Easter Bunny's Favorite Pie Squares

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Murder

**Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.**

**RED ALERT WARNING: Unless your children love vegetables, it would be wise not to let them read the ingredients or see you mixing up this pie! I once told my niece, Tracey, that I used tomato soup in a spice cookie, and it took me a week to convince her to agree to taste one.**

## Ingredients:

* 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour ***(pack it down in the cup when you measure it)***
* 3/4 cup salted butter, chilled ***(1 and 1/2 sticks, 6 ounces)***
* 1/2 cup powdered ***(confectioners')*** sugar ***(don't sift unless it's got big lumps)***
* 4 large eggs
* 1 and 1/2 cups white ***(granulated)*** sugar
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon nutmeg ***(freshly ground is best)***
* 1/2 teaspoon cardamom ***(or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, but cardamom is better)***
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 3 and 1/2 cups peeled, cooked, and mashed carrots, measure AFTER mashing ***(You can use frozen sliced carrots, cook them, and then mash them, but they're not as good as fresh carrots.)***
* 2 cans evaporated milk *(12-ounce cans)* **or** 3 cups light cream *(that's half-and-half)*
* *Optional ingredients for topping/decorating:* *Whipped cream, Cool Whip, candy bunny, or candy Easter egg*, *etc.*

## Directions:

* With the steel blade in place, place **one cup** of the **flour** into the bowl of  your food processor.
* Cut the chilled **butter** into 12 pieces. Layer the pieces of butter on top of the flour in your food processor.
* Sprinkle the half-cup of **powdered *(confectioners')* sugar** on top of the pieces of butter.
* **Sprinkle** the final **half-cup** of **flour** on top of the powdered sugar.
* **Process** in an on-and-off motion until the mixture reaches the consistency of cornmeal.

**Hannah's 1st Note: You can also do this by hand by cutting the pieces of butter into the flour and powdered sugar with 2 knives from your silverware drawer held together in one hand. My great-grandmother Elsa used to do it that way.**

* **Prepare** a standard 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan by spraying it with **Pam** or another nonstick cooking spray.
* **Pour** the mixture from your food processor bowl over the bottom of the cake pan you just sprayed.
* **Hold** the cake pan by both ends and **tip and shake it** until the crust mixture is evenly distributed.
* **Set** the cake pan back on the counter, and **press** the mixture down a bit with a metal spatula.

**Hannah's 2nd Note: The flour, powdered sugar, and the butter mixture in the bottom of your cake pan will make the crust for your Easter Bunny's Favorite Pie Squares.**

* **Bake** the pie crust at 350 degrees F. for **15 minutes** in your preheated oven.
* **Take** the pie crust out of the oven but **DON"T SHUT OFF THE OVEN**.
* **Let** your pie crust **cool** on a wire rack or a cold stovetop burner **while you** **make the filling** for your pie squares.

**Hannah's 3rd Note: If you have an electric mixer, use it to make your pie square filling. If  you don't, you can  mix it by hand, but it will take some muscle.**

* Crack the **eggs** into the bowl of your electric mixer.
* Turn the mixer on LOW speed and **beat them** until the whites and yolks are thoroughly mixed.
* With the mixer still running on LOW speed, add the **white *(granulated)* sugar**.
* **Beat** until the sugar is thoroughly incorporated.

* Again, with the mixer still running at LOW speed, **sprinkle** in the **salt, nutmeg, cardamom, and cinnamon**.
* Turn the mixer **OFF** and add the **mashed, cooked carrots**. Then turn the mixer back on **LOW speed** and beat in the carrots, mixing until everything is thoroughly incorporated.
* With the mixer running on **LOW,** slowly pour in the **evaporated milk (or light cream**). Mix until everything is thoroughly blended.
* **Shut off** the mixer, take off the bowl, and give your Easter Bunny's Favorite Pie Squares filling a **final stir by hand** with a mixing spoon.
* **Carefully pour** the filling over the crust you just baked.

* **Carry** your cake back to the oven, and **bake** your pie squares for **60 or 70 minutes**, or until a table knife blade inserted near the center of the cake pan comes out clean. If it doesn't, and there are still wet drops of filling clinging to the blade, bake for an **additional 5 to 10 minutes.**
* **Once** your pie square are done, take the pan out of the oven and **cool** it on a wire rack or a cold stovetop burner.
* **When** it has cooled to room temperature, **cover it loosely** with foil and place it in the **refrigerator to chill overnight**.
* **When** you're ready **to serve** your Easter Bunny's Favorite Pie Squares, **cut the pie** into generous squares. Use a metal spatula to remove the pie squares and place them on a serving platter.

* **Optional Topping/Decorating: Top each square** with a big dollop of sweetened, **whipped cream** or spoonful of **Cool Whip**. Then if you choose, you can use a small-size **candy bunny or candy Easter egg** to decorate each square. You can also top the pie squares with Hannah's Whipped Crème Fraiche.
* Make sure to have tall glasses of icy-cold milk on hand for the kids and strong, hot coffee for the adults at your Easter feast.

**Yield**: 12 or more squares, depending on portion size.