The Great Family Pie Review

PIE REVIEW

By Carly Meyers

This season, we held our Second Annual Great Family Pie Review. We welcomed those in our community to bake pies to compete for prize baskets that included gift cards to Fifth Generation Farms, in addition to having their recipe featured in Family Magazine!

This year, the pies were judged on both objective and subjective scores; the objective score rated the taste, texture, appearance and creativity while the subjective score ranked the pies out of eight total. Winning by two points objectively and one point subjectively was Richard Crawford, a now two-time winner!

First Place: Richard Crawford Biscoff Cookie Pie

Ingredients:

Crust: • 2 cups graham crackers • 1/3 cup sugar • 6 tablespoons melted butter • Half teaspoon ground cinnamon

Filling: • 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened • 1 cup Bisco creamy cookie spread • 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar • 6 cups whipped cream (homemade recipe below) or 2 8-ounce containers, thawed • 1 cup heavy cream • 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar • 1 teaspoon almond extract • Double this recipe for the pie.

Topping: • 1/4 cup caramel sundae syrup • Bisco cookies, crushed

Directions: Mix graham crackers, sugar, melted butter and ground cinnamon. Press into pie plate with a spoon and set aside. If using homemade whipped cream, whip heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar and almond extract for 7 minutes, or until sti peaks form. Set aside and repeat. In a large mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and Bisco cookie spread until well blended. Fold in half the whipped cream into the mixture, then pour out the contents into the crust and atten evenly with a spatula or knife. Top with remaining whipped cream. Then, drizzle caramel on top and sprinkle with crushed cookies. Freeze for at least 4 hours, or until rm.

Second Place: Ashley Culley Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie

Ingredients

Crust: • 1 cooked pie crust (Pioneer Woman’s recipe preferred)

Filling: • 8 ounces cream cheese • 3/4 cup powdered sugar • 1 teaspoon vanilla • 4 ounces whipped topping • 1/2 cup sugar • 1 1/2 tablespoons corn starch • 1/2 cup water • 1 teaspoons salt • 3 1/2 cups blueberries

Topping: • 1 cup our • 1/2 cup brown sugar • 1/2 cup cold butter

Directions

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla. Fold in 4 ounces of whipped topping and put at the bottom of cooled pie crust. In a saucepan, combine sugar and corn starch. Add water salt, and 1 cup of blueberries. Cook until thick and bubbly. Add 2 1/2 cups more of blueberries and 3 1/2 tablespoons of butter. Remove from heat to cool. Pour blueberry mixture over the cream cheese mixture in the pie pan. Combine our and brown sugar. Cut in 1/2 cup cold butter, until it resembles a crumble. Put the topping over the blueberry mixture. Chill. Once cold, place under the broiler. Broil until topping is browned. Refrigerate. Third Place: Madison Bedenbaugh Apple Crisp Cheesecake Pie

Ingredients

Apple Pie Filling: • 2 3/4 cups apples diced in half-inch cubes (3 medium apples) • 1 tablespoon melted butter • 1/4 cup light brown sugar • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice • 1 1/2 tablespoon corn starch • 1/2 cup of water

Graham Cracker Crust: • 2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs • 1/4 cup light brown sugar • 1–2 teaspoons cinnamon (to taste) • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

Crisp Topping: • 1/2 cup all-purpose our • 1/2 cup light brown sugar • 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats • 1 teaspoon cinnamon • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake Filling: • 12 ounces cream cheese • 1/2 cup of sugar • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla • 2 tablespoons our • 1 large egg

For Serving: Salted caramel sauce, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Directions

Apple Pie Filling: Peel the apples and dice in about half-inch cubes. In a large saucepan melt 1 tablespoon butter, add chopped apples, brown sugar, fresh lemon juice, corn starch, water and spices. Stir everything well, cover with a lid and cook over medium heat until the apples are slightly softened and the sauce is thickened. It will take about 10-15 minutes, just don’t forget to stir occasionally or the sauce will stick at the bottom. Set aside and cool before using.

Graham Cracker Crust: Preheat the oven to degrees Fahrenheit. In a bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon and brown sugar. Add melted butter and stir until everything is evenly moistened. Press the mixture in the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie dish. Bake 8 minutes, then set aside to cool.

Crisp Topping: Stir together our, oats, brown sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter and whisk with a fork to make the crumbs; set aside.

Cheesecake Filling: Beat softened cream cheese with sugar, vanilla and our. Add slightly beaten egg and mix just to combine. Spread the mixture in prebaked crust. Next, spread the apples over the cheesecake layer. Sprinkle with the crumb topping and bake 35-40 minutes. If it starts browning too much, tent the top with aluminum foil. Cool completely before serving. Serve with a drizzle of salted caramel, vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.