Creamy and dreamy

Even though I haven't had much time to write about it, I've been having fun exploring the world of cream pies.

As I posted earlier, I have a tendency to pass on cream pies. (Uh, okay, I never eat cream pies.) My only experience with cream pies has been the ubber bland, plastic-tasting French Silk sold at my local pie-chain franchise.

Blech.

But now, challenged to learn the art of the cream pie, I've researched and whisked several marscapone cream cheese pies, various chocolate creams and just tonight, whipped up a good old-fashioned sugar cream.

And you know what? The more I make cream pies, the more I like them.

Cream pies are ridiculously simple to make and, unlike pies using fresh fruit that can vary in taste and texture, they turn out consistently delicious every time. Plus, you don't have to spend a lot of fancy ingredients to make a damn good cream pie.

Take the sugar cream.

You simply bring sugar, unsalted butter, cornstarch, and milk to a boil, add some vanilla and then pour the mixture into a baked crust.

Viola! It doesn't get easier than that.

And if not for the cream pie, I wouldn't have tried making homemade whipped cream.

I grew up eating Cool Whip and the occasional spray can stuff and thought it was fine -- until I tasted the real thing. Now, there's no way in hell I'll top one of my prize-winners with store-bought whipped cream.

Sacrilege!

Again, so easy, it's crazy. Beat heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar until soft peaks form. That's it. Two ingredients. I'll never use the store-bought stuff again.

The other thing I love about a cream pie is that you need to make it the day before you need it. It needs time to set in the fridge -- perfect for submitting multiple pies in this competition.

Where once I thought cream lacked steam, now I know that cream's a dream.