#3: Apple Pie

So this week I opted for the good ol' apple pie.

My brain started spinning as it considered the apples and the spices.  Do I go with the standard tart apple?  Or maybe try a different variety?  On New Year's Eve my [Irish] sister-in-law made an apple pie that was seasoned with cloves and not the traditional cinnamon, which made me think I should change it up when it comes to spices.

In the end, though, I decided to go the traditional route...at least for my first apple pie.

With that in mind, I looked to my trusty "The Old-Fashioned Cookbook" by Jan McBride Carlton.

With my first pass at this pie, I followed the recipe to a tee, using tart Granny Smith apples.  I took that pie to work and it was devoured within minutes.

Of course that morning, my husband woke up, craving a slice of apple pie, only to find it was gone.  :o(

So, even though the first pie came out perfect, I needed to make another one to keep my marriage intact.  :o)

On the second pass, the only thing I changed was the apples used -- a mix of Granny Smith and Fuji apples.  Plus, instead of using plain sugar on top of the crust I used the left over spiced sugar instead.  YUM!

#2.1: Sweet Potato Pie with Marshmallow Topping

So, take two on the Sweet Potato Pie.

The goal.  Prevent the soggy bottom crust.

Rather than changing how the potatoes were cooked, though, I stubbornly stuck with boiling.  However, I tweaked a few things.

First of all, I make sure the potatoes were well drained.  That means, after they cooled and I peeled and mashed the potatoes, I let them set in a strainer for a awhile.  This release a couple tablespoons of liquid.

I also reduced the dairy and replaced the milk with half and half, swapping moisture for a richer liquid.

Next, I figured the filling may have separated during cooking -- allowing the liquid to soak the bottom crust.  With that in mind, I whisked my filling with the hopes that it would hold together long enough to set.

Finally, followed a tip from America's Test Kitchen's Pumpkin Pie recipe and used a warm pie crust to get the cooking process started sooner.  Again, getting the pie to set before soaking the crust.

Those steps seemed to resolve my soggy crust issue.  Phew!

That done, there was one additional touch I made to this version.  I added marshmallows to the top of the pie and toasted them under the broiler.  Delish!

#2: Sweet Potato Pie

So for my second pie, I opted for a Sweet Potato Pie.  Specifically, a recipe from James McNair, who came highly recommended by a co-worker.  Actually he brought me his copy of James McNair's Pie Cookbook, which could be lovingly considered his "bible".

There, I took his recipe for Sweet Potato Pie, which I followed to the tee. In the end, I think I was jinxed by Sarah (sorry but it's true) who made a soggy bottom comment on my Chess Pie post because...yes, the bottom crust on this pie came out soggy.

I mentioned this to my co-worker and he told me that he always baked his sweet potatoes rather than boil them, which makes sense.  In addition to boiling and baking, the recipe also suggested microwaving, which could cook the potatoes without imparting more moisture.

Aside from the crust issue, though, I couldn't figure out anything else I needed to change.  So I asked my husband to take a bit and give me his though.  After devouring the pie (soggy bottom and all), he agreed that he wouldn't change a thing.

The Proof's in the Crust

Before I go any further, I should mention a few references related to pie crust that I found extremely helpful.

First of all, there's Smitten Kitchen, specifically their Pie Crust 102 post.  Deb does a great job breaking down the process and provides great pictures.

Reading this entry made everything click in my brain -- especially the part about not overworking the dough.  The visual I have now throughout the entire process is that my dough is made up of bits of butter covered in flour.  Even as I initially drop in the cubes of butter, I make each and every cube is dusted.  Then, each time I cut the butter with my pastry knife, I stir things around to make sure each newly exposed surface is also coated.

When the pie cooks, the butter will melt away leaving the flour layer (i.e., flake). So, I want to keep my distinct butter bits. That means the butter can't melt and you definitely can't use a food processor -- both of which can destroy your butter/flour layers.

TANGENT:  This reminds me of this cinnamon roll place when I was in college.  You would see them roll out the dough and place pats of butter on top.  Then they would fold it over and roll it out, followed by another application of butter pats.  Fold. Roll. Repeat.  Each fold would later translated into a flaky layer of goodness.  Man, I wonder if that place is still around.

Secondly, there was this show on one of the cooking networks (sorry, I tried to find a copy of the show but I'm at a loss as to what show I was actually watching) where the guy was exploring southern food in New York and he visited a restaurant called Pies 'n' Thighs.  (Okay, if I get to the east coast, I have to visit this place.  YUM!)  One thing the pie maker said caught my ear.  She mentioned that their dough was very dry and that she worked to bring the dough together.  That said, rather than adding extra water when bringing everything together, I add a bit more elbow grease to fold and force the dough to form without creating a sticky dough.

Well, that's it for now.  As I stumble across more tips, I'll share them with you.

RE the next pie...I'm still trying to figure out what it will be but I've had a bunch of great suggestions so tomorrow will be a busy day.

#1: Chess Pie

Because I have a ton of buttermilk in my fridge, I originally wanted to do a Cardamon Buttermilk Pie.  However, when I realized I didn't have any lemons after pre-baking the crust.  So I had to change my plans and find a pie that didn't need an unbaked crust.

That lead me to what I think is the cousin of the Buttermilk Pie...the Chess Pie.

With my first pie, I encountered a problem that many people seem to have with this pie...a very liquid center.  Chilling the pie helps solidify it but it's a bit disappointing not being able to eat the pie warm.

So with my second attempt (yes, luckily my crust recipe if for two crusts) I'm trying to things.  First, because it seems like the ingredients have separated, I've used the whisk attachment on my mixer to keep things emulsified longer.  Second, I keep the pie in the oven longer -- turning it off at an hour but leaving the pie in the cooling oven for 20 minutes.

Final result...sugar overload!  (Which translates into "delicious".)

(As you can see, while the pie was baking, I gave Piper the crust scraps and she went to town making her own creation.)

A Pie A Week

I love pie.  Enough said.

Up until now, though, I've pretty much relied on others to bake for me. 2013 will be different. A different pie a week made by my own hands. That's my goal.

Luckily, I found a great (and simple) dough recipe which makes a delicious crust for pies that required pre-baked and uncooked crusts.

Now I've just got to focus on the fun part...the filling.