Leave links for your pies here, bakers!
Roundup: Classic Apple Pie
Mostly positive reviews on the pies this week. Plus, we had a rogue baker as is our tradition here at Baked Sunday Mornings (who can blame Yael for going with chocolate?)!
Leave Your Links: Classic Apple Pie
Pie pie pie pie! Let’s see those pies….
In the Oven: Classic Apple Pie
Mmmmm, pie! Next up on the schedule: a Classic Apple Pie. Posting date is October 22!
- Classic Pie Dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
- 3⁄4 cup ice cold water
- Classic Apple Pie
- 2 balls of Classic Pie Dough
- 1⁄2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 7 medium Granny Smith apples
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon whiskey
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon raw sugar
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together.
- Cut the cold butter into cubes and toss the cubes in the flour mixture to coat. Put the mixture in the bowl of a food processor and pulse in short bursts until the pieces of butter are the size of hazelnuts.
- While pulsing in quick, 4-second bursts, drizzle the ice water into the food processor through the feed tube.
- As soon as the dough comes together in a ball, remove it from the food processor and divide it into two equal balls. Flatten to a disk and wrap each disk first in parchment paper and then in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the disks until firm, about 1 hour. (The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before proceeding with the recipe.)
- Dust a work surface with a sprinkling of flour. Unwrap one of the balls of chilled dough and put it directly on the work surface. Roll out into a 12-inch round. Transfer the dough to a pie dish and carefully work it into the pie dish, folding any overhang under and crimping the edge as you go. Wrap and freeze the crust until firm, about 2 hours, or up to 3 months.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and the light brown sugar. Peel and core the Granny Smith apples, then cut them into 1/8-inch wedges.
- Heat the butter over medium heat in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Swirl the saucepan occasionally until the butter begins to brown. As soon as the butter is evenly browned, add half of the apple wedges and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, or until the apples are softened.
- Add the remaining apples and the cornstarch/sugar mixture. Mix until the sugar has melted, then add the vanilla, whiskey, and cinnamon to the saucepan and cook for 5 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and thick. Do not overcook.
- Dust a work surface with a sprinkling of flour. Unwrap the remaining ball of chilled dough and roll out into a 12-inch round.
- Pour the pie filling into the frozen pie crust, and top with the second dough round. Trim the dough, leaving a 1⁄2-inch overhang. Crimp the edges together, brush with the beaten egg, and sprinkle with the raw sugar. Cut 3 steam vents into the top crust.
- Bake the pie until the filling bubbles and the crust is golden brown, about 1 hour. Cool the pie on a rack for 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Roundup: Frozen Swiss Chocolate Pie
Our bakers give this pie a thumbs up — just don’t try to cut it while it’s still frozen!
Leave Your Links: Frozen Swiss Chocolate Pie
Who made frozen chocolate pie this week? Leave your links here!
In the Oven: Frozen Swiss Chocolate Pie
Will you serve this with or without chocolate fudge sauce and whipped cream? Posting date is September 11!
- For the Walnut Crust
- 2 cups (200 g) walnuts, toasted (see page 19)
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 3 ounces (¾ stick/85 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- For the Frozen Swiss Chocolate Filling
- 12 ounces (340 g) good quality dark chocolate (60 to 72% cacao), coarsely chopped
- 1½ teaspoons instant espresso powder
- 1 (8-ounce/226-g) package cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (100 g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups plus 3 tablespoons (525 ml) heavy cream
- 2 large egg whites
- ¼ cup (60 ml) whiskey
- ¼ cup (25 g) walnut pieces, toasted (see page 19) and coarsely chopped
- Lightly spray a 9-inch (23-cm; preferably deep dish) pie plate with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a food processor, process the walnuts until they are finely chopped (do not pulverize); you should have about 1½ cups (200 g). Place them in a bowl, add the sugar, and stir until combined. Pour the melted butter over the walnut mixture, mix well, transfer to the prepared pie plate, and press it into the bottom and up the sides; use the back of a large metal measuring cup to get an even crust. If you are having trouble getting it to adhere to the sides, first refrigerate the crust for 5 to 7 minutes. Refrigerate the crust while you make the filling.
- Place the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water (double- boiler method, see page 19). Heat the chocolate, stirring occasionally, until it is 80 percent melted. Sprinkle the espresso powder over the chocolate and stir until it is incorporated and the chocolate is just fully melted. Remove the top of the double boiler from the heat and continue to stir the chocolate mixture for another minute to release excess heat. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, ¼ cup (50 g) of the sugar, the vanilla, and 3 tablespoons of the cream on medium speed until the mixture is combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and beat again until just combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat again for 10 seconds.
- Place the egg whites and the remaining ¼ cup (50 g) sugar in a clean, heatproof medium bowl and set it over the saucepan of simmering water you used for the chocolate. Gently whisk the whites and sugar until warm to the touch; remove the pan from the heat. Using a handheld whisk or the whisk attachment on the standing mixer, whisk the mixture just until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and set aside.
- In the bowl of the standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the remaining 2 cups (480 ml) cream until soft peaks form. Turn the mixer to low and drizzle in the whiskey, then increase the mixer speed to medium and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the filling until just combined, then pour the filling into the crust. Smooth the top with an offset spatula and sprinkle with the walnuts. Cover gently with foil and place the pie in the freezer until frozen, about 4 hours.
- Before serving, place the pie in the refrigerator for 2 hours or at room temperature for 20 minutes. Dip a large knife in hot water, dry it off, and use the hot knife to slice and serve.
Roundup: Mega Easter Pie
Just a few bakers tackled the Mega Easter Pie this week — and we’ve got some great variations on the recipe!
In the Oven: Mega Easter Pie
We’re making Nato’s gigantic meat and cheese pie next – posting date is March 27!
- For the Classic Pie Dough
- 3 cups (385 g) all-purpose flour, chilled
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Ice cubes
- 8 ounces (2 sticks/225 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1⁄2-inch (12-mm) cubes
- For the Easter Pie
- 1 tablespoon olive oil 1⁄4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1⁄2 onion, diced
- 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 3 ounces (85 g) roasted red peppers, drained and diced (about 3⁄4 cup)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 pound (455 g) basket cheese, or 1 pound (455 g) fresh ricotta, drained well
- 3⁄4 pound (340 g) smoked mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1⁄2 pound (225 g) cooked ham, cubed (we prefer Black Forest)
- 1⁄2 pound (225 g) prosciutto, diced or rolled and sliced into 1⁄2-inch (12-mm) slices
- 1⁄4 cup (30 g) grated Romano cheese
- 1⁄4 cup (30 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1⁄4 cup (30 g) cubed soft provolone cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1⁄2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together. In a measuring cup, stir 3⁄4 cup (180 ml) water with several ice cubes until it is very cold, then discard the ice.
- Toss the cold butter in the flour mixture to coat. Place the mixture in a food processor and pulse in short bursts until the butter pieces are the size of hazelnuts.
- Pulsing in 4-second bursts, slowly drizzle the ice-cold water into the food processor through the feed tube. As soon as the dough comes together in a ball, stop adding water.
- Remove the dough from the food processor and divide it in half. Flatten each piece into a disk, and wrap each disk first in parchment paper and then in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough until firm, about 1 hour. The dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator before proceeding.
- In a medium skillet or sauté pan, heat the olive oil and crushed red pepper over medium-low heat until the oil begins to shimmer, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onion and thyme. Cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the peppers and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, or until all the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool while you prepare the rest of the filling.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and position a rack in the center of the oven.
- Using nonstick cooking spray, coat the bottom and sides of a 9-inch (23-cm) springform pan.
- Line the bottom with parchment paper and lightly spray the parchment.
- In a large bowl, whisk 2 of the eggs. Add the basket cheese, mozzarella cheese, ham, prosciutto, Romano cheese, Parmesan cheese, provolone cheese, parsley, lemon zest, and pepper and stir together. Add the cooled onion-and-pepper mixture. Use your hands to toss everything together until thoroughly mixed.
- Dust a work surface with a sprinkling of our and roll out the first disk of chilled dough into a 14-inch (35.5-cm) round, about 1⁄4 inch (6 mm) thick. Transfer it to the prepared pan and carefully work it into the bottom and build it up the sides. There shouldn’t be a lot of overhang, but if there is, trim it back to 1 inch (2.5 cm) at most. Add the meat-and-cheese mixture.
- Adding more flour to the work surface as needed, roll out the second disk of chilled dough into a 12-inch (30.5-cm) round. Center it on top of the filling with about a 1-inch (2.5-cm) overhang over the sides of the pan. Working carefully, crimp the bottom and top doughs together. Try not to let the dough extend out over the lip of the pan, as this will make it difficult to remove from the pan without breaking.
- Make an egg wash by whisking together the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush the top crust with the egg wash. Cut 3 steam vents into the top crust.
- Place the pie on a half sheet pan and bake, rotating halfway through the baking time, until the crust is golden brown, about 1 hour.
- Cool the pie in its pan on a rack for about 2 hours. Unmold the pie from the springform pan, remove the metal bottom, and transfer the pie to a serving plate. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
Roundup: Brown Butter Apple Cranberry Galette
This one was a hit! And so many beautiful galettes – pretty sure we’ve never had a better looking round-up.