Ask A Baltimore Expert: Your Best Thanksgiving Pie Recipe

The Daily Meal Staff|

In Baltimore, togetherness is sealed with a piping hot, fresh autumn pie. Vivid hues of orange and purple appease the hearts, minds and bellies of many around town. This Thanksgiving, celebrate kinship by creating tasty renditions of classically timeless, decadent, homemade desserts. Two of Baltimore's premier pastry chefs divulge their favorite traditional pie recipes. From a scrumptious apple cobbler to "gooey" pumpkin pie, the tummies of elated guests will, unapologetically so, beckon for more.

Chef Ashley Burke, Pastry Lead
 Baltimore Marriott Waterfront 
 700 Aliceanna St.
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 385-3000
www.marriott.com

Gooey Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

Crust

  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 4 oz melted butter (1 stick)
  • 1 egg

Filling

  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 16 oz powdered sugar
  • 4 oz butter melted
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 15 oz pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves

Directions:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F.
  2. Mix crust ingredients together until they come to a ball.
  3. Divide the ball into 2 halves and press into 2 pie pans.
  4. Using a mixer or hand mixer, cream the cream cheese until soft (you may put into the microwave to make it a little softer).
  5. Once the cream cheese is soft, mix in the powdered sugar until nice and fluffy.
  6. Add melted butter into the mix and then add the eggs and vanilla extract.
  7. Lastly, add the pumpkin puree and the spices into the mix.
  8. Pour mix into the 2 pie dishes you have to the side and place in the oven at 325 degrees F for approximately 45 minutes.         
  9. The center of the pie will look a little liquidly but it will set once it has cooled down.
  10. If you think it needs more time, you can put it back in for 10 more minutes.
  11. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Related: Best Baltimore Restaurants Open On Thanksgiving

Angie Law, Executive Pastry Chef
 Bagby Group's Cunningham's 
 1 Olympic Place
Towson, MD 21204
(410) 339-7730
www.cunninghamstowson.com

Apple Cobbler

Ingredients:

Brisee (pie dough)

  • 7 oz unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 lb all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup ice cold water

Apple Cobbler Filling

  • 1 lb granny smith apples, peeled and sliced
  • 4 oz granulated white sugar
  • 2 oz light brown sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean, split in half length-wise, seeds scraped
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Juice and zest of 1 lemon
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions:

Brisee (pie dough)

  1. In mixing bowl with a paddle attachment, cut butter into flour and salt to pea-size pieces.
  2. With the mixer running on low, slowly drizzle cold water until dough comes together.
  3. On a lightly floured surface, very lightly knead the dough and form into a round patty.
  4. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
  5. After the dough has rested, on a floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/8-inch thickness.
  6. Cut the dough into 1/4-inch strips. Align half of the strips 1/4-inch apart.
  7. Lift every other strip half way up. Lay down a strip of dough perpendicular to the strips and replace the strips that were lifted back to the original spot.
  8. Now, lift up the other strips and repeat.
  9. Continue this pattern until you have 1 sheet of lattice. Chill the sheet and then with a very sharp knife, cut the lattice to fit your cast iron pot or baking dish. Keep cold while preparing apple filling. 

Apple Filling

  1. Toss sliced apples with white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla bean, cinnamon, lemon juice and zest.
  2. Set aside for 10-15 minutes.
  3. Sprinkle cornstarch evenly over the apples and using your hands, toss to coat the apples well.
  4. Portion into cast iron pots that have been sprayed with pan spray.
  5. Place the lattice circle on top.
  6. Brush with heavy cream, and sprinkle with sugar in the raw.
  7. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until hot and bubbly and the apples are tender.
  8. Serve warm with Honeycomb Buttermilk ice cream or another good quality ice cream.

Related: Thanksgiving Activities For Your Out Of Town Relatives

Keisha Oduor is a professional writer and entrepreneur who resides in Baltimore, Maryland. She has a degree in Communications and French from New York University with work experience in publishing, nonprofits, healthcare administration and program management. Her work can be found on Examiner.com"

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