Easy as Pie

When most people think of pies, apple, cherry, and blueberry come to mind. Let’s not forget no-bake pies, tart pies, cream pies and pudding pies! These are just some of the joys that come when you go into your kitchen and reach for the butter and flour! It’s no wonder we love the homemade warm smells of a home baked pie.

My mom makes the best apple pie ever. Her crust is so flaky it melts in your mouth. But she bakes like my grandmother did with a handful of this and a touch of that so she has never written down the recipe.

Pies can be single or double crusted, topped with meringue or a buttery crumb topping. The choices are endless. My favorite tart is Tart Tartine, with a caramelized apple filling and a puff pastry crust. It’s heaven on earth! Put on an apron, roll up your sleeves and get ready to bake.

Tips for Successful Baking

All liquids should be ice-cold.

When making pie dough over mixing will make pie dough tough and hard to roll out. Mix just till it holds together for a tender crust.

When rolling dough between waxed or parchment paper, dampen the countertop first, to keep the paper from slipping.

When rolling dough, always start from the center and work your way out in all directions. Use a heavy rolling pin for rolling piecrust.

To prevent a soggy crust, refrigerate for 15 minutes before filling or seal by brushing with slightly beaten egg white, then refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Always chill pastry dough before rolling and cutting. Chill it again afterwards, before baking, to further relax the gluten.

For a two-crust pie, brush a little water around the edge of the bottom crust before placing the top crust. This creates a good seal once the two are crimped together.

Before placing double-crusted pies in the oven, loosely wrap aluminum foil around piecrust edges. This will help the edges from browning too quickly. Remember to remove the aluminum about 10 minutes before pies are ready to come out of the oven so the crust is properly browned.

Brush beaten egg white over piecrust before baking to yield a beautiful glossy finish. Sprinkle with sugar if desired.

Two sure-fire ways to keep meringue toppings from shrinking. First, spread on the pie while the filling is hot. Second, make sure the meringue touches the crust all around.

Flakiest Pie Crust

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup, plus 2 Tbsp Lard
4 tablespoona very cold water

Mix flour, and salt in large bowl.

Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until the size of small peas.

With a fork, blend in water until it all comes together and leaves the sides of the bowl. Cover and let rest 15 minutes before rolling out.

Makes 2 9-inch shells

German Chocolate Pie

4 ounces semisweet baking chocolate (not chocolate chips)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
12-ounce can evaporated milk
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2/3 cup flaked coconut
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 unbaked pie crust

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Combine chocolate, sugar, butter, and milk in a medium saucepan; cook over medium heat, stirring often, until mixture just comes to a boil.

Remove from heat; gradually pour a small amount into egg yolks, stirring constantly. Return mixture to pan quickly; stir. Add coconut, walnuts, and vanilla; stir. Pour into piecrust. Sprinkle top with a little coconut, if desired.

Bake 30 minutes. Cool before cutting.

Rhubarb Pie

1 1/4 cups sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup flour
2 cups fresh rhubarb, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups fresh strawberries
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon sugar
1 pastry for 2 crust pie

Combine 1 1/4 cup sugar, salt, and flour. Arrange half the strawberries and rhubarb in a pastry lined 9 inch pie pan. Sprinkle with half the sugar mixture. Repeat with remaining fruit and sugar mixture. Dot with butter.

Cover with top crust and flute edges to make high standing rim. Brush top of pie with cold water and sprinkle on 1 tablespoon sugar. Cut steam vents in top crust.

Bake in hot 425° F. oven 40 to 50 minutes or until rhubarb is tender and crust is browned.

Fresh Peach, Brown Sugar Pie

Pastry for 2-crust pie
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 cups fresh peaches, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 425° F.

Stir together sugars, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Sprinkle peaches with lemon juice and almond extract. Add sugar and flour mixture to peaches; mix gently.

Turn mixture into pastry-lined pie pan. Dot with butter. Add top crust; cut vents in pastry.

Bake 35 to 45 minutes, until juice bubbles in vents and crust is golden brown.

Pineapple Meringue Pie

3 cups fresh pineapple
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoons salt
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoons lemon juice
1 baked 9 inch pie shell

Meringue:
Dash of salt
3 egg whites
6 tablespoons sugar

Heat pineapple in saucepan. Mix sugar thoroughly with cornstarch and salt; add all at once to hot pineapple and cook, stirring briskly, until thick and clear.

Beat egg yolks in bowl; stir in a little of the hot mixture, then return all to saucepan and cook, stirring 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in butter and lemon juice. Pour into baked pie shell.

Spread roughly with this meringue: Add dash of salt to 3 egg whites; beat stiff, then beat in, gradually, 6 tablespoons sugar.

Bake about 8 minutes at 400° F. Serve cold.