Crust
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine cracker crumbs, pecans, brown sugar, and salt; mix in melted butter and applesauce. Press mixture, evenly into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch deep dish pie pan. Bake at 350°F for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Filling
Measure raisins and water into 1-quart saucepan; heat to boiling and cook for 12 minutes. Drain reserving liquid. Turn raisins in food processor with steel blade and pulse 5 to 6 times to chop coarsely. Return raisins along with 1 cup of reserved liquid to saucepan. Stir in sugar and lemon juice; cook for 2 minutes. Dissolve gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water, and add to hot raisin mixture, stirring until completely dissolved. Set aside in refrigerator to cool until set about 1 hour. Meanwhile, whip 2 cups heavy cream until stiff; fold in raisin mixture and spoon into cooled pie shell. Place in refrigerator until set, about 2 hours.
Topping
In small chilled bowl, whip 1 cup heavy cream until soft peaks form. Then, sprinkle with powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time beating after each addition until very stiff. Carefully fold in vanilla and piping gel. Spoon into pastry bag fitted with star tip, and pipe onto top of pie.
Note: For piping gel, combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar with 1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch in a small saucepan, and gradually blend in 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 tablespoons water. stir over high heat until mixture boils and thickens. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 1 month.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 22 squares)
- 1 Cup chopped pecans
- 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 Teaspoon salt
- 1 Cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 Tablespoon unsweetened applesauce
Procedure
Filling
- 1 Cup California natural raisins
- 3 Cups water
- 2 Cups sugar
- 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 Package (1 tablespoon) unflavored gelatin
- 1 Cup cold water
- 2 Cups heavy whipping cream
Topping
- 1 Cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 Tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla
- 1 Tablespoon piping gel*