Apple Pie for Two

One recipe for a 10" single pie crust (I've posted it here many times -
the Cook's Illustrated recipe from about 1994); the CI recipe for The
Best Apple Pie (same issue) was my guide for the filling measures. I
used 3 apples (2 Haralson, one Keepsake) and about half the measures for
the sugar, flour, spice.
Significant deviation: Because these were two small (4" dia.) pies, I
figured they wouldn't bake as long as a regular pie before the crust
looking good, so I nuked the sliced apples (only) for 5 minutes before
mixing with the dry ingredients for the filling. I should have drained
them more before adding the dry stuff, I think.

OK, so made the dough and set apart about 1/3 for the top crusts of
these little guys. Divided the other 2/3 in half and used each portion
for a bottom crust. I divided the filling between the two pie shells
and rolled half of the reserved third for each top crust. I forgot to
put the butter on top before laying the crusts on. Drat.

I put the two small tins on a baking sheet and baked them for 15 minutes
at 400 deg, then removed them from the baking sheet (pizza pan) with my
trusty bench knife, the continued baking them for another 15 minutes at
350 deg. Pictures are on my website. I have no idea how they taste but
they look decent enough. Haven't yet decided if we'll share one or each
have a whole one.

-Barb
--
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com, updated 10-20-05 with a note from Niece Jo.

WeBeenBakin'Too! Muffins. (I have to get more muffin tins; I have
two regular sized, which gives only 12 muffins.)

I made Pear Ginger Muffins, posted by Kay Hartman a few years ago:
Google message ID

I also made Whole Wheat Pumpkin muffins.
http://users.rcn.com/sue.interport/food/pumkmuff.htm

from Kay:
Pear Ginger Muffins
This recipe is from Stars Desserts by Emily Luchetti.

7 ounces (1 3/4 sticks) sweet butter
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon peeled and grated fresh ginger root
2 cups peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped pears

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Paperline the muffin tins or butter them.

Put the butter and the sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer.
Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed until light and
creamy. [I still don't own an electric mixer so I just used my hand
mixer with its normal regular beaters and it worked fine.] Add the
eggs and then the milk and vanilla.

Combine the dry ingredients and fold them into the butter mixture.
Stir in the ginger and the pears. [Don't forget to add the liqueur
like I did if you are going to us it.] Do not overmix the batter or
the muffins will be tough.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pans and bake the muffins for
about 30 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out
clean. Let the muffins sit in the pan for 5 minutes and then turn
them out.

WHOLE WHEAT PUMPKIN MUFFINS
(Source: Hodgson Mill Stone Ground Whole Wheat Flour bag)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~
2 c sugar
3 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c vegetable oil
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1-1/2 c pumpkin
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 c water
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 c raisins (optional)
1 c walnuts

In a large bowl, mix sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin and water. In a small
bowl mix flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices. Add to first
mixture and blend together. Add raisins and/or nuts.

Let stand at room temperature for one hour, during which time preheat
the oven to 400 deg.

Grease 24 muffin tins (or line with paper). Bake 13-15 min. These
muffins freeze well.

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

"Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
...
>> Apple Pie for Two
>>
>
> Having eaten half of one, let me say this about that: They are perfect
> in all respects. I make a damn fine pie crust with that CI recipe - in
> the food processor.
> --


Great thinking, Barb. I will have to try making small pies. We never
finish a whole pie, and it's such a shame. I don't have 4" pans, but I have
maybe 5" or 6" deep dish pizza pans (they're kind of thick, and ridged). I
bought them thinking I could make mini-apple pies in them, but never got
around to it.

You've inspired me! I will go to it this week (yeah, and I'll have to try
those pumpkin muffins that Curly Sue posted about).

Thx all,

Chris

On Sat, 29 Oct 2005 21:54:35 -0500, Melba's Jammin' wrote:

> Having eaten half of one, let me say this about that: They are perfect
> in all respects. I make a damn fine pie crust with that CI recipe - in
> the food processor.

You absolutely crack me up, woman! There's no conceit (in this case,
self-assurance) in your family.... you've got it all. LOLOL

In article >,
sf > wrote:

> On Sat, 29 Oct 2005 21:54:35 -0500, Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>
> > Having eaten half of one, let me say this about that: They are perfect
> > in all respects. I make a damn fine pie crust with that CI recipe - in
> > the food processor.
>
> You absolutely crack me up, woman! There's no conceit (in this case,
> self-assurance) in your family.... you've got it all. LOLOL
>
>

Oh, please! Modesty is overrated. It took me a very long time to
recognize that tooting one's own horn is not a mortal sin. And it's my
job to provide comic relief. "Who tooteth not her own horn, her horn
doth not get tooted." That particular pie dough recipe is a gem, AFAIC.
That version is 11 years old; I believe they've published a different
"Best Pie Dough" recipe since. Similar but with some tweaks. When I
made that dough last night, I did it a tad differently, on a whim. When
I added the ice water, I sprinkled two of the four tbsp I used on the
mixture in the food processor and gave it a coupla pulses. Then I
turned it into a bowl and sprinkled the rest of the water on and blended
with a large fork before rounding into a ball to wrap in waxed paper and
chill. Worked slicker'n snot, too. "Something" I read "somewhere" said
that the mixture could take more abuse than generally thought. I think
it's true at that stage, but I try to not overhandle it once I start
rolling. Yep, I make a damn fine pie crust with that CI recipe - in the
food processor. May make a couple more later on in the day, too, if I
pick up some decent Haralsons somewhere.
--
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com, updated 10-20-05 with a note from Niece Jo.

In article <u2Y8f.2397$8T1.847@trnddc05>,
"Back to Chris" > wrote:

> "Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
> ...
> >> Apple Pie for Two
> >>
> >
> > Having eaten half of one, let me say this about that: They are perfect
> > in all respects. I make a damn fine pie crust with that CI recipe - in
> > the food processor.
> > --
>
>
> Great thinking, Barb. I will have to try making small pies. We never
> finish a whole pie, and it's such a shame. I don't have 4" pans, but I have
> maybe 5" or 6" deep dish pizza pans (they're kind of thick, and ridged). I
> bought them thinking I could make mini-apple pies in them, but never got
> around to it.
>
> You've inspired me! I will go to it this week (yeah, and I'll have to try
> those pumpkin muffins that Curly Sue posted about).
>
> Thx all,
>
> Chris

Thanks, Chris. I picked up these little pie tins at a brand new kitchen
place at the Mall of America yesterday. I've seen them, too, at outlet
mall kitchen gear places. The ones I bought yesterday were a moral
obligation to purchase -- half a buck each. My next move with these bad
boys may be pumpkin pielets. I think I'd use the measures for a 8"
one-crust - and that would be a generous amount at that. Maybe futz
with making smaller -- yeah, that's the ticket.

My mom used to make something akin to an apple pie, but it was more like
a fruit bar. Two crusts with the apple pie mixture for filling, but it
was not juicy or messy. Just totally wonderful. Gotta check with
Sister Julie for those particulars. She's generally regarded as the
worst cook in the family, but she does a great job with those.
--
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com, updated 10-20-05 with a note from Niece Jo.

On Sun, 30 Oct 2005 10:20:51 -0500, Melba's Jammin'
>
wrote:
>
> Thanks, Chris. I picked up these little pie tins at a brand new kitchen
> place at the Mall of America yesterday. I've seen them, too, at outlet
> mall kitchen gear places. The ones I bought yesterday were a moral
> obligation to purchase -- half a buck each. My next move with these bad
> boys may be pumpkin pielets. I think I'd use the measures for a 8"
> one-crust - and that would be a generous amount at that. Maybe futz
> with making smaller -- yeah, that's the ticket.
>
> My mom used to make something akin to an apple pie, but it was more like
> a fruit bar. Two crusts with the apple pie mixture for filling, but it
> was not juicy or messy. Just totally wonderful. Gotta check with
> Sister Julie for those particulars. She's generally regarded as the
> worst cook in the family, but she does a great job with those.


I picked up a recipe for something that sounds a bit like your description,
only it's rather messy. That's likely my fault, not the recipe's! Good stuff
though, although the all-butter crust is a bit trickier to handle. If I were
to make it now, I think I'd just use the CI recipe for pie crust.

Ariane

Apple Pie Bars
(Don't remember where I got it now)

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg yolk plus enough milk to make 2/3 cup (set aside white)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
5-8 medium apples, cored, peeled and cut into slices
3/4 to 1 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
4 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Blend flour with salt and butter until it is consistency of coarse
meal. Make sure to leave some small pieces of butter unblended for a
flaky pastry. Add egg yolk/milk mixture and form dough into a ball.
Divide ball in half. Roll out one part to form bottom crust, in a
rectangular shape, about 1/8-1/4 inch thick. Place on greased baking
sheet.

Mix apple slices with sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice and 4 Tbsp.
flour, toss to coat evenly. Arrange slices on top of pastry. Roll out
other half of dough and cover, pinching the edges to seal shut. Brush
reserved egg white on top and sprinkle with sugar, maybe 1-2 Tbsp.

Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 400 and
bake an additional 20-25 minutes or until top is golden and apples are
tender.