Parsnip Pie Bars – Crazy Ingredient Challenge

Say what now? PARSNIP? PIE? Yup!

The filling is a custard similar in texture and flavor to Pumpkin or Sweet Potato Pie, in other words YUM!

For our Crazy Ingredient Challenge this month the CIC Bloggers voted for Parsnips and Cardamom. Parsnips are those oversized white carrot looking things in the produce aisle near the turnips and rutabagas. Cardamom is the third most expensive spice per ounce behind saffron and vanilla bean.

Team Candied Ginger was a bit disappointed our ingredient lost in the monthly vote (by ONE vote! just one vote.) Luckily, I like cardamom too. And I actually had that in house so I didn’t need to buy it when I picked up the parsnips. Be sure to scroll below the recipe to see what everyone else made.

After going through many choices in my head, I finally settled on these Parsnip Pie Bars.

 They tasted absolutely delicious, but so many things went wrong in making them that I have not felt much like baking or blogging for a week.

The pan I used was the Pampered Chef Bar Pan (which I love!)and it was too big for this amount of crust and filling so the bars came out far too thin.

If you want to use that pan or one like it, double the recipe. Or use a 9 x 13 pan as I recommend in the recipe.

Then there was having to go outside to take my photographs because I have horrid lighting in my kitchen after noon. And on one of the last trips, this happened!

And while removing the bars from the oven I got careless and this happened!

Then I turned around while it was cooling, my little taste tester grabbed a spoon and helped himself.

Of course, he had to do it on the opposite side as the one I messed up.

In the end they were great, despite being too thin. Even Mr. “Gag When I Eat a Veggie” loved them. If cardamom isn’t your thing, go with pumpkin pie spice.

I combined a few recipes to make these and healthified them a bit by using some whole wheat flour in the crust and swapping yogurt and milk for the buttermilk among other tweaks. They aren’t health food, but they aren’t all that naughty either.

Parsnip Pie Bars

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Prep time	15 minutes
Cook time	30 minutes
Total time	45 minutes
Meal type	Dessert
Occasion	Autumn, Winter

Parsnip Pie Bars, similar to sweet potato or pumpkin pie in a bar form for smaller servings.

Ingredients

crust

• 2/3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup white whole wheat flour (or use all all-purpose flour)
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup butter (chilled and diced)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil

filling

• 1lb parsnips (peeled and cut into chunks)
• 1 cup plain non or low fat yogurt
• 1/2 cup non or low fat milk
• 2/3 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 2 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

Note

If desired, omit cardamom and add

• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp. ground cloves

The filling is enough to make a 9" single crust pie (pre-bake crust, fill and bake for approximately 1 hour).

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put parsnips into a medium sauce pan, cover with water. Bring to a boil then simmer for 8-10 minutes until tender. Mash as if making mashed potatoes.

While parsnips are cooking, put all crust ingredients in food processor.

Pulse until combined.

Press into the bottom of a 9x9 or 9x13 pan. Bake for approximately 10 minutes until beginning to turn light brown.

Wipe out food processor bowl. Add parsnips, yogurt and milk. Pulse until smooth.

Add remaining ingredients and pulse to combine.

Pour on to crust and spread to cover. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 20-30 minutes.

Remove from oven and place on a rack to cool until set (30-45 minutes). Try to keep little taste testers away...

Cut into bars, top with sprinkled powdered sugar or whipped cream if desired.

Until next time, happy eating.
~Audrey