pie

Praline Sweet Potato Pie

Every Thanksgiving, I make too many desserts. I am a big believer in, “Swing by the house and have dessert if you have room” on holidays. Until the whole pandemic thing happened. However, as the world has slowly emerged and people are doing bigger family gatherings, I look forward to that being an option again.

My one Aunt is the type of cook that had an open door and a serving station where all of the menu items were kept warm and you ate when you got there. One of my favorite memories of the holidays was knowing Aunty Johanne would make a “to go” plate for me when I was working…and specifically didn’t add turnips. I love them now, but then, not so much.

I love the idea of a beautiful sit down dinner. But lately, I am more in love with the idea that people who have busy lives and other family members to see can think one less person is putting pressure on them to be somewhere. I like being able to say, “If it works and you want pie, we have a LOT.” It’s not a horrible situation to find oneself in, if ever.

I also love the idea that if you make different pies, there are more options, and a person could say, sample several pies and it really equals one or two slices. I also like the idea that a person could technically cut into the pies pre-Thanksgiving dinner, as in for breakfast that day. Because, life is short. Eat pie for breakfast if it makes your heart happy.

One thing I do every holiday is print out a menu for myself and a timeline. I like lists. Like REALLY LIKE LISTS. I always refer to what worked, didn’t work, and have a folder of recipes for what I want to try next time. Desserts have more room for flexibility here, because as long as I have the basics covered: Pumpkin, Chocolate Bourbon Pecan, Tollhouse Cookie, and my Aunty Cathy’s Cheesecake…I can add any crazy pie I want. This was the new endeavor this year.

Sweet Potato pie has always intrigued me. As in, how is it different than pumpkin or squash pie (I never really got the difference between squash and pumpkin). And what does a praline topping really mean? When I make a sweet potato casserole it is the Ruth Chris recipe- with a pecan streusel topping…but baby marshmallows? This was new to me, but I will not shy away from a dessert with a praline topping.

I don’t have the benefit of southern relatives to share this specialty with me. I wish I did. I’m still trying to work my way into my best friend’s fiance’s family from the south. I need to learn everything they want to teach me. (Because, when you visit family up north you want to spend your whole time teaching a stranger all the family cooking secrets…but I digress).

I chose the trusty recipe from Joanna Gaines and Magnolia because they are from Texas, and if she says this is what she makes for her family, it is good enough for me.

This recipe requires pre-blind baking the crust, making a sweet potato filling (not unlike pumpkin pie), and baking. Then topping with a mixture of butter and brown sugar and marshmallows. Had I stopped there, this pie would be amazing. However, I put it back in the oven and toast/melt the topping all together. It is rich and decadent. For me, maybe not a pretty pie before you cut into it…but it’s delicious.

Here’s my take: Sweet potato filling is similar to pumpkin and yet it isn’t. The flavor is bright, there is a nice mix of sweet but not too sweet (which is hard to believe considering there is a gooey marshmallow topping), and I like it in the wildcard pie position at my table. It incorporates a typical Thanksgiving menu item in a new way. I would maybe, moving forward, make some sort of marshmallow meringue and use that as a topping…making the topping lighter and prettier…but I’m saving that for next year’s wild card pie. I made a note in the folder on the list. 🙂

The recipe is simple and precise, and I did not change one word. It is a Magnolia recipe as printed.

In life, I wish for you a dessert table and life table filled with the basics and the spontanteous choices. The ones we know we need and the ones we want to try. Like I mentioned earlier…Life is short. Have a slice of pie for breakfast.

Sending love and light to you. I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table.

Love,

Chrissy

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Praline Sweet Potato Pie

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This recipe is originally from the Magnolia Journal. A single crust sweet potato pie with a marshmallow brown sugar and pecan topping. This pie was a welcome addition to our Thanksgiving table, and will be made again!

  • Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale
  • Pastry for a single-crust pie
  • 1 2/3 Cup Cooked, mashed Sweet Potatoes or one 17.2 ounce can of Whole Sweet Potatoes, drained and mashed
  • 1/3 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1/4 Cup Pure Maple Syrup
  • 1 Teaspoon finely chopped Crystallized Ginger or 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/2 Teaspoon freshly grated Nutmeg or 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Allspice
  • 1/8 Teaspoon Salt
  • 3 Eggs, slightly beaten
  • 1 Cup Buttermilk or Sour Milk

Praline Topping

  • 2 Tablespoons Butter
  • @ Tablespoons Packed Brown Sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup
  • 1 Tablespoon Milk
  • 1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans
  • 1 Cup tiny Marshmallows

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450* Prepare pastry for single crust pie.
  2. Place Pie Crust into pie plate and prick bottom of pie crust with a fork.  Line pastry with a double layer of foil and bake for 8 minutes covered. Remove foil and bake for an additional 6-8 minutes or until golden. (You can use an alternate blind baking option that works for you)
  3. Cool on wire rack.
  4. Reduce oven to 375*
  5. For the filling, stir in mashed sweet potatoes, sugar, maple syrup, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. 
  6. Add eggs, beat lightly with a fork until just combined. 
  7. Gently stir in buttermilk/sour milk until thoroughly combined.
  8. Place pastry shell on a foil lined baking sheet. 
  9. Carefully fill pie shell, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
  10. In a small saucepan combine butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, and the milk. Cook until the mixture comes to a boil.
  11. With pie on oven rack, carefully sprinkle pecans and mini marshmallows over the surface of the pie. 
  12. Carefully pour hot brown sugar mixture over top.
  13. Bake 15-20 minutes or more or until center of the pie appears to be set when jiggled. 
  14. Cool on a wire rack at least 1 hour. 
  15. Cover and chill two hours before serving.

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Fresh from Iowa (Illinois) Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pie, you are a wonder. You hold within your delicate pie crust all that is representative of fall and New England. Except, Libby’s the actual pumpkin canning king, lives in Morton, Illinois. In fact, annually the Libby’s Pumpkin (owned by Nestle) Company holds a giant festival in Morton, Illinois to celebrate all that is pumpkin.

Once upon a time, I used to buy sugar pumpkins at the farmer’s market, bake them down, scoop out the flesh in pre-measured 2 cup portions, and make my pumpkin pie with the real thing instead of the canned stuff…

However, even when I used my own pumpkin, prepared with my loving and farmer’s market fresh produce, I still used, the Libby’s Pumpkin Pie recipe.

Pumpkin Pie Shell

Pumpkin Pie Shell Awaiting Pumpkin Goodness

Years later, my brother lived in Illinois for a spell, but then returned to his original transplant location of Iowa. (Let’s Go Wes Des!) I heard about the Pumpkin Festival and it’s traditions. Give me all of the fall festivals. I will shed my Massachusetts love (temporarily) for a pumpkin festival such as this.

The best part about this recipe is, it is easy. It is all over the internet, it is tried and true, and it makes 2 pies! Why is this important?

I make a deep dish pumpkin pie for the family dessert table…and a second, smaller one, to sample first. You know, in case there is anything wrong with this recipe…or in case I get tempted to try the pie destined for the dessert table.

Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pie

This recipe also makes a beautiful pumpkin custard which sets up nicely, so when you cut into it- you have the perfect wedge of orange goodness. I also use real nutmeg and a microplane (ask for these for a stocking stuffer if you don’t have them already) which smells like nothing you have ever smelled. Fresh nutmeg is divine. Truth be told nutmeg isn’t actually in the recipe- but I put it in my pumpkin pie anyway.

Now, for me- I don’t like there to be a lot of jiggle in the pumpkin pie. So, it becomes a dance of too much verses just enough. I pull the pie out when the jiggle is minimal- and even then, sometimes-like the picture here- you get a wrinkle or a crack. I’m ok with it. It is a custard and that makes it tricky only because it doesn’t contain nuts or anything to conceal the cracks if they happen- but I would much rather a pretty little wrinkle than an undercooked egg product. I also refrigerate my pumpkin pie-which is tricky when involving pie crust. It is usually the last pie I bake for this reason. If I can serve it without refrigerating it first, the crust will be better, but again, I don’t like the idea of a custard based pie sitting on the counter for long before serving to my guests.

Pumpkin Pie

I used my maple leaf pie crust cutter/stamps for this, and was so pleased with the result. It turned into a beautiful pie, and no one cared that the pumpkin came from a can. Even if I use a different brand of pumpkin (I made one with organic pureed pumpkin earlier), I still use the Libby’s recipe.

Now, is fresh homemade sugar pumpkin baked in your own oven better? Of course it is. you will swear you taste the difference because you WORKED SO HARD to make it so. However, in the circle of life that is prepping for family desserts, let’s be honest. You are still making the pie. You are still mixing the filling and pouring it into a shell and baking it in the oven and making a pumpkin miracle- no matter whether the pumpkin is freshly baked and scooped, organic from a can, from where you live or from several states away. It is still amazing.

This pie represents home for me. For the hands of my grandmother teaching me how to make pie crust, to my father standing at the kitchen counter carving a turkey, the deep dish pie plate I have used for twenty years, and my brother, who gets to go to the pumpkin festival so far from where I live. Pumpkin pie rules supreme from October to December, and then it goes away until the next maple leaf changes and floats on the crisp autumn air.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table!

Chrissy

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Fresh from Iowa (Illinois) Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pie
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Traditional pumpkin pie from the Libby’s company!

  • Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • Freshly grated nutmeg
  • 4 Large eggs
  • 1 can LIBBY’S® 100% Pure Pumpkin (30 oz)
  • 2 cans NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk (12 fl oz)
  • 2 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie shells ( I use one deep dish and one regular pie dish)

Instructions

  1. In a mixer, combine pumpkin puree, eggs, and sugar until combined.
  2. Gradually add evaporated milk.
  3. Blend in spices.
  4. Pour into pie shells.
  5. Preheat oven to 425*
  6. Bake for 15 minutes at 425* then reduce heat to 350* and bake for an additional 50 minutes until set.

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Bourbon Pecan Pie

Bourbon Pecan Pie

Bourbon Pecan Pie

Bourbon Pecan Pie

Having grown up in a non-pecan pie eating house, the mystery that is pecan pie is a love affair that began when I was older, and was able to embrace the beauty of that sweet nutty flavor with a splash of bourbon. Fall fast and hard, I did.

I was always afraid of pecan pie because, as I mention A LOT, I am a north east lady and this pie is distinctively southern. I imagine pecan groves and roadside stands, very Gone with the Wind, very warm climate beautiful plantation sort of pie.

Turns out, pecan pie is preeeettty simple. And northeastern, if the gal who makes it is from the northeast. In a time where we can access southern pecans and southern made bourbon and whisk it into a pie crust, it doesn’t matter where you live or what your accent is, this pie is for you.

Bourbon Pecan Pie

Bourbon Pecan Pie

The trickiest part of pecan pie is that special moment when the corn syrup mixture (and I use dark corn syrup, just a personal preference) meets the egg and bourbon mixture. Even though you do cool the corn syrup mixture, you have to be careful not to turn your eggs into a scrambled mess. It’s not as scary as it sounds, you just go slow and whisk fast.

In all of my pecan pie making, I have yet to make scrambled bourbon pecan eggs and yet every time I make this pie, this is my one worry. Again, it has yet to happen. Let the mixture cool enough, drizzle slowly, and whisk the whole time as you go.

Now, for the pecans. Halves? Pieces? up to you. I like to do a blend for visual appeal, and it is important, but, I have also made it with just halves, and just pieces, and no one has complained. Literally, no one complains that the nuts in a pecan pie are already smaller and therefore, easier to chew.  SO, you do it the way it works for you.

Bourbon Pecan Pie

Bourbon Pecan Pie

This pie cooks up and browns beautifully. I bake this pie until there is no jiggle in the middle (wish I could say that about my own middle) and the pecans have a roasted nutty flavor. I watch the edges of the crust so that they don’t brown too much and find that perfect balance of pecan pie doneness. It’s like the force, and you, young Skywalker, must harness it. Or, stick close to your oven and watch, give it a shake every five minutes or so near the end of cooking time.

I’m sad I didn’t get a slice shot of this beauty, but the caramel colored center serves as a perfect base for the pecan top layer.

The best part about growing up and learning about new flavors is finding something you really love. Like this pie. Don’t rule it out if you haven’t ever had a slice. Pecan pie could be your new great love. Then, you can mix it up, add chocolate chunks, and step up to Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie. Just saying.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table!

Chrissy,

Click below for a printable recipe.

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Bourbon Pecan Pie

Bourbon Pecan Pie
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Delicious Pecan Pie with a Bourbon kick!

  • Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 unbaked pie shell
  • 1 Cup Dark Corn Syrup
  • 1 Cup White Granulated Sugar
  • 1/2 Cup Butter
  • 4 Eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 Cup Bourbon
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 – 1 1/2 Cups Pecans

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325*
  2. In a saucepan, combine corn syrup, butter, sugar, and cook over medium heat while stirring constantly until butter melts and sugar is dissolved.
  3. Cool mixture slightly.
  4. In an additional bowl, whisk eggs, bourbon, vanilla, salt and mix well.
  5. Slowly pour egg mixture into corn syrup mixture, whisking continuously until thoroughly combined.
  6. Add pecans and mix to coat.
  7. Pour mixture into prepared pie shell.
  8. Bake for 50 – 60 minutes, until pie is set in the middle.

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Cranberry Pecan Streusel Crunch Pie

Cranberry Pecan Streusel Crunch Pie

I am a New England girl. I am more specifically a Massachusetts girl. Give me my glorious western mass mountains, rotaries, the turnpike, the cape, the fact that I can be in Vermont in an hour, and all the glory that goes with the Patriots, the Celtics, the Bruins, and the Red Sox. Ok, so I am not a big sports fans, but I can name key players and read a twitter feed to follow games, so who is any wiser? (Oh wait, just shared that on my blog…)

Cranberries

Cranberries!

Something that every New Englander can hopefully know is the harvesting of a cranberry bog. These little power houses of antioxidants are amazing in their chambered, floating figures of bright red goodness. It is a fall tradition, to flood the bogs, set those babies free, and corral them into their futures as cranberry juice, cranberry sauce, Craisins, and of course, to be sold as is in the stores.

Cranberries, Orange Zest and Sugar

Cranberries, Orange Zest and Sugar

If you are not from New England, in the world of YouTube and other internet wonders, you too can witness a cranberry harvest, but there is nothing like actually being there. It’s cooler weather, the leaves are starting to turn, cider and cider donuts are happening, typically there is a festival one weekend, and you think to yourself, “Hey, we are known for this! This is a very cool New England thing.”

Does everybody love the cranberry? No. Some people like it with their booze (Hello Cape Codder), some people like it for health reasons. I’m just a fan. Thus, this pie for the holidays.

Look at how pretty they are. All nestled in sugar and with orange peel.

Cranberry Pie Filling

Cranberries Pie Filling

This pie is so beautiful color wise, and it is paired with a pecan oat streusel that is just sweet enough and just crunchy enough to balance the tart of the cranberries. The original recipe is found on the www.smittenkitchen.com website.

The filling is partially cooked on the stovetop, and the combination of the pectin in the cranberries with the cornstarch make for a tight filling that packs a punch flavor wise. It is not cranberry sauce in a pie crust at all.

The streusel crust combines oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, pecans, and is pulverized to make a crumbly but consistent texture. I processed mine quickly so the little bits of pecan and oats were identifiable without being dominant. This may, in fact, be my new favorite streusel topping. I may just try this on top of muffins or crisps in the near future.

Cranberry Pie

Cranberry Pie

After the cranberry filling is partially cooked and the streusel is prepped, it is as easy as assembling the layers and popping it in the oven.

You know when you have to wait for something special and you wait and wait and wait? I got these pie crust punch cutters in my Christmas stocking last year and have waited all this time to use them.

I made an extra pie crust just for the decorative edges on this year’s pies and was I ever happy. I rolled the pie crust into the pie plate, and instead of pinching the edges, I cut and attached the pretty leaves on the outside rim.

 

Cranberry Pecan Streusel Pie

Cranberry Pecan Streusel Crunch Pie

Of all the pies this past holiday held, this was the one I chose for dessert. Just enough tart and sweet, crunch and chew, and balance between the flaky pie crust, crumble of the streusel, and consistency of the cranberries. Topped with a dollop of fresh homemade whipped cream, I was a happy girl.

There seems to be a common thread in my life these days of balance, between the sweet and the not so sweet, the blessings and the sorrow, and the fine line to keep solid between the two.

In this daily journey, I am thankful for the sweeter side of things, for the smell of cinnamon and the beautiful colors around me. I am thankful to live in a part of the world where every fall the mountains burst with colors, and the cranberry bogs fill with tiny chambered floating fruit, bobbing along their flooded homes to make their way into this special dessert for my family.

Every day is a gift.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table!

Chrissy

Click below for a printable recipe.

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Cranberry Pecan Streusel Crunch Pie

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This pie combines the jewel like color and tart flavor of cranberries, orange zest with a pecan oat streusel topping. It is a perfect balance of tart and sweet, crunchy and chewy and flaky!

  • Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 Unbaked Pie Crust

Cranberry Filling:

  • 4 1/2 Cups of Fresh Cranberries (original recipe said you can use frozen- I did not).
  • 1 Cup White Granulated Sugar
  • Orange Zest from one Orange OR 2 Clementines (I like the taste of orange and cranberry so I add more)
  • 1/8 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Tablespoon of Cornstarch

Streusel Topping:

  • 2/3 Cup Rolled Oats
  • 1/2 Cup Flour
  • 1/3 Cup White Granulated Sugar
  • 1/3 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/4 Teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 Cup Pecan Pieces
  • 6 Tablespoons Butter, melted and cooled

 

Instructions

For Cranberry Filling

  1. Combine cranberries, orange zest, sugar, cornstarch, salt in a saucepan over medium heat and begin to cook. Some of the cranberries will pop or leak juices, which is perfect. Continue to stir and cook for approximately 5-7 minutes. Allow filling to cool slightly. (I waited about 10-12 minutes).
  2. Pour cooled filling into pie shell.

For Streusel Topping:

  1. Using a food processor, grind oats and pecans for a coarse grind, add additional ingredients except butter. Pulse processor to combine all streusel ingredients.
  2. Combine Streusel ingredients with melted and cooled butter until crumbled in texture.
  3. Sprinkle topping over cranberry filling.

Bake pie for 50 minutes or more or until the cranberry filling is bubbling up through the streusel topping. If pie crust begins to brown too much while filling is cooking, cover edges of pie with foil to protect from burning.

 

Notes

While cooking this pie, I erred on the side of longer, waiting for the cranberry filling to really bubble up through the streusel topping. It did mean my cooking time was longer, but the result was worth the wait. The cranberries cooked down but retained their consistency, the crumble topping browned nicely, and it was all over a beautiful pie to cut into!

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Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

Prepare to wow and amaze your guests, be the star of the dessert table, and enter into a sugar coma that compares to no other. May I present to you, the Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie.

This is a staple in my dessert arsenal, it is also the pie that never seems to have a remaining slice left in the pie plate. It’s the top pick of my daughter and I think, mine as well.

This pie comes out twice a year: Thanksgiving and Christmas. So maybe that is why it is so special. Or, it could be that pecan pie meets chocolate chunks and it melts into a flaky pie crust to make the gooey, sticky, wonder that is pecan pie meets chocolate.

I can’t expound on it’s perfection.

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

Now, if you aren’t a pecan pie lover, and I know you are out there. I understand. It isn’t for everyone.

But for a girl who didn’t try pecan pie until I was an adult, the wonder is still there for me.

This recipe is all over the internet, my original copy was from 2012 and printed from all recipes.com. I have since seen it on several blogs, and the variations are minimal.

Essentially, you combine sugars and corn syrup, butter until melty and beautiful. Combine eggs and bourbon and vanilla in another bowl, and you marry the two. Then add your pecans and chocolate and pour into the pie shell.

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

What I love about this pie is how beautifully it sets up. I let my pecan pie bake until there is almost no jiggle in the middle. It actually almost puffs up and then settles down as it cools. I have also experimented with chocolate chips and chocolate chunks, and both seem to have the same consistency when it comes to melting into the under-the-pecan layer.

The smell in your kitchen as this bakes is somewhere between pie crust and toasted pecans and brown sugar. Which, in my opinion, is quite lovely.

I am thankful this pie only appears a few times a year, even though my daughter continues to ask when the next pie is being made (she had to share this one with the family), I am reticent to make it only because it is a serious temptation. As in, let the dog out in the middle of the night and grab your fork temptation.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table!

Chrissy

Click below for a printable recipe.

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Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

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A delicious combination of melted chocolate and pecan pie come together in this dessert! Perfect with a dollop of fresh whipped cream.

  • Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 Unbaked Pie Shell
  • 1 Cup Chopped Pecans
  • 1 Cup White Granulated Sugar
  • 1 Cup Dark Corn Syrup
  • 1/2 Cup Butter
  • 4 Eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 Cup Bourbon
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
  • 6–8 Ounces Chocolate Chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325*
  2. In a saucepan, combine corn syrup, sugar, butter, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until butter is melted, sugar is dissolved, and ingredients are combined.
  3. Cool mixture slightly.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, vanilla extract, bourbon, and salt.
  5. Slowly pour melted sugar and corn syrup mixture into egg mixture, whisking constantly.
  6. When combined, add pecans and chocolate chips.
  7. Pour into pie shell and bake for 45-60 minutes, depending on your oven. You want to check- give the pie a little jiggle and see if the inner part of the pie has set.

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Salted Caramel Apple Pie

Salted Caramel Apple Pie

I wish I could tell you that I do everything right the first time. That, without flaw, I tackle projects, and recipes, and parenting, and life in general with the best possible attitude and right mindset. I don’t.

I know the right thing to do, and I even do the right thing a lot of the time, but sometimes…there is that nagging, grumpy feeling that just plain honestly feels good to indulge in.

I recently asked my good friend how it is even physically possible for me to live in this “totally blessed” mindset (Which I do). And simultaneously live in a “grumpy” mindset. (Which sometimes, I do).

Please don’t miss the excessive lemon zest. My bad.

I have a very thin filter, and at this point in my life I am kind of transparent about how I feel on things. I just don’t have the time to fake it. Life is too short. I am not talking about slaying someone over something minuscule. Big picture stuff.

If I disagree, you know.

The best advice I ever got about the holidays and divorce was from my bestie (the ricotta maker), who said, “We all navigate the holidays Chrissy, even the married people.”  That is true. We all decide to go to where and what are we bringing and when. Or, we choose to order in and stay on the couch in quiet. We navigate. Sometimes it is easy, sometimes, not so easy. Gratitude and Grumpy.

Salted Caramel Apple Pie with Lattice Crust

Which brings me to this pie. Salted Caramel Apple. Granny Smith and Macoun Apples. Lemon Zest. Salted Caramel. Flaky Crust. This pie is beautiful and I am not even an apple pie lover.

I did make the Salted Caramel and yes, it is spectacular. The apples did not mush and get runny.

The lattice was sprinkled with cookie sugar and my son, who says very little says, “I don’t know how you do this. That is really pretty.” Cue the mom tears.

So imagine my surprise when my daughter bites into it and says, “It’s kinda tangy.” “Good tangy? Sour? Bad? I mean, does the caramel balance it out?” (this is Thanksgiving and my pie is bad)?

“No mom, it’s really good, just tangy.” Lemon zest. you sneaky devil. You are the grumpy to my blessed life. So true confession? I added more lemon zest than the recipe called for. I like lemon zest. Oh well. But, it did get me thinking. It was the zing of the zest that made the pie tangy.

Salted Caramel Apple Pie

Life lesson, once in a while it’s ok to have a little grumpy with your gratitude. To say, “I am tired and may not want to do this thing.” or,

“You know what, I baked pies all day and I am not cooking supper because I am getting up tomorrow at the crack to drive.” or,

“Is this holiday going to be ok, now that some major parts of our lives are different?”

Which is the heart of this holiday for my kids.

It’s ok to feel a little sad or a little tangy. It’s not good to wallow in it. But to feel it? Yeah, that’s ok.

This Thanksgiving was wonderful, and cherished; and, it was sad. Which is fitting. A lot of people who grieve during the holidays have the additional emotions that they too have to navigate.

Salted Caramel Apple Pie

It doesn’t mean that it’s easy. It’s got a little zing. You can love the people you are with and miss the people you aren’t. You can cry when you wash the holiday dishes and think, “he/she should be here.”  It’s all a part of it.

I personally loved the tang of the extra lemon zest, and when you top the pie with salted caramel, it balances out really well. Like life. You get a little zing to balance the sweet. I used a combination of Granny Smith and Macoun apples- and the amount of flour in the mix with the apples prevented the apples from getting runny and soft. (Not a fan of apple soup in my pie crust).

I will do my best to get the salted caramel recipe up asap, as it is used in the pie as well as for topping. (The finished picture was actually my daughter’s Thanksgiving dessert). This pie, originally from www.sallysbakingaddiction.com is simply beautiful and delicious. I use my own pie crust recipe (yes, I actually make pie crust on the holidays…) but the lattice I brushed with egg wash and sprinkled with decorating sugar, like the original recipe calls for.

Although our Thanksgiving was a “first” in many ways, the mix of bitter-sweet made the holiday. We loved on family, sat with friends, and said goodbye to some parts of who we used to be. Life is a gift. Thankful hearts, both blessed and grumpy, are still thankful. And hey, nobody wants a super sweet apple pie, anyway. That’s all about balance. Big hug friends!

I hope you enjoyed this recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table!

Chrissy

Click below for a printable recipe.

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Salted Caramel Apple Pie

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Delicious chunks of apple with lemon zest and salted caramel. Original recipe from www.sallysbakingaddiction.com

  • Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale
  • Two pie crusts (lattice is optional but you will want two)
  • homemade salted caramel sauce (I made mine but you can use purchased caramel- I won’t tell)
  • 10–12 Cups Peeled and Sliced Apples -I used four Granny Smith and three Macoun. I kept my apple slices relatively 1/2 in slice- not super thin and not super chunky. Every apple pie lover likes their apples a certain way- you do you!
  • 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 2 Teaspoons Fresh Lemon Zest. (I used at least 2 tablespoons. I zested the whole lemon)
  • 1/4 Cup fresh Lemon Juice (I used the juice from the lemon I zested)
  • 1/4 Cup flour
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg (I used my microplane and ran the nutmeg over it a few times)
  • 1 and 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Egg Wash:

  • 1 Egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon Water or Milk
  • Decorating Sugar for sprinkling on top pie crust after egg wash

Instructions

  1. Place apple slices in a bowl with lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, and spices. Toss to combine.
  2. Roll out pie crust and place dough in pie dish.
  3. Fill pie dish with apple mixture. This will be a fairly large mountain of apples, but that’s what we are going for. Drizzle 1/2 Cup of Salted Caramel mixture over apples. (So pretty).
  4. Cover apples with remaining pie crust.
  5. For Lattice- measure and cut out strips of pie crust dough with a pastry cutter or knife (I use an old tortellini cutter – it has a rippled edge that I like and it is about a million years old).
  6. I start my lattice by securing one side of strips to the pie, then weaving the second side over and under the established strips. Then trip excess crust dough and pinch edges for a pretty finish.
  7. Brush with egg wash, then sprinkle decorative sugar.
  8. Bake in a 400* oven for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 and bake for an additional 40-50 minutes. When baking pie, don’t wander to far, you want to watch your crusts to make sure they don’t get too brown. You can tent your edges with foil if crust is getting browner than you would prefer.
  9. Allow Pie to cool. Drizzle additional Salted Caramel over each slice when serving.

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Lemon Zinger Blueberry Pie

Lemon Zinger Blueberry Pie

For many years I was not a fan of pie. I am not sure how or why this is, but for most of my life, I would only eat pie on Thanksgiving.  You know, the holiday where eating pie for breakfast is perfectly acceptable? Then, there is the whole transition to fruit filled pie…I mean, Chocolate Bourbon Pecan or Pumpkin, I could sink my teeth into, but fruit? Meh.

Fast forward two decades and I have gotten in touch with my inner pie child.  It could be my first read of Martha Stewart’s Pies and Tarts Cookbook, could be the fact that I became the host of Thanksgiving, or that in the summer we have access to fresh berries, peaches, and then apples…anyway, game on. I’m converted.

But here’s the catch..Blueberry pie can disappoint. The filling can be gelatinous and have the consistency of “canned” filling…it also can be watery and soupy with berries hanging around in blue water. There is nothing worse than cutting into blueberry pie and the filling runs out; with the bottom crust left behind, pale and swimming in the pan. Its just bad. So bad.

This pie is the end result of my many bad blueberry pies before it…and I think this one finds the perfect consistency, or as close as I can get with my Jedi pie skills. This filling requires you to cook most of the berries with cornstarch and sugar, creating a thicker pie filling. Then, fresh uncooked berries are added to the mixture before placing into the pie shell. It seems like work, but essentially, you are putting ingredients into a pan and giving it a stir until it bubbles and looks delicious. I’m a multi-tasker but nature, so this is when I am doing something else in the kitchen. There is always something else to do in the kitchen, so take this extra step to cook the filling.

But, is it sweet?

I like my blueberry pie to taste like blueberries. So, this pie doesn’t have a lot of sugar in the recipe. There is 1/2 C of sugar for the whole pie. Like your pie sweeter? Easily fixed, add more sugar. I’ve seen pie recipes with 1 and 1/2 C sugar in them, so you have some fairly good room to wiggle here. This recipe also calls for lemon zest and lemon juice. The lemon compliments and enhances the tartness of the blueberries. Again, this influences the sweetness, so if you like a sweeter pie, by all means, add more sugar. The berries used in this pie were picked at the peak of the season, and were sweet enough on their own.

Lastly, the crust. So, true confession…for this pie I used refrigerated dough purchased at the grocery store. Don’t judge. When I make multiple pies or for a holiday, I bang out handmade crusts from Noni’s sacred recipe like nobody’s business. When I am throwing together a pie for my people on the fly, trust me, they are happy to have pie and just like instant mashed potatoes…sometimes nobody needs to know. When you take the time to freehand cut stars out of the pie crust, people aren’t thinking, “Man, I hope that didn’t come from the refrigerator section.” If you do have those kind of people in your life, rethink who you are sharing your blueberry pie with.

When it comes to baking time? Here’s something you will find with my recipes. YOU CAN’T RUSH STUFF. When it is done, you know. You may like your crust browner. Personally, when I can smell the filling, and it looks like it is bubbling and thick, coming up through the top layer of crust, I take it out of the oven. Disclaimer: You also can’t WALK AWAY AND FORGET! This is a fruit pie people. If you have ever let fruit filling bubble over onto the bottom of the oven, trust me, you’ll remember next time. For good measure, I place the biggest cookie sheet I own under the pie. Pie goes on the top rack, cookie sheet goes in the rack below. Drips caught, smoky kitchen averted.

This pie is perfect warm with a scoop of ice cream. Or with your coffee the next morning for breakfast. Hey, it has fruit, right?

Thank you so much for coming to the table!

Chrissy

Printable Recipe

Lemon Zinger Blueberry Pie

Lemon Zinger Blueberry Pie

Chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients:

4 C fresh blueberries

2 additional C blueberries

½ C Sugar

¼ C Cornstarch

1-2 Tbsp Lemon juice

Zest of one Lemon

Directions:

Combine in a non-reactive pan over medium heat until blueberries are bubbling and mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Let cool slightly.

Add additional 2 C of blueberries to the mixture and pour into prepared pie crust.

Add top layer pie crust – I free handed stars on the top crust.

Bake at 350* for 50 minutes. I ended up baking an additional 10 minutes, waiting for the crust to be golden brown and the mixture bubbling.