Apple Pie Perfect: 100 Delicious and Decidedly Different Recipes for America's Favorite Pie

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Summary: Like apples? Like baking? Buy this book!
Review: Ever wanted to know why you have to punch steam vents in your crust? Not sure how to tell when your pie is done? Does your bottom crust always come out soggy, not golden and firm? This book can solve your problems--never have the bottom crusts on our apple pies come out so well!

The book includes "A Pie Maker's Guide to Apple Varieties." It would help if I could actually find more than four or five apple varieties at our store, of course. But at least it tells me the characteristics of the various apple varieties so I can substitute an appropriate variety for the exotic ones called for in some of these recipes. (It also helps that recipes often include notes such as this one from the grated apple pie recipe: "The original Pennsylvania Dutch recipe calls for Winesap apples, but any firm, juicy, tart apple, including Granny Smith, will do.") By the time you're done you'll be able to make whatever kind of apple pie you like best, whether that's mushy or firm, juicy or dry, sweet or tart. You'll also find little "helper" recipes in here, like various crust recipes, sauces, and so on.

The layout is clean and clear. Ingredients are delineated by crust, filling, topping, and so on. Direction steps are numbered and broken down into short steps. There's one short spread of color photo pages in the middle of the book, so you can stare at the frozen apple and peanut butter cloud pie and die of sugar shock. We have stumbled across one instance of slightly confused directions so far, but it was easy to figure out how to fix it, and that was the only incident. There's a good index in the back of the book (you can look up recipes by type of apple), and the table of contents lists out each individual pie with page number.

Every single recipe we've made from this book has come out completely and utterly delicious. I'm usually disappointed by apple pie, but not by the pies from this cookbook! Even when they aren't my favorite texture or taste, they're still so good that I don't mind! And they're creative and unusual, guaranteed to keep us from ever becoming bored with apple pie again (apple and brie hand pies, anyone?). So if you enjoy apple pie and don't mind straying a little from the beaten path, this cookbook truly is "Apple Pie Perfect."

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Summary: An astonishing array of apple pie and other apple desserts
Review: Ken Haedrich, a regular contributor to both BETTER HOMES & GARDENS and BON APPETIT, has struck a home run with his "Apple Pie Perfect"--the first all-apple-pie cookbook I've ever seen. Normally I shy away from cookbooks that are so narrowly focused, but as I like Haedrich's relaxed writing style and because apple pies are such wonderfully American desserts, I decided to take a look inside. I was astounded by what I saw.

Haedrich has delivered here nearly every conceivable apple pie permutation you can imagine. The purely apple ones include Baked Apple Dumpling Pie, Grated Apple Pie, Apple Cobbler Pie, Apple Upside-Down Pan Pie, Shaker Boiled Apple Cider Pie, and dozens of others. Then there are the pies which fudge the title a little bit and branch out into other fruits: Apple Cherry Pie with Coconut Almond Crumb Topping, Apple and Champagne Grape Pie, several pies combining apples and tomatoes (yes!), Cottage Cheese-Cheesecake Apple Pie, Apple Pie with Prunes and Port, and more. Haedrich even gives us the official recipe for New York State's Official Apple Pie (using McIntosh apples, an apple most knowing bakers would shy away from for use in a pie, as it gets smushy--but he says it's delicious in this particular recipe).

Of course Haedrich also supplies his readers with a broad variety of different pie crusts and gives, as always, all manner of helpful hints based on his extensive home-baking experience. He is a kindly and knowledgeable guide, and his avuncular voice is particularly well-suited to this book. The book boasts an attractive and easy-to-read graphic design (although I would prefer that the color used for headers and sidebars were something other than red, which can be hard on the eyes, it DOES make sense in a book about apples!).

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Summary: They really are simple!
Review: My husband and I just returned from a class taught by Ken at King Arthur Flour in Vermont. We made three different pies in the 4-hour class -- all straight forward and simple. My husband is not a cook, chef or baker... though he is a consumer. He really enjoyed himself, and loved the results. He's now saying he'll probably make more.

I've never made lattice-top crust and Ken's four-step process is as easy as... well, pie. (Sorry.) The pies turned out beautifully and look much more professional than my normal ones.

So, if you want a book by someone who really puts his heart into his subject, buy this one. And, if you have a chance to take one of his classes, I highly recommend it.

Enjoy!

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Summary: apple pie heaven
Review: The humble apple pie is so easy to make, yet tastes so good. Home made pies are rare these days, so I am glad to have a new book with nothing but recipes for apple pies, 100 in all. Strictly speaking, some of the recipes are not pies, but close relatives.

I like this cookbook very much. I appreciate the simple, direct instructions. I did not have any real problems with the recipes I tried. Note that the author prefers streusel toppings over the traditional 2-crust pie. I find the instructions to remove a blazing hot, half-baked pie out of the oven and pressing toppings onto it with your hands dangerous and not advisable. The author has not solved the problem of a giant air gap under the top crust of a baked pie; he sidesteps the issue by usually recommending a streusel topping, to be applied halfway through baking. The author also lives in the northeast, so much of his comments about different apple varieties apply to those not usually available on the west coast.

On the other hand, there are a few missing elements, which is rather surprising for a book that is essentially only one recipe with 99 variations. One would expect some hints and problems that relate to most of the recipes in the book, yet none are forthcoming. Since all the recipes have apples, one would also expect an extended section about apples: seasons, different types, which to choose for which recipe, typical characteristics, etc. However, the information about apples is perfunctory. It should also have a section on preparing apples, rolling the crust, and how to flute the edges (some information on this does finally appear on p. 81 in an easily overlooked sidebar), but this information is mostly lacking; there are a few tips hopelessly scattered in random portions of the text where you will never find them when you need them. Information on slicing apples appears in a side bar on page 41. It would be helpful to have some sort of cross reference to tell you which recipe is best for different apples, for those who come home from the market with a bagful of a particular type of apple in peak season. I also object to the organization: the recipes are grouped into chapters, but the groupings do not make much sense. More disturbingly, all the ingredients are listed in volume measure, but do not include weight equivalents. The author lists flour amounts in cups only, but does describe what method he uses to fill the measuring cups (dip and sweep, spooning, sifting, etc.). The apple amounts are usually listed in cups of cut up apples; this is unfortunate, as one buys apples by the piece or pound, not by the cupful, in the market. The author does not supply equivalents or conversions.

All in all, I enjoy having such a large number of recipes for just one thing: apple pies, since I like them very much; you will never run out of new recipes to try. However, any single subject cookbook must be more than just 100 similar recipes jumbled together; it must also cover its subject and its aspects thoroughly and in depth. This book does not meet that standard.

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Summary: 100 mouth-watering recipes for America's most popular fruit
Review: To put it quite simply, Ken Haedrich's Apple Pie Perfect is the ultimate cookbook showcasing one hundred mouth-watering recipes for America's most popular fruit. The recipes are clearly laid out in a thoroughly easy-to-follow style. Of special interest is Haedrich's "A Pie Maker's Guide To Apple Varieties" and his very special section dedicated to "Special Occasion Apple Pies". From Apple Upside-Down Pan Pie; Farm Stand Apple and Peach Pie; Wine Country Green Grape and Apple Pie; and Shaker Boiled Apple Cider Pie; to Honey Whole Wheat Apple Pie; Apple Cheesecake Pie; Caramel-Apple Nut Pie; Apple Plum Pie with Coconut Streusel; and Tipsy Apple and Dried Cranberry Pie, Apple Pie Perfect is the definitive kitchen cookbook when it comes to one of America's favorite deserts!

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Summary: I Can't Wait For Apple Season!!
Review: Why would you buy a one item cookbook? Believe me, this book will delight every apple lover and convert those who disdain this juicy fruit. Beginning with the crust recipes, Ken Haedrich won me over. I recall my childhood days in Vermont when warm apple pie was served with Cabot cheddar cheese. Pie a la mode was for the tourists. Well, I tried the Cheddar Cheese Crust and all I can say is...YUMMMM! As I perused the recipes, I kept returning to Apple Cheesecake Pie and I finally succumbed. What I was looking for was a simple recipe for a dessert to take to a party or to serve to guests. I must confess that the first time I made this, I did neither. I kept it ALL for myself!!
My hedonism aside, this is a keeper! The directions are simple and most of the recipes have only a few ingredients. The crust recipes alone more than justify the price. But you will keep coming back...I know I will...and do!