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Thankful for More Than Pumpkin Pie

When it comes to Thanksgiving dessert, our family spells pie with an "s." The traditional list includes a cream pie, and one with fall fruit, and my Southern heritage requires at least one pecan, sweet potato or chess pie. You can see how the pies add up, and we don't even serve pumpkin. I'm not sure why we skip pumpkin; just our tradition, I guess.

Pears and cranberries make a sweet and tart combination for a crumb-topped fruit pie, and our cream pie this year has a caramel-cream filling covered with whipped cream. To make the choice easier, I've combined two Southern traditions into one sweet potato and pecan pie.

Several of the pie crusts for these pies are baked blind, or unfilled. Baking crusts blind prevents a moist filling from making them soggy. When baking a crust without filling, press aluminum foil into a prepared pie crust, then fill the foil with beans or pie weights to hold the crust in place and keep it from shrinking. Bake the crust until it is set and remove the weights and foil.

Depending on the recipe, either add a filling to the partially baked crust or continue baking the crust until it is completely done. Baking a pie crust when it is cold or frozen also helps it to hold its shape.

A do-ahead strategy for pie-making frees up precious oven space when you're cooking a big holiday dinner. Pie crusts can be prepared and even baked the day before they are filled. Cover the cooled crusts and leave them at room temperature overnight. The Orange Coconut Chess Pie can be prepared a day ahead, while the Caramel Cream Pie only needs some stovetop cooking once the crumb crust bakes for a few minutes.

CARAMEL CREAM PIE

(8 servings)

There's a double hit of caramel in this pie. Thick caramel sauce soaks into the graham cracker crumb crust and creates a rich golden filling when mixed with vanilla pastry cream.

Butter for pan

FOR THE CRUMB CRUST:

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE CARAMEL:

1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream

1/2 cup sugar

FOR THE CREAM FILLING:

1 1/2 cups whole milk

2 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

1/3 cup sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup cold heavy (whipping) cream, whipped to firm peaks with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9-inch pie pan.

For the crust: Mix the crumbs and cinnamon in a large bowl and add the melted butter, combining well. Press the crumb mixture evenly in the pie pan. Bake for 6 minutes.

For the caramel sauce: Heat the cream in a small saucepan. Do not let it boil.

Put the sugar and 2 tablespoons of water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover, increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Boil the mixture until the sugar melts, caramelizes and turns a dark golden color, about 5 minutes. Watch carefully. Remove from the heat and slowly add the hot cream. The mixture will bubble up, so be careful. Return the saucepan to the stove over low heat. Cook until the caramel is completely dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool slightly for about 20 minutes.

For the cream filling: Heat the milk in a heavy medium-size saucepan until it is hot and a few bubbles form around the edge. Do not let it boil.

Whisk the eggs, egg yolk, sugar and flour until smooth. Gradually whisk the hot milk into the egg mixture. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in the vanilla and 1/2 cup of the caramel sauce. Press plastic wrap onto the surface and refrigerate until cold. The caramel filling can be prepared 1 day ahead and kept refrigerated.

To assemble the pie: Drizzle 3 tablespoons of caramel sauce over the crumb crust. Spread the cold caramel filling over the crust. Spread the whipped cream over the filling. Serve cold.

Per serving: 440 calories, 6 gm protein, 41 gm carbohydrates, 29 gm fat, 167 mg cholesterol, 17 gm saturated fat, 153 mg sodium

ORANGE COCONUT CHESS PIE

(8 servings)

Chess pies are a Southern specialty. The basic chess pie contains sugar, butter and eggs and is thickened with cornmeal. It bakes into a soft custard with a golden crusty top. Shredded coconut and fresh oranges flavor this rendition.

1 partially baked 10-inch pie crust (baked for 15 minutes at 375 degrees -- see last recipe, E5)

4 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup buttermilk

3 tablespoons cornmeal

2 ounces ( 1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

2 teaspoons grated orange zest

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Have pie crust ready.

Beat the eggs and salt in the large bowl of an electric mixer to blend them. Add the sugar and beat until thick and fluffy, about 1 minute. Mix in the buttermilk, cornmeal, melted butter, orange zest, orange juice, lemon juice, vanilla and almond extracts. Stir in the coconut.

Pour the filling into the partially baked crust. Bake until the filling is golden and set, about 35 minutes. Cool on rack. Serve cold or at room temperature. The pie can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.

Per serving: 358 calories, 3 gm protein, 34 gm carbohydrates, 25 gm fat, 51 mg cholesterol, 10 gm saturated fat, 108 mg sodium

SWEET POTATO AND PECAN PIE

(8 servings)

This double-layered pie has a pecan pie baked on top of the sweet potato filling.

1 partially baked 10-inch pie crust (baked for 15 minutes at 375 degrees -- see last recipe, E5)

FOR THE PECAN TOPPING:

1 large egg

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

FOR THE SWEET POTATO FILLING:

4 large egg yolks

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes, cooled

1/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Have pie crust ready.

For the pecan topping: In a small bowl whisk the egg, light brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla and salt until blended to a smooth mixture. Stir in the pecans. Set aside.

For the sweet potato filling: Beat the egg yolks, salt and dark brown sugar in the large bowl of an electric mixer until creamy. Mix in the cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and lemon juice. Add the sweet potatoes and mix until smooth, about 1 minute. Mix in the cream until well combined.

Pour the filling into the partially baked crust, discarding any fiber from the sweet potatoes that clings to beaters. Bake for 20 minutes, then gently pour the pecan mixture over the partially baked pie. Bake until the pecan topping is set, about 30 minutes longer. Cool on rack. Serve at room temperature.

Per serving: 501 calories, 5 gm protein, 66 gm carbohydrates, 25 gm fat, 147 mg cholesterol, 6 gm saturated fat, 305 mg sodium

PEAR-CRANBERRY CRUMB PIE

(8 servings)

Tart cranberries make a perfect foil for ripe, sweet pears. Use pears that are ripe but still firm so they hold their shape when baked. Using melted butter for the crumb mixture produces an especially crisp topping.

1 unbaked and cold pie crust in a buttered 10-inch pie pan (see following recipe)

FOR THE FILLING:

5 cups peeled and cored pears, cut in 1-inch pieces

1/4 cup sugar, or more to taste

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 cups unsweetened cranberries, fresh or frozen and defrosted

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

FOR THE CRUMB TOPPING:

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Have pie crust ready.

For the pear and cranberry filling: Mix the pears, sugar and melted butter in a large bowl. Taste the mixture, adding up to 1 tablespoon more sugar if needed. Mix in the cranberries and cinnamon, stirring to coat the pears evenly with cinnamon. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pie crust.

For the crumb topping: Stir both sugars together with the flour and cinnamon in a small bowl. Pour the melted butter over the flour mixture, stirring until the mixture is evenly moistened and fine crumbs form. Sprinkle the crumbs evenly over the filling.

Bake the pie at 375 for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees, and continue baking until the crumb topping is golden brown and the pears are tender when tested with a toothpick and the cranberries are soft, about 30 minutes. Let the pie cool for at least 1 hour before serving. The pie can be baked a day ahead. To store overnight, leave at room temperature.

Per serving: 412 calories, 4 gm protein, 64 gm carbohydrates, 17 gm fat, 23 mg cholesterol, 7 gm saturated fat, 143 mg sodium

FLAKY PIE CRUST

(1 pie crust for a 9-to-10-inch pan)

This pie crust, mixed in a food processor, complements just about any pie filling.

1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling dough

1/3 cup cake flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

6 tablespoons ( 3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening

3 to 4 tablespoons cold water

Mix the flour, cake flour, salt and sugar in a food processor. Add the cold butter and shortening and process using about 6 pulses, until the mixture forms pea-size lumps. With the machine running, add 3 tablespoons of cold water and process until large moist clumps form and the dough holds together. If the dough is too dry, add more cold water by the teaspoonful. Gather the dough into a ball, then flatten into a disk. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour before rolling. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead and kept refrigerated.)

Butter a 9-to-10-inch pie pan. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to a round about 4 inches wider than the bottom of the pie pan. Press the dough into the prepared pan. Trim the edge, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, and crimp the edge. Freeze for 15 minutes before baking.

To baked the pie shell blind: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Press a piece of heavy aluminum foil into the cold pie crust, covering the edges of the crust. Fill the foil with dried beans or metal pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the aluminum foil and pie weights. The crust will be partially baked and set. To bake the crust completely, prick the pie crust in several places with a fork. Bake for about 10 minutes more until the crust is golden.

Per serving: 184 calories, 2 gm protein, 17 gm carbohydrates, 12 gm fat, 23 mg cholesterol, 6 gm saturated fat, 135 mg sodium

Elinor Klivans's latest book is "Bake and Freeze Chocolate Desserts (Broadway, $25).

PIE-BAKING TIPS

* Bake pies for 10 minutes at a high temperature so crusts begin to brown. Then lower the temperature to cook the filling without overbaking the top.

* To prevent fillings from bubbling over and under the crust, keep fillings well below the top edge of the crust.

* Fill only one oven rack with pies so the heated air can circulate and the pies bake evenly.

* Wash and dry lemons and oranges before grating the zest from them. Grate only the colored rind without any of the bitter white pith.

-- Elinor Klivans