Strawberry Lime Jello Pie with Peanut Crust and Whipped White Chocolate Ganache

Get jiggly with it

Hi everyone!

Hope you’re making it through August without completely melting. 🫠

I just returned from a trip back to Michigan. My first visit in over seven years. I had such a great time and had a lot of really good food. I’ll share some more details in a post soon but I have to tell you about the most delicious scone I had from one of my all time favorite bakeries - Sister Pie in Detroit. Owner, Lisa Ludwinski pulled this scone fresh out of the oven for us and when I tore into it, it was still steaming. The texture was fluffy and the cheese and scallion perfumed every bite. So good.

Lisa and Co. are currently navigating uncharted waters for Sister Pie. A much needed break from being open every day to reflect on a well earned legacy and to chart a solid future moving forward. My friend and I drove the nearly three hours it takes to get to the bakery, leaving at 5:30AM, to beat the line and it was completely worth it.

Sister Pie has not only consistently churned out delicious treats over the years but has been a shining example of how to serve, build, and retain an expanding and ever changing community. I see Lisa as a leader in my field and it’s been really special to see her vulnerability and honesty throughout the life of Sister Pie but especially now in this new moment of transition.

Lisa recently started a newsletter here on Substack where she talks candidly about the joys and stresses behind running a bakery, about leading with ethics, navigating difficult business decisions, and also recipes! The zucchini cornmeal muffin is an absolute must try! Consider subscribing and supporting if you can!

Enjoying a fresh cheddar scallion scone from Sister Pie 🥰

Today’s recipe has a few different components and might seem more complicated than it actually is. The thing I love about it, besides how delicious it is, is how those components can be made over a day or two and then assembled two to four hours before serving. It’s a little inspired by PB&J and a little inspired by a strawberry mojito. I love high contrast desserts and I think the flavors and different textures hit really well here. I hope you enjoy!

I feel like most folks I know fall into two camps. You either made jello as a kid or you didn’t. I thankfully was born into a jello family. My first memory of making it was with my grandmother. She’d set a pot of water to boil on the stove and I’d watch as she stirred in the mystery powder that made the water quickly take on the smell and appearance of Koolaid. A very impatient child, I was immediately disinterested once I was told we couldn’t eat the jello until the following day.

I also had my suspicions that the neon liquid resting in the shallow Corningware dish in the fridge amongst the Country Crock tubs wouldn’t turn into anything. How could a piping hot liquid transform into the cool, jiggly treat that I enjoyed so much from the school cafeteria?

Needless to say, granny knew best. The next morning I peeked into the fridge and lay witness to the alchemic change that had taken place as we slept. The jello was now a placid sugary lake frozen in time. I would return over the next few days, using my spoon to excavate flubbery chunks to slurp and chew. The delight of creating such a magical mystery treat at home was hypnotic. It was like harboring a cartoon in the refrigerator. Unlike any of the beige leftovers stored beneath the dim light of the fridge, the jello glowed like a psychedelic reflecting pool. I was hooked.

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A few notes…

• Powdered unflavored gelatin has a stronger setting power (called bloom strength) than the packages of flavored Jello™️ you may be familiar with. The higher strength means the gelatin needs some help from us to avoid instantly solidifying when it hits your liquid and creating clumps. Adding the gelatin to a small amount of liquid first helps it incorporate into the final mixture more easily. This process is called “blooming” the gelatin. Tip: It takes about 2.5 teaspoons of gelatin (one standard envelope) to firmly set 2 cups of liquid.

• Not only does the addition of lime here create a perky accompaniment to the sweet strawberries but it also helps the gelatin set more firmly. If you don’t like lime, try lemon juice for a change. Also, if you want a super tart filling add 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid to the strawberry puree before cooking.

• I love the combination of graham crackers and ground peanuts in the crust. Be sure to season the mixture with salt, tasting before you pack into the pie tin. You want a contrast between the crust and sweet filling and the salt will help you actually taste the roasted nuts. If you don’t have or like peanuts, cashews would be my next choice. And if you don’t have graham crackers, gingersnaps would be a great swap!

• The process of caramelizing white chocolate on the stove can move very quickly. Go slow and wait for the sugars to gradually caramelize into a light amber color. The oven option is the safer way to avoid burning but takes longer and includes frequent stirring. Once the heavy cream is added, we strain the mixture just in case there are flecks of burnt chocolate. If you’d like to avoid the process all together, use plain white chocolate but up the salt just a little bit.

Strawberry Lime Pie with Peanut Crust and Whipped White Chocolate Ganache

makes one 9 inch pie

Peanut Graham Crust

75g roasted salted peanuts

140g graham crackers (this is about one pack)