Rolling Out New Pie Designs

When it comes to employing di erent pie crusts and fi llings, the sky’s the limit.

By Pamela Brill, Contributing Editor

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a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream or topping-free, a slice of pie remains high on the list of traditional club desserts. And while members have come to expect classic fl avors to polish o a satisfying meal, pastry chefs are fi nding new ways to elevate the pie-eating experience.

With new variations in crusts and fi llings, along with unconventional fl avors to pique the curiosity of their most discriminating diners, pies are commanding even greater attention.

LET THEM EAT PIE

At Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfi eld, Mich., Executive Pastry Chef Elizabeth Harrison relishes the idea of adding new twists to her pie menu.

“Pies have always had the ability to be incredibly diverse,” she says. “Make a good pie crust, use product that is fresh and available, and have fun eating it.”

With more than two decades under her belt working the private club circuit—the last eight of which have been at Oakland Hills—Harrison has come to know exactly what members crave: a lemon meringue ice cream pie. A menu mainstay, this pastry is featured year-round on the a la carte menu and, for those who can’t resist a second helping, is available for purchase as a whole pie.

To satisfy members’ fl avor palates, Harrison also runs a limited-edition special, o ering a classic pie or cake for purchase for only a day or two. “It’s fun for us to make, and the members enjoy the spontaneity of it,” she says.

Possible fl avors include apple, cherry, coconut cream, key lime and chocolate

Oakland Hills CC Executive Pastry Chef Elizabeth Harrison runs a limited-edition special, o ering a classic cake or pie for purchase for only a day or two.

chess. In the spring, she uses local produce for her strawberry rhubarb or, a couple of times a year, takes advantage of a delivery of Saskatoon berries for a refreshing alternative.

When experimenting with di erent concepts, Harrison enjoys utilizing club sta as willing taste-testers, creating a fun atmosphere that can yield new menu additions. She notes banana butterscotch cashew pie, Melopita and Milk Bar Pie (formerly known as Crack Pie) as top hits in the employee break room. By encouraging her sta to check out what’s on the menu at local Detroit pie shops, she’s also been inspired by Sister Pie’s Salted Maple Pie and the Sweet Potato Pie at Hip Hop Bake Shop.

While Harrison relishes showstopping fl avor combinations, she believes that the formula for the best pie lies in its quality. “Pies, I think, are very much a comfort food category of dessert at our club,” she says. “What sells to our members is a classic pie made well with high-quality ingredients.”

Having fi ne-tuned her crust preparation process, she points to a classic short pie dough recipe, using all-purpose fl our and employing a small amount of apple cider vinegar to tenderize it. To maintain the consistency of her apple and cherry pies, she uses frozen fruit from Michigan Farm to Freezer, a company that buys and processes local produce.

Among Harrison’s favorite pie styles are fried and free form, both of which she prefers to serve hot. “We feature them as weekend specials in a la carte dining, where they can be fi nished just before service,” she adds. For free-form pies, Harrison occasionally uses cream cheese pie dough or oatmeal pie dough. “The visual is appealing, and personally, I like to eat the crust better than the fi lling, particularly with a scoop of ice cream.”

Because dietary restrictions have become more prevalent in her pastry menu, Harrison decided to adjust her most common pie fi llings a few years ago, removing the gluten fl our and replacing it with gluten-free fl our mixes and other ingredients like pectin. While this change has simplifi ed production, the crust component remains a challenge that requires a di erent mindset. “Mostly, it’s remembering that the gluten-free crust is not going to behave the same as a classic pie crust,” she says. “Once you get that, everything is fi ne.”

Harrison mostly focuses her e orts on making memorable o erings, especially when it comes to birthday pie. For these creations, she cuts letters and other decorations from pie dough to make them extra special. “My favorite feedback from members is when they call for a birthday cake and bashfully ask if they can have birthday pie instead,” she says. “‘Of course!’ is always my answer.”

FRESH OUT OF THE OVEN

Over the past year, Pastry Chef Sara Biasi has made her mark on pie production at Rhode Island Country Club in Barrington, R.I. The newly minted chef harnessed her baking skills to begin her fi rst foray in private clubs, where she’s learning the art of crafting the perfect pie. “Getting to create the dessert menu for the club is one of my favorite parts of my job,” she says. Her experience in American, French and Italian pastries, along with producing yeasted dough for sweet and savory items, has come in handy for making a full roster of pies for a discerning membership.

Catering to her clientele, Biasi notes that pie preferences skew more toward the traditional: pumpkin and apple at Thanksgiving and fresh berries for the spring and summer months. With key lime pie being a consistent favorite over the past year, she’s planning to put more emphasis on similar citrus fl avors in the months ahead. “I love lemon, lime and orange as fl avors, but passion fruit and grapefruit are some di erent and exciting fl avors to use for curd

Pastry Chef Sara Biasi says creating the dessert menu for Rhode Island CC is one of the best parts of her job. While members’ preferences skew traditional, she looks forward to trying new pie variations this year using passion fruit and grapefruit.

While many of the club’s classic pie recipes have stayed the same, Cherokee Town & Country Club Executive Pastry Chef Alex Hwang says members do appreciate di erent pie presentations or concepts.

pies,” she says. Also on the docket is a strawberry rhubarb pie when fresh produce becomes more readily available.

Because club members prefer classic tastes when it comes to pies, Biasi is careful to introduce new fl avors slowly. “When creating twists on these items, I tend to be subtle so members can still enjoy some of their favorite fl avors, as well as experience something di erent, whether it be in the look, smell or taste,” she notes.

Pie toppings, on the other hand, o er her a safe space for experimentation. “You don’t just see the traditional lattice topping anymore,” says Biasi. “Whether it’s a painted pie crust, di erent lattice shape or unique type of crumb, the top of the pie has many options.”

More recently, Biasi has tried her hand at creating a diamond lattice cut for a mixed berry pie or Linzer torte. In the fall, she’ll repurpose extra pie crust to make leaves for a seasonal touch. “I defi nitely want to get into practicing more unique ways to elevate the ways my pies look,” she says.

Also on Biasi’s pastry agenda is free-form pie-making, a technique that club members enjoy and that she appreciates for its ease of service. Having dabbled in galettes and mini hand pies for club events, she expects to continue on this path for summer baking.

VARIATION ON A THEME

With more members craving comfort on a plate, capping o a meal with a generous piece of pie has become even more meaningful at Cherokee Town & Country Club in Atlanta. In the kitchen of Executive Pastry Chef Alex Hwang, where she’s spent the past 10 years turning out desserts for both a la carte and banquet service, key fl avors remain consistent, with an opportunity to introduce new concepts on a periodic basis.

“Recipes for the pies have stayed the same for the most part, but members like to see di erent presentations or concepts,” says Hwang.

Having the ability to experiment with size, shape and temperature, she’s incorporated new ingredients, such as ground pretzel bites or vanilla wafers, or tried out new ideas like yogurt mousse with strawberry compote—to wide acclaim.

“Apple pie with rum raisin ice cream was a big hit last winter,” she adds.

Standard club favorites include Heath bar, key lime and apple pies, with selections rotated seasonally. Also popular for spring and summer are strawberry rhubarb, blueberry crumble and a deconstructed key lime pie. While Hwang enjoys trying new pie styles, she fi nds free form to be the most challenging when working with di erent shapes and sizes.

Nevertheless, Hwang aims to please her pie-loving patrons and continues to peruse new concepts. Following the onset of the pandemic, she focused on creating desserts that were topped o with an eye-catching extra.

“We tried to make individual pies more special by decorating a rose on the top of each piece and air-sprayed with cocoa butter,” she says—the perfect ending to a memorable meal. C+RC