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Not all pie recipes are created equal.
Top the filling with a few pats of butter, cover with another layer of pie crust, and pinch the sides shut.
Maybeeeee. The pie really did taste great. It had a deep, caramelized flavor that tasted like it was legit made with caramel sauce. The filling was dark, rich, and complex. The only downside was the crust. It was flimsy, not flaky, and the flavor was disappointing. If this pie were made with a homemade crust, it could have been a banger.
Rating: 🍎🍎🍎
She starts by cooking butter until brown and nutty (!) and tosses it with apples, lemon juice, sugar, flour, and fresh vanilla bean. The browned butter adds a "rich nuttiness" to the filling and makes sure this classic pie isn't boring.
Fill with the prepared apple mixture, then top with another layer of pie dough. Crimp the edges shut, cut steam vents, and freeze for 30 minutes.
In this case, no. The pie was super bland and was missing flavor. There was no spices — not even cinnamon! The vanilla bean added a nice hint of flavor, but it wasn't enough. The flavor of the brown butter got lost, and I don't think it was worth the effort. This was a bit of a disappointment, TBH.
Rating: 🍎🍎
Pop the cheesy crust in the fridge and let it firm up.
Line a pie pan with half of the prepared dough, fill with the apple mixture, and top with another layer of dough.
It wasn't bad! I'll admit that the scent made me nervous. It smelled hella cheesy as it was baking, but the flavor wasn't overpowering. You couldn't really taste the cheese, but it gave the crust a savory flavor that balanced the filling nicely. I didn't love this pie, but I appreciated the uniqueness.
Rating: 🍎🍎🍎
The edges of the apples will start to brown, but this is OK.
Fill with the cooked apple mixture and cover with another layer of pastry.
You know what, I think so. The apple filling was delicious, but the star of this pie was actually the crust! Sure, it isn't as pretty (or easy to work with, TBH) as the other recipes, but it tasted amazing. It's crispy, not at all soggy, and tastes like a sugar cookie. That combined with the filling made this pie a true star.
Rating: 🍎🍎🍎🍎
THE WINNER: Gordon Ramsay
This pie was truly delicious. The crust was crisp, tender, and unique, and caramelizing the apples before adding them to the pie gave them a ton of flavor that took this pie to the next level. Get the recipe.
SECOND PLACE: Michelle Obama
This pie was rich, complex, and delicious. The filling cooked for such a long time that it basically turned into caramel and tasted amazing. If you have three hours to spare, I definitely recommend this pie. Get the recipe.
THIRD PLACE: Michael Symon
Listen, I appreciate the addition of cheddar cheese in this pie, but it just didn't add that much flavor. The pie was fine, but not great. Maybe if the filling were better it would do the crust justice — but overall it was pretty ~bleh~. Get the recipe.
LAST: Martha Stewart
This pie was bland, boring, and sad. It seriously lacked flavor and would have benefited from some spices. It may have looked traditional, but it definitely didn't taste traditional. Sad! Get the recipe.