What is the classic American dessert? Pies! The appeal of pie is hard to describe - it’s more than just a dessert. There is comfort, tradition, and memories in every bite.
Classic
standards, with unique ingredients, stand out in contemporary pie shops around
the country. New generations of pie eaters
continue to embrace traditions with a twist. Some would
say a proper pie is made from scratch, with natural ingredients, which would earn
your granny’s seal of approval.
Last week, our staff volunteered for our
Annual Pie Bake-Off. We have 5
sample pie recipes from our Annual Bake-Off for you to enjoy with your families over the holidays.
Apple Pie
(Vegan and Gluten Free)
Ingredients:
2 Healthy
Grocer GF/Vegan Pie Crusts
2
Teaspoons Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
3
Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup
2
Tablespoons Tapioca Starch Flour
¼ Cup
Unrefined Sugar
1 ¼
Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/8
Teaspoon Freshly Grated Nutmeg
1/8
Teaspoon Allspice
1/8
Teaspoon Sea Salt
6 Cups
Granny Smith Apples (peeled, cored, and thinly sliced)
1
Tablespoon Non Dairy Milk
1
Teaspoon Sugar (for sprinkling)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Peel and core apples. Slice
into ¼ inch slices.
- Place apple slices into a
bowl of water and lemon juice, set aside.
- Combine maple syrup, spices,
and salt in a medium bowl. Combine apples to spice mixture.
- Pour apple mixture into pie
crust. Lay 2nd crust on top, cut slits in the center for
ventilation.
- With a spatula, coat crust
with non-dairy milk and sprinkle sugar on top.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes.
- Serve warm as is or with
vanilla ice cream.
Chai Spiced Sweet Potato Pie
(Vegan and Non-Gluten)
Ingredients:
1 Healthy
Grocer Vegan & Non-gluten Pie Crust
2 Medium
Sweet Potatoes
2
Tablespoons Cornstarch (whisked together with ¼ cup cold water)
½ Cup
Coconut Milk
¼ Cup
Non-Dairy Milk (coconut milk, for an extra rich pie)
2
Tablespoons Maple Syrup
2
Teaspoons Vanilla
2
Tablespoons Cinnamon
1
Tablespoon Ground Ginger
1
Teaspoon Cardamom
½
Teaspoon Nutmeg
¼
Teaspoon Cloves
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Bake sweet potatoes by poking
some holes in them with a sharp knife and either baking in the oven for
about 45 minutes or microwave for about 8 minutes, checking every minute
or so after the first five minutes. Either way, you want them nice and
tender.
- Preheat the oven to 375
degrees.
- Cut your sweet potatoes and
let them cool for a few minutes. Scoop out the insides and place in food
processor with all other non-crust ingredients. Process until smooth and
scraping bowl as needed.
- Pour batter into pie crust
and smooth out with rubber scraper.
- Bake for about 40 minutes or
until set and remove from oven. Allow to cool and refrigerate before
cutting.
- Serve with coconut whipped
cream (optional).
Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
Ingredients:
9”
Healthy Grocer Unbaked Pie Crust
¼ Lb. Butter
(melted and cooled)
1 Cup Sugar
½ Cup Flour
2 Eggs (well
beaten)
1
Teaspoon Vanilla
1 Cup Chopped
Walnuts or Pecans, (nuts can be left out of recipe)
1 Cup
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix all ingredients together
in bowl.
- Pour ingredients into pie
shell.
- Bake 40-45 minutes.
- The pie will be nice and
gooey.
- Serve warm or at warm
temperature.
Cranberry Pear Tart Pie
(Gluten Free)
Ingredients:
6
Tablespoons Butter
2/3 Cup
Sugar
¾ Cup Ground
Almonds
2
Teaspoon Gluten Free Flour
1
Teaspoon Cornstarch
1 Egg
1
Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
½
Teaspoon Cinnamon
¼
Teaspoon Cardamom
3 Whole
Bosch Pears (ripe)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- For the almond cream: combine the butter and
sugar in a food processor until smooth. Add the ground almonds, flour, and
cornstarch being sure to process after the addition of each ingredient.
Add the egg, vanilla, and spices and process until the almond cream is
well combined.
- To assemble the tart: Spread the almond cream
evenly onto the bottom of the crust. Thinly slice 6 to 8 pear halves
crosswise. Scoop each half onto a spatula and slide it onto the almond
cream in the center of the tart, placing the wide end of each pear toward
the edge of the crust. Gently press down on the pear to fan out the slices
forming a circle of pear spokes in the center of the tart.
- Pour the cranberries over the
almond cream and arrange evenly over the tart.
- Bake
the tart for 50-60 minutes or until the almond cream is puffy and golden.
- Cool
tart on a wire rack and serve at room temperature.
Lemon Meringue Pie
Ingredients:
1 Ready
Made Graham Cracker Crust
4 Large
Eggs
2 Cups
White Sugar
6
Tablespoons Cornstarch
¼
Teaspoon Salt
¼ Cup Cold Water
¾ Cup
Fresh Organic Lemon Juice
1 ½ Cups
Boiling Water
2
Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Separate eggs, placing whites
in bowl for mixing and refrigerate. Place yolks in another bowl and set
aside in refrigerator.
- For Filling: In heavy sauce pan stir together 1 ½ cups
white sugar, cornstarch and salt. Pressing out all lumps. Gradually stir
in, in this order cold water, lemon juice and egg yolks, beaten. When
mixture is smooth, stir in boiling water.
- Place over medium heat and
cook, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to thicken and bubble.
Continue cooking, stirring until thick and bubbly for 1 minute
longer. Mixture should drop from
spoon in thick smooth sheets. Remove from heat and stir in unsalted
butter. Stir until melted.
- Stir for 1 minute to slightly
cool and then pour filling into baked pie crust. Let filling cool to room
temperature before beginning meringue.
- For Meringue: Remove egg whites from refrigerator and
using a mixer with whip attachment, beat on high until stiff peaks form when
whip or beaters are stopped and raised.
- Continue beating on high
slowly adding ½ cup sugar. Continue beating until stiff pointy peaks are
formed. Spoon meringue all over to cover filling completely leaving
natural swirls and peaks.
- Place in oven for 4-6 minutes
or until delicate brown. Let cool. ENJOY!
