Mock Apple Pie

According to historians, mock apple pie had its origin during the pioneer days. Being that fresh fruit was not available during winter months, innovative cooks devised a method of making the all American, apple pie using soda crackers. I just wonder how American is apple pie? I found info on several kinds here.

Around 1935 the Ritz company came up with their version using their own brand of crackers. That is the recipe I used . I didn’t use Ritz. I used the store brand.

I’d like to tell you that I have step by step pictures of the pie in the making but folks it was 4:00a.m. during one of those , “I- can’t -get- back- to- sleep” nights. So I arose and made this pie.

I don’t know if printing the recipe would be copyright infringement so here’s the link to the recipe.

NOTE: Instead of using 30 crackers I used the entire sleeve.

Another story goes that this pie has often been used in April Fool’s Day pranks. There’s more about someone named Magnolia Le Guin in an excerpt from the book Fakes, Frauds and Other Malarkey.

I had work that day so I took it with me and set it on the break room table. I didn’t bother to tell anyone what it was. ( I wasn’t being deceitful, just mum) Most people thought it was apple pie. A couple of people said it was good. Long before quitting time, the entire pie was gone. I revealed to a few people what it was. (I’m pretty sure they told the others)
I enjoyed the pie. It is not diet friendly or carb friendly or any other kind of friendly that involves eating healthy.
I’ve heard there’s a mock pecan pie. I plan to search for that one.

THAT'S IT ***

Mock Apple Pie 2019

slappedham.com

Ever had a burger in a can, beef fudge, mock apple pie, clear potato chip, or bologna cake?

There are many adventurous foodies out there. Two that come to mind are Andrew Zimmern and Mark Wiens . 


Recently I came across a Youtuber known as emmymadeinjapan.  To say she’s adventurous is an understatement.  She will cook and eat just about anything under the sun. She has done the recipes I mentioned above AND MORE.  Over a million people follow her on YouTube. I happened up on the channel and found myself hooked.  It was fascinating  to see what her next edible concoction  would be. She always gives her honest opinion and a review about the food. She includes  her successes and disasters.


When I saw the video about mock apple pie, it rung a bell because I made this same recipe in 2009 long before I’d seen her station.


Below is the recipe I used for mock apple pie.10 servings

My finished pie

Ingredients

2 cups	water
¾ cup	granulated sugar
2 teaspoons	cream of tartar
30	Ritz Crackers
1	ready-to-use refrigerated pie crust (1/2 of 425-g pkg)
1 tablespoon	lemon juice
1 teaspoon	ground cinnamon
25	Ritz Crackers (crushed, about 1 cup)
½ cup	brown sugar (packed)
½ teaspoon	ground cinnamon
⅓ cup Directions Heat oven to 400ºF. Filling: Mix water, granulated sugar and cream of tartar in large saucepan. Bring to boil on medium-high heat.  Add crackers; simmer on medium-low heat 5 min., stirring occasionally. Line 9-inch pie plate with crust as directed on package; fill with cracker mixture. Sprinkle with lemon juice and cinnamon. Topping: Combine all remaining ingredients and sprinkle over Filling. Bake 15 min. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F; bake 20 min. or until golden brown. Cool.	non-hydrogenated margarine (melted)

(optional)  Top with whipped cream or ice cream if desired

The Outcome
The pie turned out great. I would not have known that the apples were crackers. The texture was more of an applesauce consistency. It was the right amount of sweetness and spices.   

It is not diet friendly or carb friendly or any other kind of friendly that involves eating
 healthy. Recently I learned that there are 400 calories a slice.



This post is an update from an earlier post on August 12, 2009. To read the original post click the dated link. 

That's it ***

RED HOT APPLE PIE IN A MUG

Spying the March 5th issue of Woman's World in the check out line I bought a copy.  Another just- for- one recipe was inside.   I did Chocolate Cake in a Mug in 2010. It turned out to be delicious.

The ingredients for the apple pie called for red hots, apple,graham crackers, cinnamon, whipped cream. The recipe is below. Click the picture to enlarge.

I gathered the crew with some exceptions as I always do. I bought honey grahams instead of cinnamon grahams, not because they're my favorites but because I didn't make an ingredient list before going to the grocer. Instead of Reddi Whip I had store brand whipped topping so I used that. 

This picture taken in my mock up home made light box

I peeled and  cubed the apple then put it into the cup. At first I thought I'd have to use 2 cups but as it cooked the juice caused the fruit  torelease its juices. . But I'm getting ahead of myself.

 I placed a sufficient amount of the cinnamon candies on top of the apples and placed it in the microwave for the instructed 2 minutes. After that time I took the mug out and stirred the contents. That's when I noticed that the apples had cooked down to about half of the original amount.





I also noticed that the juice had boiled over from the mug.

  

Deciding to live dangerously, I stirred in  more cinnamon candies . Placing the mug back into the microwave, I allowed it to cook 2 more minutes.  I had to wait a while before adding the graham crackers and whipped topping because the mug was so hot.

Here is the final product. It tasted good  but losing so much of the juice made it a little dry. Next time I'll micro for 1 minute instead of the 2 minutes and I'll watch it.

BTW I've been toying with photography. I want to get a light box to make better pictures. In the picture of the crew I used my home made light box. The remaining pictures were taken outside of the light box.




THAT'S IT***