Classic Apple Pie

Special equipment: 9-inch pie plate

Ingredients

serves makes 1 9-inch pie, active time 1 hour, total time 6 hours, or overnight

• 1 double-crust All-Butter Pie Dough shell (ingredients follow)
• 8 cups (960g) apples, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (10g) tapioca starch
• 1 tablespoon (9g) cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon (2g) Chinese five-spice powder
• 1/2 teaspoon (1.5g) kosher salt
• Crust Dust, for sprinkling
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• Pie Wash, for brushing the top of the pie
•  
• Double-Crust Dough Shell
• 1 3/4 sticks unsalted butter, divided
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 2 1/4 cups (333g) all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons (6.5g) kosher salt
• 1/2 tablespoon (6.5g) granulated sugar
•  
• Crust Dust
• equal parts granulated sugar and flour
•  
• Pie Wash
• equal parts whole milk and cream

Procedures

1. Make the dough: Cut the butter into 1/2-inch cubes. Freeze 5 tablespoons (70g) for 20 minutes or overnight; chill the remaining 1 1/8 sticks in the refrigerator until ready to use.
   
2. Stir the red wine vinegar into the cold water and set aside.
   
3. Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse 5 or 6 times to combine.
   
4. Add the chilled butter and mix for 25 to 30 seconds, until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
   
5. Add the frozen butter and pulse 15 to 20 times, until the butter is in pea-sized pieces.
   
6. Add 6 tablespoons of the vinegar water and pulse 6 times. The dough should start to look crumbly. Test the dough by squeezing a small amount in the palm of your hand. If it easily holds together, it is done. If not, add 1/2 tablespoon of the vinegar water and pulse 3 more times. Repeat this process as needed until the dough holds together.
   
7. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead together until smooth; dough should never come together in the food processor.
   
8. Divide the dough into 2 equal parts and roll each into a ball. Flatten the balls slightly and wrap separately in plastic wrap. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator until ready to use, at least 20 minutes but preferably overnight.
   
9. Make the filling: Place the apples in a medium bowl. Add the lemon juice and toss with a spatula until the apples are well coated.
   
10. Place the granulated sugar, brown sugar, tapioca starch, cornstarch, Chinese five-spice powder, and salt in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl of apples and mix until the apples are again well coated. Set aside to macerate for at least 25 minutes.
    
11. Place a colander over a medium bowl and transfer the macerated apples to the colander, making sure to scrape down the side of the bowl to get all the juices, sugars, and starches. Let the apples drain for 25 minutes.
    
12. Pour the drained juice into a small saucepan, scraping down the side and bottom of the bowl to get every drop. Bring the apple juice to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and continue to boil the apple juice gently until it thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Once it is room temperature, chill the saucepan in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
    
13. While it chills, roll out the balls of dough. Each one needs to be rolled into a 14-inch circle, 1/16 to 1/8 inch thick.
    
14. Lightly coat a 9-inch pie tin with cooking spray and dust with flour. Rotate the tin to coat the side. Turn the tin over and tap out any excess flour.
    
15. Pick one dough circle up firmly by the edges and center onto the prepared pie tin. Tap the pie tin on the counter several times until the dough settles into it. Gently press the dough into the corners of the pie tin with your fingertips.
    
16. Sprinkle Crust Dust into the empty pie shell. Pour in the apples, making sure to scrape out any dry ingredients or juices that stick to the side of the bowl. Make a well in the middle of the apples and pour in the thickened apple juice. Gently smooth the pie filling with a spatula and dot with the butter.
    
17. If you are cutting decorative shapes out of the top crust, do it now. Try to keep the cutouts toward the center of the top crust. Otherwise, they will get pulled into the crimp and stretched out of shape.
    
18. Center the top pie dough round over the pie. Line up the edges of the top and bottom crust and gently roll them under with your thumb and index finger. Work your way back around the pie, pinching the rolled edge up. Make sure the edge is resting on the rim of the pie tin.
    
19. Crimp the dough: Grab the edge of the pie shell with the thumb and index finger of each hand, about 1 inch apart. Bring your right hand toward you and to the left as you push your left hand away from you and to the right.
    
20. Place your left hand 1/2 inch to the right of the first crimp and repeat the process until you have worked your way around the pie shell. Place your index finger behind each crimp and squeeze the point on the outside of the pie shell with your thumb and index finger.
    
21. Vent the pie: follow this step if you haven't already made cutouts. Three or four simple slits in the top crust will do the trick, although pie bakers have used the vents as decoration for centuries, coming up with all kinds of pretty patterns. At the pie shop we use the vents as guides to easily slice the pies into six pieces later.
    
22. Freeze the assembled pie for at least 20 minutes.
    
23. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
    
24. Brush the top of pie with Pie Wash and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, rotating 180 degrees every 20 minutes, until the crust is dark golden brown and the juices are bubbling thickly through the vents.
    
25. Cool for at least 2 hours before slicing.

Gouda and Tart Apple Pie

Special equipment: food processor

Ingredients

serves Serves 8, active time 1 hour, total time 4 hours

• For the Crust:
• 2 1/2 cups (11.25 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 20 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 4 ounces Gouda, grated finely
• 6-7 tablespoons ice water
•  
• For the Filling:
• 3 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled cored, and sliced into 1/4-inch slices
• 3 quarts boiling water
• 5 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling over crust
• 5 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten

Procedures

1. Whisk together the flour, salt, and grated Gouda in a large mixing bowl. Using a food processor, mix butter and flour/cheese mixture until the largest butter chunks are the size of large peas. .
   
2. Open the top of the food processor and sprinkle ice water over the flour mixture in increments of one tablespoon, pulsing a couple times between additions. Repeat until dough begins to clump together.
   
3. Remove flour mixture from food processor return it to the large mixing bowl. Gather the dough together with your hands and press into two disks. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours or up to overnight.
   
4. Add apple slices to a large bowl and pour boiling water on top. Cover bowl and set aside for ten minutes. Drain apples completely and let sit in a colander in the sink, tossing occasionally until completely dry, about 10 to 15 minutes. Return apples to the large bowl and add sugars, cinnamon, salt, and cornstarch, and toss until apples are evenly coated. Set mixture aside.
   
5. Move oven rack to the center position and preheat to 425°F. Roll out one disk of pie dough into a circle about 12-inches in diameter and transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Add filling. Roll out the remaining pie dough into a 10-inch rectangle and cut into 1/2-inch strips. Use the strips to weave a lattice top.
   
6. Brush the pie evenly with the egg white and then sprinkle evenly with a tablespoon of sugar. Transfer pie to a parchment covered rimmed sheet pan in the oven. Bake until light golden brown, about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 375°F and continue baking until deep golden brown, about 25 minutes longer. If the edges are getting overly browned, you can cover with tin foil or crust protectors. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature for at least 2 hours before serving.

Lemon Meringue Pie

Ingredients

serves makes one 9-inch pie, active time 90 minutes, including making dough, total time several hours, including baking and cooling

• Lemon Curd
• 10 large egg yolks (save the whites for the meringue)
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• Grated zest of 4 lemons
• 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
•  
• Meringue
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 10 large egg whites
•  
• Pastry Dough
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed and very cold
• 1 large egg yolk

Procedures

1. Make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour and sugar. Add the butter and mix on medium-low speed until the mixture looks like sand. Add the yolk and mix just until a dough forms. Some dry patches and crumbs are okay; they will moisten as the dough rests.
   
2. Form the dough into a ball, flatten, and wrap well in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. The dough can be frozen for up to a month; thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.
   
3. Once the dough is chilled, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry dough. Fit it into a 9-inch pie dish and crimp the edges.
   Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
   
4. Preheat the oven to 375°F, with a rack in the middle position.
   
5. Line the pie shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake the pie shell for 20 minutes. Remove the paper and weights and continue to bake until the shell is evenly golden brown and cooked all the way through, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let cool. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F.
   
6. Make the lemon curd. In a medium bowl, combine the yolks and cornstarch and whisk until smooth, then set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, lemon zest and juice, butter, and salt and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
   
7. Slowly whisk about a cup of the hot liquid into the yolk mixture in a steady stream to temper it. Then pour the contents of the bowl into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly and getting into the edges of the pan to keep the curd from sticking or burning, until the first bubbles form. (Lower the heat a little if you see more than a few bubbles.) Immediately remove from the heat and spread the curd into the cooled pie shell.
   
8. Immediately make the meringue (the meringue will adhere better to the curd if the curd is still warm).
   In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cornstarch. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the egg whites on medium-low speed until foamy, about 4 minutes. Increase the mixer speed to medium and gradually pour the sugar mixture into the whites. Once the sugar is incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and whip the meringue until medium-stiff peaks form (a peak of meringue should stand up, then slowly curl over), about 7 minutes.
   
9. Spread the meringue over the lemon curd with a small spatula, making sure to seal the meringue to the edges of the crust all the way around the pie. Form peaks on top by lifting up the spatula. Bake the pie until the meringue is golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool, then refrigerate until cold. The pie will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Candy Corn Pecan Pie

Special equipment: pie plate, saucepan

Ingredients

serves Makes one 9-inch pie, active time 20 minutes, total time 2 hours, 20 minutes

• 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust
• 1 1/2 cups (about 5.5 ounces) pecans, lightly toasted
• 1 cup (about 11 ounces) light corn syrup
• 3/4 cup (about 5.6 ounces) dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup candy corn

Procedures

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. If you haven't already, place your pie crust in a pie plate. Set it in the refrigerator until you're ready to fill it.
   
2. If you glazed over the part of the ingredients that asked for the pecans to be toasted, go ahead and toast them while the oven preheats. Scatter them on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Once fragrant, remove them. It shouldn't take more than 8 minutes or so in the preheating oven.
   
3. Prepare the filling. Put the corn syrup and brown sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add the butter, and vanilla. Let the mixture cool, and then add the eggs and whisk until smooth (don't add the eggs while the mixture is still very hot, otherwise you'll have scrambled eggs!).
   
4. Take the pie crust out of the fridge. Now, arrange the pecans (which should be toasty but cooled by now) along the bottom of the crust. Add the candy corn. I lightly tussled the mixture by hand, to make sure it was nicely and evenly mixed.
   
5. Pour the hot sugar slurry on top, gently, so as not to upset your delicately proportioned candy and nuts. Some will rise like magic to the top. That's a good thing.
   
6. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the filling is set and the edges of the crust are browned. It will still wobble in the middle just a little bit when you take it out, but the outer parts should be firm. The center part will set further once removed from heat.
   
7. Place a couple more candy corn on the top of the pie right after you've taken it out of the oven. This will help people to know that it has candy corn inside, as the candies will have melted and might not be recognizable. Be gentle when placing them on top, so you don't hurt yourself or injure the pie.
   
8. Let cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes. I like to then transfer it to the refrigerator for about an hour, so that it can set completely. Serve at room temperature, or lightly warm and serve with ice cream.

Pumpkin-Milk Chocolate Pie with Gingersnap Crust

Ingredients

serves makes 8 servings, active time 1-2 hours, if roasting squash, total time 2-4 hours, if roasting squash

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 1⁄2 cups (about 6 ounces) gingersnap cookie crumbs
• 2 tablespoons plus 1⁄2 cup packed light brown sugar, divided
• 3⁄4 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
• 2 1⁄2 ounces (5 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1⁄2 cups Roasted Sugar Pumpkin and Kabocha Squash (recipe follows)
• 4 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 recipe Milk Chocolate Ganache (recipe follows)
•  
• One 4-pound sugar pumpkin
• One 4-pound kabocha squash
•  
• 2 cups (about 3 ounces) chocolate chips
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup

Procedures

1. Roast the squash: Cut the pumpkin and squash into eighths; remove and discard the seeds. Place the pumpkin and squash pieces in a large baking dish, fill with about 1/4 inch of water, and cover with aluminum foil. Roast for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the flesh is fork tender.
   
2. Remove from the oven and discard the foil. When the pumpkin and the squash pieces are cool enough to handle, use a large spoon to scrape the flesh from the skin; discard the skins. Puree the pumpkin and squash flesh in a food processor until smooth. Let cool to room temperature before refrigerating or using.
   note: This recipe makes more puree than called for in any of the recipes in this book. Freeze the leftovers in small containers for up to 3 months and defrost just before using.
   
3. Make the Ganache: In a small saucepan, bring the cream and corn syrup to a boil. Pour over the chocolate, let stand for 2 minutes, then gently whisk until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a liquid measuring cup with a pour spout and let cool until slightly warmer than room temperature.
   
4. Make the Pie: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray.
   
5. For the gingersnap crust, stir together the cookie crumbs, 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and the butter until evenly combined and the mixture has the consistency of wet sand. Pour into the pie plate and, very evenly and firmly, pack the mixture into the base and up the sides of the pan, taking care to avoid too much buildup in the corner of the pan. Allow about 1/4 inch of excess to rise above the top of the pan’s edge.
   
6. Set the pie plate on a baking sheet and bake until the crust is slightly puffed and a bit darker in color, about 8 minutes. Let cool at room temperature for about 5 minutes, then transfer to the freezer until ready to use.
   
7. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
   
8. In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, the roasted pumpkin and squash, the whole eggs, egg yolk, cream, molasses, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg until completely smooth. Pour into the prepared piecrust and bake until the custard is set in the center when the pie plate is slightly jiggled, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool to room temperature and refrigerate for 30 to 45 minutes to set.
   
9. Using the back of a spoon or ladle, spread the ganache in an even circle on top of the pie. Place the pie in the refrigerator until the ganache has just begun to set, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pie from the refrigerator and use the spoon or ladle to spread the ganache again to create a decorative, rustic texture. Refrigerate until fully set before slicing, about 20 minutes.

Mrs. White's Treacle Pie

Ingredients

serves serves 4, active time 40 minutes, total time 90 minutes

• Shortcrust Pastry
• 7oz/200g plain flour or all purpose flour
• 4oz/110g butter, cubed or an equal mix of butter and lard
• 2-3 tablespoons very cold water
•  
• Filling
• 8oz/250g golden syrup
• 3oz/75g fresh white breadcrumbs
• grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

Procedures

1. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 1/8in/3mm and use to line a 8in/20cm pie tin. Trim off any overhanging pastry and chill for 20 minutes. Reserve the pastry trimmings for the top.
   
2. Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Place a baking tray in the oven to heat.
   
3. Place the golden syrup in a saucepan and heat through. Remove from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs, lemon zest and lemon juice. Spread the mixture evenly into the pastry case.
   
4. Roll out the reserved trimmings and cut into 10–12 strips.Twist the strips into spirals and then lay half of them over the pie filling. Arrange the remaining strips at right angles to the first strips to form a lattice. Press the ends of the strips on to the rim of the pastry case.
   
5. Place the pie on the hot baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Lower the temperature of the oven to 375°F/190°C and bake for a further 15 minutes. Serve warm with custard.

No-Churn Lime Ice Cream Pie (No Ice Cream Maker Required)

 

Special equipment

Blender or food processor, pie dish or tart pan

Ingredients

serves makes 1 pie, active time 1 hour, total time 6 hours

• For graham cracker crust:
• 10 graham crackers
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
•  
• For lime ice cream:
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated lime zest from 1 to 2 limes, plus more for garnish
• 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup cream
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Procedures

1. For pie crust: Heat oven to 375 °F with an oven rack in the middle position. In a food processor, pulse graham crackers with sugar and salt until they form a fine powder. Pour in butter and pulse until crumbs become a coarse meal, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed.
   
2. Transfer crumbs to pie plate or tart pan and press into sides and against bottom for an even thickness all over. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, then bake until crust darkens in color and smells slightly nutty, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely, then store in freezer until ready to fill with ice cream.
   
3. For the ice cream: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together lime juice, zest, condensed milk, and cream. Stir until mixture thickens, about 1 minute, and add salt to taste.
   
4. To assemble: Pour ice cream base into to pie crust, spreading it evenly across with a rubber spatula, then chill in freezer until firm, 2 to 3 hours. Let pie sit out on counter for 5 minutes before serving, then garnish with lime zest and serve.