My family Apple Pie recipe has been kept in the family for a good reason. It’s perfectly reliable and perfect for the July 4th holiday weekend.
The holiday weekend is upon us and it’s time to make pies. Pies are perfect for barbeque parties, picnics or just about any occasion. Sometimes I think pies have too much crust so here is a topless version that I’m sure your family and friends will love. I mean seriously who doesn’t love blueberry pie!
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
I’m all about rhubarb right now. I’ve been making rhubarb jam and now rhubarb pies. These pies are so easy to make and taste divine!
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Hulled & Sliced Strawberries
2 Cups Diced Rhubarb
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
2 Cups Sugar
1/4 Cup Unbleached Flour
3 Tablespoons Quick Cooking Tapioca
3 Beaten Eggs
1/8 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 Double Pie Crust
In a large-size bowl, combine strawberries, rhubarb, and lemon juice. In a medium-size bowl, combine sugar, flour, tapioca, eggs, kosher salt, and cinnamon. Stir sugar mixture into rhubarb mixture and set aside for 15 minutes. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place 1 pie crust in an ungreased 9 inch glass or ceramic pie plate. Press crust firmly against sides and bottom. Spoon filling into crust-lined pie plate. Top with second crust. Wrap excess top crust under bottom crust edge, pressing edges together to seal. Flute edges. Cut slits or shapes in several places in top crust. Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes or until crust is light golden brown. Place cookie sheet on oven rack below pie in case of spillover. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake another 40 to 50 minutes longer or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely before serving. Makes 1 pie – serves 8.
© Victoria Hart Glavin
Pie Crust Pastries
Here are three basic pie crust pastries that are very versatile. They are easy to make and so much better than store bought crusts.
Basic Flour Pie Crust
Single 8 or 9-Inch Pie
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 Cups Sifted Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Cup Shortening
1/4 Cup Cold Water
In a large-size bowl sift flour and add salt. Cut in shortening and cold water with a pastry blender or two knives scissor-style. Shape dough into a ball and roll out to size. If recipe calls for a prebaked pie shell, bake in preheated 450 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly browned. Makes 1 single pie crust.
Double Crust 8 or 9-Inch
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Sifted Flour
3/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Cup Shortening
1/3 Cup Cold Water
Make as directed above. Makes 1 double pie crust.
Gingersnap Crust
INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 Cups Crushed Gingersnaps
1/3 Cup Finely Chopped Nuts
1/3 Cup Melted Butter
1/3 Cup Sugar
In a large-size bowl blend ingredients together and press into a 9-inch pie pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool before filling. Makes 1 pie crust.
Graham Cracker Crust or Vanilla Wafer Crust
INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs or Vanilla Wafer Crumbs
1/4 Cup Sugar
6 Tablespoons Melted Butter
In a large-size bowl combine ingredients and mix thoroughly. Press into a 9-inch pie pan. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 6 to 8 minutes. Makes 1 pie crust.
© Victoria Hart Glavin
Coconut Cream Pie
I love any type of cream pie, but I love Coconut Cream Pie best!
INGREDIENTS
1 Baked Pastry Shell
4 Eggs
3/4 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Cornstarch
2 1/2 Cups Light Cream or Half-and-Half
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 1/2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Flaked Coconut
1/3 Cup Flaked Coconut For Garnish
Meringue (Recipe Below)
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Prepare Baked Pastry Shell. Separate egg yolks from whites. Set aside yolks for filling and whites for meringue. In a medium-size saucepan combine sugar and cornstarch. Gradually stir in cream. Cook and stir over a medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Slightly beat egg yolks. Gradually stir 1 cup of hot filling into yolks. Add egg yolk mixture to saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat. Cook and stir for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in butter, vanilla, and 1 cup coconut. Keep filling warm. Prepare meringue. Pour warm filling into baked pastry shell. Spread meringue over warm filling. Seal to edge. Sprinkle 1/3 cup coconut over meringue. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Place in fridge and chill for 3 to 6 hours before serving. Serves 8
Meringue
4 Egg Whites
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 Teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1/2 Cup Sugar
Let egg whites sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a large-size bowl combine egg whites, vanilla, and cream of tartar. Beat with a mixer for 1 minute or until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar beating on high speed for 4 minutes more or until mixture forms stiff, glossy peaks. Immediately spread meringue over hot pie filling, carefully sealing to edge of pastry to prevent shrinkage. Bake as directed in recipe.
© Victoria Hart Glavin
Pie Crust
Pie Crust, Pie Crust, Pie Crust!!! Even the most experienced chefs can be intimidated by making pie crust. Here is a good basic single pie crust recipe along good tips to help with pie crust problems.
Single Pie Crust
INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 Cups Unbleached Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/3 Cup Shortening or Cold Butter
4 Tablespoons Cold Water
In a bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in shortening until crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Roll out to fit a 9 inch or 10 inch pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond the edge of the plate; flute the edges. Fill or bake shell according to recipe directions.
Keep Dough Cold & Butter Chunky: If you would like a flaky crust, then keep the butter from melting into the dough before baking. The bits of butter should be about pea size and should melt in the oven, which creates flakey pockets. If dough appears to be too soft when you’re working with it, then place it in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes. When rolling dough out you should see “veins” of butter running through it.
From The Center Outward: It is so much easier to roll dough into a circle if you work from the center out to the edge in all directions. Give it a try and you’ll see how much easier it is.
Don’t Work It To Death: Make sure not to overdo it. When you overwork the dough and are using too much flour your crust can become tough and dry. Keep a light hand with both flour and rolling. Roll just enough to reach your desired size and use only enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the counter.
Pie Crust Bag: What’s this? A pie crust bag is a handy tool that takes the strain out of rolling by providing a non-stick round frame for the dough as you roll it out. This allows you to use less flour and avoid shaggy edges. Just put your chilled dough in the bag, zip it up, roll it out, and then transfer it to your pan. The bags come in different sizes for regular and deep-dish pies are available from many online stores.
Those Pesky Edges: Crimp or flute the edge of a double crust pie. This seals the dough and keeps the filling from leaking out during baking. Even on a single crust pie, crimping can create a helpful dam effect. There are many good techniques, but my favorite is the basic pinch by pinching the dough around the index finger of one hand using the thumb and forefinger of the other.
Store Bought Dough: When all else fails or if you’re short on time you can always cheat and use ready-made dough. I’ll never tell!
Rum Pecan Pie
While Pecan Pie is not my favorite I certainly appreciate a good one. I added dark rum, which I believe, improves the basic traditional Pecan Pie. Growing up in the Midwest we always had three traditional pies for Thanksgiving and Christmas: Pumpkin, Apple, and Pecan. Try my Pecan Pie for your holiday dinner. It just may become everyone’s favorite pie.
INGREDIENTS
1 Single Pie Crust
1 Cup Pecan Halves
2 Tablespoons Melted Butter
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Dark Corn Syrup
2 Tablespoons Dark Rum
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
3 Lightly Beaten Large Eggs
Whipped Cream For Garnish (Optional)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. You can use premade pie crust or make your own (see below for pie crust recipe). Transfer pie crust to a 9 inch pie plate. Crimp the edges of the dough with your fingers and use the fork to prick the bottom of the dough in several spots. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Remove from fridge and cover prepared pie shell with parchment paper. Make sure to leave a bit of an overhang and add enough pie weights or dried beans to cover the bottom of pie crust. Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and remove parchment paper and weights. Place back in oven and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Set aside. Turn oven down to 350 degrees. In a medium-size bowl combine pecans with 1 tablespoon butter and kosher salt. Spread pecan mixture onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Toast for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, in a medium-size bowl combine sugar, corn syrup, rum and vanilla extract and remaining butter. Stir in eggs. Add toasted pecans. Pour filling into cooled piecrust. Place in oven on bottom rack and bake for 50 to 60 minutes until center of pie feels gelatin-like when pressed with back of a spoon. Remove from oven and transfer pan to wire rack to cool. Serve with whipped cream if you lie. Makes 1 pie.
Pie Crust
INGREDIENTS
2 1/4 Cups Unbleached Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 1/2 Sticks Cold Butter (Cut Into Small Pieces)
5 To 7 Tablespoons Ice Water
In a large-size bowl, combine flour and kosher salt. Add cold butter, cut into small pieces; using your fingers, cut into butter until mixture resembles grated Parmesan. Add 5 to 7 tablespoons ice water, a tablespoon at a time, while mixing with you’re your fingers, until dough holds together in a ball. Turn dough out onto floured piece of wax paper. Sprinkle more flour onto dough, cover with a second piece of wax paper, and place on baking sheet. Place in fridge for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. When ready to use, remove dough from fridge and let sit, covered, at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Traditional Pumpkin Pie
According to a recent survey Pumpkin Pie wins out when it comes to the Thanksgiving pie favorite. 2nd place goes to Apple Pie and the 3rd place goes to Pecan Pie. I have to admit that I like Pumpkin Pie over apple and pecan although I’ve never turned any of them down. Here is a nice Traditional Pumpkin Pie recipe to get you started on the upcoming Thanksgiving cooking fun.
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 Cups Pumpkin Puree
2 Large Eggs
1 Cup Whole Milk
1/2 Cups Pure Maple Syrup
1 Tablespoon Unbleached Flour
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 (9 Inch) Piecrust
Sweetened Whipped Cream Spiked With Bourbon (Optional)
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place piecrust into pie pan. In a medium-size bowl whisk together pumpkin and eggs. Blend Well. Add milk, maple syrup, flour, cinnamon, ginger, and kosher salt. Whisk to blend well. Pour filling into piecrust. Bake pie for 55 to 60 minutes until center is just set. Remove from oven and let cool. Serve with shipped cream spiked with bourbon if you want. Serves 8
Peach Plum Shortbread Tart
“Movin’ to the country gonna eat a lot of peaches!” As you can tell I’m really into peaches these days. Over the weekend I made a ton of peach jam which I’ve been handing out like crazy. I love pies and tarts, but quite honestly I am really not into pie crust. I often make my “pies” with a shortbread crust instead of using the traditional boring pie crust. I think that you just may like this recipe.
INGREDIENTS
3 1/2 Tablespoons Quick Cooking Tapioca
3/4 Cups Sugar
1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Freshly Grated Nutmeg
1/2 Cup Water
3 Large Pitted and Sliced Peaches
2 Pitted and Sliced Yellow Plums
1 1/2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
For The Shortbread Crust:
1/2 Cup Softened Butter (Not Melted)
1/4 Cup Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 1/4 Cup Unbleached Flour
Preheat your oven to 325° F. In a large size saucepan combine the tapioca, sugar, kosher salt, nutmeg, water and 1 1/2 cups of the sliced peaches and plums. Bring to a boil over a medium heat and stir constantly. Remove from the heat and let stand for 20 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and the remaining peaches and plums. Set aside and let cool. In the meantime, make the crust. In a medium size bowl mix together the butter and sugar with a fork, Add the kosher salt to the flour. Work in the flour until you have a crumb like consistency. Mix thoroughly with your hands to form a soft dough. Press evenly into the bottom and sides of an 8 inch round cake pan. Make sure to prick the bottom all over with a fork. Place into the oven and bake for 35 minutes. Remember that all ovens heat differently so you may want to check at 30 minutes. You will want the shortbread crust to be lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool. Once it has COMPLETELY cooled gently remove it from the pan. If the shell does stick a bit then warm it up a little over a gentle heat. Place the crust onto a cake plate. Fill the crust with the peach and plum mixture just before serving. Serves 6
Deep Dish Rhubarb Pie
Many people are hesitant to cook with rhubarb. Rhubarb is, botanically speaking, a vegetable, and eaten like fruit. The stalks are best picked when they are young and ready for eating in the spring and early summer. The leaves should be thrown away as they are poisonous.
INGREDIENTS
2 Pounds Pink Rhubarb
2 Ounces Gingerroot
8 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
Powdered Sugar
Pastry:
2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
8 Tablespoons Butter
7 Tablespoons Water To Mix
Milk To Glaze
Preheat your oven to 425º F. Trim and thickly slice the rhubarb. Place in a large size bowl. Chop the ginger and add to the sliced rhubarb. In a small size bowl combine the sugar and cornstarch. Add the sugar & cornstarch mixture to the rhubarb mixture. Set aside. In a large size bowl combine the flour, kosher salt and ground ginger. Cut in the butter. Add 7 tablespoons water to make the dough manageable. Roll the dough out to fit the top of the pie plate. Transfer the rhubarb mixture to a 3 cup pie pan. Cover the pie pan with the pastry dough. Crimp and decorate the edges. Brush the pastry with milk. Place onto a baking sheet and bake at 425º F for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350º F and bake for 20 to 30 minutes more until the crust is pale golden and the rhubarb tender. Sprinkle with powdered sugar to serve. Make 1 deep dish pie.
