Comments on: Best in Show: Winning Apple Pie http://blogs.kcrw.com/goodfood/2009/12/best-in-show-winning-apple-pie/ Sat, 11 Feb 2012 19:54:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: kaylz http://blogs.kcrw.com/goodfood/2009/12/best-in-show-winning-apple-pie/comment-page-1/#comment-10332 kaylz Sun, 12 Dec 2010 03:51:46 +0000 http://blogs.kcrw.com/goodfood/?p=654#comment-10332 ya the pie may be a lot of work. and it may not be the pie grandma made, but its good. real good.what i like about it is that it is different. it is one of those pies that stands out... people will remember it. they will say 'oh ya, that apple pie with the dried cherries. man that was good!' with a few modification (simplifications), this will be my go to apple pie! absolutely fantastic! bc im lazy, i use store bought pie crust (from the freezer section). i know, i know, its an affront to true bakers everywhere and many would say it compromises the quality of the pie...blah blah blah. Honestly, for the effort to taste ratio, i cant really tell a difference and it saves a lot of time. so i cannot speak to the quality of the crust in the recipe. maybe one day ill give it a go. The innards on the other hand are fantastic! the spices and real vanilla bean are perfect! i might cut back on the sugar a tad.The macerated cherries are what set this pie a part from the crowd! im cheap so i didnt by calvados. instead i substituted dark rum to soak the cherries (but im sure whiskey or brandy would work well too). i found the pie to be a little heavy on the vinegar. i used all granny smith apples and they were tart enough on their own. in the future i will cut back on the apple cider vinegar. i also cut the butter in half. but the flavors of the pie come together beautifully and melt in your mouth. all in all, delicious! ya the pie may be a lot of work. and it may not be the pie grandma made, but its good. real good.what i like about it is that it is different. it is one of those pies that stands out… people will remember it. they will say 'oh ya, that apple pie with the dried cherries. man that was good!'
with a few modification (simplifications), this will be my go to apple pie! absolutely fantastic! bc im lazy, i use store bought pie crust (from the freezer section). i know, i know, its an affront to true bakers everywhere and many would say it compromises the quality of the pie…blah blah blah. Honestly, for the effort to taste ratio, i cant really tell a difference and it saves a lot of time. so i cannot speak to the quality of the crust in the recipe. maybe one day ill give it a go.
The innards on the other hand are fantastic! the spices and real vanilla bean are perfect! i might cut back on the sugar a tad.The macerated cherries are what set this pie a part from the crowd! im cheap so i didnt by calvados. instead i substituted dark rum to soak the cherries (but im sure whiskey or brandy would work well too). i found the pie to be a little heavy on the vinegar. i used all granny smith apples and they were tart enough on their own. in the future i will cut back on the apple cider vinegar. i also cut the butter in half. but the flavors of the pie come together beautifully and melt in your mouth.

all in all, delicious!

]]> By: EverSince http://blogs.kcrw.com/goodfood/2009/12/best-in-show-winning-apple-pie/comment-page-1/#comment-118 EverSince Mon, 28 Dec 2009 02:30:14 +0000 http://blogs.kcrw.com/goodfood/?p=654#comment-118 Also, forgot to mention that the step of broiling the apples was a bit of fussiness that didn't really work to brown the apples, and didn't seem to add anything. This pie is a LOT of work, even as pies go! Also, forgot to mention that the step of broiling the apples was a bit of fussiness that didn't really work to brown the apples, and didn't seem to add anything. This pie is a LOT of work, even as pies go!

]]> By: EverSince http://blogs.kcrw.com/goodfood/2009/12/best-in-show-winning-apple-pie/comment-page-1/#comment-117 EverSince Mon, 28 Dec 2009 02:28:18 +0000 http://blogs.kcrw.com/goodfood/?p=654#comment-117 Tried this for Christmas dinner, and overall, was disappointed. Some guests commented that the pie was too sweet, others that it wasn't sweet enough! The crust definitely has a savory taste, and one guest thought that while the filling was excellent, the crust was lacking. I thought the filling tasted of butter, and not in a good way (if you can taste the butter itself, it's moved to the forefront instead of supporting and harmonizing with the other flavors). I'm an experienced baker and have made many pies; can't help but wonder if the winning baker held back some of her secrets in order to protect the sanctity of her prize recipe! To be fair, could not find vanilla powder for the crust (but subbed in a good extract), and used cranberries instead of the soaked dried cherries, but other than that, this was by the book. It looked pretty, but I won't make it again. Tried this for Christmas dinner, and overall, was disappointed. Some guests commented that the pie was too sweet, others that it wasn't sweet enough! The crust definitely has a savory taste, and one guest thought that while the filling was excellent, the crust was lacking. I thought the filling tasted of butter, and not in a good way (if you can taste the butter itself, it's moved to the forefront instead of supporting and harmonizing with the other flavors). I'm an experienced baker and have made many pies; can't help but wonder if the winning baker held back some of her secrets in order to protect the sanctity of her prize recipe! To be fair, could not find vanilla powder for the crust (but subbed in a good extract), and used cranberries instead of the soaked dried cherries, but other than that, this was by the book. It looked pretty, but I won't make it again.

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