There are fewer desserts that conjure up patriotism like the all American apple pie. But before you start singing the National Anthem, apple pie is not as American as you might think. The first apple pies were made in 14th century England. While the basic ingredients were almost the same as the modern day dessert, there were some pretty significant differences. The pastries for the original pies were inedible and used as a container to hold the filling inside. Also, sugar was omitted from the ingredient list as it was very expensive and not readily available so many spices like cinnamon and saffron were used to create a sweet flavor. Apple pie was first documented on U.S. soil after the pilgrims brought apples to the continent and it continues to be a favorite dessert for holidays and patriotic celebrations.

For a dessert that has had so many transformations, apple pie is a classic dish perfected by grandmothers and culinary experts alike. Today’s apple pie is sweet and flaky and rich. The ingredient list can be short or extensive with a lattice crust or closed top. This recipe is very simple and resembles the original pie with very basic ingredients combined to meld simple flavors into a big taste. Serve warm from the oven with vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients

6 – 7 small apples
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp butter
prepared double pie crust

Directions

1. Peel, cored and thinly slice apples.

2. In pie dish, lay bottom layer of prepared pie crust down.

3. Mix sugar and cinnamon in bowl, set aside.

4. Layer apples in pie dish. Sprinkle each layer with cinnamon sugar mixture.

5. Top final layer with small pieces of butter. Cover pie with the second crust.

6. Bake at 450°F for 10 minutes. Then reduce heat to 350°F and bake for 35 more minutes or until the pie is golden and bubbly.

Enjoy!

The first butterscotch recipe was recorded in 1817 in England. Its buttery sweet taste quickly made it one of the most popular candies around. Puddings, cakes and pies soon followed in popularity. It was typically served at Christmas as a special treat. All butterscotches are made with brown sugar and milk and are cooked to different hardnesses, depending on the recipe, to create a whole array of desserts and candies. However many families had their own special recipe handed down from generation to generation.

This custard pie is creamy and light in texture but rich and buttery in taste. Custard pies are a labor of love because of the fickle nature of the custard. The key to making perfect, creamy custard is adding the hot milk a tablespoon at a time to the egg yolks and whisk, whisk, whisk until the liquid turns into a thick pudding. (If you add the eggs to the hot milk without tempering them first, you will end up with scrambled eggs). Top this pie with fresh whipped cream or a light meringue and indulge in one of the most delicious historical desserts.

Ingredients
1 cup brown sugar
6 tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
2 cup milk
2 tbsp butter
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
1 9 inch baked pie crust

Directions

1. In a double boiler, combine brown sugar, flour and salt.

2. Stir in milk until dry ingredients are dissolved, add butter and cook for 20 minutes.

3. In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks.

4. Add a few tablespoons of hot milk mixture to egg yolks slowly (go slow so the eggs do not scramble). Stir until well combined.

5. Pour the milk mixture into a saucepan over medium heat, add eggs and cook for 5 minutes while constantly stirring. The mixture should begin to thicken to a pudding.

6. Add vanilla and stir. Pour into the baked pie crust.

7. Top with whipped cream and store in the refrigerator.

April 23-25, 2010 

photo courtesy of bitzcelt

The festival will be held at Lakeside Park at 631 Sycamore St. in downtown Celebration. Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, April 24; noon to 5 p.m., Sunday, April 25. Admission to the festival is free, with tickets for the Never-Ending Pie Buffet priced at ($10 adults, $5 ages 65 and up, and $5 ages 6-12.)

A national pastime will attract national attention as contestants from across North America sift through their most treasured recipes in hope of finding one that leads to an award-winning pie. Perhaps it’s a family favorite that’s won praise for generations or a new creation that’s pleased a friend, but dedicated pie makers — from contestants with decades of blue ribbons to a new generation who are warmed up and ready to enter the competition — will be rolling out fresh dough and carefully measuring ingredients as they prepare for the three-day APC/ Crisco® 2010 National Pie Championships® April 23-25.

The competition heats up at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate as Commercial, Professional, Amateur and Junior Chef pie makers test their tasty creations in a variety of categories.   Last year, more than 170 judges graded pies created by 138 bakers who entered 465 commercial, 130 professional and 266 amateur pies.   Emile Henry USA, makers of the finest quality ceramic bake ware and gourmet cooking products, has returned for 2010 as the “Official Pie Dish” of the National Pie Championships.   Each junior, amateur and professional competitor receives an Emile Henry ceramic pie dish, valued at $45 each.   For 2010, Best of Show winners in the amateur and professional divisions will each win $5,000, a new Sears Kenmore range and a Crisco® gift basket, while the top winner in the Junior Chef division receive a $2000 Crisco college scholarship and a Crisco® gift basket.  First place ribbons and bragging rights will be awarded to Commercial Division winners.

To enter, APC members pay $15 per pie entry for amateurs and $20 per pie entry for professionals.  Non-members pay $35 per pie entry for either category.  Junior entries are free.

This year’s contestants will whip, puree and roll their way to victory in a wide range of categories: Amateurs are judged in 15 categories including Apple, Citrus, Crisco® Classic Cherry, Crisco® Classic Chocolate, Cream, Cream Cheese, Custard, Fruit/Berry, Nut, Peanut Butter, Pumpkin, Open, Raisin, sponsored by the California Raisin Marketing Board, Splenda, and Sweet Potato. First place winners in each category receive $200 cash and a Crisco® gift basket, second place winners receive $150 cash and third place winners take home $100 cash.

Professional bakers enter pies in nine categories: Apple, Citrus, Crisco® Classic Chocolate, Crisco® Classic Cherry, Fruit/Berry, Cream, Nut and Open and new for the 2010 competition — Raisin, sponsored by the California Raisin Marketing Board.  First place winners in each category receive $200 cash and a Crisco gift basket.

Junior Chefs who are in high school and between the ages 14 to 17 can test their pie-making skills with entries in Apple, Cream, Fruit/Berry or Open categories.  Three first place winners will receive a $100 gift certificate to Emile Henry USA, a $100 gift certificate to Cuisipro USA, a source for popular professional chef tools, as well as a Crisco® gift basket.

Commercial bakers competed in categories including Apple, Blueberry, Fruit/Berry, Open Cream, Citrus, Open, Nut and Chocolate, and Raisin, sponsored by the California Raisin Marketing Board.

The APC is now accepting registrations for the upcoming championships. Participants are encouraged to join the American Pie Council prior to registration in order to receive discounted entry fees.

Ten minutes from Celebration, the host hotel Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate is offering a special $129 per night room rate for those attending or participating in the pie championship or pie festival. To book the American Pie Council special rate, call 800-843-6664 and identify yourself as associated with the APC.  For more information, visit the Front Porch Celebration Community Web Site at www.celebration.fl.us; or the American Pie Council®, www.piecouncil.org

Crisco®  is a registered trademark of The J. M. Smucker Company.  For more information, visit www.crisco.com.

The American Pie Council® is the only organization committed to maintaining America’s pie heritage, passing on the tradition of pie-making and promoting America’s love affair with pie. The APC offers personal, professional and commercial memberships. For more information, please visit www.piecouncil.org.

photo courtesy of Magnolia Bakery

A lot has been said about New York City’s most popular bakeries. But things change on a yearly basis, so let’s see who’s baking the most delicious desserts in NYC this year! In random order!

If your favorite is not on the list, leave us a comment! We’d love to hear your nominations!

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MAGNOLIA BAKERY – is often credited with starting the modern day cupcake craze with their signature pastel colored, buttercream-frosted versions. Magnolia Bakery specializes in old fashioned baked goods including red velvet cake, icebox cake, and banana pudding.

Location: With four bustling store fronts –two of which have opened in the past year– owners Steven and Tyra Abrams have made Magnolia’s in-demand pastries and desserts more accessible to New Yorkers and, with the Rockefeller Center location, tourists as well.
- 401 Bleecker St. , New York, NY (Downtown)
- 1240 Avenues of the Americas, New York, NY (Rockefeller Center)
- 200 Columbus Ave., New York, NY (uptown)
- Grand Central 107 East 42nd Street, New York, NY

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RUBY ET VIOLETTE – is a New York City bakery and café that specializes in handmade, small batch gourmet chocolate chunk cookies, brownies and cookie dough ice creams.  The company is owned by three sisters; they offer exquisitely detailed gift and bakery boxes filled with their sinful treats which they send across the country as indulgent presents.

Reminiscent of a charming Parisian café, it features an old fashioned tin ceiling, black and white marble floors and custom artwork.  Customers can also enjoy an espresso bar, homemade drinking chocolates, and small batch cookie dough ice creams and sorbets.

Location: Manhattan-ites can indulge a sweet tooth on any given Tuesday through Saturday at Ruby et Violette’s café, located at 457 West 50th Street, in New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen.

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5th AVENUE CHOCOLATIERE: is a family-owned business that specializes in macaroons (the best!!), matzo for Passover, the most fabulous gourmet truffles  and other baked goodies. They have over 12,000 different molded shapes and sizes and have been around for over 40 years.

Location: You can visit them at 693 Third Avenue and 11 Madison Avenue at 24th Street in New York and a factory which produces everything in Valley Stream Long Island. At the Long Island Location, they do tours where they let everyone learn about the chocolate making process, dip your own strawberries and other goodies.

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LITTLE CUPCAKE BAKESHOP: is a highly successful carbon neutral bakery in Brooklyn, NY. They specialize in cupcakes, cakes, pies, puddings, cookies and more. They also exclusively serve Illy coffee and espresso, widely regarded as the finest coffee in Europe.

Their products and carbon neutral mission have received massive acclaim from New York Times, Fox News and many others. Little Cupcake Bakeshop, blends the lively spirit of a bygone generation with the youthfulness of contemporary culture and design.

Location: 9102 Third Avenue in Brooklyn, New York

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BABYCAKES NYC : specializes in refined sugar-free, wheat-free, gluten- free, soy-free, egg-free, vegan and kosher sweet treats. Their innovative and delicious desserts made them one of the most talked-about bakeries in New York City; they have been featured in a lot of printed & online magazines and in TV shows. Erin McKenna, who was diagnosed with wheat and dairy allergies in 2004, is the founder of  BabyCakes ; she is also the author of “BabyCakes: The Cookbook”.

Location: 248 Broome Street (Btwn Orchard & Ludlow), NYC, NY. They also have a bakery in Los Angeles.

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TWO LITTLE RED HENS, an American Bakery: specializes in gorgeous custom cakes, pies and cupcakes. In a city where cupcakes are available almost everywhere, a trip to Two Little Red Hens is definitely worth it! Their cupcakes and cheesecakes are amongst the best in NYC!

Location: 1652 Second Avenue New York, NY- Upper East Side (86th & 2nd).

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Also on our list of most popular Bakeries in NYC and definitely worth visiting:

- Madeleine Patisserie – 132 West 23rd Street, New York (6 & 7 Avenues)

- Butter Lane Cupcakes – 123 East Seventh Street, New York

- Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery- 126 Rivington Street, NYC

- Billy’s Bakery – 75 Franklin Street (Between Broadway and Church Street)

- Bouchon Bakery - Ten Columbus Circle, Third Floor ( of Time Warner Center), New York

The American Pie Council (APC) is excited to roll out National Pie Day this January 23.

photo courtesy of ralph and jenny

This year, the APC is encouraging pie lovers to show their “pie-triotism” by sharing a pie with a hero in their life. Whether it’s baking or buying a pie for a member of the military or their family, the local fireman, teacher or your parent, the gift of pie is a sincere gesture of kindness. APC members are also offering coupons on to make buying or making a pie more affordable, as well as offering their own special pie day activities. For details, go to www.piecouncil.org or friend them on Facebook.

The act of sharing America’s quintessential dessert brings with it an extraordinary heritage. In many homes family recipes go back for decades and, quite often, special kitchen utensils have been passed down over generations. As with family reunions and special get-togethers, what takes place in the kitchen also brings families together as children and parents and husbands and wives experience the pleasure of working together and creating something special for someone else.

This year’s championships are April 23-25 at the Omni Championsgate Hotel in Celebration, Fla. Commercial, Professional, Amateur and Junior Chef pie makers will compete throughout the weekend. The Great American Pie Festival sponsored by Crisco® is held in conjunction with the championships, April 24 and 25 at Lakeside Park in Celebration and is free and open to the public.

This recipe for Ricotta Pie is definitely a departure from the usual pumpkin pie, but it’s still a nice treat for the holidays. This is an old Italian family recipe courtesy of Chef Anthony Cerrato, owner of Fiore’s Ristorante Toscana in Asheville, NC. (Asheville likes to think of itself as a bit of a Foodtopia thanks to its prosperous Farm-to-Table scene and nearly 250 independent restaurants in the area.) 
 
Ricotta Pie from Fiore’s Ristorante Toscana in Asheville, NC

photo courtesy of FoodtopianSociety.com

Pie Ingredients:
1½ c. barley3 lb. ricotta cheese

7 eggs

2 c. sugar

1½ c. heavy cream

2 tbsp. flour

2 tbsp. vanilla

1½ c. sweet chocolate chips

1 c. citron

Graham Cracker Crust
2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup melted butter

1/3 cup sugar

Directions:
Soak barley for 30 minutes. Boil water and cook barley for 20 minutes. Drain well. Add flour to coat barley. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all ingredients well, folding the barley into the mixture last. Grease a springform pan. Combine graham crackers, sugar and melted butter. Add graham cracker crust to the bottom of pan. Pour pie mixture into springform pan. Cook at 400 degree for 30 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees and cook for 30 minutes. Then, lower oven temperature to 300 and cook for 15 minutes. Turn the oven off, and let the pie stand in the over for 10 minutes. Take pie out and let it cool in refrigerator overnight. Serve the next day.

Thank you, Chef Cerrato, for this yummy recipe!