Sweets of Thanksgiving – Hálaadás napi desszertek

In the United States Thanksgiving is regarded as one of the most important holidays, and includes various lovely traditions and family members come together. The best time during this period is undoubtedly the dinner, when families come together and take part in a meal that is full of appreciation.

The main feature during Thanksgiving dinners is the roasted turkey in the center of the table. The feast always concludes with an autumn dessert, mostly with some kind of pie. The most popular autumn pies are pumpkin pie, apple pie, maple pie and sweet potato pie, which always come with cream, vanilla ice cream or whipped cream topping as a condiment. 

Around these traditional pies, some other families offer the not so traditional yet delicious cranberry pie, with a rich and buttery shortbread crust and lots of fresh cranberries folded into a sweet cream filling. Throughout autumn season not only pies, but other small desserts are enjoyed equally, just like the popular cinnamon rolls, that are sometimes served as a sweet snack or even for breakfast.

Food is not only fuelling a body but also enhancing the spirit and moods of the holiday as people come together and appreciate the goodness in life. Each household will have some differences in food traditions, but there is always the essential reason for celebrating Thanksgiving in love, appreciation, and lots of sweet and yummy treats.

No Bake Cranberry Pie

preparation time: 25 minutes
cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes
total time: 3 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients for the crust:

– 2 packages of Walkers Shortbread Fingers or Walkers Shortbread Rounds
– ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
– 2 tbsp granulated sugar

Ingredients for the filling:

– 340 gr cranberries, fresh or frozen
– 2/3 cup granulated sugar
– 3 tbsp orange juice
– 85g cranberry or raspberry gelatin
– 1 cup heavy whipping cream
– 2 tbsp powdered sugar

Preparation:

1. Place the shortbread cookies in a food processor and process until you have fine crumbs. Add melted butter and sugar and pulse a few more times.
2. Press the crumb mixture into a 22cm pie plate and refrigerate while you make the filling.
3. Bring cranberries, sugar, and orange juice to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 8-10 minutes or until the cranberries are done popping and are cooked. While the cranberries are still hot, strain through a mesh strainer.
4. Stir the gelatin into the warm strained cranberries. Cool to room temperature on the counter (about 1 hour). Do not refrigerate.
5. Once the cranberry mixture is cooled, whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar in a bowl until stiff peaks Fold the whipped cream into the cranberry mixture.
6. Spread into the prepared crust and refrigerate until at least four hours or until set.
7. Garnish with additional whipped cream and sugared cranberries if desired.

Apple Crumble Pie

preparation time: 30 minutes
cooking time: 1 hour
total time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients for the crust:

– all butter pie crust (or refrigerated pie crust)
– 5-7 Granny Smith apples
– 1 cup sugar
– 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Ingredients for the crumb:

– 2/3 cup sugar
– 1 ½ cup flour
– ¼ tbsp salt
– 12 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

Preparation:

1. Roll out your pie crust according to recipe or package directions and place in your 22cm pie plate. Refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Peel and core the apples, then cut them into thin slices. Place a bit of water in the bottom of a large pot. Add apples and cook, stirring occasionally, approximately 3-5 minutes after water boils, or just until the apples start to turn a bit opaque.
3. While the apples are cooking, add the crumb ingredients to a large bowl. Using a fork, cut the ingredients together until they form coarse crumbs, about the size of a pea.
4. Drain apples very well. Let them sit in the strainer for a few minutes to cool, then place them in pie crust. Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon over apples. Add your crumb mixture evenly on top. Place pie on a cookie sheet to avoid mess in the oven. Cover outer edge of crust with thin strips of foil or a pie crust shield.
5. Bake at 220°C for 10 minutes then lower the oven temperature to 180°C for 30-40 minutes. Remove pie crust shield during the last 15 minutes of baking to ensure that the crust browns.
6. You can make the pie a day in advance. Refrigerate overnight. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream. Baked pie can be frozen up to a month.

Traditional Pumpkin Pie

preparation time: 20 minutes
cooking time: 40 minutes
total time: 1 hour 

Ingredients for the crust:

– 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
– ½ teaspoon salt
– ½ cup cold butter or shortening
– 3 tablespoons cold water, or more as needed

Ingredients for the filling:

– 2 cups mashed, cooked pie pumpkin
– 350ml evaporated milk
– 2 large eggs, beaten
– ¾ cup packed brown sugar
– ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, or more to taste
– ½ teaspoon ground ginger, or more to taste
– ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, or more to taste
– ½ teaspoon salt

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. To make the pastry crust, mix flour and salt together in a bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in 3 tablespoons water, one at a time, until dough is moist enough to hold together. Add up to 1 more tablespoon water if needed.
3. Shape dough into a ball with lightly floured hands. Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 3mm. Place a 22cm pie pan upside-down on the dough; use a sharp knife to cut a circle of dough 1 cm larger than the pie pan. Remove and discard dough scraps and set pie pan aside.
4. Gently roll circular piece of dough around the rolling pin; transfer it right-side up over the pie pan. Unroll, easing dough into the bottom of the pan. Use two hands to flute the dough around the top edges.
5. To make the filling, beat pumpkin, evaporated milk, brown sugar, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer until well combined. Pour into the prepared crust.
6. Bake in the preheated oven until a knife inserted into the filling 2.5cm from the edge comes out clean, 40 to 60 minutes. Cover the edges with foil if needed to prevent from burning as the filling cooks.
7. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature before serving.