There is no apple in this apple pie
Have you ever tried making a mock apple pie? I have, in fact, made it yesterday. After reading an article in the April edition of Saveur magazine (#110), I was on the get go to have a taste of this mock apple pie. I’ve read about the story of it somewhere else but didn’t make it at that time because I didn’t have the ingredients. The history of mock apple pie seemed to coincide nicely with the high price of foods nowadays. When one couldn’t buy nice apples anymore, one would turn to a scientific method of turning crackers and simple syrup with lemon into apple filling. I’m not turning into a pessimist, but golly, everything is so expensive now. I’ve become a thrift cook and baker, trying to stretch every penny into something edible without busting our savings. Hey, I still need vacation occasionally, and that’s what I’m saving for.
If you’re interested in reading the history of mock apple pie, you could look here. It also helps you understand why when we combine crackers with lemon juice, cinnamon, and cream of tartar, the result would be something that is not unlike mashed apple. That also plays a trick in our brain by suggesting that when there are cinnamon and lemon, we immediately think of apple pie(at least for us, Americans).
I did have fun making the pie, one of the not-so-hard-to do pies. The crust is very flaky and tender, the filling is wonderful-apple-like with the right amount of sugar and lemony taste. Hard to convince my hubby that this is just like the apple pie, until he got a bite of it today. Hmmm…hmmmm…. Salute the Memorial Day!
Mock Apple Pie
Serves 8
1 3⁄4 cups flour, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon plus 2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon fine salt
12 tablespoons plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
2 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups coarsely broken saltine crackers (about 36 crackers)
1 egg, beaten
Combine flour, 1 tbsp. sugar, and salt in a food processor; pulse to combine. Add 12 tbsp. butter; pulse until pea-size pieces have formed. Drizzle in 3–4 tbsp. ice water; continue pulsing until dough just comes together. Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead briefly into a ball. Divide dough in half, form into 2 disks, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Put remaining sugar, cream of tartar, and 1 3⁄4 cups water into a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat; add lemon juice, lemon zest, and cinnamon. Let syrup cool to room temperature.
Heat oven to 400°. On a floured surface, roll 1 dough disk into a 12” circle, transfer to a 9” pie pan, fill with crackers, and pour syrup over top. Dot mixture with remaining butter. Roll out remaining dough into an 11” circle and place on top of pie; trim dough, leaving a 1⁄2” overhang. Fold edges up over rim; press to seal. Decorate edge of the pie dough with the tines of a fork. Cut 6 slits in the top of the pie, brush with the egg, and bake until crust is golden brown, about 35 minutes. Let pie cool completely before slicing.
Source: adapted from Saveur magazine in Issue #110
This pie looks beautiful. I couldn’t tell there’s no apple in there if I didn’t read all the information.
thanks for stopping by, Thip! the picture fooled you, eh?
Comment by Thip — May 26, 2008 @ 5:58 pm
Wow, you really had me fooled with that picture. I had no idea there was no apples in it. That crust looks buttery and golden, like the perfect crust.
he-he…the crust was really good, I was very happy at how it turned out.
Comment by Amanda — May 26, 2008 @ 7:03 pm
wow, no apples? i don’t think i would have been able to tell. the photos are just gorgeous!
you have to taste it to believe it
thanks Gigi!
Comment by Gigi — May 26, 2008 @ 11:06 pm
Wahhhh ini keliatan enak bgt, keliatan lembutnya n gendutnya xixixiix…..di makan ama ice cream hmmmm
Tapi aku nggak gitu bisa Liz buat pastry nya, beli jadi aja enak juga kali yach?
iya, kalo suka pake ice cream, cocok banget deh. kalo kurang jago bikin kulitnya, tentu aja bisa diganti dg kulit pie jadi. cuma rasanya aku gak tanggung yeh…hehe. kadang terlalu tipis menurut aku.
Comment by Mariena — May 27, 2008 @ 1:40 am
That is unusual, Liz!
it is, isn’t it? i love how old-fashioned recipe tastes as good as the real thing.
Comment by Patricia Scarpin — May 27, 2008 @ 7:54 am
Hmmm…that’s interesting. Looks yummy, too!
thanks!
Comment by Asianmommy — May 27, 2008 @ 10:33 am
Could have fooled me!! Looks gorgeous!
grins
Comment by Tartelette — May 27, 2008 @ 9:50 pm
I would not have known just by looking. But then again, I’m just an amateur.
hey, i’m an amateur in anything regarding mock apple pie here
Comment by tigerfish — May 28, 2008 @ 1:36 am
Well, I’ll be damned, that is flippen amazing!
i love your expression in writing!
Comment by nina — May 28, 2008 @ 2:38 am
yummy…..pengen nyicip sepotong
wah, Ret…agak2 ketinggalan nih, udah abis
Comment by retno — May 28, 2008 @ 6:10 am
This is quite interesting. I’ll have to check out my Saveur. It would be fun to bring this to a bbq to see if anyone could note that it wasn’t apple!
that’s the idea! check your Saveur, I totally love that magazine!
Comment by RecipeGirl — May 28, 2008 @ 6:16 am
Eliza, you have magic hands… even the slice also looks like having apple inside! It is a very interesting story, the recipe definitely sounds yummy.
thanks! I now can totally fool anybody if I bring this pie to a party ;P I agree, food history is always fascinating, the idea that people could come up with making apple pie filling, it’s purely molecular gastronomy
Comment by gattina — May 29, 2008 @ 6:33 am
While I’ve heard of a Mock Apple pies before, but I’m not quite sure if I knew what they were made of. Sounds very intriguing and looks very tasty!
oh you’ve heard before too? I know that mock apple pie isn’t made of apples, but have never tried it until this time. surprisingly it’s very tasty!
Comment by Mari — May 30, 2008 @ 2:08 pm
Wow, it even looks like there’s apple in there. How interesting! I’ve never heard of mock apple pie before.
now you have the recipe
Comment by Y — June 25, 2008 @ 6:26 am