The Zen Master’s Pie Crust
for a double crust pie
cut strips for a Lattice Pie Crust
The Filling

⅓ cup toasted almonds
⅔ cup sugar (if you’re using sweet cherries, 1 ⅓ cup, if you’re using sour cherries)
3 tbs cornstarch
5 cups pitted sweet or sour cherries
¼ tsp salt
2 tbs unsalted butter, cut into bits
Preheat the oven to 425°
In a […]

This week’s pie place is the Wine and Spirits section of your local grocery store. Or your own mini bar. You don’t need much rum for this tantalizing chocolate confection. The little there is goes a long way toward creating a taste of Pirates of the Carribbean adventure. (Johnny Depp not included)
Graham Cracker Crust
for a […]

This beautiful European pastry shop in downtown Hinsdale can create any custom cake you can dream up, and also offers everything from scrumptious breakfast items, to savory lunch options, and delectable desserts.
Naturally, Toni Marie’s uses only the freshest ingredients. It’s a (totally) from-scratch shop that also creates phenomenal pies year round. The […]

This week’s pie place is the muddy, mosquito ridden (although that might not be totally true, even though one or two mosquitoes probably touched down at some time or other) Mississippi River, which is apparently (or allegedly, depending on how guilty this incredibly rich pie makes you feel) where this pie got its name (although […]

The primaries may be ending, but a patriotic pie is always a thrillingly current event. In this election year, it’s more fashionable than ever to wrap your pie in the flag, which means a fresh, juicy tart in the colors of Old Glory (flag pin optional).
Sweetest, Easiest Sweet Tart Dough
Basic Pastry Cream
The Berries

1 large egg, […]

This week’s confectionary edifice is …your heart…that special place your mom has always occupied, even if “occupation” really has been the right word. Anyway, as long as she’s in there, you might as well serve something healthy and delicious, like this fig and berry tart.
Zen Master’s Sweet Tart Dough
Pastry Cream
The Filling

1 cup blueberries
1 cup […]

In 1981, Sarabeth and Bill Levine opened a small bakery and jam shop on Manhattan’sUpper West Side. Customers loved it, not only because the baked goods were incredible, but because they could watch the delicious jams being cooked in a kettle and then ladled into jars. The fabulous aroma permeating Amsterdam Avenue lured tons of […]