Sunday 28 August 2011

Grasshopper Pie For 1 Year Of Blogging.


Please Do Not Feed The Animals is one year old today and this is my 130th post.  If I post a photo from that first ever post, you can see how much my boys have grown over the last year.


My most viewed blog post BY FAR is my lion cake pops post.  I am sure there are a lot of disappointed viewers as my lion cake pops must come up on a search but the post itself has a couple of photos and a link to Bakerella's site so no instructions on how to do them or anything.  Bakerella is the person to go to, though, for information on making cake pops - she is the Queen of cakepops.


It was by reading others' blogs that I discovered cake pops and so many other things I have made this year.  I have loved having this blog and making new friends and trying new things.  Looking forward to another year of cooking with you all!


I decided to make a grasshopper pie for pudding to celebrate the blogoversary and we put a candle in it for fun.  You can't get much more fun for little boys than getting to blow out candles!!!!  As you can see, from the top picture, it is still in the tin I made it in as I didn't make it in enough time to let it chill properly.  It slid out of the tin beautifully later that day.

I have never had grasshopper pie in my life and had never heard of it until Christmas time when I came across a recipe for it in My Mum-in-law's copy of Nigella's Kitchen.  It looked like something the boys would love and I had visions of making it at Halloween so MIL gave me a photocopy of the recipe.  It was only later that I realised how much booze is in Nigella's one.  So, for this attempt, I used the no-booze recipe in my Hummingbird Bakery Cake Days book that the boys gave me for Mother's Day. 

  
The recipe worked well and we all had a slice but none of us were that excited about it.  Not enough chocolate, I think.  Or maybe not enough booze!

Just before I post the recipe, I just wanted to mention another blog that has recently turned 1 - Mince and Skirlie.  Chris made a video of himself making his paella recipe for his 1 year post and I am very impressed with it. 



Okay, on to the recipe - 

Recipe - 
(Serves 10-12)

Ingredients -

For the biscuit base
250g (9oz) chocolate-flavoured biscuits
175g (6oz) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling
180g (6.5oz) large white marshmallows
180ml (6.5 fl oz) whole milk
1/4 tsp peppermint essence (I used a whole tsp and think it needed it)
1/8 tsp green food colouring (I used my sugarflair paste and put a fair blob in - my pie wasn't subtle)
700ml (1 pint 4 fl oz) double cream
chocolate shavings, to decorate

Method - 
1. In a food processor with the blade attachment, blitz the chocolate biscuits into a fine crumb.  Alternatively, place in a plastic bag, seal the bag shut and crush with a rolling pin.  Pour the crumbs into a bowl and add the melted butter, mixing until all the crumbs are coated and can be squeezed together.
2. Tip the crumb mixture into a 23cm (9in) diameter pie dish or loose-bottomed tart tin, pressing it into the base and sides, then place in the fridge and leave for 30-40 minutes to set completely.
3. Meanwhile, make the filling.  In a saucepan over low heat, melt the marshmallows in the milk.  Remove from the heat then add the peppermint essence and food colouring and stir into the marshmallow mixture until it is evenly green in colour.  Set aside to cool for 10-15 mins.
4. Pour 300ml (10.5 fl oz) of the cream into a bowl and whip into soft peaks, then fold into the marshmallow mixture.  Pour the filling into the chilled biscuit base and leave in the fridge for 1-2 hours to set completely.
5. Once set, whip the remaining cream and spoon on to the top of the pie.  Sprinkle with chocolate shavings if you wish.






25 comments:

  1. Congratulations on your blogoversary! Pie looks delicious!

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  2. In that bottom picture it looks like the alginate I used to use for taking impressions for patients' dentures... that had a kinda minty smell to it too... I'm getting shudders just thinking about it.

    Good on you, 130 posts in just one year, that's so cool!

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  3. Hanna - thank you. I actually thought I would like the pie more especially as it had marshmallows in it but we were all a bit "meh".

    Macaroon - Okay - thanks for that. Why don't you put everyone off grasshopper pie for life! ;-)

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  4. Happy Birthday to your blog! That pie looks awesome.

    Thanks for the link as well!

    Chris

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  5. Happy blogiversary!! I am so glad to be along for the fun! :)

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  6. congratulations!... happy 1st blogaversary!... that's something very special to celebrate... isn't it such a great world we're part of? We have so many blog-friends and it's lovely to be amongst those who share the passion we do. Your blog is BRILLIANT and long may it continue... plus your kids hair cuts are awesome!... nice green pie too x

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  7. Chris - thanks.

    Shelley - so impressed with your attempts at candy!!!

    Dom - what a lovely comment - thank you - yes, we have a wonderful community here.

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  8. Congrats on your 1st year of blogging. YOur pie looks very interesting and very colourful. Pity you didn't think it tasted as good as it looks. Keep on bloggin'

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  9. Happy First Year of Blogging. I am so glad that we found each other and have been able to share more than just comments x Warm wishes
    Wishing you Many more blog years to come.

    The colour of your pie is 'wicked'. I have nephews and neices who would love it.

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  10. Sorry! Don't want to sound grasshopper-ist.

    But in an effort to add a more constructive comment than last time (!) have you tried (also in the same Nigella recipe book) the chocolate keylime pie? she bases it on those amazing old fashioned chocolate lime boiled sweets (my absolute favourite). I haven't made it before, but I feel a shopping list coming on...

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  11. Ive never made this pie before, I've always been put off by the minty, peppermint side to the pie, but I wouldn't say no to a slice :)
    I knew Nigella did something similar, so will have to give it a go one day!
    Selina

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  12. Hooray, happy 1st blogiversary and long may your lovely blog continue. Loving that green!

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  13. Congratulations! Happy 1st Blog Anniversary. I look forward to reading many more delicious posts.
    I love Nigella's Grasshopper Pie. I should make it again sometime soon.

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  14. Janice - Cheers!

    Shaheen - Certainly making friends is by far the best part of blogging! So, thank you. xx

    Macaroon - No haven't tried it but I will have to now. Chocolate limes are one of my fav sweets too. Along with sherbet lemons.

    Selina - hi, thanks for commenting, great to "meet" you.

    Kath - It's a winner for Halloween, that green!

    Michael - So, you recommend the boozy version, then?

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  15. Congrats on a year. Those cake pops are priceless, I should pass them onto friends with kids. Love the pie too.

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  16. Congrats! I have enjoyed getting to know you and trying your wonderful recipes. The pie looks delicious and your boys are as adorable as always - my youngest always loves it when she sees their picture when I'm reading your blog. Here's to many more posts!

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  17. Aww Kim - tell your youngest she has good taste! :-)
    Thank you so much.

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  18. Even if you weren't all that excited about the taste, it is beautiful pie. Thanks for sharing.

    I popped over from HH UK and Post of the Month.

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  19. Looks like a fun thing to share with your boys. I remember I made a "Slime" cake for my son's 13th b-day and it was a huge hit with all his friends. If you don't mind me asking - what is a GP? (you say you're a part-time GP in your profile). You have a beautiful family :)

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  20. Congratulations on your blogversary! Your boys certainly do look older & absolutely adorable. I wish a piece of that pie would just 'hop' into my mouth :)Thank you for joining Post Of The Month Club!! XOL

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  21. Eli - thanks. :-)

    Denise - a GP is a General Practitioner which is a primary care doctor.

    HHUK - Thanks. :-)

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  22. Whoops, this is a little late, but happy blog birthday! I didn't realise your baby was just a little younger than mine... haven't we done well? I laughed when I saw this pie - don't tell Dom but it turned up once as a random recipe choice and I quickly put the book back on the shelf, fearful that I would make it, become addicted, and then have to be cut out of my sofa in manner of reality TV obesity victim. Phew!

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  23. Ha ha - don't worry Lucy, I won't let on to Dom!

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