Bucket of Ice Cream Covered With Miniature Pies

“The King of the Hill,” season 9 episode 23

I hope you’re not full up on deviled eggs, because this is part two of my extensive food coverage of the season nine Simpsons episode “The King of the Hill.” If you want to hear about what’s happened so far in this ep, go here.

After suffering the humiliation of about two dozen deviled eggs, Homer decides he’s going to get in shape once and for all. Marge can’t help but laugh, hurting Homer’s feelings. In the middle of the night, he emerges from the comfort of his bed and goes for a jog.

He makes it as far as Flanders’ mailbox and Santa’s Little Helper drags him home. But he doesn’t give up! The dog drags him back outside and he actually goes for a jog, getting hit by a variety of newspapers along the way. Eventually he ends up at the Kwik-E-Mart.

Apu immediately offers Homer his usual bucket of ice cream covered with miniature pies and Homer rejects it (showing that Homer somehow has more willpower than I do). To be continued next week!

Yes, I made tiny pies and placed them atop a bucket of ice cream and I have zero regrets. If you’re sick of plain old cookies and cake and want a new sweet in your life, then why not make this? It basically flips pie a la mode on its head in a finnicky-to-make but VERY cute way.

Bucket of Ice Cream Covered With Miniature Pies
serves 8 (or one Homer)

For the crust:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, cubed and cold
3 tablespoons ice water
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
For the filling:
8 ounces frozen mixed berries
1/4 cup sugar (plus more for the tops)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
For the ice cream:
1 bucket of ice cream, duh
Special equipment: Mini muffin pan or mini tart pan

1. Make the crust: Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the cubed butter and work into the flour using a pastry cutter or two butter knives until it resembles moist breadcrumbs. Add the ice water and stir together. Knead gently until a loose dough forms and wrap in plastic wrap, patting out into a disc. Chill for two hours in the fridge.
2. Once the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 425 F. Combine the frozen berries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl and toss.
3. Unwrap the dough and dust the counter with flour. Roll out the crust, turning often to keep from sticking, until slightly under 1/4-inch thick. Use a glass or cookie-cutter about 1/2-inch wider than the muffin or tart opening to cut 8 circles. Use these to line the muffin or tart tin.
4. Fill each pastry-lined cup with fruit filling. Brush the edges with the egg wash. Cut 8 more circles and press them onto the tops of the mini pies. Use a fork to crimp the edges and trim the excess. Paint lightly with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and use a knife to cut tiny air vents into the top of each pie.
5. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the pies have browned and the filling is bubbly. Remove and let cool for 1 minutes before remove the pies. Let cool on a rack until room temperature.
6. Serve atop a bucket of ice cream.

Tips:

• If at any point you run out of dough, collect the scraps and reroll them. There’s a chance you’ll get more than eight pies depending on the size of your baking pan.
• Place a baking sheet or some aluminum foil under the muffin or tart pan to collect any escaping filling.