Apple Pie

The other day when we were at the library, Maddie told me that she wanted to make a pie.  So we headed on over to the cookbook section and I grabbed The Joy of Cooking: All About Pies and Tarts.   She decided on apple pie -- perfect since apples are in season!  We headed out to pick some up yesterday and I searched through my other cookbooks since I can never follow a recipe outright.

I ended up pretty much using a combo of the pie crust from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook and the recipe for Apple Pie I from The Joy of Cooking: All About Pies and Tarts.  Maddie helped me decorate it with Dala horse cut outs and we popped it in the oven:

Of course the filling leaked out in places -- I'm no professional.  I think you could count the number of pies I've made on one hand.  However, using the food processor for making the crust has converted me.  And homemade crust is so much better than store bought!  I see more pies in my future!

Oh, by the way, Maddie didn't care for the pie.  There were tears.  I think she was so excited to have it since she helped me make it that it was really a let down for her.  She's a bit picky when it comes to sweets, so I'm not surprised.  Poor kid!

Comments

[Christie]

What a bummer! All that work, and no pie! I'm sad for her!

[Michelle]

Oh, poor Maddie! My Becca and I did the same thing, with the same teary result. She didn't like the pie at all, and was so excited about it that it just crushed her. I'm not a great pie fan, either, so lucky Daddy got to eat almost the whole thing! At least you guys had fun making it together, right? Maybe she can look at it like a craft project rather than cooking?

[Christine]

I know how your daughter feels. Last week I had a blueberry pie melt in the oven because of issues with the butter crust.

But you know, apple pies have always been the hardest kind of pie for me to bake. The filling can be so difficult to get just right. In fact! October of last year was the first time I've been able to make a really good one and I've been trying since I was 16 or 17. Tell Maddie to keep trying! Practice makes perfect. :)

[--Deb]

How disappointing for Maddie! The pie looks good to me!

[Jennifer]

It looks beautiful, though. You've actually inspired me to plan an apple picking trip. Yum.

[Diane]

You might want to try a freeform apple pie. My favorite is from Ina Garten's Apple Crostata (she is on the Food Network - Barefoot Contessa). If you go to www.foodnetwork.com and enter Apple Crostata in the search field you will find the recipe. Essentially you make the crust (food processor is the ONLY way!) mound the slice apples on top of the center of the crust, sprinkle on the topping, fold up the sides, and bake. I don't always use the grated orange peel. I've taken this to school functions, dinner parties, and served it for a simple family dinner. It is wonderful still warm from the oven.

Keep baking with your daughter. I started baking when I was young and had many failures along the way. Pastry making is my favorite thing to do in the kitchen, but I would be able to make 1/2 of what I now make without some mistakes (and learning opportunities) over the years.

Diane

[Tracey]

Awww. Poor thing. Yes, homemade pie crust...there isn't anything like it. And, (I learned from the best) my two tips I can offer, use lard, not shortening, and use ice water when making your crust. You can also purchase "pie birds" which go in the center of the pie to keep it from overflowing.

[Denise]

My apple pies are in the oven.. er.. oops the timer went off.. gotta run.. hope mine turn out as well as yours!!!