Pie often doesn’t get the credit it deserves. It’s a dessert that can be served hot or cold, in a flaky crust or graham cracker crust, and filled with fresh fruit, chocolate, or anything in between. Needless to say, those are only a few of pie’s most pleasing properties.
Pie is noted as a healthier dessert option in regards to pastries, yet is rarely made at home. The crust seems too complex, the filling just doesn’t come out right, and the recipes require intense attention to detail. As a result of this, baking pie is put on hold time and again. But that stops now.
After I completely failed at baking cherry pie last summer, I began transforming my favorite pie recipes. Or as I like to say, deconstructing. I did away with the crust and replaced it with granola to start, and then focused on capturing a specific type of pie’s flavor and serving it uniquely.
The recipes below are the result of my deconstructed pie project, aka a simpler and healthier take on classic pie.
My cinnamon-flax granola acts as the crust in all of the deconstructed pie recipes. It adds the warm flavor crust usually does but is more satisfying and easier to make. The granola is subtly featured in the deconstructed pie recipes so you will have extra to enjoy on top of yogurt or in a cold bowl of milk.
Cinnamon-Flax Granola
Ingredients
Instructions
Set the oven to 350°F.
Add the oats, cinnamon, flax seeds, and salt to a large bowl. Mix.
Pour the honey into a microwave-safe bowl/cup and microwave for 30 seconds.
Add the hot honey and oil into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix the wet and dry ingredients very well so the liquid coats all of the oats.
Once the wet and dry ingredients are thoroughly combined, pour the mixture on to a pan lined with parchment paper.
Place the pan into the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. When 20 minutes have passed, take the pan out of the oven and mix the granola in the pan. Then place the pan back into the oven for 15 minutes.
When the granola is finished baking, it will be golden brown and the smell of cinnamon will fill the air. Take the pan out of the oven at this point and let the granola cool for about 20 minutes. After it’s cooled, break up the granola using your hands or a spoon. Store in a tightly sealed container for up to 2 months.
Deconstructed Apple Pie
As the frozen Greek yogurt drips down the warm, caramelized apples, the spice of the cinnamon oats amplify. The maple-roasted pecans add crunch, and the deconstructed pie finally comes full circle. Ideal for a crisp fall night in front of the fire, this apple pie plate is a recipe worth repeating.
Deconstructed Apple Pie
Ingredients
Instructions
Before diving into the recipe, put the Greek yogurt in the freezer. Also, set the oven to 350°F.
Begin by preparing the apples. Skin the apples and cut them into thick slices. Place the apple slices into a bowl.
Add the sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the bowl with the apple slices. Mix. Set this mixture aside for about 10 minutes so the apples can soak in the sugar.
While the apples are soaking, make the maple-roasted pecans. Place the pecans and maple syrup into a small bowl and mix. Sprinkle with a little coconut sugar.
After combining the pecans, maple syrup, and sugar, spread the nuts on a pan lined with parchment paper. Place the pan into the oven for 15 minutes.
When the apples have soaked for about 10 minutes, place them into a skillet over medium heat.
Sautee the apples in the skillet. Stir them constantly so the sugar does not burn. The apples are finished cooking when they have caramelized and are soft. When they reach this point, remove them from the heat.
Take the pecans out of the oven when they have cooked for 15 minutes and let them cool for 5 minutes.
Once you have made all of the components featured in the deconstructed apple pie recipe, assemble the dish. First, place 1/3 cup of the pre-made cinnamon-flax granola onto a plate.
Then, layer the caramelized apples in the middle of the granola.
Finally, top the caramelized apples with the Greek yogurt that had been freezing while you prepared the recipe and sprinkle the maple roasted pecans over the yogurt. As the Greek yogurt beings to melt over the warm, flavorful apples, pick up your fork and take a big bite out of your masterpiece!
Deconstructed Blueberry Pie
Transforming blueberry pie into a parfait is as easy as, well, pie! Berries, granola, and vanilla yogurt are staples of a parfait, just as blueberry sauce, buttery crust, and vanilla ice cream are staples of a blueberry pie—they line up perfectly.
Served hot or cold, for breakfast or dessert, these deconstructed pie parfaits will quickly become part of your daily routine and can even be eaten on the go. Pie for breakfast? Count me in.
Blueberry Pie Parfaits
Ingredients
Instructions
To begin, make the blueberry sauce. In a small saucepan over low heat combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Mix.
Gradually pour the water into the saucepan and stir until the sugar, cornstarch, and salt has completely dissolved.
Add the blueberries, lemon juice, and lemon zest to the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Continuously stir the mixture.
Boil and stir the mixture until it has reached a thick, sauce-like consistency and is blue in color. When it reaches this point, turn off the heat and let the blueberry sauce cool in the saucepan for a few minutes.
While the blueberry sauce cools, begin to assemble the parfait. First, add 1/4 cup of the pre-made Cinnamon-Flax Granola to the bottom of each 8-oz Mason jar.
Then, layer 1 tablespoon of coconut flakes over the granola in each Mason jar.
Next, scoop 1/4 cup vanilla Greek yogurt into each Mason jar over the coconut flakes.
Finally, pour a thick layer of warm blueberry sauce over the vanilla Greek yogurt in each Mason jar.
Repeat the layers (granola, coconut flakes, yogurt, blueberry sauce) until the Mason jar is filled to the top. Serve immediately while the blueberry sauce is still warm or refrigerate until it the parfait is ready to be eaten. Eat within 24 hours.
Deconstructed Chocolate Pudding Pie
I wanted to serve the deconstructed chocolate pudding pie creatively, so I decided to put a new spin on not only the pie recipe but on chocolate-covered strawberries too.
First, I replaced chocolate pudding with avocado pudding because avocado offers increased health benefits and richness. Then, I replaced the pie’s usual graham cracker crust with the cinnoman-flax granola and added strawberries, which complement the cocoa in the avocado pudding. Covering the strawberries in the avocado pudding and granola ensures that all flavors are showcased with each bite. Indulge in one or shamelessly inhale a dozen; either way, you won’t regret it.
Deconstructed Chocolate Berry Pie
Ingredients
Instructions
Cut open the avocado, remove the pit, and scoop the flesh into a blender or food processor.
Add the honey, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, and milk to the blender/food processor.
Blend the mixture until it reaches a thick mouse/pudding texture. At this point, stop blending.
Scoop the avocado pudding into a small dish.
Pour the cinnamon-flax granola into a flat dish. You will be rolling the pudding-dipped strawberries in the granola, so make sure there is enough granola in the dish to cover the bottom.
Wash and dry as many strawberries as you would like to prepare. If the strawberries are not completely dried when dipped, the avocado pudding will not stick to them.
To prepare the strawberries, firmly hold the stem and dip into the avocado pudding.
Roll the pudding-dipped strawberry in the granola. Repeat for as many strawberries as you would like to make.
Place all finished strawberries on a plate lined with parchment paper and freeze for about an hour. When ready to serve, allow them to thaw for about 10-15 minutes ahead of time. The strawberries will stay fresh for about 2 days in the freezer.
My three deconstructed pie recipes allow chefs of all levels to make a homemade pie without worrying about perfecting the art of crust-making and also allows them to experiment with dishes once thought to be outside of their cooking comfort zone. These recipes are healthier than an average pie as well, as I have substituted less beneficial ingredients for more nutritious ones. Not to mention how unique deconstructed pie is. It’s sure to blow everyone away at the next dinner party.