Where can I find a good (eggless) apple pie in NYC?

December 11, 2003 9:18 AM

They say there's nothing more American than apple pie, but I've yet to have a decent apple pie in NYC. Could you please help me find a good (eggless) apple pie in NYC?
posted by riffola to food & drink (16 comments total)

Little Pie Company on w.43rd and in grand central (but i don't think it's eggless) : >
posted by amberglow at 10:40 AM on December 11, 2003

Who puts egg in an apple pie?

Crust - butter/crisco/whatever + flour and
Filling - apples, sugar, spices, thickening agent (cornstarch/tapioca/whatever)

Where do eggs come in?
posted by Karmakaze at 11:06 AM on December 11, 2003

Caravan of Dreams on 6th. Street.

They're got lots of other vegan items on their menu.
posted by Smart Dalek at 11:14 AM on December 11, 2003

Thanks for the tips amber ans Smart Dalek.

Karmakaze, some people use eggs in their crust.
posted by riffola at 11:21 AM on December 11, 2003

Karmakaze: butter + flour = crumbs, you need something to bind them and for richer pastry you use egg, personally for apple pies I put in 1tablespn caster sugar and a pinch of salt before adding the beaten egg. Note that you will likely need to add a little milk or water after the egg to get the proper consistency. You can also save 1tspn of egg to brush over the top of the pie for a richer brown crust.
Since I'm typing, for the filling I build up layers; layer of sliced apple, then sultanas, then fresh orange peel, then cinnamon, then brown sugar, repeat until pie case is full, put pastry over, pinch edges, egg brush and vent. I also like to peel the apples then put them in lemon juice and a little brown sugar while I ready the other ingredients, this prevents them from going brown and leaves enough lemon in the pie that it is absorbed by the sultanas and gives a citrus tang to the pie.
posted by biffa at 11:26 AM on December 11, 2003

Oops, to address the original question, you can skip the egg and just use milk.
posted by biffa at 12:04 PM on December 11, 2003

biffa, yup my mom makes it without eggs, but mom's in Bombay, so I need to find a source here in NYC. A friend's mother, in upstate NY once made a great blueberry pie for me without eggs too.
posted by riffola at 12:06 PM on December 11, 2003

Ah. I learned the traditional flour-butter/lard-icewater crust (maybe a little salt/baking soda or whatever)... It stays together ok for me, although you have to work it very carefully (enough to bind, but no so much it gets tough). The only time I've used egg white in making crust was brushing a little egg white on the top to make it extra shiny.

I'm also the only person I know who makes an eggless pumpkin pie, too (not vegan, though, as there is milk - never tried it with soy milk). It's rather denser than most commercial pumpkin pies, but I prefer that texture.
posted by Karmakaze at 12:17 PM on December 11, 2003

I'm quite ashamed:
but I swear to God I wasn't paying,
so please don't flame me

but the best apple pie I ever had
was in NYC

at the Four Seasons Hotel restaurant, on 57th

it was really, really, REALLY good
posted by matteo at 1:06 PM on December 11, 2003

don't know about the eggs, tho

posted by matteo at 1:06 PM on December 11, 2003

Thanks matteo, I don't think we'll hold that against you, after all it's New York.
posted by riffola at 1:24 PM on December 11, 2003

I've never heard of putting egg in the crust and I even worked in a pie shop for a summer. But yeah, egg wash on the crust to brown it nicely is fairly common. I've never bought a pie in NYC though, I find it's better and tastier to just make them at home. I've never had a store-bought pie that's been anywhere close to what I can make myself (except for at that pie shop where I worked).
posted by megnut at 1:53 PM on December 11, 2003

I can't understand why people use lard in sweet pies, my mother always did that and her apple pies were rank. I stick with marg or, these days, olive based spreads. I think I may just have a preference for the much richer crust you get from using egg, milk and no lard. I'm with megnut, shop bought are never as good as home-made - well not my home made anyway (my mother's are another story).
Riffola: go on, make one for yourself.
posted by biffa at 1:30 AM on December 12, 2003

riffola, in case you do go on and make your own eggless pie crust, check out Joanne Stepaniak on the topic. She knows her stuff.

While some of the most extremely elegant aspects of pastry baking (e.g. meringue) are still dependent on real eggs, a surprising number of effects can be achieved without them.
posted by soyjoy at 7:28 AM on December 12, 2003

Try College Bakery - located on Court Street in Cobble Hill Brooklyn. They make the best goddamn apple crumb pie ever. And its costs only $4.75!
posted by turbanhead at 9:52 AM on December 12, 2003

Thanks for the suggestions.

As for making a pie at home, my mum's got an amazing recipe, and it tastes heavenly! But I don't want to burn the house... yet. So I'll try these suggestions out, and if I still don't find anything good, I'll just have to make one myself.
posted by riffola at 7:15 PM on December 12, 2003