Fruit pie recipe: as American as apple pie

Let’s look at a short history of the American pie and tantalize your taste buds with a delicious fruit pie recipe.

How has the humble pie become a symbol of tradition, home and prosperity in American culture?

The history of the American pie

Early American settlers adapted their native pie traditions to their new homeland. Pilgrims brought apple spurs with them, which matured into fruit-bearing trees. Apple pies were popular because they used less flour than bread and were inexpensive to bake. Apples were plentiful and easy to dry and store in barrels during the winter.

During the 1800s, pies became less popular, but their popularity picked up again after World War II. Modern food advances made pie making easier. In the 1980s, pies made a comeback into the American food culture. Pies began to reflect the regional differences in the areas where early Americans settled.

Traditional regional pies

These are some of the most famous pie recipes with fruit:

• Blueberry pie (Maine)
• Chess pie (south)
• Shoofly pie (Pennsylvania)
• Key lime pie (Florida)

Fruit pie recipe

Do you know how to make a mouthwatering fruit pie? Here is a step-by-step fabulous fruit pie recipe. Try and make a homemade pie next fall and watch your family’s jaws drop next Thanksgiving dinner.

This classic flaky apple pie is actually perfect for any time of year. And don’t sweat! It’s a fruit pie recipe (See also: Fruit puree its full potential) that can be made by a baker of any experience level.

Ingredients

Pastry (makes enough for both the bottom and top crust)

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup cold unsalted cubed butter
• 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 6-8 Tbsp ice water
• 1 egg (to brush over your pie crust before it goes in the oven)

Filling

• 6 apples (peeled, cored and sliced into ½-inch segments)
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• ½ cup granulated sugar or brown sugar

Note: if your apple pieces are going to stand for any time, toss them lightly in a tablespoon of lemon juice to stop them from going brown.

Get your hands in

Mix the dry ingredients. Rub in the cubed butter into the flour until it looks like peas – alternatively, you could use a food processor to pulse the ingredients. Add the ice water (without ice cubes). Start with 6 Tbsp. If the dough doesn’t stick together when you pinch it between your fingertips, add the rest of the water slowly.

Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured clean work surface. Knead the mixture gently and form into a ball. Do not overwork. Separate the dough into two discs and refrigerate. You should still see pieces of butter in the dough. This will keep the crust flaky. Wrap the discs in clingfilm – or beeswax wrap as an eco-friendly alternative – to stop it from drying out. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Time to prepare the filling

Mix the apple slices, lemon juice, flour, cinnamon, sugar and salt together.

Putting the pie together

Roll one of the discs of the rested dough with a floured rolling pin to 1/8-inch thickness. You could also roll it between two sheets of greaseproof paper. Lay over a pie plate and press gently into the base, crimping the edges and removing excess dough. Brush the beaten egg lightly onto the pie crust edge. Place the filling on the bottom crust.

Take the second disc out of the fridge and roll it to the same thickness. Place the cover on the top of the pie – you could of course attempt to weave a lattice pie crust. Crimp and seal the edges and slice three vents into the top of the pie with a knife. Brush on the egg wash being careful not to block the vents. Bake in a preheated 375 ºF oven for 60 to 90 minutes until the crust is golden. The filling should be oozing and bubbling around the vents.

Let the pie rest for an hour after baking and serve with a dollop of cream or vanilla ice-cream. This fruit pie recipe makes a simply scrumptious dessert!

A delicious all-American apple and blueberry fruit pie recipe

For a delectable twist on the classic apple filling, add a handful of fresh blueberries or the equivalent in blueberry puree.

Have some fun with this fruit pie recipe

As you can see, you can tell the story of the American nation through pie. The 4^th of July, America’s birthday, is one of the most popular days for baking and eating pies in America. However, it is a perfect dessert for any time of the year. So, it’s time to get baking with this classic fruit pie recipe.