GLUTEN FREE STRAWBERRY CHIFFON PIE

Posted by Bryna Bear aka Gluten Free Baking Bear

     This pie should come with a warning because it is just about impossible to have just one piece.  The fluffy, creamy and flavorful strawberry filling and the tender shortbread cookie crust go together perfectly.  So good!  
     I had some strawberries and was looking for a dessert to make with them.  A photo of a chiffon pie in my well worn Betty Crocker Pie and Pastry Cookbook tempted me to make the recipe.  Glad I did since it came out so well.  There are many fruits that can be made into a chiffon pie.  I’ll try orange next, it might taste like a creamsicle. In the cookbook they used a traditional pie crust, I made a shortbread cookie crust instead.  This was definitely the right choice.
     You will need an electric mixer of some sort or very strong arms to do all the required whipping.  If you do not know how to fold (in the baking sense) then please google or youtube how before making this recipe. If the ingredients are mixed instead of folded the filling will be liquidy and flat instead of light and fluffy.  I’m sure it will taste great either way, but the texture will be way off and you will not get the true chiffon experience.

    GLUTEN FREE STRAWBERRY CHIFFON PIE 

Ingredients
CRUST     

1/4 cup	Sugar
1 cup	Sorghum Flour
1/2 cup	Tapioca Flour
1/4 cup	Chickpea Flour
1/2 tsp	Xanthan Gum
1/8 tsp.	Sea Salt (omit if using margarine or salted butter)
1/2 cup	Butter - Unsalted

FILLING

2/3 cup	Sugar - divided
1 Tbs.	Unflavored Gelatin
1 pint	Fresh Strawberries - crushed with some small chunks remaining (I used a potato masher.)
3 large	Egg Whites
1/4 tsp.	Cream of Tartar
1/2 cup	Whipping Cream - chilled

     

Directions 
CRUST

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Have ready a 9-inch springform or pie pan.
2. Add the flours, salt, sugar & xanthan gum to the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse several times until well mixed.
3. Cut the butter into cubes and add to the bowl of the food processor. Pulse several times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

   

   Crust ingredients mixed until it resembles large crumbs.

4. Pour the crumbs into the springform pan or pie crust.  
5. Use your fingers to press the crumbs along the bottom and up the side of the pans.  The crust should go about 1-1 1/2 inches up the side of the springform pan.  It can be pressed up to the lip of a pie pan.  The mixture will feel dry and appear not to be holding together, this is OK, it will hold its shape after it is baked.

   

   Pressing the crumbs along the bottom and sides of the pan.

6. Bake the empty crust for 10-15 minutes until it is golden brown.

   

   Raw shortbread cookie crust.

7. Allow it to cool completely before adding the filling.

   

   Baked cookie crust.  It holds together well when cut.
   When you take a bite it is tender and delightful.

FILLING

1. In a saucepan combine 1/3 cup of sugar, gelatin and crushed strawberries.

   

   Crushed strawberries and gelatin in a pot.

2. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until it comes to a boil.

   

   Just coming to a boil.

3. Remove the pan from the heat and place the pan in a bowl of ice and water or into the refrigerator until it cools and mounds slightly when dropped from a spoon.  It should get slightly thicker than unbeaten egg whites.  Do not let the mixture get too firm.

   

   Strawberry mixture after being chilled.
   I let it set a bit too much, it worked fine though.

4. Add the egg whites and cream of tartar to a bowl and beat with and electric mixer until frothy.  
5. Beat in the 1/3 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time until stiff and glossy.  Do not underbeat.

   

   Egg whites and sugar beaten until very stiff and glossy.
6. Beat the cream until stiff.
7. Add the whipped cream to the bowl with the strawberry mixture and fold it in with a rubber spatula.

   

   Whipped cream folded into the strawberry mixture.

8. Add this mixture to the bowl with the whipped egg whites.  Fold the strawberry and cream mixture into the whipped egg whites.

   

   Strawberry and whipped cream mixture folded into the whipped egg whites.

9. Pile the mixture into the baked cookie crust.  Chill several hours until set.

   

   Filling poured into the crust.

   
   
   
   

   

   GF Strawberry Chiffon Pie after being chilled several hours.
    All ready to serve & eat.

GLUTEN FREE STRAWBERRY CHIFFON PIE Ingredients CRUST 1/4 cup Sugar 1 cup Sorghum Flour 1/2 cup Tapioca Flour 1/4 cup Chickpea Flour 1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum 1/8 tsp. Sea Salt (omit if using margarine or salted butter) 1/2 cup Butter - Unsalted FILLING 2/3 cup Sugar - divided 1 Tbs. Unflavored Gelatin 1 pint Fresh Strawberries - crushed with some small chunks remaining (I used a potato masher.) 3 large Egg Whites 1/4 tsp. Cream of Tartar 1/2 cup Whipping Cream - chilled Directions CRUST Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Have ready a 9-inch springform or pie pan. Add the flours, salt, sugar & xanthan gum to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times until well mixed. Cut the butter into cubes and add to the bowl of the food processor. Pulse several times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour the crumbs into the springform pan or pie crust. Use your fingers to press the crumbs along the bottom and up the side of the pans. The crust should go about 1-1 1/2 inches up the side of the springform pan. It can be pressed up to the lip of a pie pan. The mixture will feel dry and appear not to be holding together, this is OK, it will hold its shape after it is baked. Bake the empty crust for 10-15 minutes until it is golden brown. Allow it to cool completely before adding the filling. FILLING In a saucepan combine 1/3 cup of sugar, gelatin and crushed strawberries. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until it comes to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and place the pan in a bowl of ice and water or into the refrigerator until it cools and mounds slightly when dropped from a spoon. It should get slightly thicker than unbeaten egg whites. Do not let the mixture get too firm. Add the egg whites and cream of tartar to a bowl and beat with and electric mixer until frothy. Beat in the 1/3 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time until stiff and glossy. Do not underbeat. Beat the cream until stiff. Add the whipped cream to the bowl with the strawberry mixture and fold it in with a rubber spatula. Add this mixture to the bowl with the whipped egg whites. Fold the strawberry and cream mixture into the whipped egg whites. Pile the mixture into the baked cookie crust. Chill several hours until set.