Savory Apple Pie

Janice says: Good morning.  I baked a beautiful apple pie last night to serve to a guest tonight.  I realized while the pie was in the oven that I had grabbed the “cumin” spice jar instead of the “cinnamon”! Uggg!  I tasted the pie this morning and it’s not bad, but I would be too embarrassed to serve it to my guest.   Do you have any suggestions?  Perhaps cut the pie, lift the top crust and sprinkle cinnamon on each piece?  Thank you.

Baking S.O.S. says: I can honestly say that I have never gotten a question like this before, so you present an interesting challenge!!

After giving it some thought and researching recipe ideas on-line, I think you have 2 options:

1) If you really are too embarrassed to serve the pie to your guest, you may need to come up with a “plan B” dessert and make something completely different rather than try to salvage the pie.

2) If you are feeling adventurous, then there may be a few ideas you could try to salvage the pie and still serve it to your guest.

My inclination is to steer away from trying to mask the cumin flavor with cinnamon.  I’m afraid the two strongly-flavored spices will clash and make it taste worse than it does now.  Since you said it tastes OK now, I think you should add some complementary ingredients to enhance the cumin flavor.

I am thinking more of a savory apple pie rather than a traditional sweet apple pie. . . Though I have never tried cheese on an apple pie, I know it is a common preference for many people.  With that in mind, I researched several recipes on-line for “savory apple pie” and “apple pie with cheese.”   Many people prefer the taste of cheddar cheese with apple pie, but I also found recipes using Gruyere and Asiago cheeses, too.  You could try sprinkling some of your favorite cheese shredded on top of the pie and return it to the oven just until melted.  I think the cheese would be a nice complement to the cumin flavor of the pie.

Also, instead of serving your pie with ice cream or whipped cream, I would suggest serving it with creme fraiche instead.  Creme fraiche is a French version of sour cream but thinner in texture.  I think the tangy taste of creme fraiche would both complement the cumin as well as add a sophisticated, gourmet touch to your pie.

I believe you can buy ready-made creme fraiche at specialty gourmet stores, or you can make it at home as follows:

Combine 1 cup heavy whipping cream with 2 tablespoons buttermilk in a glass container.  Cover and let stand at room temperature for 8 hours until very thick.  Stir well before serving.  Refrigerate and use within 10 days.

I think these additions could help make your pie really unique and delicious if you are willing to take the chance.  Good luck, and let me know how it turns out!