Thursday, November 6, 2008

Easy as Pie


This is the pumpkin pie I recently made for my sons' school Election Day bake sale. I first saw a pie "decorated" like this in last year's Williams-Sonoma catalog and thought -- hey -- I can do this. It's actually very simple and takes no longer than making a pie normally would. While your one-crust pie is baking in the oven, cut shapes from a second crust with cookie cutters. Place your shapes onto a greased baking pan and lightly carve details on them. I like to sprinkle my finished shapes with a little cinnamon sugar.

Here are my tools: cookie cutters for making shapes, a toothpick and small knife for carving details into my cut-outs (veins on leaves, polka-dots on acorn caps). Cutting the shapes and then "drawing" on them is the best part of making this pie for me. I find it fun and relaxing. Once the pie is out of the oven and cooling, bake your cut-outs (keep at the same temp used for the pie) for about 5 minutes.

Let your cut-outs cool and then have fun embellishing your pie. Someday I may attempt the Williams-Sonoma recipe but for now, I like the simplicity of Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pie and a ready-made crust.

11 comments:

Tracy said...

Wow! That pie is SO cute and looks SO yummy! I'm glad you explained how you did it because I was going to ask the moment I looked at the picture! I bet it was a big hit!

Anonymous said...

Fun and relaxing for me is eating that pie with a big ole dollop of whipped cream!

Anonymous said...

YUM!

but looks too pretty to eat :)

Cathy said...

Hi Elyse,

Thank you so much for your sweet words on my blog about my Romantic Homes feature. I am so excited to share it with all of you. Enjoy it my friend.

xo Cathy

Cynthia's Cottage Design said...

Hi Elyse! Congratulations!! you won my give-away!! I used random.org to pic the winner and its YOU :)

Please send me an email at crsy0782@aim.com with your address and i'll head the Vignette number 2 to you asap!

btw, your blog is gorgeous, Im doing a "we have a winner" post today and will put a link to your blog so others can see your talents!

and yum, I love that pumpkin pie, you did a beautiful job!!

Congrats again!!

~ hugs ~ Cynthia

Stacey said...

I wanted to order those cutters from WS. Now you've shown me a much less expensive way!

Anonymous said...

What a cutie pie....get it...pie!! Ha ha, I am so funny! Seriously, your pie turned out darling!!
Kristin

a quiet life said...

your pie is adorable... i could go for a slab right now!

XUE said...

I do love pumpkin pies & I'm going to have to try this out! Thank you for this post!

XUE said...

Eluse, I made the pie today, not for the first time but they never come out looking of "neat & clean" like yours! The only ready-to-bake crust I can find in Tokyo is the flaky pastry type. I do enjoy browsing through your lovely blog!

XUE said...

Sorry Elyse... my fingers slipped & the letter "y" is next to "u" !