Must Have A Pie: Sugar-Free Apple Pie Made with Stevia

The honor of publishing the first pie recipe goes to the early Romans for an interesting pie concoction of rye-crusted goat cheese and honey.

Maybe the Romans even had a saying like, “it’s as Roman as goat cheese and honey pie,” but no matter how delicious that might have been most of us would prefer a slice of apple, blueberry, or banana cream.

Now that National Pie Day (January 23rd) has come around again, it is the perfect time for bakers and pie aficionados to enjoy a slice.

Here is a delicious sounding apple pie recipe that uses the natural sweetener stevia instead of sugar. Stevia is an herb that sweetens food without raising glucose levels. Baking with stevia is a good way for diabetics to enjoy their favorite desserts without going overboard on carbohydrates.

Sugar-Free Apple Pie

Thankfully, we no longer call the crust of a pie the “coffyn” as did early pye (pie) makers in England, nor do we bake pies in narrow pans called “coffins” as the first English colonists in North America did. The word crust, despite its various meanings, is more appetizing—it came into use about the time of the American Revolution.

For this pie you will need:

• Pastry for a 9 inch, 2 crust pie
• 6 cups peeled and sliced tart apples, such as Granny Smith
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice, fresh
• 1 teaspoon stevia extract powder
• 3 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
• 3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• A dash of cloves or allspice

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and fit the bottom pastry to the pie plate.
2. In a large bowl, sprinkle the lemon juice over the apple slices; stir to mix.
3. Stir together in a small bowl the stevia, flour, and spices.
4. Place apples into the bottom crust and dot with butter.
5. Moisten the outer rim of the bottom crust with water and place the upper crust on the pie. Crimp the crust edges together.
6. Slit the top crust to let steam escape while baking. (Optional: lightly brush the crust with milk or a little beaten egg; it gives the crust a nice finish.)
7. Put the pie on a baking sheet and bake at 350 F for about 50 minutes, or until golden brown.
8. Cool the pie on a rack. Cover and keep at room temperature, or refrigerate. Serve with Vanilla Cream Topping.

Whipped Vanilla Cream Topping

In s small, deep bowl put 1 cup fresh whipping cream (1/2 pint), 1/4 teaspoon stevia extract powder, and
1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix/beat together just until peaks form. Serve right away or refrigerate. (Makes 2 cups.)

We must have a pie. Stress cannot exist in the presence of a pie.
~ David Mamet, from Boston Marriage ~

Sources: Pie Council; Country Time Gazette
Photo credit: Winston Wong / flickr creative commons