Monday, August 19, 2019

Cheese-Applesauce Pie - 6th Annual Pieathalon




That's right, it's Pieathalon time again!

To recap the rules of Pieathalon:
1) You choose a vintage recipe and send it in
2) You receive a vintage recipe submitted by someone else
3) You make the recipe
4) You post about your experience

While I have followed Pieathalon from the beginning, this is only my second year to participate.  I was happy and surprised to receive a second invitation, considering that my submission last year involved a pie that combined raisins and onions. (Farm Boy still insists that he would probably like it, but I have not worked up the courage to actually make it.)

This year I found several wonderfully terrible recipes, but I decided to play nice and sent in Honey Cream Cheese Pie from Sunset's New Kitchen Cabinet Cook Book (1938).  The recipe caught my eye because Farm Boy has bees and he got his first real honey harvest this year, about seventy pounds worth of delicious golden sweetness.  So we're on the lookout for recipes that use honey.  If you have a good method for making mead, please share!

The recipe I received this year is Cheese-Applesauce Pie from the Woman's Day Collector's Cook Book (1960) and it was submitted by Poppy Crocker of the so-much-better-named-than-my-page Grannie Pantries.  You can see the great illustrations in the cookbook in Poppy's post, The levitating cow head, queen of the damned, and other wonders.


Corn flake crust - sounds promising!

Cheesecake-like filling - I'm in!

Applesauce, lemon, almond topping - hmmm.

I couldn't find corn flake crumbs, so I used regular corn flakes and pulverized them in the food processor.  I also used the food processor on the cottage cheese instead of forcing it through a sieve, primarily because I got rid of the sieve a few weeks ago in a fit of decluttering.  I took the whole load straight to the donation center because I didn't want it sitting around the house for ages.  Of course, I needed the sieve the very next day.  Argh.

In honor of Pieathalon, I dug out my vintage Pyrex lime green pie dish.  This is my second one.  The first one died in a tragic quiche accident.

Fresh out of the oven - oooh, it smells nice!

Topped with the applesauce/lemon juice/almond mixture.  

A side view.  I had a hard time getting a decent picture because...

Queen Lily was demanding her share! She requested no toppings.

Hmmm, let's see if we like this...

We do!  Give us more.  MORE!

Ground crew member Daisy wanted to participate in the taste test.  She also approved!  But she has some questionable eating habits, so we just nod and smile politely when she recommends something. 

In addition to Lily and Daisy, we also had two human testers: Sister of Farm Boy and Daughter of Sister of Farm Boy*.

The group consensus among the human testers:

  • The corn flake crust has a nice flavor, but it's soft.  Maybe bake it beforehand?
  • The cheesecake filling part is fantastic!  Good flavor and texture and easy to mix and bake. I will definitely make that again.
  • The applesauce topping is, mmm, okaaay, but not something any of us would go out of our way to have again.  It mostly tastes like lemon.  Farm Boy liked it the best out of all of us.

So, on the whole, it was much better than last year's pie, most of which went into the trash.  I think I will keep experimenting with the crust and the filling, but I'm going to let the applesauce topping go.

Thank you to Yinzerella at Dinner is Served 1972 for organizing this event yet again!

To read about the adventures of the other Pieathletes, visit their blogs:

Yinzerella from Dinner is Served 1972 with Dali Oasis Leek Pie
The Battenburg Belle from Battenburg Belle with Betty Crocker Hawaiian Pie
Dr. Bobb of Dr. Bobb's Kitschen with Macaroon Pie
Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla with Flaming Peach Pie
Greg of Recipes4Rebels with Artichoke Pie
Jenny of Silver Screen Suppers with Spaghetti Pie
The Homicidal Homemaker with Bamberry Turnovers
Kelly from Velveteen Lounge Kitsch-en with Angel Pie
Surly at Vintage Recipe Cards with Salmon Custard Pie
Peter, Curator of the Vincent Price Legacy UK with WW Cherrie Pies
Poppy at Grannie Pantries with Banana Split Pie
S.S. of  A Book of Cookrye with Huntington Fidget Pie
Taryn from RetroFoodForModerntimes with Honey Cream Cheese Pie

*Not their actual names.

15 comments:

  1. Wow, that sounds delicious and your rendition looks great! The tasting report made me laugh! Hilarious! So glad you got a much more successful recipe this year! Enjoyed your posting!

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    1. It was nice to end up with something that left people wanting seconds this time!

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  2. What a gorgeous cat and what a gorgeous pie pan! I am so happy that your pie was successful AND tasty! Thank you again for joining the Pieathalon!

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    1. Lily says thank you for noticing her beauty! (Modesty is not one of her virtues)

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  3. Your little animal friends are so cute! I'm glad you at least kind of liked the pie. I thought the applesauce topping sounded pretty bad (Honestly, it's part of the reason I picked this one!), so I'm not surprised that part was not so successful.

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    1. Farm Boy has been insisting that the topping isn't bad, so I had to read him your comment!

      I'm glad I got this recipe. The cottage cheese filling is really nice and not as rich as a cream cheese version. I think it has a lot of potential. Just not with applesauce! :)

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  4. Your dog is me when it's time for dessert. Also, what a strange recipe- it looks like someone had a perfectly good pie and was like "I need to get rid of the applesauce SOMEhow..."

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    1. Exactly. Or the book was sponsored by an applesauce company and they were required to add it to 10% of the recipes.

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  5. I am team Daisy! I was talking with a work colleague today who was complaining about her diet because "all I can eat is cheese and fruit" and I said "Have I got a pie for you!"

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    1. Having seen some of the old Weight Watchers recipes, I think the cheese and fruit diet sounds like a winner!

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  6. That cornflake crust sounds awesome! I totally want to give that a try. Your pie turned out beautiful and I love the puppy and kitty pics!

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    1. Awww, thanks! I need to get the other pets involved in the taste tests, although with nine total, that could get chaotic!

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  7. I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post. chicken broth

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  8. I wonder how sliced uncooked apples would be on top prior to baking. The cheese filling seems like it would complement so many fruit toppings. Did you ever try pre-baking the crust? What a great recipe for the pandemic! Thank you.

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