Once you've mastered the art of making a pie crust, fruit pies are the easiest to prepare. No delicate custards, no temperamental meringues - just gooey fruit filling surrounded by delicious flaky pastry. Fruit fillings are easily substituted or innovated with whatever fruit is in season.
Apple Blackberry Blueberry Cherry Coconut Key Lime Lemon Lingonberry Mango Mincemeat Peach Pumpkin Raisin Rhubarb Strawberry
Whenever possible, use fresh fruit that is ripe and in-season for the best baking results. But frozen fruit works well, and people usually can’t tell the difference. (If you use frozen fruit, you don't need to thaw it first.) Unripe fruit lacks the desired texture and taste, and no amount of baking or seasoning can help that.
“An apple is an excellent thing - until you have tried a peach.” George Du Maurier
When
assembling a pie (especially a pie with a top crust, and most of all
an apple pie), it is best to shape the filling in a mound to prevent
a concave pie. In a pie with a top crust, forming the filling into
a mound will help prevent a gap or bubble between the filling and
top crust. When fruit is baked, steam is released, which rises and
expands from the center beneath the top crust. Meanwhile, the fruit
inside has collapsed to form the gooey filling.
Apple pie is so important, it gets its very own page.
(This pie was so tasty, by the time the Pie Maven grabbed her
camera, this sad little piece was all that was left.)
1 Basic 9" Double Pie Crust (unbaked)
2/3 cup sugar
3 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 pounds of apples (peeled, cored, and thinly sliced)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Egg wash
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine sugar, flour and spices in large bowl.
Mix in the apples so they are well coated.
Add the vanilla extract.
Place apple filling into pie crust, forming a slight mound.
Place the top crust and cut slits to vent steam (or use a lattice
top) and crimp the edges sealed.
Apply egg wash.
Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and bake an additional
30-45 minutes, until the crust is golden and the juices are
bubbling.
1 Basic 9" Pie Crust (unbaked)
5 cups apples (peeled, cored, and thinly sliced)
1/2 cup white sugar
For the topping:
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup white sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp butter
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Arrange apples in unbaked crust
Mix 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over apples.
Mix 1/3 cup sugar with flour and cut in butter until crumbly. Spoon
mixture over apples.
Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until apples are soft
and top is lightly browned.
Crust: 2 cups flour
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup milk
Filling: 3 cups peeled and sliced apples (about 2 pounds worth)
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp butter
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Assemble in 9" pie pan and bake at 375 for about 50 minutes or until
crust is golden brown - YUMMY
submitted by Rosemary
1 Graham Cracker Crust
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tbsp margarine, melted
1/2 tsp sugar substitute
4 cups apples, sliced, cored, and peeled
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup dark raisins
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 egg white, beaten
3 1/2 tsp sugar substitute
1 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine graham cracker crumbs, margarine, and sugar substitute, and
set aside.
Toss apples with lemon juice in large bowl.
Add raisins.
Combine sour cream and remaining ingredients, and spoon mixture over
apples, mixing until apples are coated.
Spoon apple mixture into crust.
Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.
Bake until apples are tender, about 55 minutes.
Cool on wire rack.
1 Basic 9" Double Crust (unbaked)
Ritz Crackers, Saltines, or soda crackers, coarsely broken - about 1
3/4 cups crumbs
1 3/4 cups water
2 cups sugar
2 tsp cream of tartar
2 tbsp lemon juice
Grated peel of one lemon
2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Place cracker crumbs in pie crust and set aside.
Heat water, sugar, and cream of tartar to a boil in a saucepan over
high heat. Simmer 15 minutes, creating a syrup.
Add lemon juice and lemon peel.
Cool.
Pour syrup over cracker crumbs.
Dot with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Place the top crust and cut slits to vent steam and crimp the edges
sealed.
Bake 30-35 minutes until crust is crisp and golden.
Cool completely before serving.
1 Basic 9" Double Pie Crust (unbaked)
5 cups blackberries
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix berries, sugar, and flour. Pour into pie crust.
Place the top crust and cut slits to vent steam and crimp the edges
sealed.
Bake 30-40 minutes, until filling is visibly bubbling and crust is
browned.
1 Basic 9" Pie Crust
sour cream custard layer:
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
blackberry layer:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 cups blackberries
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp water
Blind bake pie crust and cool
completely.
To make the sour cream custard: Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Whisk together the sour cream, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until
smooth.
Pour into pie crust and bake 35-40 minutes, or until the custard is
set.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool at room temperature.
To make the berries: In a saucepan, combine the sugar and water and
bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Reduce heat to low and add the berries.
Cook gently for 5 minutes until the berries soften and exude some
juice.
In a bowl, combine the cornstarch and 1 tbsp water until smooth,
then add to the simmering berry mixture.
Boil for about 1 minute, until thickened.
Cool.
Spoon the berries over the custard. Refrigerate before serving.
20 ounces blueberries (approximately 4 cups)
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
5 tbsp flour (or cornstarch)
1 tbsp fresh orange juice
1 Basic 9” Double Crust (unbaked)
Egg Wash
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees
Mash up half of the blueberries in a small bowl.
Mix together the sugar, salt and flour.
Add the mashed blueberries and orange juice and stir to combine.
Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes. Fold in the whole berries.
Pour mixture into bottom crust.
Lightly brush the edge of the crust with the egg wash and place the
top crust (this recipe works great with a lattice top).
Once you have the top crust in place, brush with the egg wash, trim
excess dough and edge of crust in order to seal.
Place on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for about 1 hour 15
minutes. The pie should be bubbling lightly around the edges.
Place the pie on a rack and allow to cool to room temperature before
serving, approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
1 Basic 9” Double Crust (unbaked)
6 cups pitted cherries (about 2 pounds)
2/3 cups sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Stir together the sugar and cornstarch until evenly mixed.
Add the cherries and almond extract, and mix together until cherries
are evenly coated.
Pour the filling into the pie shell. Cover with top crust and cut
several steam vents.
Bake for 25 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake 30
minutes more, or until the crust is golden brown.
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 (3 1/2–ounce) can shredded sweetened coconut (about 1 cup)
1 cup milk
1 Basic 9" Pie Crust (unbaked)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine melted butter, eggs, flour, sugar, coconut,
and milk.
Pour into pie crust.
Bake until firm, about 45 to 60 minutes.
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
4 eggs
1/4 cup flour
1 can (8-ounces) crushed pineapple, well drained
1 cup coconut
1 tsp vanilla
1 Basic 9” Pie Crust (unbaked)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Combine sugar, butter, eggs, flour, and vanilla.
Stir in pineapple and coconut.
Pour into pie shell and bake one hour in oven.
Cool before cutting.
1 Graham Cracker Crust
3 cups sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup key lime juice
1 tablespoon grated lime zest
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine condensed milk, sour cream, lime juice, and lime rind. Mix
well and pour into graham cracker crust.
Bake in preheated oven for 5 to 8 minutes, until tiny bubbles burst
on the surface. Do not allow to brown!
Chill pie thoroughly before serving. Garnish with lime slices and
whipped cream if desired.
1 Graham Cracker Crust
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (6 ounce) can lemonade concentrate (thawed)
8 ounces cream
Mix together sweetened condensed milk, lemonade, and cream.
Pour into crust.
Freeze until firm (about 8 hours).
1 Basic 9” Double Pie Crust (unbaked)
2 lemons,
2 cups sugar
4 eggs.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Slice lemons paper thin, rind and all (pick out seeds as you come to
them).
Combine with sugar, ensuring lemons are thoroughly coated.
Let stand 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add beaten eggs to lemons.
Pour into pie shell and cover with top crust. Cut steam vents in
top.
Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to
375 degrees for 25 min more, or until center is bubbling.
Cool & serve.
CRUST:
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 3/4 ounce margarine or butter
1 tbsp water
FILLING:
3 1/2 ounces finely sliced almond paste
1 cup lingonberries, fresh or frozen
2 1/2 tbsp molasses
Mix oats, flour and sugar, the cut in the butter and add the water,
following the procedure for any basic pie crust. Chill dough in the
refrigerator for at least an hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place the crust in a 9” pie pan.
Cover the bottom with almond paste, pour in lingonberries, and
drizzle with molasses.
Bake for 20 - 30 minutes.
1 Basic 9” Double Crust (unbaked)
5 cups Fresh Mango, Sliced
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1 cup Sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
2 tbsp Butter
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Mix mango and lemon juice.
Stir together sugar, flour and cinnamon. Mix with mango.
Pour into pie crust; dot with butter.
Cover with top crust and cut steam vents).
Bake for 35-35 minutes or until crust is brown and juice begins to
bubble through slits in the crust. Serve warm.
1 (18 ounce) jar prepared mincemeat pie filling
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
2 apples - peeled, cored, and chopped
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup rum
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 Basic 9" Double Crust (unbaked)
Combine mincemeat, walnuts, apples, brown sugar, lemon juice and rum
in a bowl. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Take filling out of refrigerator and let come to room temperature.
Stir filling well and pour into pie crust.
Top with full crust and make slits or make a lattice top. Crimp
edges.
Bake in preheated oven on low shelf for 40 minutes or until golden
brown.
Basic 9" Double Pie Crust (unbaked)
2/3 cup plus 1 tbsp sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp lemon juice
7 cups peach slices (1/3-1/2 inch thick)
2 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Mix together 2/3 cup sugar, flour, nutmeg, and salt.
Add lemon juice and peaches, and toss until the fruit is completely
coated with the sugar mixture.
Pile peaches in pie crust, forming a mound.
Scatter the butter over the peaches.
Place the top crust and seal the edges. Cut several steam vents (or
use a lattice top).
Bake for 25 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees.
Bake an additional 15 minutes, then sprinkle the remaining 1 tbsp
sugar over the pie.
Continue baking 15 minutes longer, or until the crust is golden
brown and the juices are bubbling.
1 Basic 9" Pie Crust (unbaked)
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 eggs
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
1 can (12 fl. oz.) Evaporated Milk
Whipped cream (optional)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves.
Beat eggs in large bowl.
Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture.
Gradually stir in evaporated milk.
Pour into pie crust.
Bake for 15 minutes.
Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or
until knife inserted near center comes out clean.
Cool on wire rack for 2 hours.
If desired, top with whipped cream before serving.
1 Basic 9" Pie Crust (unbaked)
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
For the topping:
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp butter (cold)
1 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Separate the eggs and beat the whites until fluffy.
In a large bowl, mix the pumpkin, egg yolks, 1 tsp cinnamon, ginger,
nutmeg, salt, and sweetened condensed milk until smooth.
Gently fold in the egg whites.
Pour filling into crust.
Bake for 15 minutes.
While the pie is baking, prepare the streusel topping: Combine the
flour, brown sugar, and 1 tsp cinnamon. Cut in the cold butter
until crumbly. Mix in the walnuts.
Remove pie from the oven and reduce heat to 350 degrees.
Sprinkle topping over pie, and return to oven. Bake an additional
40 minutes or until set and topping is browned.
1 Basic 9" Double Crust (unbaked)
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups raisins
3 tbsp flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp mixed nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Simmer the raisins in the water about 5 minutes, or until they begin
to plump.
Mix the salt, flour, and sugar. Carefully stir in some of the hot
liquid in which the raisins have cooked.
When well-combined, add the raisins and the rest of the liquid. Cook
until thickened, stirring frequently.
Remove from the heat, let cool a few minutes then add the lemon
juice, butter and spices.
Cool to room temperature.
Pour into a pastry lined pie pan, and top with the second crust.
Pinch the edges to flute, and cut slits into the top of the crust.
Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.
Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 25 minutes or
until golden brown.
4 cups chopped rhubarb
1 1/3 cups white sugar
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon butter
1 Basic 9” Double Crust (unbaked)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Combine sugar and flour.
Sprinkle 1/4 of sugar/flour mixture over pastry in pie plate.
Heap rhubarb over the mixture.
Sprinkle with remaining sugar and flour.
Dot with small pieces of butter.
Cover with top crust.
Place pie on lowest rack in oven. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven
temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for 40 to 45 minutes.
Serve warm or cold.
1 Basic 9" Pie Crust
2 pounds fresh strawberries
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
Whipped Cream
Blind bake pie crust.
Cut half of the strawberries into thick slices and set aside.
Put the remaining strawberries into a saucepan and crush them (a
potato masher works well).
Add the cornstarch and sugar and stir until the cornstarch is
completely dissolved.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils
and thickens.
Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, then cool 20-30 minutes,
stirring occasionally, until just slightly warm.
Stir in the sliced strawberries and pour the filling into the pie
crust.
Refrigerate for 2-3 hours, until the filling is softly set.
Before serving, cover the pie with whipped cream.
1 Graham Cracker Crust
1 small package dry strawberry Jell-O
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 qt (or more) fresh strawberries, sliced
1 1/2 cups boiling water
Mix together dry strawberry Jell-O and cornstarch.
Slowly add boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.
Let cool.
Add strawberries.
Pour into pie crust.
Chill in refrigerator until firm
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*The Fine Print
