Apricot Raspberry Pie #24

It may have been a little premature, but since apricots JUST started to be in season, I couldn't resist trying out this recipe.

Truth be told, I didn't give this pie the best chance right from the beginning (and the fact that the apricots were probably shipped from whoknowswhere is just the tip of the iceberg). Our apartment is 90 degrees on a normal day, but after baking a pie, the temperature jumped to about 190 degrees. So, as you can imagine, the pie had a hard time cooling off. When our friends arrived to partake of the pie, it was still very warm and it hadn't had enough of a chance to set up.

My fault. Not theirs.

Unfortunately, when we cut into it, it was a runny mess. Also, because of an experiment gone awry, that I was hoping would enhance the crust, th bottom crust was tough and hard to cut through. So, when eating it, I just tired not to pay attention to it because this crust recipe happens to be one of my current favorites. But like I've said befor, the crust can make or break the pie for me.

But the thing is, I was excited about this pie. I haven't had apricots for a pretty long time and as silly as it may sound I couldn't really imagine what an apricot pie would taste like. As I bit into the pie (or really, sipped the pie out of spoon--remember? it was a hot mess), I instantly remembered the apricot raspberry jam that my grandma used to make. So, it may have been a little bit of nostalgia that inspired me to try it and it was definitely the nostalgia that helped me enjoy it. 

However, eating my Grandma's jam with a bit of crust around it isn't like eating a pie--not that I disapprove of eating jam in any form, even if that's just by the spoonfuls. But, I have a sneaking suspicion that exceptional pie innards have a little more to chew than just a spoonful of jam does, even if I only have a few examples to prove it. I think that I should have used apricots that were just about ripe rather than ripe. Had that been the case I think that if we were to eat it again at lava-like temperatures, at least it would have been like a chunky soup instead of a puree.

So, besides the unfortunate mistakes that I made with this pie. I think the recipe has potential and that it could be very delicious. and I feel like I need to chalk this one up to one of those good old learning experiences I was hoping to have when starting this pie adventure.

I will try it again sometime and if you happen to make it, remember what I learned: 

1-Use apricots on the brink of ripeness
2-Apply proper cooling time
3-Don't do any crust cooking experiments

And I hope in the future we will all have more success. Good luck!

Apricot Raspberry Pie
(Adapted from Gourmet Magazine 2002)

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 lb firm-ripe apricots (about 8 large), cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
1 1/2 cups raspberries
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon butter

Glaze 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Double Crust recipe(I used the same butter crust I used here)

DIRECTIONS:
Place a baking sheet in middle of oven and preheat oven to 450F

Combine cut apricots and raspberries (note, leave the skin on the apricots). Whisk together the flour and sugar in a large bowl and sprinkle over fruit. Add almond extract and gently stir to combine.

Roll dough disk for bottom crust on a lightly floured surface until it's a 11 inch round. Line pie plate with dough.

Spoon filling into mixture and dab with small squares of butter.

Roll out top crust and cover pie. Trim the edges with kitchen shears, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold overhand under itself and tuck into the pie pan. Crimp edge decoratively.

Brush top of pie with egg and sprinkle with sugar. Cut steam vents in top crust.

Bake pie on hot baking sheet for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375F and continue to bake until crust is gold brown and filling is bubbling, about 45 minutes more. Cool pie on a rack at least 2 hours before serving.