Disclosure: I want to thank Gourmet Garden–my new client–for giving me a chance to develop this recipe for them! They compensated me for this post. All opinions remain my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make this blog possible!
For the longest time, I was pie-phobic. While I had dreams of being like Jenna the Pie Genius in Waitress, I allowed my trepidation to keep me from discovering my own culinary genius. She withered away inside me, wondering why I was so anxious about something that should be so easy. It was a huge mistake.
“Easy as pie” is really a lie, but I recently gave myself over to the challenge for another project. My fridge overflowed with failed–and, later, successful–doughs. I baked pie after pie after pie. So much so, my family was sick of it, and while the people at work appreciated the leftovers, I ran out of people to feed my experiments to. I was giddy with success–and overwhelmed with ideas. I am now a huge fan of Cook’s Illustrated’s Foolproof Pie Dough, and I urge you to try this method. I stocked my freezer with pie dough, ready to be used at a day’s notice. It doesn’t get any easier than this. Finally, I have tapped into my pie side.
And then, I tossed it all aside for an idea I couldn’t get out of my mind.
The best part of a pie is the edge of the pie crust, unadulterated by the contents, remaining purely crunchy and flaky–all the best parts of the process. I have to keep myself from picking off the edge so others can share in this joyous occasion. Pie is wonderful, but what if there was a way to protect that purity while retaining the delightful interior, too?
Deconstructed desserts annoy me sometimes. They strike me as a fanciful description for an otherwise simple execution. Not to take away from the deliciousness that may exist–just, calling a pile of ingredients a “deconstructed” anything seems a bit of a hipster thing to do.
However, I maintain, my Deconstructed Ginger Apple Pie is the exception to this rule.
Imagine scooping up the innards of the most amazing apple pie, spiced with a bite of ginger, and that triangle just shatters in your mouth–buttery, salty, sweet, spicy, and sour, all combined in the most delightful of desserts. This is the best of all worlds. And it’s easy, too! How can you resist?
This Deconstructed Ginger Apple Pie would be nothing without the flavor kick provided by Gourmet Garden. Their tubes of herb pastes and tubs of lightly dried herbs simplify my life in the kitchen. No worrying about fresh herbs going bad. No need to keep a windowsill of pots growing throughout the frozen winter days. Just grab, measure, and go. I find myself using herbs a lot more often because of how easy they are, thanks to Gourmet Garden!
Deconstructed Ginger Apple Pie
Ingredients
- 1 9 " pie crust homemade or store bought
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- several pinches Gourmet Garden lightly dried ginger optional
- 8 Granny Smith apples
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Gourmet Garden ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- On a work surface dusted with flour, roll out the pie crust into a 10-inch square. Cut into 4 squares, then cut diagonally across each square to make a total of 8 triangles.
- Lay out pie crust triangles on 2 rimmed baking sheets. In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle over the tops of the triangles. Top with pinches of Gourmet Garden lightly dried ginger, if an extra ginger punch is desired.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until lightly browned, rotating pans halfway through the baking time, . Set aside.
- While the crust is baking, peel, core, and slice the apples.
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter and add the apples; saute for a few minutes.
- Add the cider, sugars, ginger puree, and spices, and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the cornstarch, stirring well to combine, and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until thickened and the apples have softened.
- To serve: place a pie crust triangle in a ramekin-sized bowl and scoop some of the apple pie filling over it. Garnish with ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.
This is new idea to me! Looks so yummy!