Question: I only have three green, and two red apples, and I want to know if I can make a pie for Pi day tomorrow. Help?

Our answer: Usually (not always) green apples like Granny Smith, Bramley, Transparents, etc. are good cooking apples – firm and tart. Usually (not always) red apples are sweeter, possibly softer. Rome Beauty, Cox, and some other red apples are fine for cooking. Out of the basic supermarket varieties, golden delicious and Granny Smith are the best for cooking.

That said, you can technically put almost any apples in pie. Just be aware that the soft, sweet ones tend to lose flavor and get mushy. Which may be fine for you, especially if you mix a couple varieties together. But firm, tart apples will taste better and hold their shape.

Great recipe for apple pie:

This recipe was given to me by my Czech-Canadian friend in Canada, that she got from her German friend. And now I’m in Germany, and giving it to all you guys.

Victoria’s Apple Cake

1 lb. flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 lb. sugar
3 eggs
1/2 lb. butter

Apples, peeled (if you prefer), cored and sliced or chopped – usually 3-5 medium or large apples.

Mix together dry ingredients. Add egg. Cut in butter (you can soften the butter and just fold it in if you want more of a cake texture anyway).
This mixture can be chilled and rolled like pie crust, or spooned/pressed in a dish to use like a cake/torte. Fill or top with apples and spices to taste and bake at 350 F for 30-45 minutes. You can use this same dough with other fruit as you wish, such as blueberries, raspberries, pears, peaches, etc. It’s really easy to work with and tastes fantastic.

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