It’s pie time. I know, pie is really an all-year thing. I get that. But for those who decide to start their pie journey with that American Thursday holiday where we eat way too much turkey and watch way too much football, the timing of this cookbook is perfect. It’s a master lesson in pie baking from a man who has baked and taught pies for decades, and he spells it out in simple step-by-step instructions with lots of photos, so even beginners can make a foolproof pie from scratch.
Pie Academy starts with the basics: the tools you’ll need, the ingredients to stock. Author Ken Haedrich talks about how you can use a food processor or blender for your pie crust, or you can old-school with a hand cutter to cut the butter into the flour (still one of my favorite ways). He discusses the differences between butter, shortening, and lard. He even talk about how to mail a pie. And then he slows things down, and shows each and every step of how to make a pie crust, with photos of every step, along with how to make a special decoration on the crust without too much effort.
But after that, things speed back up. There are 25 recipes for pie crusts, including a Whole-Wheat Pie Dough, Cornmeal Pie Dough, Cheddar Cheese Pie Dough. Flaky Cream Cheese Pie Dough, Gluten-Free Pie Dough, and Pretzel Crust, just to name a few. These you can mix and match with all the fillings, and there are a lot. There is a chapter entirely on summer berries (although frozen berries can work in a pinch). There’s another chapter on the other fruits of summer, like rhubarb, cherries, and stone fruits like peach, nectarines, and plums.
And then it’s on to apples. Still American’s favorite pie, Pie Academy offers more than 20 recipes for different varieties of apple pies. And then to the other flavors of fall, like pears and cranberries before heading into the pumpkin and sweet potato pies. There are pecan pies as well as other nuts—walnuts, macadamia nuts,. almonds, and peanut butter. And then it’s time to celebrate the egg with chess pies, custard pies, and buttermilk pies. He offers varieties of refrigerator pies, chiffon pies, cream pies, and ice cream pies.
Haedrich also offers recipes for hand pies, fried pies, and mini tarts. There are slab pies and crostadas as well as classic two-crust pies and crumb crust pies. There are fruit pies, cream pies, brownie pies, and cookie pies. He combines flavors and new ideas into stunning pies that your family and friends will remember for a long time to come. And just when you think there can’t be any ideas left, Pie Academy offers up recipes for sauces, whipped creams, crumb toppings, and glazes that can add even more flavor and excitement to your pies.
I think of myself as an intermediate pie baker. I’m not a beginner, but if I were, I would love to have a resource like Pie Academy to help me get a good handle on pie crusts. But as I am a little past that stage, I can use this as a way to experiment with flavors and textures, trying out the wealth of recipes that Haedrich offers. With this cookbook, you could make a different pie each week for years, slowly mastering the techniques of pie baking while taking family and friends to new heights of pie joy. Or you can use this to master your Thanksgiving pies, giving your family something to be thankful for.
Egalleys for Pie Academy were provided by Storey Publishing through NetGalley, with many thanks.
