Linda Hoskins - Americas Best Pies 2014-2015 Nearly 200 Recipes Youll Love, 2nd edition

Read the recipe in its entirety before beginning. Make sure you have all of the ingredients and utensils and that you understand all of the directions. Many mistakes have been made by skipping steps. All ingredients for the piecrust should be cold. It even helps to have cold bowls and utensils. Dont overwork or over-handle the dough.

Your shortening/butter should be coated with flour mixture, not blended with it. To ensure that your bottom crust is finished, bake pie in the lower third of the oven. You may have to cover the edges with foil or a crust protector to avoid overbrowning the edges. Make sure that all of your ingredients are really fresh. Try making fruit pies when the fruits are in season to ensure a wonderful pie. How to crimp the perfect pie Carefully transfer the dough into your Emile Henry pie dish.

Fit the dough into the dish (avoid stretching). Trim the dough to 1 inch overhang and tuck it under itself to create a thick rim. With the index finger on one hand, press the dough against the thumb and forefinger of the opposite hand; continue around the perimeter of the crust and dish following the natural flute of the Emile Henry pie dish. CREDITS American Pie Council
Board of Directors Rick Barton, D&W Fine Pack Joseph DiPaolo, Pinnacle Foods LLC Dennis Dipo, Cyrus OLearys Pies Barbara Dolbee, Bonerts Slice of Pie Richard Hoskins, Colborne Foodbotics Chris Kelley, Publix Super Markets Mary Pint, Legendary Baking Christine Valley, Jessie Lord Bakery Marsha Wickersham, Wicks Pies Susan Mahoney, Associate Board Member Photography Courtesy of Sue Ade, Food Columnist, Morris Publishing Group Brion Price Photography California Raisin Marketing Board Catherine Colombo Christies Photography Linda Hundt Tye Ridolfi Gunnar Soderlind Photography Sarah Spruytte APPLE-PRALINE PIE Raquel Hammond, St. Cloud, FL
2005 American Pie Council Crisco National Pie Championships
Amateur Division 1st Place Apple CRUST 2 cups unbleached flour 1 cup cake flour 1 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt 8 tablespoons (1 stick) frozen unsalted butter, cut up cup plus 2 tablespoons frozen shortening, cut up 2 tablespoons vinegar 1 large egg yolk 4 to 5 tablespoons ice water, or as needed 1 large egg white with 1 tablespoon water added cup crushed cornflakes FILLING 5 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 4 cups Braeburn apples, peeled, cored, and sliced cup apple cider cup sugar 3 tablespoons cornstarch teaspoon cinnamon teaspoon nutmeg teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut up PRALINE TOPPING cup chopped pecans cup brown sugar cup unsalted butter Pinch of salt 2 tablespoons heavy cream teaspoon cinnamon For the Crust: Preheat oven to 425F. Whisk together dry ingredients in large bowl.

Add the butter and shortening. Using a pastry blender, cut in fat until mixture resembles dry rice. Add egg yolk, vinegar, and a minimum amount of water. Lightly toss until mixture just begins to clump together. If dough looks too dry, sprinkle on a little more water. Dough should cling together and feel pliable, but not sticky.

Form dough into a cohesive ball on a piece of waxed paper by lifting opposite corners and pressing them together. Flatten into a 6-inch disk for single shell, or divide dough in half and make two disks for two-crust pie. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or even overnight (the longer the better). Soften dough at room temperature for a few minutes before rolling out. Roll out bottom crust and line 9-inch pie plate. Roll out top crust and refrigerate both for 15 minutes.

Whisk egg white and 1 tablespoon water together. Brush on the bottom crust. Carefully spread cup of crushed cornflakes on the bottom shell over the egg wash. For the Filling: Combine apples and cider in large pot. Bring to boil, cover, and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring once or twice. Drain apples, reserving juice.

Transfer juice to small saucepan and reduce to cup over medium-high heat. Stir into apples and set aside to cool. In a small bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir into apple cider mixture. Pour filling into pie shell and dot with butter. Attach top crust and flute edge.

Poke several steam vents in top with fork or paring knife. Bake for 15 minutes in lower third of oven. Raise rack to center and bake an additional 45 to 50 minutes. Check halfway through baking and cover pastry with foil if browning too quickly. Transfer pie to wire rack and cool. Apple-Praline Pie For the Topping: Melt butter in small saucepan.

Stir in brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and heavy cream. Bring slowly to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in chopped pecans. Spread evenly over cooled pie and broil until topping bubbles and turns golden brown. Transfer pie, once again, to wire rack and cool for at least 2 hours. Slice and serve.

Cover leftovers with loosely tented foil and refrigerate.

Evette Rahman, Orlando, FL
2011 American Pie Council Crisco National Pie Championships
2nd Place Apple CRUST 3 cups flour 3 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoons salt teaspoon baking powder cup shortening cup unsalted butter, cold, cubed cup heavy cream 1 tablespoons vinegar 1 tablespoons oil 1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon heavy cream Sugar for sprinkling FILLING 5 cups cooking apples, peeled, cored, and cut into -inch thick slices 1 cups cut-up rhubarb (weighing 7.5 ounces while frozen), thawed completely 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar cup cornstarch teaspoon ground cinnamon teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg For the Crust: Mix flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Cut in shortening and butter. Stir together oil, vinegar, and cream. Add by tossing with flour. Knead briefly.

Form dough into 2 disks. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before rolling out. For the Filling: Preheat oven to 400F. Mix together apples, rhubarb, and lime juice. Add melted butter. Mix together sugar, cornstarch, and spices.

Add to fruit and coat thoroughly. Roll out one disk of dough on a lightly floured surface and place in a deep dish pie plate. Add filling. Roll out remaining disk of dough to make a full top crust or cut into strips for a lattice design. Cover filling with dough and crimp edges. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 375F. Bake for another 25 to 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Cover pie edges with pie shield or aluminum foil during baking to prevent excess browning. Cool completely on wire rack before serving. County Fair Apple Rhubarb Pie

Marles Riessland, Riverdale, NE
2003 American Pie Council Crisco National Pie Championships
Amateur Division 1st Place Apple CRUST 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon sugar 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon butter-flavored shortening, chilled cup ice water 1 tablespoon vinegar 1 egg, beaten FILLING 6 cups Jonathan or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced cup packed light brown sugar cup sugar cup flour 1 teaspoon cinnamon teaspoon nutmeg teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon vanilla 4 tablespoons heavy cream 4 tablespoons butter STREUSEL TOPPING cup flour 3 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon butter 2 toffee bars or 3 ounces chocolate covered peanut or pecan brittle Egg white and sugar for brushing and sprinkling on pie For the Crust: Chill all ingredients, including the flour and vinegar.

Combine the flour, salt, and sugar. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles cornmeal. In another bowl, mix water and vinegar with the beaten egg. Add the liquid mixture, one tablespoon at a time, to the flour mixture, tossing with a fork to form a soft dough. Form dough into a ball and divide in two. Roll out half the dough and place in a 9-inch pie dish.

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