Dutch Apple Pie (and memories of summer)

I made my first pie before I could drive, relying on only a tattered index card that held my Nana's secret recipe for pumpkin pie. I think it turned out fine and although I can't really remember (there have been endless pies since) I also don't remember any complaints. 

After playing it safe with pumpkin and apple for a few years, I made a jump to mixed-fruit pies only three years ago. My boyfriend was working at an agricultural research centre doing... insert ecology jargon and boring science procedures here... The job was out of town and I put up a fuss at the start of each week when he had to leave. However, a wonderful perk that almost made the distance bearable was the free fruit he was allowed to bring home. 

Apparently after harvesting the fruit, an appropriate amount was set aside for experiementin' and the rest was fair game. We quickly found ourselves overwhelmed with fruit - cherries, plums, raspberries, blueberries, peaches - glorious crates of the sweet stuff started stacking up in our garage and as much as we consumed (and gave away) the stacks didn't seem to shrink.

Times were tough. 

A wonderful side effect, besides the relief we would never be overcome with scurvy, was the opportunity to test out an array of new recipes using fruit I would normally reserve for eating fresh, not baking. Plum clafoutis, berry crumb cake, peach pie with raspberries - after filling our fridge with frozen goodies we moved on to gifting desserts to friends and family. All this baking was wonderfully fulfilling. 

Years later, I still dream about the crates of fruit. However, as we will never be able to afford the quantity or quality of fruit at retail prices, I reverted back to my safe and cheap comfort zone to celebrate International Pi Day. 

More affordable than peaches in March, this Dutch Apple Pie with Strudel Topping doesn't taste like a consolation prize. I added some pecans to the topping for added crunch and cut back on the sugar to ensure the flavour of the apples came through.

I know in baking every measurement is supposed to be precise but honestly when it comes to apple pies/crisps I kind of wing it and, since I took the lazy way out and used a frozen pastry shell, all I really had to make was the filling and strudel topping which was insanely easy and went something like this...

1. Cut up your apples - any apples you like - until there are enough to fill the pastry shell. Toss in a bowl with a tablespoon or two of flour, 1/8-1/4 c. sugar (depending on how sweet your apples are), a teaspoon or so of cinnamon, and 1/4-1/2 tsp. nutmeg. Pour apples into pie shell. 

2. Cut cold butter into small chunks and add to a bowl with 1/2 c. flour, 1/4 c. sugar, and more cinnamon. Add oats or pecans or whatever your little heart may desire - brown sugar in place of a portion of the white sugar above is also delicious. Using a pastry blender, or two butter knives, cut into mixture until butter chunks are pea sized. If this sounds daunting simply crumble everything up with your hands (don't worry, everything will taste good, this isn't rocket science). Pour strudel mixture over pie. 

Bake pie in a 375 degree oven for 30-45 minutes - the total baking time will depend on how large your pie is and your individual oven. To test done-ness prick apple pieces with a knife, they should be soft. 

Let cool a good ten minutes before devouring, this not only lets the pie firm up a bit but also helps avoid any nasty burns. If there is vanilla ice-cream within a 5km radius of your house YOU MUST find it and apply a generous scoop to the top of your warm pie. Seriously, it's for the good of all of humanity.

As a result of not following a rigid recipe, sometimes my pie is runnier or sweeter than average, but with this combination of ingredients it's always delicious. 


*If you really need a recipe to follow don't worry, just check out this recipe for Dutch Apple Pie with Oatmeal Streusel. 

3.14 - International Pi(e) Day

(image via)

Today we venture back to those horribly awkward high-school years, riddled with an abundance of hormones, acne, and embarrassing social situations. Have no fear, as a reward for reliving the trauma there is pie at the end!

Many years ago, in eighth grade, or ninth, or possibly tenth (but not eleventh or twelfth because I was finally cool by then, kind of), a friend and I decided to memorize the mathematical number Pi - or at least the ten digits our calculators could display. I don't remember how the challenge came about, or why we thought it would be fun, however now, and for the rest of my life, I will possess the astounding ability to recite the digits 3.141592654 on command - it doesn't impress at parties as much as you may think.

I'd like to say this little exercise unleashed a mathematical prowess in me that, prior to then, I was completely unaware of... and the rest is the plot to Good Will Hunting; However a quick glimpse into my father's finances reveal a different story: years of expensive tutors to get through high-school math and into university.

Perhaps it's more likely that my ability to memorize Pi stemmed from its association with one of my favorite foods, and not my impressive intellect - I come from a long line of pie fanatics. 

Luckily there is a day perfectly designed to honour my love of all things Pi/e, March 14th or 3.14 (isn't that adorable?), and tonight I'm celebrating with classic Dutch Apple Pie  - waistlines be damned!

I'll share the recipe tomorrow, for now grab yourself a piece and enjoy!

Rich and Fudgy Chocolate Truffle Pie

Before the icing on my mom's Lemon-Strawberry layer cake had a chance to firm up, I was asked to whip up another cake, this time for my uncle's birthday at the end of January. 

As the light, lemony cake had turned out so well, I was tempted to use similar flavours, however knowing my dad's family and their love of chocolate I knew I needed something rich and fudgy to win them over. 

After scouring the internet for inspiration I found myself salivating over a beautiful French Silk Pie; it's lovely layers and mouse-like consistency the perfect departure from the traditional chocolate layer cake with Smarties I make three times a year for my dad's birthday, brother's birthday, and father's day (as well as for my Dad's wedding a couple years ago). 

My Inspiration...

Stunning French Silk Tarts (via)

Classic French Silk Pie (via)

Unfortunately, most French Silk Pie recipes contain raw egg and I wasn't overly comfortable bringing something to dinner with a warning label attached, therefore I needed another option that still offered light, chocolatey layers without the risk of salmonella. As luck would have it, I stumbled onto a delicious looking Chocolate Truffle Pie and my concerns of sick dinner guests were no more.

Recipe Synopsis: 

Taste: Rich is the best way to describe this pie, however the use of semi-sweet chocolate was good and not overly sugary like milk-chocolate can often be. The graham cracker crumb crust offered a crunchy contrast to the multiple layers of chocolate mouse.

Texture: This pie is very light, almost mouse like. I would have liked the whipped cream layer to be a bit lighter tasting (perhaps by omitting the confectioners sugar as the chocolate is already sweet). The crust offers a nice bit of crunch.

Wow Factor: My pie wasn't as tall as I would have liked, perhaps a smaller pie plate would have created a more "mounded" result. As a whole, the pie is quite simple looking, however once sliced the layers are very pretty.

Difficulty: This dessert is very easy to make, however it is also quite time consuming as each layer needs to chill before the next can be made, one layer is chilled overnight. With that being said, it's a great option to make ahead of time.

Serve With: Any chocolate fans will love this dessert and as it's a chilled pie it would be quite refreshing on a hot summer day.

Unfortunately after seeing almost a full Litre (33 ounces) of heavy cream find its way into this pie I really didn't want to eat any of it however in the end I opted for a very small piece. Luckily the guests were oblivious and had nothing but positive feedback to offer. Although I wouldn't make this pie again for myself, my tastes sway more towards light lemony chiffon cake, I am sure I'll receive requests from the chocolate lovers in my life. 


I'm sharing this recipe today, for everyone with a sweet tooth over at...
Jam Hands, Say Not Sweet Anne, and Skip to my Lou