No Bake Coffee & Cream Pie!! Noreen's Kitchen Piesgiving!!

It's here!  The very first pie of the 2016 Piesgiving celebration!  This year it is doubly auspicious because it is also Torani Friday!  To kickoff our pie-palooza, we are starting with a simple, no-bake refrigerator pie that I am calling "coffee and cream pie".  We are going to use some ingredients from the grocery store that will help you to throw together a pie in no time, that everyone will love!

This starts with a chocolate cookie crumb pie shell.  I used the nine inch size.  You are always free to make your own from chocolate wafers, but this was so simple and I wanted to make this a pie you could make in a flash, and this one qualifies!  I also used two, four serving size boxes of instant vanilla pudding mix along with 2 cups of heavy cream (you don't want to sub out half and half here or the filling will not set properly), some strong brewed coffee and a shot of Torani coffee liqueur flavored syrup.  If you don't have the syrup, you can add a shot of Kahlua or other coffee liqueur or you can leave it out if you like.   

The ingredients were all whipped together using my hand mixer fitted with the wire whisk attachments until the mixture was thick and creamy and held a stiff peak.  Be sure not to over beat or you will end up with an unpleasant butter pie.  

I poured the mixture into the cookie crust shell and smoothed it into a swirl.  Then I sprinkled instant espresso powder on top of the pie as a nice decoration as well as a flavor booster.   The pie needs to be refrigerated for at least two hours before serving, but overnight is best.  It will cut much more easily, the longer you chill it.

You can choose to decorate the top with swirls of freshly whipped cream topped with chocolate covered espresso beans if you like.  I chose not to this time because I thought the pie was sweet enough and rich enough on it's own.  You should go for it and gild the lily as much as you like!

There are more pies coming for Piesgiving!  14 to be precise!  So please stay tuned to my channel to see what pie goodness I have planned to share with you this year!  I hope you give this coffee and cream pie a try and I hope you love it!

Happy Piesgiving!

You can find a printable version of the recipe on my website here:

http://bit.ly/2dzBNBG

You can see how I made this in my YouTube video:

Noreen's Kitchen

No Bake Coffee & Cream Pie

Ingredients

1, 9 inch chocolate cookie pie shell 2-4 serving boxes, instant vanilla pudding 2 cups heavy cream

1 cup strong brewed coffee ¼ cup Torani Coffee Liqueur syrup (optional) Instant espresso powder for garnish

Step by Step Instructions

Pour heavy cream, coffee and syrup into a large bowl.  Sprinkle pudding mix over the liquid ingredients.

Using a hand mixer, beat the mixture on now for one minute to incorporate then increase speed to high and whip until doubled in size.

Pour the pudding mixture int the pie shell and smooth evenly.

Sprinkle the top with espresso powder and add chocolate shavings if desired for garnish.

Cover and refrigerate for at least four hours before cutting and serving.

Enjoy!

In The Spirit for Spirits? How to Make a Classic White Russian Cocktail and a Little History on Where It Came From!

Today we are starting our new series of Classic Cocktails!  We are excited to share these simple recipes for grown up drinks with you.  A little secret that you may not know about Rick and I is that we enjoy a well made cocktail from time to time and believe that there really is no substitute for a well made, libation with excellent spirits and mixers and shared in excellent company.

That in mind, we would love to share our love of the classic cocktail with you.  We are beginning with one of Rick's favorites, the White Russian.  This one is a simple and delicious drink that has three ingredients.  It is simply poured together and then the drinker will stir to mix.  You mix 2 ounces of vodka, 2 ounces of Kahlua or coffee liqueur along with an equal part of heavy cream and you have a White Russian.  The way you mix this drink will render you a different result.  If you pour the liqueur in first then float the vodka then float the cream there will be distinct separation and a lovely presentation.  If you did as I did and pour the vodka and then the liqueur and then float the cream, it will be a beautiful black and white drink.  Serve with a stir straw and a few chocolate covered coffee beans on top for a great service.

Some interesting history and background on the White Russian cocktail that you may or may not know include the fact that the cocktail is actually a derivative of another precursor known as the "Black Russian" which is a similar drink sans the cream.  It appeared around 1949 when some smart bar back added the cream and the rest is, as they say, history!  There is nothing Russian about these cocktails except for the fact that vodka is known to be a Russian spirit and thus the origin of that name being associated with the cocktail    

Many variants of the cocktail exist, both localized and widely known, such as a White Canadian (made with goat's milk), a Blind Russian (made with Baileys Irish Cream instead of cream – the “Blind” comes from the drink being made with all-alcoholic ingredients), a White Mexican (made with Horchata), an Anna Kournikova (made with skim milk, i.e. a “skinny, low-fat White Russian”), a White Cuban (made with rum instead of vodka), a White Belgian (made with chocolate liqueur instead of coffee liqueur), and a Dirty Russian (made with chocolate milk instead of cream). This is one of the things that makes cocktails so much fun!  If you don't like one thing or another, you can change it to suit your own tastes or available ingredients and you have created a whole new libation!

I hope you will enjoy these videos as much as we are going to enjoy making them for you.  Being a grown up has it's perks.  One of which is enjoying well made distilled spirits in the way they were intended.  We hope that you will always remember to drink responsibly and never over indulge, and if you do happen to do that, be responsible and don't drive home.  Call a cab or call a friend.  The safest way to ensure that you don't hurt yourself or others is to be your own mixologist in the privacy of your own home.  

Be safe, be well and Happy Sipping!

If you would like to see how we made a classic White Russian, you can take a peek here: