Careful on the Pie!

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a dessert-lover. There is nothing better in this world than sugar. But at the same time, we all consume way too much sugar these days, so cutting back is not necessarily a bad thing either. Well, with summer waning and fall right around the corner, this also signals the ushering in of the holiday season very soon. So, in preparation for the holidays (probably a little bit too early, but alas, a healthy reminder at any time is okay in my book), here is the low-down on the various sinfully-delicious holiday pies and which ones are healthier than the others.

Apple Pie — healthiest option (apples full of nutrients and fiber).
Calories: 310
Fat: 14g (7 g saturated)
Sugars: 27g
Fiber: 3 g

Lemon Meringue Pie (full of sugar, lemon filling is sweetened)
Calories: 310
Fat: 12g (5g saturated)
Sugars: 32g
Fiber: 1g

Pumpkin Pie (no top crust, pumpkin good source of vitamin A)
Calories: 310
Fat: 12g (6g saturated)
Sugars: 26g
Fiber: 2g

Blueberry Pie (blueberries are rich in vitamins and anthocyanins)
Calories: 340
Fat: 14g (6g saturated)
Sugars: 19g
Fiber: 1g

Cheesecake (lots of saturated fats and some trans fats)
Calories: 400
Fat: 24g (15g saturated)
Sugars: 29g
Fiber: 1g

Pecan Pie ((loaded with sugar)
Calories: 500
Fat: 23g (7g saturated)
Sugars: 36g
Fiber: 2g

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cream Pie
Calories: 620
Fat: 23g (7g saturated)
Sugars: 36g
Fiber: 2g

And, if you throw on any extra toppings . . . yikes!

Vanilla Ice Cream (1/2 cup)
Calories: 137
Fat: 7g (5g saturated)
Sugars: 14g
Protein: 2g

Whipped Cream – spray can (2 Tablespoons)
Calories: 15
Fat: 1g (0.5 saturated)
Sugars: 1g
Protein: 0g

Whipped Cream – homemade (2 Tablespoons)
Calories: 52
Fat: 5g (3g saturated)
Sugars: 1g
Protein: 0.4g

Source: AARP, the Magazine, December 2020/January 2021, p. 8.

Trivia in the Kitchen, Number Fifty-Eight!

While I prefer baking cheesecakes, I have been known to bake the occasional crusted fruit pie as well.  For those of you who are less familiar with fruit pies (with pastry crusts), here are the “seven habits of highly successful fruit pies” (courtesy of the book How to Break an Egg).

• Use a metal pan
• Use a template to cut nicely round dough circles
• Always add a pinch of salt to your fruit fillings
• Don’t overfill the pie
• Chill the filled pie for twenty (20) minutes before baking
• Watch the bubbles to see when the pie’s done
• Cool the pie completely before slicing

Source: How to Break an Egg by the editors, contributors, and readers of Fine Cooking magazine, p. 212.

Trivia in the Kitchen, Number Fifty-Three!

I’ve made my share of double-crust fruit pies and I usually don’t have any trouble at all, but here are a few tips and tricks to help you bake perfects pies every time.

1.   Use a metal pie pan (it conducts heat better which helps the bottom crust brown).
2.  Use a template to cut uniformly round dough circles (the lid of a pot, or a cake circle work well).
3.  Always add a pinch of salt to your fruit fillings (it will enhance the fruitiness and the sweetness).
4.  Don’t overfill the pie (level of the fruit should never be above the rim of the pan).
5.  Chill the filled pie for 20 minutes before baking.
6.  Watch the bubbles to see when the pie is done (lazy and slow bubbles means the pie has thickened and is done).
7.  Cool the pie completely before slicing (hot pie will be liquid inside).

Source: Carolyn Weil, in How to Break an Egg by the editors, contributors and readers of Fine Cooking magazine (p. 212).