I adore apple pie, just adore it. Of course I adore all fruit pies but if I had to pick a favorite it would be apple--right after blackberry and peach and fresh strawberry and blueberry and cherry my favorite would definitely be apple. Right there nudging out pear and raspberry and rhubarb.I was in a baking mood a few weeks back when I caught some apples on sale so I made tiny little individual-sized apple pies. Okay so maybe they weren't so tiny. In fact if you had weighed and measured you'd have probably found each to be the equivalent of two pieces of pie but is that wrong?
I think not.
So make it easy on yourself and buy some refrigerated pie crusts and if you don't have an apple peeler already go get one now. Now. I'll wait.Once you have your apple peeler and dough you can go to town making all sorts of cute little mini pies--don't worry about a bottom crust, just throw the fruit in the lightly greased ramekin and form the dough over the top.
Here are a couple tips at no extra charge:
1. If you don't have ramekins use small, wide-mouthed 1-cup Mason jars. They're about the same size but even homier and cuter.
2. Cut a circle of dough or use a large cookie cutter to cut out a top for the pie in a fun festive shape--a large star, pumpkin or heart would be cute--then just lay it over the top and don't worry about pinching and sealing (without a bottom crust who cares anyway?)My gut tells me that the crust is just a vehicle for the goodies inside anyway. You can get about four crusts out of one round of refrigerated pie dough.
3. Rather than using slices of apple cut the slices into smaller pieces--they'll lay flatter and nicer in the cup that way and be easier to spoon out.
4. If you're really in a hurry or want a quick after school snack that's healthy try spooning chunky applesauce mixed with some cinnamon into a cup then top with a bit of crust--the kids will get less sugar and will love the new way of eating a bit of fruit.
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Technorati tags: pies, apples, baking, food
21 comments:
Another couple of things you can use if you don't have ramekins are: a jumbo muffin tin - I made individual pot pies in them - only problem, they might fall apart a bit when you remove them. We've also used those little "cake pans" from a child's baking set - those work great.
Oh this couldn't have come at a better time! We're drowning in apples, thanks to a recent preschool field trip to the orchard, and I hadn't thought about making individual pies. This is a great idea, especially if your family is prone to arguing over who gets the last piece!
I love pie. I also like making pies. They make the house smell so good and oh, man, I want pie. Now....hmmm.....what do I have in the house?
Mmmm. Thanks! My Hunny and kids went to an orchard yesterday and picked bags of apples! Looking forward to using them this way!
Perfect! We have 3 small apple trees that are just now ready to eat. This is a great idea. My kids will all love having their own pie.
Great Idea - I needed another outlet for my apples.
And even simpler buy bunches of the little foil tins! That way you can toss or recycle them when you finished the goodness inside!
I craving a good old fashion fried apple pie. Like my grandma always made out of dried apples (but you could use fresh!) She always used a saucer to cut a circle of dough out and then filled it with apples,sugar and spices. closed it up , half moon shape and then fried them in a skillet !
OH MY, the goodness and fatness!
Great idea.
I sometimes make tiny apple crumbles. Blend 100g flour, 100g porridge oats, 100g olive spread or butter, 50g brown sugar and 1 tsp ground cinnamon till it all looks like breadcrumbs and use as a toppng as an alternative to pastry. You can keep a batch of this it in the fridge to use as and when. If you prefer it sweeter double the sugar.
It's even easier if you don't peel the apples - and you get all that extra fiber! That's my story and I'm sticking too it (ok, I'm lazy too). I find I make way more pies if I don't have to peel. I made a bunch of pies when my mom's apple tree had a fabulous crop this year - but we're MUCH further south than you and local apples have come and gone.
I think any kind of food that is mini is adorable, so I love these! Who cares if they are the equivalent of 2 pieces? This way you get a little more without really know it. :)
I love tiny food.
I love to pretend all bags of M&Ms are single serving size, it just depends on how hungry you are at the time.
Back to the tiny food, I know I am a grown up but tiny food brings out my inner child. She lurks so close to the surface that just the mention of tiny food can call her out of hiding!
I'm so going to try this!
What do you add to the apple filling besides apples?
What a great idea! Kudos to you and for sharing, too!
To cute to eat!
Oh! Cute! This reminds me I used to make little fruit pies. Whatever happened to that?!
out of curiousity, how well would an apple peeler work for crab apples? I have a crab apple tree in my yard. This past summer I made 2 pies and a few batches of muffins with it. I had tons of apples left but I didn't feel like peeling any more, those things are painsakingly small! so curious about the peeler! ;)
I would n't bother to peel crab apples just cook them whole then mash with a potato masher and pass thro a seive to get the apple puree. Or put in a muslin bag and make crab apple jelly, the colour is gorgeous, wish I had a crab apple tree.
Anne,The apple peeler looks amazing where can you get them?
Me again,if you've got loads of apples heres's a fave of mine, a soup made from tomato, apple, celery and onion. Roughly equal quantities of each plus a little fresh ginger and nutmeg and some stock. There a several versions which you can find thro google. The original recipe I used cooked blitzed and sieved, I prefer to just cook and blitz for a more wholefood version.
Uses up surplus tomatoes as well as apples. ...mmmmm!
I'm wondering if I should start an apple blog!
Tessa--that sounds wonderful! I got my peeler online. Do a search and I bet most kitchen gadget places would have one.
Thanks Michelle, I'll have a look. I don't usually peel apples but the peeler would be such a conversation piece like an arty installation for the kitchen!
You are making apple pie?! Does this mean your house is back in order and everything is finished?
I love these little pies, as a matter of fact small individual pieces of any type of pastry are like kingly treats!
xoxo Enzie
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