Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 21
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Princeton, NJ

    How to make a great apple pie

    Spin off thread...

    I've tried many permutations over the years and never made an apple pie that I'm completely happy with. What are your favorite techniques and ingredients?

    I've had the best luck recently with this NYTimes recipe: link, which calls for partially pre-cooking the filling.

    Still, every recipe I try ends up with some combination of the following issues

    - Bottom crust underdone when top crust is getting too dark
    - Apples too crunchy
    - Filling too watery
    - Wrong balance of sweet / tart

    To be honest, I have not been able to beat the Costco pie mentioned in the other thread.

    How have you all mastered this?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Durham, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by freshmanjs View Post
    Spin off thread...

    I've tried many permutations over the years and never made an apple pie that I'm completely happy with. What are your favorite techniques and ingredients?

    I've had the best luck recently with this NYTimes recipe: link, which calls for partially pre-cooking the filling.

    Still, every recipe I try ends up with some combination of the following issues

    - Bottom crust underdone when top crust is getting too dark
    - Apples too crunchy
    - Filling too watery
    - Wrong balance of sweet / tart

    To be honest, I have not been able to beat the Costco pie mentioned in the other thread.

    How have you all mastered this?
    Without checking my apple pie recipe, my mom's, I can make a few suggestions.

    Granny smiths are the best for baking.
    Use foil over the top later into the baking to prevent it from getting any browner.
    Some people place the pie plate on a cookie sheet while baking to help it bake more.
    Do not put the filling in the pie until you are ready to put it in the oven - in other words, move quickly to get the top crust on. Once the filling is in, the bottom crust starts absorbing which can make it soggy/soft/less baked.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Boston area, OK, Newton, right by Heartbreak Hill
    Quote Originally Posted by freshmanjs View Post
    Spin off thread...

    I've tried many permutations over the years and never made an apple pie that I'm completely happy with. What are your favorite techniques and ingredients?

    I've had the best luck recently with this NYTimes recipe: link, which calls for partially pre-cooking the filling.

    Still, every recipe I try ends up with some combination of the following issues

    - Bottom crust underdone when top crust is getting too dark
    - Apples too crunchy
    - Filling too watery
    - Wrong balance of sweet / tart

    To be honest, I have not been able to beat the Costco pie mentioned in the other thread.

    How have you all mastered this?

    I'll give you the secret. Once you have peeled, cored, and sliced your apples, saute them in butter, cinnamon, and sugar until tender. Put the apples on a cookie sheet. Let them cool completely. Drain the excess liquid off before putting them into the crust. It's this excess moisture sinking into the bottom crust that makes the bottom crust take longer to cook. This takes care of problems 1-3. (Another tip - when peeling, coring, and slicing your apples, pause every few minutes to squeeze a lemon wedge over the apples to keep them from turning brown.)

    As to the wrong balance of sweet / tart, I can't really help you with that one as it is a matter of personal taste. I find Cortlands are the best baking apple, especially if I'm only going to use one type of apple in a pie. Red and Golden Delicious do not hold their apple slice shape well enough during the baking process and, IMHO, should always be mixed with at least one other type of apple (Cortlands! Or something else towards the tart end of the apple spectrum cause RD and GD are both very much on the sweeter side.) Granny Smiths are tart and bake that way. They hold up well when baking but if you aren't a tart end of the spectrum fan, you need to either avoid them or mix them with a sweeter apple (Cortlands!) Cortlands are actually tart of center so, maybe Granny Smiths and one of the Delicious varieties would work. I've never tried that combo. My go to is 4 Cortlands and 2 Macs, but I have made many a Courtland/Granny Smith. Sometimes I'll use all three of those varieties. Macs can make a stand alone single variety pie but they don't hold their apple slice shape as well as Cortlands or Granny Smiths. I'm also a purist, apple is the only fruit that belongs in an apple pie. I'm not against baking a variety that adds a couple of cherries or raisins, but then it's not an apple pie anymore, it's an apple/cherry or apple/raisin pie.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Vermont
    any use of corn starch puts you out of the parade.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Durham, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by Bostondevil View Post
    I'll give you the secret. Once you have peeled, cored, and sliced your apples, saute them in butter, cinnamon, and sugar until tender. Put the apples on a cookie sheet. Let them cool completely. Drain the excess liquid off before putting them into the crust. It's this excess moisture sinking into the bottom crust that makes the bottom crust take longer to cook. This takes care of problems 1-3. (Another tip - when peeling, coring, and slicing your apples, pause every few minutes to squeeze a lemon wedge over the apples to keep them from turning brown.)

    As to the wrong balance of sweet / tart, I can't really help you with that one as it is a matter of personal taste. I find Cortlands are the best baking apple, especially if I'm only going to use one type of apple in a pie. Red and Golden Delicious do not hold their apple slice shape well enough during the baking process and, IMHO, should always be mixed with at least one other type of apple (Cortlands! Or something else towards the tart end of the apple spectrum cause RD and GD are both very much on the sweeter side.) Granny Smiths are tart and bake that way. They hold up well when baking but if you aren't a tart end of the spectrum fan, you need to either avoid them or mix them with a sweeter apple (Cortlands!) Cortlands are actually tart of center so, maybe Granny Smiths and one of the Delicious varieties would work. I've never tried that combo. My go to is 4 Cortlands and 2 Macs, but I have made many a Courtland/Granny Smith. Sometimes I'll use all three of those varieties. Macs can make a stand alone single variety pie but they don't hold their apple slice shape as well as Cortlands or Granny Smiths. I'm also a purist, apple is the only fruit that belongs in an apple pie. I'm not against baking a variety that adds a couple of cherries or raisins, but then it's not an apple pie anymore, it's an apple/cherry or apple/raisin pie.
    I do prefer a little more tart in mine. When I make apple sauce I do half grannies and half galas.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by aimo View Post
    I do prefer a little more tart in mine. When I make apple sauce I do half grannies and half galas.
    I am a sociopath. Love the tart. I use Winesap apples.

  7. #7
    I add a little flour to the apple mix to thicken it up. I cover after the first 15-20 minutes and cook a little longer than suggested to ensure softer apples. I do put it on a cookie sheet. I use more apples than most, because i love a higher pie. I prefer a mix of apple types.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Boston area, OK, Newton, right by Heartbreak Hill
    Quote Originally Posted by budwom View Post
    any use of corn starch puts you out of the parade.
    no kidding.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Outside Philly
    Side note: American Pie, which was the teen movie of my day, has NOT aged well. At all. For a lot of reasons but not for the pie reasons.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Boston area, OK, Newton, right by Heartbreak Hill
    Quote Originally Posted by bundabergdevil View Post
    Side note: American Pie, which was the teen movie of my day, has NOT aged well. At all. For a lot of reasons but not for the pie reasons.
    Yeah, but I'd watch American Pie again before Porky's.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Durham
    Quote Originally Posted by Bostondevil View Post
    I'll give you the secret. Once you have peeled, cored, and sliced your apples, saute them in butter, cinnamon, and sugar until tender. Put the apples on a cookie sheet. Let them cool completely. Drain the excess liquid off before putting them into the crust. It's this excess moisture sinking into the bottom crust that makes the bottom crust take longer to cook. This takes care of problems 1-3. (Another tip - when peeling, coring, and slicing your apples, pause every few minutes to squeeze a lemon wedge over the apples to keep them from turning brown.)

    As to the wrong balance of sweet / tart, I can't really help you with that one as it is a matter of personal taste. I find Cortlands are the best baking apple, especially if I'm only going to use one type of apple in a pie. Red and Golden Delicious do not hold their apple slice shape well enough during the baking process and, IMHO, should always be mixed with at least one other type of apple (Cortlands! Or something else towards the tart end of the apple spectrum cause RD and GD are both very much on the sweeter side.) Granny Smiths are tart and bake that way. They hold up well when baking but if you aren't a tart end of the spectrum fan, you need to either avoid them or mix them with a sweeter apple (Cortlands!) Cortlands are actually tart of center so, maybe Granny Smiths and one of the Delicious varieties would work. I've never tried that combo. My go to is 4 Cortlands and 2 Macs, but I have made many a Courtland/Granny Smith. Sometimes I'll use all three of those varieties. Macs can make a stand alone single variety pie but they don't hold their apple slice shape as well as Cortlands or Granny Smiths. I'm also a purist, apple is the only fruit that belongs in an apple pie. I'm not against baking a variety that adds a couple of cherries or raisins, but then it's not an apple pie anymore, it's an apple/cherry or apple/raisin pie.
    Are Red and Golden Delicious even food? Worst apples ever.

    I use Macintosh (sometimes mix in some Granny Smiths) in my pies and bake them a good long time. This is probably too soft for a lot of folks--some might call it applesauce pie. My family and I love it, but the crust is really the key to a good fruit pie. I usually don't eat anyone else's apple pies because I can easily tell a bad crust by looking. Also most people tend to underbake the filling.

    ETA: I always completely cool my apples pies (to room temperature) before comsumption.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Boston area, OK, Newton, right by Heartbreak Hill
    Quote Originally Posted by curtis325 View Post
    Are Red and Golden Delicious even food? Worst apples ever.

    I use Macintosh (sometimes mix in some Granny Smiths) in my pies and bake them a good long time. This is probably too soft for a lot of folks--some might call it applesauce pie. My family and I love it, but the crust is really the key to a good fruit pie. I usually don't eat anyone else's apple pies because I can easily tell a bad crust by looking. Also most people tend to underbake the filling.

    ETA: I always completely cool my apples pies (to room temperature) before comsumption.
    I don't think of them as eating apples but you can make other apple things out of them.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Outside Philly
    Quote Originally Posted by Bostondevil View Post
    Yeah, but I'd watch American Pie again before Porky's.
    Hah, yeah. Porky's didn't age too well either. One of my middle school coaches spent some time in the clink for essentially pulling that locker room/shower thing.

    Not to derail the thread but there's a point in adulthood when you look back at things that happened in your periphery as a child and you think, "Holy Crap, that was some seriously bad stuff."

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Boston area, OK, Newton, right by Heartbreak Hill
    Quote Originally Posted by bundabergdevil View Post
    Hah, yeah. Porky's didn't age too well either. One of my middle school coaches spent some time in the clink for essentially pulling that locker room/shower thing.

    Not to derail the thread but there's a point in adulthood when you look back at things that happened in your periphery as a child and you think, "Holy Crap, that was some seriously bad stuff."
    Chickie Yonaker is definitely in that category.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Outside Philly
    Quote Originally Posted by Bostondevil View Post
    Chickie Yonaker is definitely in that category.
    I'm afraid I don't know that story.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Boston area, OK, Newton, right by Heartbreak Hill
    Quote Originally Posted by bundabergdevil View Post
    I'm afraid I don't know that story.
    Former UNC player that remains in my personal Top 5 Most Hated TarHeels of All Time. (Chickie, Tyler Hansborough, Mike O'Koren, Ed Cota, and Ivory Latta.) Actually, I should replace O'Koren with Marion Jones, but Marion Jones earned her place for post-UNC activities, so, maybe she's first alternate.

    I brought him up not because there is a story, but because, "Holy Crap that was some seriously bad stuff!"

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Outside Philly
    Quote Originally Posted by Bostondevil View Post
    Former UNC player that remains in my personal Top 5 Most Hated TarHeels of All Time. (Chickie, Tyler Hansborough, Mike O'Koren, Ed Cota, and Ivory Latta.) Actually, I should replace O'Koren with Marion Jones, but Marion Jones earned her place for post-UNC activities, so, maybe she's first alternate.

    I brought him up not because there is a story, but because, "Holy Crap that was some seriously bad stuff!"
    Hah, hah. Okay, I googled him and nothing came up!

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Boston area, OK, Newton, right by Heartbreak Hill
    Quote Originally Posted by bundabergdevil View Post
    Hah, hah. Okay, I googled him and nothing came up!
    Rich Yonaker. Chickie was the nickname Duke fans gave him. Supposedly he hated it. Although maybe not. I just found an article that disputes my memory. Also, it was Chickee.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Outside Philly
    Quote Originally Posted by Bostondevil View Post
    Rich Yonaker. Chickie was the nickname Duke fans gave him. Supposedly he hated it. Although maybe not. I just found an article that disputes my memory. Also, it was Chickee.
    Chickee Yonaker is a heck of a moniker!

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Boston area, OK, Newton, right by Heartbreak Hill
    Quote Originally Posted by bundabergdevil View Post
    Chickee Yonaker is a heck of a moniker!
    The Chronicle used to name an ACC All Ugly Team. Yonakor (checked the spelling) was the first 4 year starter. (I would beg my dad to bring home that issue of The Chronicle when I was a kid. Yonakor's time at UNC was before my time at Duke.)

Similar Threads

  1. Apple TV
    By nmduke2001 in forum Off Topic
    Replies: 28
    Last Post: 08-30-2014, 09:35 AM
  2. Roku, Apple TV? Other?
    By gus in forum Off Topic
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 03-14-2012, 01:04 AM
  3. New sheriff in town....APPLE
    By moonpie23 in forum Off Topic
    Replies: 15
    Last Post: 06-01-2010, 11:14 AM
  4. Apple Sues HTC
    By alteran in forum Off Topic
    Replies: 16
    Last Post: 03-05-2010, 08:52 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •