The Perfect Pie

September 16, 2019
The editors of America’s Test Kitchen turn their eye to sweet pies and tarts in this satisfying outing. Recipes range from tried-and-true deep-dish apple pie to a fanciful crème brûlée option whose filling is infused with lavender and torched for crackle. The book opens with a rundown of eight basic pie types—tarts are “an elegant subcategory”; chiffon pie has “old-fashioned charm”—and a chapter titled “Pies Big and Small” includes charming “pie pops” and a sheet-pan galette. Sidebars cover such aspects as crimping or braiding a decorative edge, and firm guidance makes it all seem doable, even a stunning herringbone lattice. However, some photos don’t quite match instructions: an intriguing butternut squash and sage pie is depicted with leaf cutouts on top, though readers are directed to make a double-crust dough, not the single-crust dough in the instructions. Clever ideas abound, from decorative shards of sesame brittle on a chocolate-tahini tart to a Hawaiian dessert made with haupia, a coconut pudding so thick it can be sliced. A chapter on crusts meets every possible need with vegan and gluten-free options. Fear of pastry is real for many home cooks, and this book is poised to help readers vanquish it.

October 1, 2019

America's Test Kitchen (ATK) follows up The Perfect Cookie and The Perfect Cake with this comprehensive guide to pies and tarts. As expected from ATK, the book is extremely detailed about every aspect of the baking process, from choosing ingredients to cooling and storing the finished product. Helpful step-by-step photos enhance a chapter of classic pies, such as deep-dish apple pie and a not-cloying pecan pie, and accompany instructions for more visual steps (rolling dough, decorating) and unusual components (e.g., crafting a meringue crust). In addition to well-loved standards, ice cream pies, and regional favorites (New England mincemeat pie), the book includes innovative flavor combinations such as cape gooseberry pie with elderflower meringue, and recipes for both vegan and gluten-free dough. A chapter of "Pies Big and Small" comprises hand pies, pie pops, and individual pies in a jar, as well as slab pies to feed a crowd. To finish it off, the chapter "Upping Your Pie Game" demystifies impressive-looking edge and top crust designs so even home bakers can display something beautiful. VERDICT With obsessively tested classic and creative recipes, America's Test Kitchen offers everything you'll ever need to know about making pie.--Katy Hershberger, School Library Journal

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.