What kind of pie do you envision when you think about September, October, and November? When the cool wind quells that thick Georgia heat, can you smell the spicy aroma of pumpkin filling in hot, flaky crust? Do you imagine the tart sweetness of apples swimming in the thick sauce? Or does the thought of autumn conjure the rich, buttery flavor of glistening pecans in corn syrup?
The owner of Crave Pie Studio in Duluth has shared some of her favorite fall recipes. Each offers a creative spin on these classic autumn confections.
Simple Pie Crust
Yield: 1 double-crust, or two single crust 9” shells
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2” dice
1/3 cup ice water
Whisk flour and salt in large bowl to blend. Add butter and rub in with fingertips until very coarse meal forms. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons water; toss lightly with hands until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if mixture is dry. Gather dough into ball; divide in half. Flatten into disks. Wrap in plastic. Chill at least 1 hour.
On a lightly floured surface, roll pastry into 12” circle. Fold pastry in half, then in half again and place into pie dish. Unfold, and press firmly into dish. Fold under the edges and crimp decoratively with fingers or the tines of a fork.
Chocolate Pecan Pie
Pastry for 9” single pie crust.
3 oz butter
9 oz brown sugar
2 oz pure corn syrup
3 eggs
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
Add before baking:
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup pecans, chopped
In mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, salt, and cocoa powder. Melt butter, then add to brown sugar mixture. Add eggs, corn syrup and vanilla. Mix until all ingredients are well combined.
Add chopped pecans and chocolate chips to the bottom of pastry lined pit dish. Pour in the pie filling, and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes, or until filling is set.
Fresh Pumpkin Pie in Gingersnap Crust
Gingersnap Crust:
8 oz Gingersnap cookie crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup light brown sugar
Mix Gingersnap cookie crumbs and brown sugar together until well blended. Add melted butter and mix thoroughly. Press crumbs into the bottom and sides of a 9” pie dish. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Allow to cool before filling.
Filling:
2 cups fresh pumpkin puree
1 cup cream
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 large eggs
¼ teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Roasted Pumpkin Purée
1 medium sugar pumpkin (3-4 pounds)
Remove stem, cut pumpkin and half and remove seeds. Place cut side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Roast in 400 degree oven for approximately 45 minutes, or until flesh is easily pierced with a fork.
After pumpkin has cooled, scoop out flesh with a spoon and puree in food processor.
For Pie Filling:
In a mixing bowl, thoroughly combine brown sugar, salt, ginger and cloves. Add eggs, pumpkin puree, and cream slowly mixing until smooth.
Pour filling into cooled Gingersnap Crust. Bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until the edges are set, but the center jiggles slightly. Remove from oven and cool 2-3 hours before serving.
Serve with freshly whipped cream.
Cranberry Apple Pie Pastry for Double Crust Pie
6-8 apples, peeled, cored and sliced (I like to combine a variety of apples, such as Granny Smith, Crispin, and Rome.)
1 cup fresh cranberries
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, cut into 1/2” pieces
Egg wash: 1 egg and 2 tablespoons cream.
On lightly floured surface, roll one pastry round into round 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold, press against bottom and side.
In large bowl, mix brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Stir in apples, cranberries until coated with sugar mixture. Spoon into pastry-lined pie plate. Sprinkle butter over filling. Trim edge 1/2 inch from plate rim.
Roll other pastry into a 10-inch round. Fold into fourths, unfold top pastry; trim edge 1 inch from the rim. Fold and roll top edge, press to seal; flute with fork tines. Cut slits in top. Brush egg wash over top crust. Bake at 425 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until crust is brown.
Enjoy!
Visit Crave Pie Studio online or at 3107 B Main Street Duluth, GA 30096
