Mix it up with Jenny

It’s true – the kitchen is the heart of the home. Ever notice how people always gather there? Whether baking treats, making dinner or spending time with family and friends, the kitchen is my favorite place to be. Since my day job is Consumer Test Kitchen Project Manager for the Nestlé Test Kitchens, you can bet I love to stir things up. This column lets me pass along to you some of my best recipes, tips, and baking secrets.

(Family Features) When it comes to entertaining, especially during the holidays, I love to finish the party off with a beautiful dessert. And if it’s as easy as it is pretty, it just makes my holiday even merrier.

This Peppermint Snow Pie is just such a dessert – gorgeous to look at, scrumptious to eat, and very easy to make. And I have a few tips to make it even easier:

* Just the right crust. I like making a fresh graham cracker crust – and it’s a snap, too. Prepare your chocolate graham cracker crumbs by either whizzing them in the food processor or putting broken graham crackers in a resealabe bag and crushing them with a rolling pin. To help you press the crumb mixture evenly into the pie plate, use a flat-bottomed measuring cup.

* Getting gelatin right. Putting the gelatin in a small amount of water to soften is called “blooming.” It’s best to use the bloomed gelatin right away, before it starts to set into a solid. If it does start to set, put the bowl in a small saucepan filled with an inch or so of water. Warm it over medium-high heat until it softens again.

* Pretty peppermint pieces. Put your peppermint candies into a resealable bag and break them up with a rolling pin or the flat side of a meat mallet. You can crush extra candies and keep them in the freezer for the next time you make this show-stopping pie.

For more fantastic holiday dessert recipes, go to www.VeryBestBaking.com.

Peppermint Snow Pie

Makes 8 servings

CRUST

1 1/4 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs (8 crackers)

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

FILLING

1 envelope (7 grams) unflavored gelatin

2 tablespoons boiling water

1 can (12 fluid ounces) Nestlé Carnation Evaporated Milk

1 cup (6 ounces) Nestlé Toll House Premier White Morsels

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

1 container (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided

1/2 cup coarsely chopped hard peppermint candies (about 24), divided

PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease 9-inch deep-dish pie plate.

FOR CRUST:

COMBINE crumbs and sugar in pie plate. Stir in butter. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and up sides of prepared pie plate.

BAKE for 8 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.

FOR FILLING:

PLACE gelatin in small bowl; stir in water. Let soften for 1 minute.

HEAT evaporated milk and softened gelatin in small saucepan over medium heat; stirring constantly with whisk until mixture is dissolved and hot. Remove from heat; stir in morsels and peppermint extract until completely melted and smooth. Pour into medium bowl. Refrigerate uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cool to touch. Gently whisk in 2 cups whipped topping. Sprinkle 1/4 cup candies over bottom of crust. Pour filling over pie crust.

REFRIGERATE for 2 hours or until set. Spread remaining whipped topping over center of filling. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup candies. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information per serving: 470 calories; 210 calories from fat; 23g total fat; 18g saturated fat; 35mg cholesterol; 250mg sodium; 56g carbohydrate; 1g fiber; 38g sugars; 7g protein; 25% Calcium

Jenny Harper is Consumer Test Kitchen Project Manager for the Nestlé Test Kitchens and VeryBestBaking.com.

Photo courtesy of Nestlé