shine.


Crush up the shortbread cookies, I used my mini food processor, and combine with melted butter.


Press the cookie mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a pie plate.


Then put the base into the refrigerator while the filling is made.  I recommend starting with the whipped cream.


Do this by pouring the whipping cream into the bowl of a stand mixer loaded with the whisk attachment.  (I prefer this statement to "bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, attached".)


Then start whipping the bejaysus out of it - on medium speed - until it starts to thicken.  Then reduce the speed to low and pour in the sugar.


Then whip the bejaysus out of it some more, until stiff peaks form.

Stiff peaks?

Like this.


Or this.


Then add in the vanilla and stir to combine.  And set aside.


Then move on to the other part of the filling.


In a clean stand mixer bowl (garsh I love having TWO bowls!) with the paddle attachment loaded, beat softened cream cheese until smooth.


Then add the Biscoff and beat to combine.


Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the icing sugar and mix until well combined.


Then add in two cups of the whipped cream.


And gently fold everything together until it combines.  Just a hint, when I was mixing this all together it didn't look like it would EVER combine and I FREAKED thinking I'd done something wrong.  But, I was persistent and just kept folding and folding.  Eventually it did come together.

It looks like this when combined.


And tastes DIVINE.  There was some concern that it would make it into the base.  A BIG concern.

Anyway.  Pour any remaining filling to the refrigerating base and smooth it out to make it as flat as possible.


FLAT I say.


Then top with the rest of the whipped cream.


You could top this with crushed Biscoff cookies or other delightful and pretty-making things. 

I don't have those types of things. 


And return to the fridge for 3 hours or so.

By the time 3 hours was over, I was too full from supper and too tired to cut pie - so I just left it for the next day.

A tip from me to you.  When I got this out of the fridge, I was so excited to try it that I foolishly cut into it and COMPLETELY mangled the first piece I got out, because the base had adhered itself to the bottom of the pie plate and I couldn't tell if I'd cut through the base or not.

It doesn't help that I STILL don't have a pie-lifter thingy.

After I got the first piece out - which I proceeded to eat because it was too ugly to take pictures of.  I went back and cut out a second piece.  Which came out of the pie plate BETTER than the first piece, but was still a pain to get out.

Then I took some pictures.


After taking pictures, I returned the pie to the counter and proceeded to cut up the rest of the pie (I was delivering some to my neighbor, Alison).

Guess WHAT.  The rest of the pie came out so. much. more. easily.  I have no idea why.  But my advice is to take the pie out and leave it alone for maybe 15 minutes.  Then cut.

I have no idea if that will help - but it might.  Let me know.

Back to the pie.

Oh.  Wow. 

Darla is a GENIUS of epic proportions.

Now I'm kind of regretting sharing with Alison.  And I don't suppose I could ask for it back....  *sniff*

It's light and fluffy and decadent and wonderful.  I was quite happy with the shortbread crust.

It's a completely delicious pie and one that I will look forward to making every time I bring home Biscoff spread.


And there will definitely be a next time.

Definitely.

This is the Cane girl - signing off.

Biscoff Cream Pie

Crust:
1 1/2 cups shortbread cookie crumbs
5 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup Biscoff spread
3/4 cup icing sugar
2 cups whipped cream

Whipped Cream:
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  1. Mix the melted butter and cookie crumbs until well combined.
  2. Press the cookie crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate.  Put into the refrigerator to chill.
  3. Pour the heavy cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Whip on medium-high speed until thickened. 
  4. Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly pour in the 1/4 cup of sugar.  Adjust the mixer speed to high and whip until stiff peaks form. 
  5. Add in the vanilla and mix to combine.  Set aside.
  6. In a clean stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. 
  7. Add in the biscoff spread and beat to combine.
  8. With the mixer on low speed, add in the icing sugar.  Beat to combine.
  9. Add in 2 cups of the whipped cream, and gently fold together until thoroughly combined and no streaks remain.
  10. Pour the mixture into the chilled crust and smooth out the top, making it as flat as possible.
  11. Then top the biscoff mixture with the remaining whipped cream.
  12. Refrigerate for 3 hours at least, or overnight.
  13. When ready to serve, remove from refrigerator and sit on the counter for 10 - 15 minutes, this will make cutting a bit easier.
Source:  Bakingdom

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