The Complete Book of Pies: 200 Recipes from Sweet to Savory

Pie-baking made easy.

What could be better than a fresh summer pie brimming with sweet ripe fruit, or a steaming chicken pot pie? Baking a homemade pie from scratch is surprisingly easy with Julie Hasson's guidance, and the results are rewarding.

The Complete Book of Pies is like having your grandmother in the kitchen with you. The entire pie-making process is covered in easy-to-follow detail from start to finish. The book is filled with hundreds of recipes for fruit, cream and savory pies along with dozens of special tips and time-saving shortcuts to help make pie-baking a breeze. There are tips for making dough and rolling it; ideas for decorative pie tops; and quick and easy alternatives to pastry dough.

These luscious recipes are among the many that are sure to please:

• Apple cranberry spice crumb pie, brown sugar apple pie with almond crumb topping
• Blueberry pie, boysenberry pie, bumbleberry crumb pie, peach pie, sour cherry pie
• White chocolate key lime pie, chocolate cream pie, butterscotch cream pie, coconut cream pie
• Chocolate chip pecan pie, rum pecan pie, chocolate truffle tart, chocolate peanut butter mousse pie
• Caramelized onion, thyme and olive tart, quiche lorraine, chicken pot pie with mushrooms and leeks.

Both the novice and experienced baker will benefit from the author's extensive baking expertise. Sixteen pages of color photographs and extensive illustrations provide baking guidance and inspiration. The Complete Book of Pies is a basic reference for any home baker.

Perfect Pies: The Best Sweet and Savory Recipes from America's Pie-Baking Champion

The smell of a pie baking in the kitchen immediately conjures up feelings of comfort, nostalgia, and love. Michele Stuart vividly remembers standing at her grandmother’s apron hem as a child, as she fine-tuned (and improved!) family recipes that had been passed down for generations. Eventually, Stuart’s lifelong passion for pie-making inspired her to open what would become the world-famous shop Michele’s Pies.

You don’t have to travel to Michele’s Pies in Norwalk and Westport, Connecticut, though, to taste Stuart’s mouthwatering creations. Perfect Pies shares nearly eighty delicious recipes, many of them National Pie Championships winners: There are desserts bursting with fruit (Country Apple Pie, Blueberry-Blackberry Pie), crunchy with nuts (Chocolate-Pecan-Bourbon Pie, Maple Walnut Pie), cream-filled delights (Coconut Custard Pie, Lemon Chiffon Pie), and pies perfect for a party (Ultimate Banana Split Pie, Candyland Pie). And let’s not forget Stuart’s sensational savory creations, from Lobster Pot Pie to Quiche Lorraine to Italian Wheat Pie. Stuart also passes along easy recipes for Hot Fudge Sauce, Raspberry Jam, and Whipped Cream to top it all off.

Stuart’s secret, she says, is that her pies are “made by hand with love,” but she doesn’t neglect to advise you on the basic kitchen tools you’ll need as she reveals essential tips and techniques, from how to roll out dough to the best way to make light and flaky crust. And of course she stresses the use of fresh, seasonal fruits and other wholesome ingredients. “The best pies are the ones that keep it simple,” Stuart notes. So whether you’re a pie novice, a weekend baker, or a seasoned pastry chef, Perfect Pies will help make everything you bake worthy of a blue ribbon.