4th of July = PIE!

In PIE we trust. PIE like the 4th of July BERRY much. PIE puns put me in a good ALA MODE!

Independence Day… as American as Apple PIE! The 4th of July commemorates the signing of the U.S. Declaration of Independence on the same day in 1776. Many Americans celebrate the holiday with picnic fare – hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, popsicles… at my house, the 4th of July is all about PIE! Berry, cherry, peach, rhubarb, or America’s favorite: apple pie. 

Sometimes it’s only our family of four and a standard-size pie works just fine. 

But when feeding a crowd, I grab a half-sheet pan (18x13x1”) and make a slab-style pie. A slab pie is a big-batch pie that’s made in a rimmed sheet pan (or its cousin, the jelly roll pan). Slab pies are shallower than traditional ones, but they can feed many more mouths! While a 9-inch pie serves 6 to 8, a sheet-pan slab pie handily serves 24. Depending on the recipe and filling, you might even get away with serving individual slices on napkins, foregoing plates, and forks entirely! Seriously, how easy is that? 

Now, when the occasion – say, a picnic or potluck – calls for portable pies, it’s all about the hand-pie. Who would not love their own, individual fruit pocket, jam-packed with whatever berry or stone fruit happens to be in season right at this very moment?

Whether you’re making a traditional, slab, or hand-style pie, a 4th-of-July pie calls for top-crust embellishment! I recommend giving the kids the role of decorating committee! With some extra dough and a cookie cutter or two (stars work well!), they’ll be entertained, and you’re bound to end up with a festive-looking dessert! 

A few tips for making pie-dough cut-outs:

• The dough must be very cold. After it’s been worked for a while, you may need to re-chill it.
• Roll the dough to an even thickness so that all the cut-outs bake evenly.
• After arranging the shapes on the pie crust, brush them with a beaten egg or milk to achieve a shiny, golden appearance.
• Once the cut-outs have browned, cover the pie top with foil to prevent over-browning.

Do you have a budding baker?

Get them preoccuPIEd with creating culinary creations. Find a Sticky Fingers Cooking Baking Boot Camp Class near you!    

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