(Editor’s note: THE HOLIDAYS ARE COMING!!! And Carrie Brown’s got you covered.
No, you don’t have to sit and mournfully watch as others pile their plates with your former non-keto favorites. Carrie loving crafted her holiday cookbook, Keto for the Holidays, with ketonians especially in mind, so that you can still enjoy many old- and new!- holiday classics without the guilt. In this series, I will be reviewing some choice holiday recipes that I plan on using at my own table this season. Stay tuned for more….)
Holiday food equals dessert.
We all know it’s true. No matter how many different dishes there are on the buffet, what everyone is really waiting for is the dessert. Pies, cakes, cookies, truffles….. the list of goodies could go on for quite some time.
In today’s Double Feature, I’m going to talk about two fantastic recipes from our own Carrie Brown that, in addition to her fabulous pecan pie, deserve a place on your holiday table.
The one dish that’s particular to Thanksgiving here in the US is pumpkin pie. Not only is this a pretty big dessert staple, pumpkin and its accompanying spice has become something of a craze during the autumn. Which is why you need to hear all about Carrie’s pumpkin pie squares.
This recipe is an exclusive to her Keto for the Holidays cookbook and, in my opinion, makes the entire book worth every single penny. Let’s face it, good pumpkin pie recipes are not easy to come by, but luckily this is yet another instance where Carrie hits it out of the park. The crust is light and sweet, and the custard is wonderful, both in texture and in the spice combo she uses.
I think what I appreciated most about these pie squares is that it actually baked up in the time she lists in her instructions. Now, I’m sure that may sound silly to some folks, but anyone who bakes knows that timing a baked custard is a bit of an art form and, in my own experience, pumpkin custards take For. Fricking. Ever. Doesn’t matter that it says it should bake up in 45 minutes. It’s still going to be well over an hour. Oh, and it will probably crack, because if there is one thing custards will do is go from a hair away from being properly set to cracked- and a bit too dry- in about ten seconds. They’re like the avocado of baking.
So it is with much glee that I can report that Carrie’s custard was not only perfectly done at exactly 50 minutes, it did not crack. Further, it was a hit with my family. In fact, the morning after I made it I gave my daughter some for breakfast and she loved it so much she had three servings. It’s that kind of good!
Now, Carrie’s recipe is for squares, but I’m pretty certain you could do this in tart form in a deep dish pie or tart pan if you really wanted to. And while I’m a big fan of the spices she used, if you happen to prefer something a little closer to the recipe on the back of the can of pumpkin, it would be pretty easy to simply use those spices instead. That’s the beauty of Carrie Brown recipes: they’re wonderfully delicious with a fantastic balance of flavors, but still simple enough that you can adjust seasonings to your own taste.
While my daughter was scarfing down her pie, my husband, on the other hand, is likely to be found with his hands in the container of Carrie’s Chocolate Orange Truffles. My non-sweets-eating husband is quite enamored with these little beauties.
Super simple to make, and easily doubled (or more!), this recipe stores in the fridge or freezer like a dream and is perfect for the holiday cookie bake or treat exchange. The base recipe is borderline fail-proof, and with the simple swapping in and out of extracts, your flavor combinations are only limited to your imagination.
Since I’ve made these several times before (seriously, hubby loves them!!), I decided to swap out the orange extract for cherry, turning this delectable treat into chocolate-cherry truffles! Do I have to tell you they were a hit?
The extra good news about this recipe is that it’s available FOR FREE on the Ketovangelist Kitchen website, where Carrie regularly posts new keto recipes for our lovely readers. Did I mention the recipes on the site are ALL FREE? You should head over there now and check it out. I’ll be here, munching on some chocolate-cherry truffles while I continue working my way through some fantastic sides and appetizers from the Keto for the Holidays cookbook, which I will, of course, be sure to report on soon!
In case you missed the links above, Keto for the Holidays can be acquired here, the truffles here, and don’t forget to check out The Ketovangelist Kitchen for more awesome recipes from Carrie Brown!