Pie 7 - Five-Spice Pear-Apple Pie
That's right! It's a pear-apple pie baked with traditional Chinese five spice powder and topped with a cornmeal streusel. This is the kind of recipe I see and just have to make, because if it sounds so wrong, it must be so right!
And if I'm any judge, it is just that. I baked this pie Sunday night and saved it for afternoon class on Monday. When it was still warm from the oven, I sampled just one loose crumb of streusel, one stray sliver of pear, and a fingertip swipe of the juices that had dribbled out of the pie plate, and that was enough to tell me this pie would turn out to be something really special. ;o9
For those unfamiliar with the blend, five spice powder is a mixture of ground anise, fennel, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. It shouldn't be too hard to find (in theory), but I had to get my mom to mail a bottle to me from home, back when I was in my Yan-can-cook-and-so-can-I phase. (The label still stuck to the lid says the whole bottle cost $1.39!) Five spice powder is wonderfully potent and aromatic, and it imparts a twist of licorice flavor that accumulates in sweet little pockets of juice and among the apples and pears. I'm actually not a big black licorice fan, but I like a little fennel and anise here and there, and I thought that when blended with the mellow sweetness of the pears, the licorice taste was just enough to make this pie taste unique and ever so grown-up. Ken Haedrich, from whom I gank this recipe (and so many others), suggests that you can approximate the taste of five spice powder, if you have none, by mixing cinnamon, ground fennel seed, ground cloves, and ground white pepper - 'more of the first two, less of the cloves, and much less of the pepper.' Then bury two whole star anise in the center of the pie so they can be removed when the first slices are cut.
Prepare the amount of dough required for a single crust pie. You can find the pie crust recipe I've been using in this lengthy pie post, or substitute a crust that you like. Roll out your bottom crust, tuck it into a buttered pie plate, trim and give the crust a high edge. Set aside (in the refrigerator will help set the crust and make it extra firm for baking).
Filling:
3 1/2 C cored and sliced ripe pears, peeled or unpeeled - I used a mix of Bosc and Bartlett pears and find myself more and more in love with the distinct flavor and firm flesh of the Bosc. My newest pie book recommends baking with pears just a little shy of ripe, since they may peak during the baking process.
3 1/2 C peeled, cored, and sliced tart apples - Again, I used a mix. I don't prefer a whole pie made with nothing but tart baking apples. Also, since I like a deep dish pie with a lot of fruit, I'm pretty sure I used at least 4 1/2 C apiece of both the apples and the pears without increasing the amount of sugar. (I tend to test the juice when the filling has partially macerated to see if I want more spice. I probably *should* be smart enough to add extra thickener, but I generally forget).
Grated zest of one lemon
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp orange juice
3/4 granulated sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp Chinese five spice powder
Combine the fruit, zest, juices and 1/2 C of the sugar and allow to sit for ten minutes. (My new pie book would advise against this, because it says if the fruit is allowed to macerate too long before baking, the juices will make the bottom crust soggy. I did think my bottom crust was a little too soft, but frankly I can't seem to get filling ingredients together fast enough to put a pie in the oven no more than five minutes after sugar touches fruit!) Mix the remaining sugar with the cornstarch and spices in another bowl and then add them to the filling. Spoon the filling into the prepared pie shell. Allow to firm for a few minutes in the refrigerator or freezer, then bake 30 minutes at 400*.
Meanwhile, mix the ingredients for the streusel:
3/4 C flour
1/4 C yellow cornmeal
2/3 C packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 C (one stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Stir together all the dry ingredients (or, says the text, pulse them in a food processor - but I have none), sprinkle them with the bits of butter, and rub the butter into the other ingredients with your fingertips until you make big delicious crumbles.
When the first thirty minutes are up, remove the pie from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 375*. Pat big handfuls of the crumbs over the surface of the pie until it's about covered. Rotate the pie 180* and bake another 30 minutes - until the bubbles of juice are thick and slow. Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least an hour - preferably more.
Last step?* When the juices cool enough to touch, swipe a fingerful of that juice! You'll be glad you did, trust me. ;o9 Mellowy pears, spicity-spices, crunchity-munchity streusel! Yum.
*This is the last step, unless you count rolling your eyes when the boys in your class have to stop and make a big deal about all teh fats for the second time in a row. Seriously, guys? Seriously? Man up. It's just a pie, and nobody is making you eat it. ;o9
And if I'm any judge, it is just that. I baked this pie Sunday night and saved it for afternoon class on Monday. When it was still warm from the oven, I sampled just one loose crumb of streusel, one stray sliver of pear, and a fingertip swipe of the juices that had dribbled out of the pie plate, and that was enough to tell me this pie would turn out to be something really special. ;o9
For those unfamiliar with the blend, five spice powder is a mixture of ground anise, fennel, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. It shouldn't be too hard to find (in theory), but I had to get my mom to mail a bottle to me from home, back when I was in my Yan-can-cook-and-so-can-I phase. (The label still stuck to the lid says the whole bottle cost $1.39!) Five spice powder is wonderfully potent and aromatic, and it imparts a twist of licorice flavor that accumulates in sweet little pockets of juice and among the apples and pears. I'm actually not a big black licorice fan, but I like a little fennel and anise here and there, and I thought that when blended with the mellow sweetness of the pears, the licorice taste was just enough to make this pie taste unique and ever so grown-up. Ken Haedrich, from whom I gank this recipe (and so many others), suggests that you can approximate the taste of five spice powder, if you have none, by mixing cinnamon, ground fennel seed, ground cloves, and ground white pepper - 'more of the first two, less of the cloves, and much less of the pepper.' Then bury two whole star anise in the center of the pie so they can be removed when the first slices are cut.
Prepare the amount of dough required for a single crust pie. You can find the pie crust recipe I've been using in this lengthy pie post, or substitute a crust that you like. Roll out your bottom crust, tuck it into a buttered pie plate, trim and give the crust a high edge. Set aside (in the refrigerator will help set the crust and make it extra firm for baking).
Filling:
3 1/2 C cored and sliced ripe pears, peeled or unpeeled - I used a mix of Bosc and Bartlett pears and find myself more and more in love with the distinct flavor and firm flesh of the Bosc. My newest pie book recommends baking with pears just a little shy of ripe, since they may peak during the baking process.
3 1/2 C peeled, cored, and sliced tart apples - Again, I used a mix. I don't prefer a whole pie made with nothing but tart baking apples. Also, since I like a deep dish pie with a lot of fruit, I'm pretty sure I used at least 4 1/2 C apiece of both the apples and the pears without increasing the amount of sugar. (I tend to test the juice when the filling has partially macerated to see if I want more spice. I probably *should* be smart enough to add extra thickener, but I generally forget).
Grated zest of one lemon
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp orange juice
3/4 granulated sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp Chinese five spice powder
Combine the fruit, zest, juices and 1/2 C of the sugar and allow to sit for ten minutes. (My new pie book would advise against this, because it says if the fruit is allowed to macerate too long before baking, the juices will make the bottom crust soggy. I did think my bottom crust was a little too soft, but frankly I can't seem to get filling ingredients together fast enough to put a pie in the oven no more than five minutes after sugar touches fruit!) Mix the remaining sugar with the cornstarch and spices in another bowl and then add them to the filling. Spoon the filling into the prepared pie shell. Allow to firm for a few minutes in the refrigerator or freezer, then bake 30 minutes at 400*.
Meanwhile, mix the ingredients for the streusel:
3/4 C flour
1/4 C yellow cornmeal
2/3 C packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 C (one stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Stir together all the dry ingredients (or, says the text, pulse them in a food processor - but I have none), sprinkle them with the bits of butter, and rub the butter into the other ingredients with your fingertips until you make big delicious crumbles.
When the first thirty minutes are up, remove the pie from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 375*. Pat big handfuls of the crumbs over the surface of the pie until it's about covered. Rotate the pie 180* and bake another 30 minutes - until the bubbles of juice are thick and slow. Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least an hour - preferably more.
Last step?* When the juices cool enough to touch, swipe a fingerful of that juice! You'll be glad you did, trust me. ;o9 Mellowy pears, spicity-spices, crunchity-munchity streusel! Yum.
*This is the last step, unless you count rolling your eyes when the boys in your class have to stop and make a big deal about all teh fats for the second time in a row. Seriously, guys? Seriously? Man up. It's just a pie, and nobody is making you eat it. ;o9