Peach Blueberry Pie

1 1/2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca (reserve one to sprinkle on pie crust bottom)
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
3 pounds peaches, peeled and sliced (6 cups, about 6 peaches)
12 ounces blueberries (2 cups)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1 homemade or store-bought double-crust pie dough
1 large egg, separated, white lightly beaten or veganaise/creamer blend
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, 5 TBL tapioca, and salt. Add peaches, blueberries, and lemon juice and toss to combine; let sit 15 minutes. Lightly flour a rolling pin and work surface and roll out half the dough to a 12-inch round. Place in a 9-inch pie plate and sprinkle with a tablespoon of tapioca. Pour in fruit filling and dot with butter.

Roll out remaining dough to a 12-inch round and place over fruit filling. Trim excess and crimp edges to seal. In a small bowl, lightly beat egg yolk with 1 tablespoon cold water or use a TBL of Veganaise with a tsp of creamer. Brush top of dough with mixture of choice. With a paring knife, cut several small slits on top to vent. Set on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until crust is deep golden brown and juices are bubbling, about 60 minutes. (Tent loosely with foil if crust browns too quickly.) Let pie cool completely on a wire rack, about 3 hours.

Based on a Martha Stewart Recipe. Altered slightly to accommodate my modified diet.

Apple Slab

Apple Slab.  Not the most romantic name for a dessert but you won't care what it's called once you get your first bite.  I made this for the the first time at Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit! It's sweet, a bit tangy and full of apple goodness. 

Ingredients

Pie Crust

Use your favorite pie crust recipe.  I made a double batch of Gluten Free Pie Crust and it worked out just perfect for the size of my pan. 

Filling

8 oz. gingersnap cookie crumbs (about 1 cup)

1 tablespoon quick cooking tapioca

3/4 cup sugar (1 cup if apples are really tart)
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice (about the juice of one lemon)
4 - 5 Tablespoons cornstarch (depending on how juicy the apples are)
8 Granny Smith or other good baking apple

Glaze

1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar (aka powdered sugar)

1/3 cup boiled cider (which you can buy or make yourself pretty inexpensively .  I added a cinnamon stick to the cider while it cooked.)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Enough milk or cream to make the mixture "drizzable".

Directions

Take your pie dough and split it into two parts about 60% and 40%.  Shape each piece of crust into a rectangle; you’re going to be rolling them into rectangles, so might as well give yourself a head start.

Take the larger piece of pastry and put it on a floured work surface (if your using a gluten dough) if it's GF place between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper to roll out.  Start to roll it into an 11” x 15” rectangle.  Lay the dough into the bottom of an ungreased 9"x13" pan. The dough should come up the sides of the pan.  Don't worry about ragged edges, they'll disappear under the top crust.

Messy, huh? That’s OK. Patch up the holes by pushing the pastry together with your fingers, or adding a pinch from the excess on the sides. Push the pastry up the sides of the pan a bit, to make a shallow pastry container for the apples.

In a separate bowl, add the tapioca to the gingersnap crumbs and mix well.  Dump the lot into your dish with the pie dough in it to make an even shallow layer. This will help to absorb the apples’ juice and keep the crust from becoming soggy. 

Put the crust in the fridge while you get the apples ready. And start preheating your oven to 350°F.

Combine in small bowl: sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon zest. In another small bowl combine melted butter and vanilla. Mix first bowl with second now. In third bowl combine lemon juice and cornstarch until thick. Now mix with other ingredients. Set aside. Try not to eat too much of this.

Next, we’re going to peel, core, and slice about 5 large or 6 to 7 medium baking apples. An apple peeler/corer/slicer makes this task fast and EASY.  In a large bowl combine the apples with spice mixture. Mix so that all fruit is thoroughly coated.  Lay the apples over the cookie crumbs. 

Roll the remaining piece of pastry into a 9” x 13” rectangle. Flop the top crust over the apples. Yes, apples will poke through. Seal the edges of the two crusts as well as you can. There’ll be places where they don’t quite meet. That’s OK. Just before baking, slash it 6 or 8 times to allow steam to escape. You can apply an egg wash at this point or for a vegan option brush on a mix of veganaise & (soy or coconut) creamer to give the crust a beautiful golden brown color. Put the slab in the preheated 350°F oven, and bake it for an hour or until you see sugary apple gel bubble up through the venting slits. 

No beauty queen, but icing will help its looks.  Remove it from the oven; it’ll be golden brown. Cool the slab completely before glazing.

Here’s a wonderfully tasty glaze: Combine 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, 1/3 cup boiled cider, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, a small pinch of salt, and enough milk or cream to make the mixture “drizzlable.”

Don’t have boiled cider? Use plain milk or cream, maple syrup, honey, or thawed apple juice concentrate. Start with 1/4 cup of any of these; if you’ve made this kind of icing before, you know it’s easier to add more liquid, than to try to take it away. Add enough liquid to make the glaze pourable. Drizzle the glaze artfully atop the slab.

Cut. Serve. Enjoy!

Original recipe that I altered.

Spiced Pumpkin Pie

INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose GF flour (Sweet Rice Flour would work too)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 1/2 cups canned solid pack pumpkin
1/2 tablespoon dark molasses
1/2 tablespoon maple syrup
4 large eggs
2/3 cup whipping cream
1 purchased frozen 9-inch pie crust or prepare a homemade crust.

DIRECTIONS
Place baking sheet in oven and preheat to 450°F.
Whisk first 8 ingredients together in large bowl to blend.
Whisk in pumpkin, molasses/maple syrup and eggs, then cream.
Pour mixture into frozen crust or homemade pie crust.
Bake 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325°F and bake until sides puff and center is just set, about 40 - 50 minutes. Cool.
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Serve at room temperature.

Serves 6 - 8

SUGGESTIONS
"Turn off oven after the time is up and leave pie to set for another 1/2 hour."
"If you're making your own crust, make sure the crust is frozen and dont use a glass pie pan - otherwise the bottom crust might be on the soggy side."
"Prebaking the crust for about 10 minutes before pouring in the filling helps to reduce the chance it might be soggy."

Originally this recipe came from epicurous.com. I'm currently trying to figure out how to make another version of this that doesn't use eggs.

Lemon Meringue Pie

For shell
Use your favorite Pie Crust Recipe. Make enough for a single-crust 9- to 10-inch pie
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Line shell with parchment paper and fill with rice or pie weights.
Bake shell in middle of oven 10 minutes.
Remove paper and rice carefully and bake shell until golden, about 12 minutes more. Cool shell in pie plate on a rack.
Lower oven temperature to 350°F.

For filling
1 cup sugar
7 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/2 cup milk
4 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest

For meringue
4 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar

Make filling:
Prep and measure out all ingredients as things go quickly once you get started.
In a heavy saucepan (w/ no heat) whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt and gradually whisk in water and milk, whisking until cornstarch is dissolved.
In a bowl whisk together egg yolks.
Cook milk mixture over moderate heat, whisking, until it comes to a boil and feels "dangerously thick".
Gradually whisk about 1 cup milk mixture into yolks and whisk yolk mixture into milk mixture.
Simmer mixture, whisking, 3 minutes or long enough until it's thick again.
Remove pan from heat and whisk in butter, lemon juice, and zest until butter is melted. Cover surface of filling with plastic wrap.

Make meringue:
In another bowl with an electric mixer beat egg whites with cream of tartar and a pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks.
Beat in sugar in a slow stream, beating until meringue just holds stiff peaks.
Pour filling into shell and spread meringue on top, covering filling completely, sealing it to pastry.
Draw meringue up into peaks and bake pie in middle of oven until meringue is golden, about 15 minutes.
Let cool for about two hours and then refrigerate.

It's as Easy as Apple Pie

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup sugar (1 cup if apples are really tart)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (about the juice of one lemon)
2 Tablespoons cornstarch (depending on how juicy the apples are)
8 Granny Smith or other good baking apple

One package ready made crust or your own crust recipe
1 egg (or 1 TBL veganaise and 1 TBL Silk Soy Creamer whisked)
1 dash of nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350*

Combine in small bowl: sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, 2 Tbl of the quick-cooking tapioca and lemon zest. In another small bowl combine melted butter and vanilla. Mix first bowl with second now. In third bowl combine lemon juice and cornstarch until thick. Now mix with other ingredients. Set aside. Try not to eat too much of this.

Take apples and peel them. Then half and quarter them, discard the core. Slice into wedges. In a large bowl combine the apples with spice mixture. Mix so that all fruit is thoroughly coated.

Grease a glass pie pan and prepare crust according to directions. Dust the inside bottom of crust with last TBL of quick-cooking tapioca. Fill crust with apple mixture. Place and seal upper crust to lower crust. Cut holes in the top crust to vent steam while baking.

Break egg and whisk with a little bit of water or use veganaise and creamer mix to brush on pie crust for glaze. Sprinkle with a dash of nutmeg.

Bake for 1 hour or until the pie is golden brown. Great warm with melted caramel and vanilla ice cream!!

Three Berry Pie

This was the pie I made for a summer gathering of family. I didn't quite get it made soon enough for it to set up properly but it was tart and warm and with ice cream scooped on top it was the perfect sweet compliment. I'll definitely be making it again! Of course I've made modifications to be GF/DF/EF...

1 cup granulated sugar (or more if berries are too tart)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups fresh blackberries (3/4 to 1 pound)
2 cups fresh raspberries (1/2 to 3/4 pound)
2 cups fresh blueberries (1/2 to 3/4 pound)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
GF Pie Crust
2 Tablespoons Soy creamer (I use Silk Soy Creamer - French Vanilla
1 Tablespoon Vegenaise

OPTIONAL:
sanding sugar
cinnamon

Special equipment: a 9-inch metal or glass pie plate (4-cup capacity)
Accompaniment: Any alternative milk ice cream like frozen dessert.... rice dream, soy ice cream, etc.

Put a large baking sheet in middle of oven and preheat oven to 450°F.

Whisk together granulated sugar, cornstarch, tapioca, and salt, then toss with berries and lemon zest.

Roll out 1 piece of dough into a 13-inch round and fit into lightly greased pie plate. Trim edge, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Chill shell while rolling out dough for top crust.

Roll out remaining piece of dough on lightly floured surface with floured rolling pin into an 11-inch round.

Spoon filling into shell, then cover pie with pastry round and trim with kitchen shears, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Press edges together, then crimp edge decoratively. Brush top of pie with Veganaise and Creamer mixture (should be smooth and the consistency of heavy cream). Sprinkle all over with sanding sugar and or cinnamon. Cut 3 steam vents in top crust with a small sharp knife.

Bake pie on hot baking sheet in middle of oven 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 375°F and continue to bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling, about 45 minutes more.

Cool pie on a rack at least 3 hours before serving to allow juices to thicken slightly (filling will still be juicy). This is the hardest part of this recipe.

Adjusted the following recipe to accommodate my diet
Gourmet | August 2003
Active time: 40 minutes Start to finish: 6 hours(includes making dough and cooling pie)
Yield: Makes 8 servings
Active Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 6 hours
Original recipe at Epicurious.com

Gluten Free Pie Crust

GLUTEN FREE PIE CRUST:

Makes enough dough for two 9-inch pie shells or a two crust pie.

INGREDIENTS:
1 3/4 cups gluten free flour mix*
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar (omit if using crust for a savory recipe such as quiche)
9 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 jumbo egg plus one egg yolk, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tablespoons gluten free sour cream

DIRECTIONS:
Combine flour, salt, and sugar. Using a pastry blender or a fork, work butter in until small bits the size of peas are distributed throughout the flour mix. Make a well in the mixture and add the egg and sour cream, mixing thoroughly with a fork. If the mixture is crumbly, knead very lightly until the dough just holds together.

GLUTEN FREE, EGG FREE & DAIRY FREE PIE CRUST:

Makes enough dough for two 9-inch pie shells or a two crust pie.

INGREDIENTS:
1 3/4 cups gluten free flour mix*
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar (omit if using crust for a savory recipe such as quiche)
9 tablespoons cold butter substitute (I use Earth Balance), cut into pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons gluten free sour cream
1 1/2 tablespoons Vegenaise
Soy Creamer (or any other high fat alternative milk/dairy substitute like coconut cream)

DIRECTIONS:
Combine flour, salt, and sugar. Using a pastry blender or a fork, work butter in until small bits the size of peas are distributed throughout the flour mix. Make a well in the mixture and add the Vegenaise and sour cream, mixing thoroughly with a fork. If the mixture is crumbly, knead very lightly until the dough just holds together or add by teaspoons soy creamer.

DIRECTIONS CONTINUED FOR EITHER VERSION USED ABOVE:

Gather half of the dough into a ball and shape it into a 5-inch disk. repeat with remaining dough. Wrap both disks tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Follow direction for individual pie or tart recipes. If blind baking continue to follow the recipe below.

Notes: A marble surface provides the ideal cool work surface; however if you don't have one, place ice or gel ice packs on your countertop prior to rolling out the dough. Once a crust is blind baked, you can freeze it for future use.

On a cool countertop, between two sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap, roll half the dough into an 11-inch circle. Remove wax paper from one side. Pick up the crust with your hand on the wax paper side. Place the crust into a 9-inch pie plate and remove the wax paper. Make a fluted pie edge by tucking the overhanging dough under to make a double edge and pressing the two layers together. Pinch a V shape every 1/2" around the edge of the pie crust.

Cover crust-lined pie plates with foil and heap dried beans or pie weights inside. Place pie plates in the refrigerator for 15 minutes while preheating oven to 400-degrees F. Bake crust for 20 minutes or until edges turn golden. Allow crust to cool for 5 minutes, then remove foil and weights. Return crust to oven for five more minutes if a crisp golden crust is desired. Allow crust to cool for 10 minutes before filling.

I blind bake all my single crust recipes before filling. For my two crust recipes I don't and just fill the soft dough. Before baking I apply an egg wash to the dough for a shiny golden crust. (Egg wash = 1 egg whipped with about 2 teaspoons of milk or cream. Cinnamon or nutmeg can be added if appropriate to the recipe. Brush on with a pastry brush.)

*GF FLOUR MIX:
You can buy this mix from The Gluten Free mall or your local retailer. Authentic Foods Multi-blend Gluten Free Flour Mix. I recommend this route as they grind their flours much finer than most, eliminating the gritty texture that is the bane of GF baking. Or you can make your own (which I do, still using Authentic Foods flour for the fine texture.)

1 cup brown rice flour
1 1/4 cup white rice flour
1/4 cup potato starch flour
2/3 cup tapioca starch flour
3/4 cup sweet rice flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons xanthan or guar gum