Monday 25 June 2012

GF Caramel Strawberry Delight Pie

When I first heard of the Pie guideline for the #SABH blog hop, my original thought was a Banoffee Pie, but there are plenty of other people who had the same idea. I was still sticking to the delicious homemade caramel sauce and my eye was caught by some delicious strawberries sitting there whispering my name. I soon changed my mind and went from a Banoffee pie to a Caramel and Strawberry and Cream Pie. It looks simply devine!


http://www.thekitchencrusader.com/

The base is a biscuit and butter base, you simply blend the plain (I used arrowroot biscuits 205g) and melt the butter, mix together and push together in a pie dish and place in the fridge. This is the tastiest GF base I have ever tried and the best, so simple.

The caramel mixture is the most complicated step in this pie, it is my mum's special caramel pie recipe. I know you can buy caramel in a can but take the time and your taste buds will be rewarded! You first cream the butter brown sugar and flour, then add milk and two egg yolks, that's when it can become a bit tiresome; you pour the mixture into a saucepan on low heat and stir, stir, stir, stir, until it thickens and starts to bubble (make sure it is quite thick), then add vanilla and pour into the pie base.

If decorating is your forte then this step you will love cut the top off each strawberry and cut into quarters, place in a formation around the outside of the pie. I will pass on a tip I heard, prior to whipping cream place the bowl and beaters into the fridge, it makes the whipping process easier and quicker. Again an old family tradition is to add icing sugar and vanilla essence to the cream, it makes it that bit sweeter! Yummy! Carefully place the whipped cream in the centre of the pie, not over the strawberries (don't pile the cream up too high though) the caramel is very rich and you will make the pie too overwhelming.

I hope you enjoy this new creation of mine as much as myself and my family has. Although the washing up isn't the fun part!

GF Caramel Strawberry Delight Pie

Ingredients

1 packet arrowroot GF biscuits
120g melted butter
1 large cup brown sugar
2 heaped tablespoons of rice flour
60g butter
1 cup milk
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cartoon of thickened cream
2-3 tablespoons of icing sugar
Few drops of vanilla essence
Several strawberries

Method
Break biscuits in half and place in blender until mixed into a fine powder. Melt the butter Arne add to the bisuit mixture, place in a pie dish and push down evenly and place in the fridge. Cream the butter and sugar add flour. Mix milk and egg yolk together add butter and sugar. Cook in saucepan until very thick (about 10-15mins), add vanilla. Stir contanstantly, place in the pie base, leave in fridge to set. Place thickened cream, bowl and beaters in the fridge until cold, whip cream, add icing sugar and vanilla, beat again. Cut strawberries into quarters and place around the outside of the pie, decorate the centre of the pie with the whipped cream, return to fridge to set. Cut into wedges and serve.