Fall Tradition: Artistic Apple Pies

I love autumn. While green is my favorite color, nothing quite compares to the rusts, oranges, and golds of autumn trees. There are so many things to love about this season. But, perhaps my favorite is that apples are in season—and with them, a wonderful yearning for apple pie.

Baking as a Creative Endeavor

As an artist, I look for ways to be creative in everything I do, and baking is no exception. My aunt once told me this when I was a child… “It does not matter how bad of a cook you are. If you can make a great dessert, everyone will think you are amazing.” Her advice became my mantra. While I don’t consider myself a great cook—just a passable one—I love to bake desserts and give them my own creative flair. And Aunt Shirley was right: everyone invited to my table seems to think I’m a great cook!

Apple Pie: A Canvas for Creativity

Apple pie has become a favorite of mine, alongside my summer favorite, lemon meringue. What I love about pies are the way you can dress them up creatively to make them the star of the table. For years, I would use a new paintbrush and food coloring to create artistic designs on the top crust.

To do this, I’d make the pie as usual, including the top crust, stopping just before piercing it for venting. I would then plan my design, typically something simple, like red apples with green leaves on a brown branch. The vents would be strategically placed along the edges of the apples. This quick, watercolor-like artwork always brought lots of “oohs” and “aahs.”

Adding Dimension with Cookie Cutter Shapes

Over time, I began adding a bit more dimension to my designs. Instead of cutting vents around the design, I’d use small leaf-shaped cookie cutters. I’d press these shapes into the crust, using the cutouts as a dimensional element in the design. Sometimes I’d even use these cutouts as the top crust itself, overlapping them and leaving gaps for venting. This simple trick allowed me to play with textures and gave a beautiful layered look to the pie.

Elevating the Crust: Braided and Molded Edges

One of my favorite ways to decorate the crust was to add a braid around the edge.

To make the braid… Roll out the remainder of the crust. Cut it into thins strips, no more than 1/4” wide. The strips are then “glued” together with a bit of water or milk. Rub it on with your finger and then overlap the strips. Make them long enough to go all the way around the pie’s circumference.

You’ll need three of these long strips.

Once made, you need to loosely braid them.

Rub a little bit of water or milk around the edge of the pie. Place the braid on the edge. When you get back to the beginning of the braid, carefully line up the ends. “Glue” them together with more water or milk so the braid appears continuous. This finished edge looks spectacular. This braid adds an elegant touch, and it’s stunning when paired with a decorated center.

Last year, I discovered silicone molds designed specifically for pie crusts, and these made everything even easier! I found these molds at Sur La Table. You can also get silicone molds at Williams Sonoma. They are used to press dough into a variety of intricate shapes. With these molds, decorating became effortless yet impressive. They allow me to try different designs and mix and match elements to create something truly unique.

The Perfect Apple Pie Recipe

Now that I’ve piqued your interest in creating an artistic apple pie, here’s a wonderful recipe. It’s adapted from The Fanny Farmer Cookbook. The original recipe book was published in 1896 titled “The Boston Cooking School Cook Book by Fannie Merritt Farmer.  It has been published as The Fanny Farmer Cookbook, continuously since then, so it should be easy enough to find.

I’ve made a few tweaks on the apple pie recipe that I think really make the difference! The Fanny Farmer’s recipe for crust is perfect the way she wrote it.

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 ½ tablespoons flour
• 6 Granny Smith apples
• 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Dry Mixture: Combine the sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour in a small bowl.
3. Prepare the Apples: Peel and core the apples, making sure there are no hard spots left of the core. Slice the apples very thin. I cut them no thicker than ¼ inch. Use only Granny Smith apples, or you’ll get something more like applesauce, once they are baked! Place the slices into a large bowl. Sprinkle the entire Dry Mixture over the sliced apples and stir gently with a wooden spoon to coat everything equally.
4. Assemble the Pie: Divide the crust dough in half. Roll the first half for the bottom crust and place in a deep glass pie pan. Press it flat and trim the edges.
   • Take your time filling the pie pan with the apples. You’ll want to pack them in tightly so there is as little air between them as possible. I nestle them next to each other, fitting them like a puzzle, one layer at a time.
   • Continue placing your apple slices until the pan is filled. Then start placing them above the pan rim in a mound shape, keeping them away from the edge.

5. Top It Off: Cut the butter into slices and arrange on top of the apples. Brush the edges with water or milk before placing the top crust over the apples.
6. Decorate: Choose from any of these options for decorating:
   • Paint a design with food coloring.
   • Use cookie cutters to create a shaped top crust.
   • Add a braided edge.
   • Create small shapes for the edge or use a silicone mold.

Baking:

1. Place the pie on a baking sheet to catch any spills and bake for 10 minutes.
2. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 30-40 minutes. Check the pie for doneness (it always takes longer for my thick pies).
3. When the edges start to brown, wrap a strip of aluminum foil around the edge to prevent burning.

Let the pie cool to allow the filling to set. It’s delicious warm or at room temperature and makes a beautiful presentation.

A Creative Take on Tradition

Though I would have loved to walk you through each decorating step, my kitchen is currently under renovation. I hope this recipe inspires you to get creative with your own pies this fall. Whether you’re using molds, cookie cutters, or just a bit of food coloring, an artistic apple pie is sure to impress your guests and add a personal touch to your fall gatherings. Enjoy this cozy season, and happy baking!