Apple Pie

Celebrate the holidays with sweet treats from renowned bakeries across the country, thanks to convenient pie delivery services

Being a gal who lives on the rustic side of life (mismatched dishware, Mason jar centerpieces, a general disregard for fussiness), fruitgaletteshave long been my go-todesserts. I love how you can roll the crust into a haphazard circle, top it with a heap of the season’s best fruit (lightly sweetened, casually spiced), flop over the ragged edges, and bake something wildly fragrant, bubbly, and downright gorgeous.Because I’m somewhat obsessed about making the most of my fire and the lingering heat that a bed of embers provides, lately I’ve been bakinggaletteson the grill. I love how a chimney of charcoal can carry you through cocktails (see charred citrus margaritas) to dinner to dessert. It’s easier than it sounds, particularly when you think about working your grill as an oven (e.g. grill-roasted chicken). Just as a chicken benefits from the unique “charred” flavor of charcoal, so do fruit and pastry. The first time I grill-baked this tart, I slid the parchment onto a pizza stone. I should have realized that the concentrated heat would blacken the bottom of the crust before the fruit had time to cook—and it did. Now I drape the pastry into a lavishly butteredcast-iron skilletor enamel-coated baking dish, and the results are perfect (with the added bonus of not heating up my kitchen).When the berry conga line of summer transitions to fall, it’s apples that capture my attention—particularly thin-skinned varieties like Pink Lady that don’t need peeling (their skins have a snappy cider flavor). I’ve loved the combination of black pepper and pastry since I bit into the pepper-flecked flaky apple tart at Poilâine in Paris. The subtle warmth shoots through the buttery crust (and caramel sweetness of the fruit) like a swallow of Cognac on a winter day. Here I use pink peppercorns, which have a more delicate floral flavor. There’s no shame in embracing the color motif (what’s life without whimsy?) so in addition to those Pink Lady apples I also use Himalayan pink salt, but feel free to swap in another sweet-tart fall apple variety and your favorite fancy salt.

This mouthwatering deep-dish caramel apple pie from Food & Wine’s Kay Chun is drizzled with a luscious homemade caramel sauce and topped with a crunchy oat streusel.Slideshow: More Apple Pie Recipes

Cookbook author and chef Asha Gomez’s striking apple pie gets a glossy finish from melted jaggery, a deep amber sugar, and piquant cumin seeds. Save any extra glaze for a last-minute drizzle before serving.Slideshow: More Apple Pie Recipes

Use a blend of sweet apples and tart apples – an easy combination is Granny Smith and Golden Delicious; however if you are sourcing from a local orchard, ask them to recommend a sweet softer apple and a tart firmer apple.From "THE FOUR & TWENTY BLACKBIRDS PIE BOOK, UNCOMMON RECIPES FROM THE CELEBRATED BROOKLYN PIE SHOP" by Melissa Elsen and Emily Elsen

Brown sugar gives this easy apple pie a touch of caramel flavor; Granny Smith apples add a nice tartness for balance.Slideshow: More Pie Recipes