The ten pies and tarts that follow represent the most consistently requested, surefire-hit recipes from among the hundreds published by Martha Stewart Living over two decades. Individually, each one ranks among the all-time favorites of the magazine’s food editors. Collectively, the assortment includes a nice variety of textures, flavors, and styles, so you’re bound to find something to please every taste. Consider this chapter an introduction to the wonderful world of pie- and tart-making for beginners, and for baking enthusiasts, a delicious refresher course.
With its foolproof crust and easy custard filling, this pie is a breeze to put together, and a good place to start if you’re a novice baker. Instead of rolling out dough, you press a ground-cookie mixture into a pie plate and bake for ten minutes or so. The chocolate filling is a cinch, as are the cream topping and chocolate garnish. The only hard part is waiting for the pie to chill thoroughly, preferably overnight, before savoring the end result. Because of the cornstarch, the filling sets up quite nicely and slices well; nevertheless, if you prefer something with a firmer texture, you can add gelatin (see step 3, below).
MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE
FOR THE CRUST
25 chocolate wafers (6 ounces), or 1½ cups wafer-cookie crumbs
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
FOR THE FILLING
2½ cups milk
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (preferably 61 percent cacao), chopped
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon unflavored powdered gelatin (optional)
2 tablespoons cold water (optional)
4 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
FOR THE TOPPING
1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
Chocolate curls, for garnish
1. Make the crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. In a food processor, pulse wafers until fine crumbs form. Add butter, sugar, and salt, and process until combined. Press mixture firmly into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie dish. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes. Bake until crust is fragrant, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
2. Make the filling: In a medium saucepan, heat milk and chocolate over medium-high, whisking occasionally, until chocolate is melted. In a small bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add 1 cup of milk mixture and whisk until smooth. Return mixture to saucepan; whisk to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until bubbling and thick, 4 to 5 minutes (about 2 minutes after it comes to a boil).
3. If using gelatin, sprinkle 1 teaspoon over the 2 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl; let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks. Slowly whisk hot milk mixture into yolks. Return mixture to saucepan, and continue cooking custard over medium heat, stirring constantly, until custard is thick and bubbles appear in center, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add softened gelatin, if using, and whisk until dissolved. Stir in vanilla. Let cool about 10 minutes, whisking 2 or 3 times.
4. Pour custard into baked and cooled crust. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on surface of custard. Refrigerate until filling is firm, 4 hours or up to 1 day.
5. Make the topping: With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whisk cream just until soft peaks form. Add confectioners’ sugar and whisk until stiff peaks form. Spread whipped cream over custard. Garnish pie with chocolate curls just before serving.
Making a pie, or in this case a tart, can be remarkably simple—as easy as baking a batch of cookies, in fact. Pâte sablée is essentially a cookie dough. Here it’s pressed into a springform pan before baking. In this recipe, cornmeal stands in for some of the flour; its flavor works well with summer fruits, but if you don’t have it, you can certainly use all flour. To make the filling, toss fresh fruit with sugar, add it to the partially baked tart shell, then finish baking. Peaches and berries are pictured, but if you have apricots or cherries on hand, feel free to use them instead; this low-key recipe takes kindly to improvisation.
MAKES ONE 8-INCH TART
FOR THE CRUST
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
3 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg yolk
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
FOR THE FILLING
3 ripe peaches, pitted and sliced into ½-inch wedges
¾ cup assorted fresh berries, such as raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1. Make the crust: Preheat oven to 400°F. In a food processor, pulse flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, butter, egg yolk, and vanilla until dough just begins to come together. Press dough evenly into the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of an ungreased 8-inch springform pan or tart pan with a removable bottom; set pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden and slightly puffy, about 15 minutes. Using an offset spatula, gently flatten bottom of crust. Reduce heat to 350°F.
2. Meanwhile, make the filling: In a medium bowl, toss together peaches, berries, and sugar.
3. Arrange fruit in crust. Bake until peaches are juicy and tender, 30 to 35 minutes more. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.
PRESSING IN THE DOUGH
Home cooks in the South take great pride in their pecan pies, but the Thanksgiving classic is well loved in all corners of the United States. Sometimes it’s flavored with bourbon (add two tablespoons to the egg mixture in step 2) or chocolate (stir in half a cup of coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate along with the pecans in the same step). Cream cheese gives this crust a slightly tangy flavor. A fluted edge, made by shaping the dough with your knuckles or fingertips, is both decorative and practical—it helps anchor the crust to the pie plate, preventing it from shrinking or sliding as it bakes.
MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE
All-purpose flour, for dusting
4 cups (13 ounces) pecan halves, toasted
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 13-inch round. Fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim dough, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Turn overhang under, flush with rim. Flute edge. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 325°F. Set aside 1¼ cups pecan halves; coarsely chop remaining 2¾ cups pecans. Stir together eggs, sugar, corn syrup, butter, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl until well combined. Stir in chopped pecans, and pour mixture into prepared pie shell, spreading evenly. Arrange reserved pecan halves on top in concentric circles until surface is completely covered.
3. Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until filling is just set and crust is golden brown, about 90 minutes. (If nuts are getting too dark, tent pie loosely with foil.) Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely before serving. (Pie can be stored at room temperature, loosely covered, up to 1 day.)
A fresh-baked fruit galette is proof that you don’t need specialty equipment—or even a pie plate—to successfully bake a beautiful dessert from scratch. Here, sliced plums are arranged on an irregular round base of pâte brisée (ground almonds are sprinkled over the crust first). The dough is then simply folded over the filling to make a rough border. There’s no crimping or embellishment required; the unfinished edge is a big part of the appeal.
SERVES 8
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
Pâte Brisée (do not divide into 2 disks)
¼ cup whole raw almonds, toasted
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
5 to 6 plums, halved, pitted, and sliced ¼ inch thick (keep sliced halves together)
1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream, for brushing
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. On a lightly floured piece of parchment, roll out dough into an approximate 16-inch oval, ¼ inch thick. Transfer dough (on parchment) to a large baking sheet.
2. Pulse almonds, 3 tablespoons sugar, and the flour in a food processor until ground to a coarse meal. Sprinkle almond mixture over dough. With a spatula, transfer plum slices to dough, spacing close together and leaving a 2-inch border; press lightly to fan out. Fold edge of dough over fruit. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
3. Brush dough with cream; sprinkle galette evenly with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until crust is deep golden, and plums are juicy and bubbling, about 70 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely.
ARRANGING SLICED PLUMS
Making a single-crust pie is a natural next step after a free-form galette. Here, the filling—a custard of pumpkin purée, eggs, and evaporated milk—is quickly mixed by hand in one bowl. The pie’s simple construction offers an excellent opportunity to experiment with embellished edges, such as a wreath of autumn leaves (pictured), made with a one-inch leaf cutter, or a wheatlike braid (pictured; you will need one whole recipe pâte brisée for the shell plus the braid). The key to a great pumpkin pie is to partially bake the crust—called blind baking—before adding the filling. The twice-baked crust stays firm and crisp beneath the creamy custard.
MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE
All-purpose flour, for dusting
½ recipe Pâte Brisée
2 large whole eggs, lightly beaten, plus 1 large egg yolk, for egg wash
1 tablespoon water
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
1½ cups unsweetened pumpkin purée, canned or fresh
1½ cups evaporated milk
Whipped Cream, for serving (optional;)
1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disk of dough to a 13-inch round, ⅛ inch thick. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim excess dough flush with rim (reserve scraps). Pierce bottom of shell all over with a fork. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, on a lightly floured piece of parchment, roll out scraps. Using a 1-inch leaf-shaped cutter, cut out 40 leaves from dough. Transfer cutouts to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Using a paring knife, etch veins in each leaf. Refrigerate until ready to use.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and the water; lightly brush one side of each leaf with egg wash. Arrange leaves, slightly overlapping, around edge of crust, making sure they do not extend over edge, to prevent them from browning too quickly. Lightly brush bottom of each leaf with egg wash as you work. Refrigerate shell 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line pie shell with parchment; fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 20 minutes. Carefully remove weights and parchment, and continue to bake until golden brown, 10 minutes more. Let cool on a wire rack. (Keep oven on.)
5. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pumpkin, and 2 eggs. Add evaporated milk, and whisk to combine. Pour filling into partially baked crust.
6. Place pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until edges are set but center is still slightly wobbly, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer plate to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.
Lemon meringue pie is a perfectly balanced dessert marked by swirling peaks of sweet, nearly weightless meringue atop a rich mouth-puckering filling. A few tricks are in order, however, to help prevent common mishaps, such as a soggy crust or runny filling. First, the crust must be fully blind-baked so that it gets crisp and firm. A half-butter, half-shortening crust like the one used here has a pleasantly crumbly, tender texture. (Substitute an all-butter crust, if you prefer.) The stove-top custard filling is thickened with egg yolks and cornstarch. It must come to a full boil and then cook for several minutes in order to activate the cornstarch and thicken properly.
MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE
All-purpose flour, for dusting
½ recipe Pâte Brisée, Shortening Variation
¼ cup cornstarch
1 cup sugar
1½ teaspoons finely grated lemon zest plus ½ cup fresh lemon juice (from 4 lemons)
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups water
4 large egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 13-inch round. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim dough, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Tuck overhang under, flush with rim, and crimp edges. Pierce bottom of shell all over with a fork. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line shell with parchment, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges begin to turn golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove weights and parchment. Bake until crust is golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
3. Combine the cornstarch, sugar, zest, and salt in a saucepan. Whisk in the water. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until bubbling and thick, about 7 minutes (about 2 minutes after it comes to a boil).
4. In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks until combined. Pour in cornstarch mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking until completely incorporated. Return mixture to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it returns to a boil, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in lemon juice. Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking until each piece melts before adding the next. Let custard cool in saucepan on a wire rack 10 minutes, whisking occasionally.
5. Pour custard into crust. Press plastic wrap directly on surface of custard. Refrigerate until custard filling is chilled and firm, at least 6 hours or up to overnight.
6. Heap meringue on top of filling, making sure it extends to edge and touches crust (to prevent shrinking). Use a kitchen torch to lightly brown meringue peaks. Alternatively, place pie under the broiler for 1 or 2 minutes; watch carefully to ensure meringue doesn’t burn. Serve immediately.
Apple pie is the best-known example of a fruit pie, and for many, it serves as an introduction to double-crust pie-making. To begin, you’ll need a big bowlful of tart, firm apples; use a mix of varieties for the best flavor. The apples are tossed with lemon juice, sugar, spices, and flour, the last of which thickens the juices. Keeping the dough cool as you work is crucial; refrigerate it between steps and before baking to promote a flaky crust and help the pie maintain its shape. A few vents in the top crust will allow steam to escape. For shine and sparkle, brush the top with an egg wash and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Flute or crimp the edges as desired, and feel free to embellish the top crust with cutouts made from scraps of dough. Finally, resist the temptation to cut into the pie before it has completely cooled (about 3 hours); otherwise it will not have time to set properly.
MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 large egg yolk, for egg wash
1 tablespoon heavy cream, for egg wash
3 pounds assorted apples, such as Macoun, Granny Smith, Cortland, Jonagold, and Empire, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Coarse sanding sugar, for sprinkling
Vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)
1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disk of dough to a 13-inch round, ⅛ inch thick. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate (do not trim overhang). Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
2. Adjust an oven rack to lowest position. Preheat oven to 425°F. Whisk together egg yolk and cream for egg wash.
3. In a large bowl, toss together apples, flour, lemon juice, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until combined; pour mixture into chilled pie shell, piling in center. Dot mixture with butter.
4. Roll out remaining disk of dough as in step 1. Using a sharp paring knife, cut slits in top of dough. Brush rim of bottom crust with egg wash. Center dough on top of pie plate, and trim with kitchen shears, leaving 1-inch overhang. Tuck dough under bottom piece, and crimp edges as desired. Brush pie with egg wash, and sprinkle generously with sanding sugar. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
5. Transfer pie plate to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake on lowest rack until crust begins to turn light brown, about 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 375°F, and bake until crust is golden brown and juices bubble, 60 to 75 minutes more. (The high initial temperature helps the crust set quickly, keeping it from becoming soggy. Reducing the heat allows the apples to cook through without burning the crust; if top crust or edges are browning too quickly, tent pie with foil.) Transfer pie to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.
A woven lattice makes a striking top for a fruit pie, especially colorful fruit, such as blueberries; the open weave allows a peek at the filling and lets steam escape as the pie bakes. The process of weaving the top is easy to follow—cut the dough into strips, preferably with a fluted pastry wheel, and arrange them on top of the filling. This pie and many others with juicy berry fillings are thickened with cornstarch, which has stronger thickening properties than flour (a more appropriate choice for less juicy apples or pears). You may want to adjust the amount of thickener if the berries are particularly juicy, or if you prefer a firmer or looser pie filling.
MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE
All-purpose flour, for dusting
2 pounds (about 7 cups) fresh blueberries, picked over and rinsed
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 large egg yolk, for egg wash
1 tablespoon heavy cream, for egg wash
Fine sanding sugar, for sprinkling
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disk of dough to a 13-inch round, about ⅛ inch thick. Fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate.
2. In a large bowl, toss together berries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and lemon juice until combined. Pour mixture into pie plate, piling in center.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out remaining disk of dough as in step 1. To make lattice, cut dough into ten 1-inch-wide strips using a fluted pastry wheel. Lightly brush edge of dough in pie plate with water. Carefully arrange dough strips on top, weaving to form a lattice. Trim dough to a 1-inch overhang. Fold edges under as desired, and crimp with a fork. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and cream for egg wash; brush on top of dough strips and edge of pie shell. Generously sprinkle with sanding sugar. Refrigerate or freeze pie until firm, about 30 minutes.
4. Transfer pie plate to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, and bake until crust begins to brown, about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F. Continue baking until crust is deep golden brown and juices bubble, 55 minutes more. (If crust browns too quickly, tent pie with foil.) Transfer pie to a wire rack; let cool completely, at least 3 hours, before serving.
All you need is one formula to produce a nearly infinite variety of French-style fruit tarts. Start with a pâte sucrée crust, add pastry cream, and top with fresh fruit. You can scatter the fruit freehand, or arrange it in a pattern to make a tarte composée (literally, a “composed tart”). Here, summer berries are mixed and matched, but you can also use stone fruits such as cherries or apricots, or fresh figs or grapes. Pâte sucrée is sturdier than pâte brisée, making it a good choice for tarts that are unmolded before serving. Because the filling is not baked in the crust, it is necessary to blind-bake the shells completely. Traditionally, French fruit tarts are glazed with jam for a polished sheen, but this step is optional; a light dusting of confectioners’ sugar or a few tiny flowering herbs look equally lovely. To make a nine-inch tart, use half a recipe of Pâte Sucrée, and add about five minutes to the baking time.
MAKES TWO DOZEN 3-INCH TARTS
All-purpose flour, for dusting
4 cups mixed fresh berries, such as blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, red currants, or sliced strawberries
½ cup apricot jam (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough ⅛ inch thick, 1 disk at a time. Cut out twenty-four 4-inch rounds, and fit dough into two dozen 3-inch tart pans. Trim dough flush with rims. Pierce bottoms of shells all over with a fork. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
2. Line tart shells with parchment, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges are golden, about 15 minutes. Remove parchment and weights; continue baking until crusts are golden brown all over, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
3. Fill tart shells halfway with pastry cream and top with berries, arranging in concentric circles. If desired, in a small saucepan over low heat, heat apricot jam until loose, then pass through a fine sieve. Gently brush berries with strained jam. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2 hours.
ARRANGING AND GLAZING FRUIT
Invented by the Tatin sisters, who owned an inn in the Loire Valley, this dessert is popular all over France, especially in Paris. The tart is baked upside down in a pan in which the apples have been sautéed. When inverted, the finished tart boasts a layer of golden, caramelized fruit atop a base of flaky puff pastry. A copper Tatin pan is made specifically for this purpose; its two handles are designed for easy unmolding. However, any oven-safe skillet, such as a cast iron pan, will work. You can also easily substitute pears for the apples. For the ultimate in flavor and texture, make your own puff pastry from scratch;. Otherwise, choose a good-quality, all-butter brand such as Dufour.
MAKES ONE 10-INCH TART
All-purpose flour, for dusting
¼ recipe Puff Pastry, or 1 box store-bought puff pastry, preferably all-butter, thawed
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup sugar
7 to 9 Golden Delicious apples (3 to 4 pounds), peeled, quartered, and cored
Crème fraîche, for serving (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out and trim dough to a 10½-inch square. Brush off excess flour. Using a plate as a guide, cut out a 10-inch round. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, generously coat bottom and sides of a 10-inch Tatin pan or ovenproof skillet with the butter. Sprinkle sugar evenly over bottom. Arrange apple quarters closely together in concentric circles in skillet, with rounded sides down. Place over medium-high heat, and cook, without stirring, until juices are deep golden and bubbling, 18 to 20 minutes.
3. Bake 20 minutes (apples will settle slightly). Remove from oven, and place chilled pastry round over apples. Bake until pastry is dark golden brown, 23 to 28 minutes more.
4. Invert tart onto a rimmed platter or large plate. If any apples stick to skillet, gently remove them with a spatula and place on tart. Serve immediately, with crème fraîche, if desired.
ARRANGING FRUIT IN TATIN PAN
