Shredded Baking Apple in Fruit Pies?

[papow]

Hello!

I've been making pies for almost five years now. Some of the recipes I have for cherry, blueberry, or other fruit pies call for shredding a small baking apple (golden delicious is recommended) and adding it into the pie. Today, I decided to experiment and make a cherry pie without the shredded apple to see what happens (I'll post results, of course).

I was curious: does anyone know what function the shredded apple serves? It doesn't seem like it would influence flavor much. Is it a texture or binding agent in these cases? When I compare similar recipes, I don't notice any particular substitutions in the fruit pies without the shredded baking apple.

Thanks!

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Apple is naturally high in pectin. Pectin acts as a natural thickner.

Fruit releases moisture when it's subjected to heat. Since common thickeners, flour, cornstarch, tapioca starch, all perform differentl based heat and moisture, a finely shredded apple is added as a failsafe. Some fruit like a blueberry are impossible to gauge for juice. Last Fourth of July I made blueberry pies and despite the considerable tapioca I put in as a thickener the pies filled with juice. So my sister had the bright idea to drain off the juice and we used it as a syrup for ice cream.

There's also the aesthetics. Flour create a very very cloudy fillingg. Cornstarch can be extremely gummy looking filling. And tapioca when subjected to heat over a long period of time actually breaks down and loses its ability to bind. So those are some of reasons apple is added to filling.

There is something called clearjel which is used as a filling thickener. It is not the same cleargel that is sold in grocery stores for canning. This is a product that is designed specifically for fillings. It thickens without heat so before your pie even goes in the oven you will know approximately how thick your filling will be. The product produces a clear filling. You have to buy it online. I have never seen it sold in stores as it's one of those products to the trade. King Arthur flour buys it in bulk and repackages it for retail distribution.

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop...arJel+-+8+oz&gclid=CPLGuKnn2dQCFcZcfgodat8FrA

 

[ChesterV]

Hmmmm. I didn't even know that!!!!

How very interesting.

I've always used either a packet of unflavored gelatin in the mix or "dried" the berries or fruit in thick towels over night to soak up a lot of the moisture.

Personally, I prefer using actual dried fruit, as it soaks up the moisture while baking and makes a nice, very firm pie.

Now that I think about it, I do believe someone told me to use shredded apricots for that reason, instead of the apple.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Hmmmm. I didn't even know that!!!!

How very interesting.

I've always used either a packet of unflavored gelatin in the mix or "dried" the berries or fruit in thick towels over night to soak up a lot of the moisture.

Personally, I prefer using actual dried fruit, as it soaks up the moisture while baking and makes a nice, very firm pie.

Now that I think about it, I do believe someone told me to use shredded apricots for that reason, instead of the apple.

Oh dried fruit! That's very clever! I'm definitely going to give that a try. That never occurred to me. It would be great to have a thread here on baking tips and tricks.

 

[ChesterV]

Oh dried fruit! That's very clever! I'm definitely going to give that a try. That never occurred to me. It would be great to have a thread here on baking tips and tricks.

If you search my old posts, you will find them!


As for using dried fruit, you have to be sure to make the ratio of dried fruit to juice or water where the fruit will have enough liquid to soak up, but not so much it will leave any for spillage. The amount of dried fruit used will also depend on how firm or loose you want your pie to be.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

If you search my old posts, you will find them!


As for using dried fruit, you have to be sure to make the ratio of dried fruit to juice or water where the fruit will have enough liquid to soak up, but not so much it will leave any for spillage. The amount of dried fruit used will also depend on how firm or loose you want your pie to be.

Ok. That makes sense. I'm thinking Ill let the fresh fruit macerate in sugar for 20-30 minutes. That will draw the juice from the fruit so I'll gave an idea of the amount of juice. Then stir in the dried fruit. I've never been fond of pre-cooking the fruit to thicken the juices. That extra cooking just turns the fruit to mush since I bake my pies at 400 degrees.

The 2 qts of blackberries I just bought never made it into a pie. No berry or peach is safe in my house when there's cream in the fridge. So back to the market for more fruit since I'm going to bake a pie for a potluck on Sunday. Going to give this dried fruit technique a go.

 

[ChesterV]

Ok. That makes sense. I'm thinking Ill let the fresh fruit macerate in sugar for 20-30 minutes. That will draw the juice from the fruit so I'll gave an idea of the amount of juice. Then stir in the dried fruit. I've never been fond of pre-cooking the fruit to thicken the juices. That extra cooking just turns the fruit to mush since I bake my pies at 400 degrees.

The 2 qts of blackberries I just bought never made it into a pie. No berry or peach is safe in my house when there's cream in the fridge. So back to the market for more fruit since I'm going to bake a pie for a potluck on Sunday. Going to give this dried fruit technique a go.

Peaches in ANY form dont last long around me!!!!

LOL

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Peaches in ANY form dont last long around me!!!!

LOL

Oh yeah...nothing like a fresh juicy peach.