Traditional southern chess pie features a simple egg-and-sugar custard; this version adds tart lemon and sweet Cara Cara orange juices for a vibrant tang. It’s topped with a “plate” of crust— the fluted rounds punched out from the center dot the pie’s rim—and finished with confectioners’ sugar.

A ROUND OF APPLAUSE

cit r u s chess pie

Creating a crowd-pleasing showstopper of a pie is easier than it seems. We’ve updated classic fillings and decorated them with eye-catching crusts that almost any baker can master. Here, we reveal our clever tricks, walking you through them step by step. The only hard part is picking which to try first.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY WILL ANDERSON • RECIPES BY SHIRA BOCAR AND LAURYN TYRELL • TEXT BY SARAH DiGREGORIO 91

brown-sugar butternut-squash pie

For recipes, see page 136; for decorating techniques, see page 96.

A PIE FULL OF STARS Butternut squash is sweeter and smoother than more-fibrous pumpkin—it’s a wonder it’s not used in desserts more often. Roasting the flesh supplies a caramel note, while puréeing and straining it afterward is key for a silky texture. Upgrade a crimped crust with a fishtail-braided rim and a scattering of cutouts. You can arrange the pieces however you like; this crescent-shaped tumble was inspired by a vintage brooch. 92

chocolate-sesame tarte soleil

THE SUN ALSO RISES With semisweet chocolate and tahini frangipane layered inside, this radiant tart takes its cue from the candied, nutty flavors of chocolate-covered halvah. The sesame lends a complex, almost bitter edge that keeps the filling from being too sweet. For the top, the dramatic design demonstrates the power of a repeated pattern—in this case, created by dividing the dough into sections and just twisting each piece three times. red-currant poppy- seed linzer

POPPY ART A one-ingredient pie filling? It’s a Thanksgiving miracle. In this modernized linzer torte, ruby-red currant jam goes on the inside, poppy seeds provide crunch, and ground pecans give the crust a buttery, -like delicacy. The top appears to be elaborately latticed, but looks are deceiving: You merely snip the ropes of dough to expose the uncoated interior before baking. cinnamon-swirl apple slab pie

PUT A SPIN ON IT A cross between an apple pie and a cinnamon roll, this recipe calls for a top crust made from sliced pinwheels of dough slathered with cinnamon–brown sugar butter. Thanks to the layers of spiced butter, the swirls get caramelized and super-crisp, almost like puff , and are delicious combined with the sweet-tart apples in the filling. Slab pies are great for serving a crowd—or if guests want a sliver of each dessert. 95

pu f f-pa st r y poached-pear pie

A WINNING SCORE Pears are often overlooked on the Thanksgiving dessert table. Here they’re the star, with the wine-poached fruit enclosed between rounds of store-bought puff pastry. To make the seemingly intricate pattern, simply score the dough with a paring knife; when it puffs in the oven, the design will stand out. Be sure to bake the crust until it’s deep golden brown: It doesn’t just look great—it tastes better, too. The crusts on these pages may look tricky, but they’re not. Here are the simple nips, cuts, simple the Hereare not. nips, cuts, they’re look but tricky, may pages on these crusts The CHESS PIE CHESS CITRUS EASY AS PIE excess. Roll out the second disk; cut cut disk; second the out Roll excess. on the rim of the bottom crust.) Crum crust.) bottom ofthe rim on the dusting it with confectioners’ sugar, or or sugar, confectioners’ it with dusting trace around an upside-down upside-down an around trace the center; don’t worry, you can move move don’t center; worry, you can the fit it into a pie dish, trimming off the the off trimming dish, apie it into fit For the end. at the them combine then separately, crusts bottom top and the the dough. (You’ll stick the cutouts cutouts the (You’ll stick dough. the in holes spaced evenly ter, make 1. 1. the sugar may dissolve into the pie. the into dissolve may sugar the and twists that will help you go from “ooh” will from that help go you “aah.” to 136.)and twists page see full the recipes, (For it a bit to adjust. toit abit adjust. it into an 8-inch round. (As a guide, aguide, (As round. 8-inch an it into into the bottom crust; fill it with dried dried it with fill crust; bottom the into it unfold then parchment, some ple cut round fluted asmall, Using pan.) 2. 2. 3. 3. bottom, roll out a disk of dough; of dough; adisk out roll bottom, beans before baking both. both. baking before beans 3 2 1 To make this design, you’ll bake bake you’ll design, this To make Wait for the filling to cool before before to cool filling Wait for the Place the finished top crust in in top crust finished the Place

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After rolling out a disk of dough into into ofdough adisk out rolling After BUTTERNUT-SQUASH PIE BROWN-SUGAR 2 strips. Repeat with the remaining remaining the with Repeat 2 strips. out shapes such as stars, snowflakes, snowflakes, stars, as such shapes out and press the tops together. Place 3 strips 3strips Place together. tops the press and and crescents with cookie cutters. cookie with crescents and an 11-by-14-inch rectangle, use a use 11-by-14-inchan rectangle, ontop. scattered stars crust the and now have 3.) Repeat to create abraid— to 3.) create have now Repeat to the middle to join the side with side the to join middle to the crossing always strip outer-third the other. Pick 2to the and to side one for both the fishtail-braided rim rim fishtail-braided the for both 1. 1. strips; cross it over, it’s cross so onthe now strips; strips from one of the short sides. sides. short ofthe one from strips strips to make two more braids. braids. more two to make strips pastry wheel to cut fifteen fifteen to cut wheel pastry up the outer strip on the side with 3 with side onthe outer strip the up inside of the side that had 2. (It should (It 2. should had that side of the inside 2. 2. 3. 3. 3 2 1 You’ll use the same piece of dough ofdough piece same the You’ll use Using the remaining dough, cut cut dough, remaining the Using To make the braids, take 5 strips 5strips take braids, the To make ¼ -inch-wide -inch-wide

TARTE SOLEIL CHOCOLATE-SESAME Then cut each in half to make 8. Finally, Finally, 8. to make half in each cut Then create 24 sections total. 24 sections create to thirds into evenly eighth each cut sections. 4equal into tart the cut im an to make merely is center. (This tightness of coil. Freezing the dough dough the Freezing ofcoil. tightness same the with direction, same the in ofthem all you twist sure making the dough.) With the glass still in place, place, in still glass the With dough.) the filling and sealing the crusts toget- After rays. the into evenly dough the 1. 1. solid before baking will help it keep it keep help will baking before solid its shape in the oven. oven. the in shape its pression; don’t let it cut through don’t through it cut let pression; her, put a glass upside-down in the the in upside-down her, aglass put 2. 2. 3. 3. 3 2 1 The key to this design is to divide to divide is design to key this The Repeat with the remaining sections, sections, remaining the with Repeat Lift a section; twist it three times. times. it three twist asection; Lift

- A slight shift is fine, and there’s no no there’s and fine, is shift A slight LINZER TORTE TORTE LINZER POPPY-SEED RED-CURRANT expose bare dough, alternating sides. sides. alternating dough, bare expose each into a rope, about about arope, into each Roll pieces. 8equal into dough of the and 10 inches long. This dough is very very is dough This long. 10 inches and at at need to be exact: There’s beauty in the the in beauty There’s exact: to be need fitting it into a tart pan, divide the rest rest the divide pan, a tart it into fitting the ends to fit. Using scissors, make make scissors, Using to fit. ends the top, trimming over the ropes dough the 1. 1. to cut all the way through. through. way the all to cut Pour poppy seeds onto a rimmed bak onto arimmed seeds poppy Pour to firm fridge the in it back pop so soft, small diagonal snips in the ropes ropes the in snips diagonal small imperfection. ing sheet, then coat the ropes in seeds. seeds. in ropes the coat then sheet, ing to work with. sticky too it gets if up 2. 2. 3. 3. 3 2 1 After rolling out half the dough and and dough the half out rolling After Shift the snipped bits to the side to to side to the bits snipped the Shift ½ Fill the tart with jam, then lay lay then jam, with tart the Fill -inch intervals, being careful not not careful being intervals, -inch ½ inch thick thick inch

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ART DIRECTION BY JASPAL RIYAIT; FOOD STYLING BY SHIRA BOCAR AND LAURYN TYRELL; PROP STYLING BY KATIE FIELD; PHOTOGRAPHS BY BRYAN GARDNER (TECHNIQUES) 97

pick your finish

1 2 GIVE IT A WASH SPRINKLE WITH SUGAR A wash is essential to give pies After applying a wash, a burnished crust. You can scatter sugar over the top to always use a whole beaten egg add sweetness, texture, mixed with a little water for a and shimmer. Different types medium-gold gloss. Or try one provide different effects. 1 1 of these alternatives: Here are our favorites:

HEAVY CREAM SANDING

2 2 Heavy cream leaves a natural, light-golden color Sanding is an all-purpose with a matte finish. decorating sugar, used for a medium crunch and a sparkling finish.

EGG YOLK TURBINADO

3 3

CINNAMON-SWIRL PUFF-PASTRY APPLE SLAB PIE POACHED-PEAR PIE Egg yolk contains more fat Turbinado (or raw) is quite and less water than a coarse and jewel-like; whole beaten egg, resulting it’s for dramatic crunch and 1. We prefer to roll out dough on lightly 1. For the top crust, roll puff pastry in a rich, dark color and a deep, amber shine. floured parchment, especially for into a square about ⅛ inch thick; cut a dramatic sheen. large pieces, as here: It reduces stick- it into a 10-inch round. (Use an upside- ing and makes everything easier down cake pan as a guide.) With a to move to the refrigerator. For the pastry tip or small cookie cutter, cut pinwheels, roll out a disk of dough into out a 1-inch-diameter vent in the a 12-by-16-inch rectangle; spread center. Gently press an upside-down it evenly with cinnamon–brown sugar 9-inch cake pan onto the dough to EGG WHITE butter. Starting at a long edge, tightly make a border. Freeze until firm GRANULATED roll it into a log. but pliable. With a paring knife, score 2. Slice the log into ¼-inch-thick 8 petals around the vent, taking care rounds. If the dough starts to flatten not to cut all the way through. Score out on one side, reshape and return it each petal with veins. to the fridge to firm up before 2. Roll out and cut the bottom crust in- Egg white has more water finishing. to a 10-inch round; refrigerate. Ar- than fat, which provides Granulated is the finest, most subtle option and 3. Spoon the apple filling into the range poached pears on top, leaving a a pale-golden color and a results in a delicate crunch piecrust. Arrange the cinnamon- 1-inch border. (This will leave room to lustrous glaze. and a clear, gentle gleam. swirl rounds over the apples, slightly pinch the crusts together.) Refrigerate. overlapping them, until they’re 3. After laying the top crust over the completely covered. pears, adhere the edges with egg wash. Score the rim on a slight diagonal.