S.L. Watson - Fruit Pies, Cobblers & Crisps: Southern Collection of Favorite Fruit Desserts!

Copyright 2015 S. L. Watson

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording without express written permission from the author and/or copyright holder.

This book is for informational or entertainment purposes only.

Cover design S. L. Watson 2015. Picture courtesy of Canva.

The author has made every effort to ensure the information provided in this book is correct. Failure to follow directions could result in a failed recipe. The author does not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, illness or disruption caused by errors and omissions, whether such errors and omissions result from negligence, accident or any other cause.

The author has made every effort to provide accurate information in the creation of this book. The author accepts no responsibility and gives no warranty for any damages or loss of any kind that might be incurred by the reader or user due to actions resulting from the use of the information in this book.

The user assumes complete responsibility for the use of the information in this book.

One of the most luxurious smells in the world is a fresh baked pie, cobbler or fruit crisp. There are thousands of pie recipes but yet we all travel back to the pies and cobblers our Mother and Grandmother's made.

Use these recipes to set a tradition and memory for your family. Long after the pie, crisp or cobbler is gone, they will still remember it and you fondly.

Who can resist a piece of Golden Peach Pie warm from the oven! This is just one of the many recipes you will find in this cookbook. Sample recipes include Apple Pizza Pie, Caramel Apple Pie, Cherry Raspberry Pie, Strawberry Rhubarb Pie and Pear Pineapple Cheese Pie.

I do not list the serving size on the pies. I will list what size pie the recipe will make. Some people cut their pie into 8 slices but in the south, we cut our pie into 6 slices. We do like a larger slice of pie.

Everyone loves fruit cobblers and fruit crisps especially when served with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream. They are easy to make and you can whip up a heartwarming dessert in no time!

Do not over work the pie dough or the crust will be tough. You need a cold pie dough to make a flaky crust. Chill your butter or shortening before using in a pie crust. If you forget to chill the butter or shortening, you can always place the pie dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour before using.

Always place your fruit pie on a baking pan to collect any drips. Fruit pies tend to bubble over and it will make a mess in your oven.

Do not try to make a from scratch pie on a day you are busy. Most pies can be made quickly but do not rush. Take the time to follow the directions and you will be rewarded with a beautiful dessert.

When placing meringue on a pie, be sure to spread the meringue all the way to the edge of the pie crust. This will make the meringue strong and it will not shrink or weep.

Making a pie is not hard. You can make a pie crust from scratch just as easy as one from the store. If you are uncomfortable making a pie crust, then by all means use a store bought crust.

If you do not care for pie crust, most pies can be baked without a crust. I always say pie crust is just like having a bad hair day. No matter what you do to it, some days it is still a mess. Pie crust failure happens to everyone. Keep practicing and don't give up.

Quick cooking tapioca works best in thickening fruit pies. If you do not have quick cooking tapioca, you can substitute equal amounts of cornstarch. Cornstarch will not give the same flavor as tapioca and it tends to make the sauce a little gummy. I highly recommend using quick cooking tapioca in fruit desserts.

This recipe is for one 9 pie crust. Double the ingredients if you need a double crust pie. This is the only recipe my mother used and it is wonderfully flaky. This unbaked pie crust freezes well.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup lard or vegetable shortening

1/4 tsp. salt

Ice water

Directions

In a bowl, add the all purpose flour and the salt. Chop the butter into small pieces and add to the flour. Add the lard or vegetable shortening. With a pastry blender or your fingers, work the butter and lard into the all purpose flour.

The butter and lard pieces should be very small and no larger than a small pea. Add just enough ice water to bring the flour mixture into a ball. You don't want to add too much ice water. I usually add 1 tablespoon in the beginning and then 1/2 tablespoon at a time until it reaches the dough consistency I need. This will be a soft dough unless the butter and lard are still very cold.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board and knead the dough a couple of times. You don't want to handle it too much but just enough to form a good dough.

Wrap plastic wrap around the pie dough and refrigerate for one hour before using. The dough needs to be cold when you roll it out. It is imperative the pie crust be cold before placing the crust in the oven.

The butter and lard when cold will fluff up and create the flakiness we love in a beautiful pie crust.

If you need a baked pie crust unfilled, place the pie crust in a 9 pie pan and bake about 12-15 minutes at 350. I prick the bottom of my pie crust several times with a fork. This ensures the pie crust will not puff up when baking.

Makes a double crust 9" pie

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4-5 tablespoons cold water or milk

Directions

In a mixing bowl, add the all purpose flour, salt, vegetable oil and water or milk. It is crucial you add all the ingredients before stirring. Stir lightly with a fork. Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Form each part into a ball. Using the palm of your hand, flatten each piece of dough slightly.

You do not want to add additional flour to the dough when rolling. The easiest way to roll the dough is to place each dough part between a 12" square of waxed paper. If you roll the dough to the edge of the waxed paper, it will be the perfect depth for a pie crust.

Peel off the top sheet of waxed paper and place the dough, paper side up, into the pie pan. Gently peel off the remaining piece of waxed paper and fit the crust to the pie pan. Trim and flute the edges as desired.

Makes 18 small pies

Ingredients

8 oz. pkg. dried apples

2 tbs. unsalted butter, melted

1/2 to 1 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tbs. lemon juice

3 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tbs. baking powder

1/3 cup vegetable shortening, chilled

1 cup whole milk

Vegetable oil for frying

Directions

Place the apples in a sauce pan over medium low heat. Add enough water to about 1" above the apples. Place a lid on the sauce pan and bring the apples to a boil. When the apples are at a full boil, reduce the heat to low. Take the lid off the apples and simmer the apples for 15-20 minutes or until the apples are tender.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice. Stir until well combined. Taste the apples and add the remaining sugar if desired. Remove the pan from the heat. Chill the filling at least 2 hours. The filling needs to be cold before making the pies.