The Perfect Pie: Your Ultimate Guide to Classic and Modern Pies, Tarts, Galettes, and More (Perfect Baking Cookbooks)

I find this book ridiculous. They are trying to push this idea that you can't make piecrust without an expensive food processor. That's absolutely absurd. I can't even tell you how many great piecrusts I've made with just a Pyrex bowl and a pastry blender, but that's not even covered in this expensive book. Ridiculous

I owe an apology to another reviewer. When I first read the reviews I thought there is no way they only offer a food processor method for the crust. I'm sure they offered another option, it's probably just hidden away somewhere, easily over looked. But no, every crust recipe is only given using a food processor. I mean you can google another method, but then again you can google pie recipes. For a large tome I would expect at least one none mechanical option. that being said the crust is perfect. They have moved away from their vodka crust into a crust where you freeze and grate part of the butter, resulting in tender flaky crust. It does work. This is a larger oversized book, weighing in at 3 lbs. It's 9x1x10. This can make it a bit unwieldy but because of the amount of content, quality and size of pictures. it would not be the same shrunk down. There are lovely pictures. Not only of the recipes but step by step illustrations of technique. Each recipe has a paragraph on why this recipe works, the ingredients laid out in list form, and then the directions, broken down in 1,2,3 format. The print is black on white paper. Nutritional information is provided in the back, on pages 346-351. There are gluten free crust options. The index is alphabetical and makes it easy to find recipe by ingredient or name. The first part of the book covers the types of pies covered. 1-double crust fruit pie 2- cream pie 3-custard pie 4-meringue pie 5-tart 6-galette 7-chiffon pie 8-ice cream pie There is good reading on core pie baking techniques the difference in crusts, flaky, sturdy, short crust how to roll the dough filling the pie, blind baking covering, baking, cooling and storing. I highly recommend not skipping this part, especially if you are newer to pie making. Next up is equipment and tools, with pictures and descriptions. Ingredients, another chapter I highly suggest reading first. You will learn about flours, fats, sweeteners, eggs etc. after the main four it also goes into the pie pantry staples and miscellany. Everything from Milk to how to scrape a vanilla bean. Next is the chapters, mastering the classics. cream, custard, and curd pies upping your game elegant tarts pies big and small regional favorites icebox and cream pies pie and tart doughs topping, sauces, and more techniques can be hidden in the book. I would think showing pie crust decorating techniques would belong in the back, with the crust recipes, but it's found starting on page 130, in the middle of the book. overall I think this is an excellent pie book with enough variety to keep one entertained for years. The step by step directions and multiple how to pictures are very helpful. The crust option is an oversight but would not be enough to keep me from recommending the book. The recipes are a nice mix of modern and traditional. they are in love with their whipped cream. The key lime pie is covered in it. For me it's a bit much but I can always put on less. I made the pear butterscotch slab pie. It was delicious. I find pears often flavorless, this really helped give them flavor. Sable breton tart with cranberry curd was amazing and will be a new way to serve cranberries on thanksgiving, and other times of the year Sometimes I think ATK gets a little complicated or overwrought in their directions, but the results are worth the extra steps.

I could not resist tackling this cookbook as soon as it arrived. The color photos drew me in, but it was the information and recipes contained within that kept me there. Within 30 minutes, I was already baking my first pie, a Key Lime, since I had the ingredients on hand. And I kept going. The recipes are not only delicious, but also easy to follow. In true America's Test Kitchen manner, each recipe is prefaced by a "Why This Recipes Works" to provide the scientific explanation of why the instructions and ingredients are as they are. As a seasoned baker who has been baking pies and tarts for decades, I had no idea that I'd learn so much from this cookbook. Yeah, I knew a lot of it already, but certainly not everything. Nowhere else have I seen such a good illustrative photo about different pie crust finishes and what each accomplishes. Or how to get that first slice of pie out without making a mess of it. And I knew that unsalted butter is best for pastry, but I didn't know why (lower water content.) I appreciate that ATK has tested brands of butter, graham crackers, flours, etc. so that I can gravitate toward a specific brand, if I can find it. I was shocked that the Gold Medal unbleached flour that I used to use is better for pastry crust than the King Arthur version I currently use because of its lower protein content. These kind of revelations can be found not only in the introductory section but also throughout the book. Although The Perfect Pie includes recipes for the classics, its strength can be found in the less-often-homemade pies and tarts: rustic walnut tart, peach tarte tatin, Oregon blackberry pie, black-bottom pie, pumpkin praline pie, mocha cream pie, and nectarine and raspberry slab galette. I could go on and on. From cream pies to hand pies, this book has it all. Since I already have my own favorite recipes for pies such as apple and pecan, I skipped those recipes to try out pies I've never made before. I made an exception to this by trying new pie crust recipes. The Perfect Pie contains five versions of all-butter crust, in separate recipes for single and double crusts, classic pie dough, vegan pie crust dough, gluten-free pie dough, tart dough, gluten-free tart dough, free-form tart dough (for galettes and such), graham cracker crust, coconut cookie crust, chocolate cookie crust (with two variations for mint chocolate and Nutter Butter), and slab pie dough. See what I mean about this book being comprehensive? I have a lot of work ahead of me just to try out all the crust recipes. And that doesn't count all the ways to crimp and decorate pies. If you've never baked a pie or made a homemade crust before, don't worry. America's Test Kitchen will take you through it. If you've been baking pies for years, also don't worry because you will not only have scads of new recipes to work with but also tips for even better results. -- Debbie Lee Wesselmann

What a great cookbook. I've been cooking pies for years and have a number of pie cookbooks. This is one of the best. The recipes are broken into different sections, including classic standard pies, regional favorites and more adventurous pies as well at tarts and galettes. In the Upping Your Game chapter there are some really inventive more advanced recipes. The step by step instructions and illustrations are really helpful. I also appreciate the hints such as what can go wrong and how to avoid the problems. I've already made two of the pies and I am really looking forward to cooking my way through the book.

This is a perfect cookbook. Great recipes with variety and a bit of quirkiness. I initially hesitated to pay this much and now I am so glad I did. A fab collection. You’ll use it instantly.

They’re not kidding about this being the “ultimate guide” as this is a definitive tome on all things pie related. It has a wide range of recipes, from fancy to homey, my favorite being the regional specialty pies. Being from Virginia, they get bonus points for including peanut pie, which you usually wouldn’t find outside the Old Dominion. If you like pies, then this is the book for you.

I like how detailed this book is about pie making, it has in it every thing one will need to bake pies.

Haven’t baked from the book yet, but I’m so excited to use it, I’ve been reading the recipes, this week, and they ALL SOUND SO AMAZING!!!!! Usually their recipes are Great, the way they they do there all butter pie crust is VERY DIFFERENT, than I’ve ever heard or done before, I will try it, before, it’s a big occasion, just to make sure, I’m very anxious to hear how other people like that one particular recipe, I use that one Very Much!!!! I hope I hear back about that!

Ok—not as great as I hoped. I have other ATK cook books and the Pie recipes in those books I think are better. I did use the new crust recipe they feature. Like usual, it works as expected. For apple pie, I combined two recipes, the Dutch Apple one and the standard to make a better apple pie. So, not a total loss.

What can I say? It's a GREAT pie cookbook. I've made the apple cranberry, blueberry Earl Grey, and classic apple pies so far and all were super good. My family and friends agreed! One said the crust was the best ever and I've been making pie crust from scratch for 50 years using other recipes.

I find this book ridiculous. They are trying to push this idea that you can't make piecrust without an expensive food processor. That's absolutely absurd. I can't even tell you how many great piecrusts I've made with just a Pyrex bowl and a pastry blender, but that's not even covered in this expensive book. Ridiculous

I owe an apology to another reviewer. When I first read the reviews I thought there is no way they only offer a food processor method for the crust. I'm sure they offered another option, it's probably just hidden away somewhere, easily over looked. But no, every crust recipe is only given using a food processor. I mean you can google another method, but then again you can google pie recipes. For a large tome I would expect at least one none mechanical option. that being said the crust is perfect. They have moved away from their vodka crust into a crust where you freeze and grate part of the butter, resulting in tender flaky crust. It does work. This is a larger oversized book, weighing in at 3 lbs. It's 9x1x10. This can make it a bit unwieldy but because of the amount of content, quality and size of pictures. it would not be the same shrunk down. There are lovely pictures. Not only of the recipes but step by step illustrations of technique. Each recipe has a paragraph on why this recipe works, the ingredients laid out in list form, and then the directions, broken down in 1,2,3 format. The print is black on white paper. Nutritional information is provided in the back, on pages 346-351. There are gluten free crust options. The index is alphabetical and makes it easy to find recipe by ingredient or name. The first part of the book covers the types of pies covered. 1-double crust fruit pie 2- cream pie 3-custard pie 4-meringue pie 5-tart 6-galette 7-chiffon pie 8-ice cream pie There is good reading on core pie baking techniques the difference in crusts, flaky, sturdy, short crust how to roll the dough filling the pie, blind baking covering, baking, cooling and storing. I highly recommend not skipping this part, especially if you are newer to pie making. Next up is equipment and tools, with pictures and descriptions. Ingredients, another chapter I highly suggest reading first. You will learn about flours, fats, sweeteners, eggs etc. after the main four it also goes into the pie pantry staples and miscellany. Everything from Milk to how to scrape a vanilla bean. Next is the chapters, mastering the classics. cream, custard, and curd pies upping your game elegant tarts pies big and small regional favorites icebox and cream pies pie and tart doughs topping, sauces, and more techniques can be hidden in the book. I would think showing pie crust decorating techniques would belong in the back, with the crust recipes, but it's found starting on page 130, in the middle of the book. overall I think this is an excellent pie book with enough variety to keep one entertained for years. The step by step directions and multiple how to pictures are very helpful. The crust option is an oversight but would not be enough to keep me from recommending the book. The recipes are a nice mix of modern and traditional. they are in love with their whipped cream. The key lime pie is covered in it. For me it's a bit much but I can always put on less. I made the pear butterscotch slab pie. It was delicious. I find pears often flavorless, this really helped give them flavor. Sable breton tart with cranberry curd was amazing and will be a new way to serve cranberries on thanksgiving, and other times of the year Sometimes I think ATK gets a little complicated or overwrought in their directions, but the results are worth the extra steps.

I could not resist tackling this cookbook as soon as it arrived. The color photos drew me in, but it was the information and recipes contained within that kept me there. Within 30 minutes, I was already baking my first pie, a Key Lime, since I had the ingredients on hand. And I kept going. The recipes are not only delicious, but also easy to follow. In true America's Test Kitchen manner, each recipe is prefaced by a "Why This Recipes Works" to provide the scientific explanation of why the instructions and ingredients are as they are. As a seasoned baker who has been baking pies and tarts for decades, I had no idea that I'd learn so much from this cookbook. Yeah, I knew a lot of it already, but certainly not everything. Nowhere else have I seen such a good illustrative photo about different pie crust finishes and what each accomplishes. Or how to get that first slice of pie out without making a mess of it. And I knew that unsalted butter is best for pastry, but I didn't know why (lower water content.) I appreciate that ATK has tested brands of butter, graham crackers, flours, etc. so that I can gravitate toward a specific brand, if I can find it. I was shocked that the Gold Medal unbleached flour that I used to use is better for pastry crust than the King Arthur version I currently use because of its lower protein content. These kind of revelations can be found not only in the introductory section but also throughout the book. Although The Perfect Pie includes recipes for the classics, its strength can be found in the less-often-homemade pies and tarts: rustic walnut tart, peach tarte tatin, Oregon blackberry pie, black-bottom pie, pumpkin praline pie, mocha cream pie, and nectarine and raspberry slab galette. I could go on and on. From cream pies to hand pies, this book has it all. Since I already have my own favorite recipes for pies such as apple and pecan, I skipped those recipes to try out pies I've never made before. I made an exception to this by trying new pie crust recipes. The Perfect Pie contains five versions of all-butter crust, in separate recipes for single and double crusts, classic pie dough, vegan pie crust dough, gluten-free pie dough, tart dough, gluten-free tart dough, free-form tart dough (for galettes and such), graham cracker crust, coconut cookie crust, chocolate cookie crust (with two variations for mint chocolate and Nutter Butter), and slab pie dough. See what I mean about this book being comprehensive? I have a lot of work ahead of me just to try out all the crust recipes. And that doesn't count all the ways to crimp and decorate pies. If you've never baked a pie or made a homemade crust before, don't worry. America's Test Kitchen will take you through it. If you've been baking pies for years, also don't worry because you will not only have scads of new recipes to work with but also tips for even better results. -- Debbie Lee Wesselmann

What a great cookbook. I've been cooking pies for years and have a number of pie cookbooks. This is one of the best. The recipes are broken into different sections, including classic standard pies, regional favorites and more adventurous pies as well at tarts and galettes. In the Upping Your Game chapter there are some really inventive more advanced recipes. The step by step instructions and illustrations are really helpful. I also appreciate the hints such as what can go wrong and how to avoid the problems. I've already made two of the pies and I am really looking forward to cooking my way through the book.

This is a perfect cookbook. Great recipes with variety and a bit of quirkiness. I initially hesitated to pay this much and now I am so glad I did. A fab collection. You’ll use it instantly.

They’re not kidding about this being the “ultimate guide” as this is a definitive tome on all things pie related. It has a wide range of recipes, from fancy to homey, my favorite being the regional specialty pies. Being from Virginia, they get bonus points for including peanut pie, which you usually wouldn’t find outside the Old Dominion. If you like pies, then this is the book for you.

I like how detailed this book is about pie making, it has in it every thing one will need to bake pies.

Haven’t baked from the book yet, but I’m so excited to use it, I’ve been reading the recipes, this week, and they ALL SOUND SO AMAZING!!!!! Usually their recipes are Great, the way they they do there all butter pie crust is VERY DIFFERENT, than I’ve ever heard or done before, I will try it, before, it’s a big occasion, just to make sure, I’m very anxious to hear how other people like that one particular recipe, I use that one Very Much!!!! I hope I hear back about that!

Ok—not as great as I hoped. I have other ATK cook books and the Pie recipes in those books I think are better. I did use the new crust recipe they feature. Like usual, it works as expected. For apple pie, I combined two recipes, the Dutch Apple one and the standard to make a better apple pie. So, not a total loss.

What can I say? It's a GREAT pie cookbook. I've made the apple cranberry, blueberry Earl Grey, and classic apple pies so far and all were super good. My family and friends agreed! One said the crust was the best ever and I've been making pie crust from scratch for 50 years using other recipes.

I find this book ridiculous. They are trying to push this idea that you can't make piecrust without an expensive food processor. That's absolutely absurd. I can't even tell you how many great piecrusts I've made with just a Pyrex bowl and a pastry blender, but that's not even covered in this expensive book. Ridiculous

I owe an apology to another reviewer. When I first read the reviews I thought there is no way they only offer a food processor method for the crust. I'm sure they offered another option, it's probably just hidden away somewhere, easily over looked. But no, every crust recipe is only given using a food processor. I mean you can google another method, but then again you can google pie recipes. For a large tome I would expect at least one none mechanical option. that being said the crust is perfect. They have moved away from their vodka crust into a crust where you freeze and grate part of the butter, resulting in tender flaky crust. It does work. This is a larger oversized book, weighing in at 3 lbs. It's 9x1x10. This can make it a bit unwieldy but because of the amount of content, quality and size of pictures. it would not be the same shrunk down. There are lovely pictures. Not only of the recipes but step by step illustrations of technique. Each recipe has a paragraph on why this recipe works, the ingredients laid out in list form, and then the directions, broken down in 1,2,3 format. The print is black on white paper. Nutritional information is provided in the back, on pages 346-351. There are gluten free crust options. The index is alphabetical and makes it easy to find recipe by ingredient or name. The first part of the book covers the types of pies covered. 1-double crust fruit pie 2- cream pie 3-custard pie 4-meringue pie 5-tart 6-galette 7-chiffon pie 8-ice cream pie There is good reading on core pie baking techniques the difference in crusts, flaky, sturdy, short crust how to roll the dough filling the pie, blind baking covering, baking, cooling and storing. I highly recommend not skipping this part, especially if you are newer to pie making. Next up is equipment and tools, with pictures and descriptions. Ingredients, another chapter I highly suggest reading first. You will learn about flours, fats, sweeteners, eggs etc. after the main four it also goes into the pie pantry staples and miscellany. Everything from Milk to how to scrape a vanilla bean. Next is the chapters, mastering the classics. cream, custard, and curd pies upping your game elegant tarts pies big and small regional favorites icebox and cream pies pie and tart doughs topping, sauces, and more techniques can be hidden in the book. I would think showing pie crust decorating techniques would belong in the back, with the crust recipes, but it's found starting on page 130, in the middle of the book. overall I think this is an excellent pie book with enough variety to keep one entertained for years. The step by step directions and multiple how to pictures are very helpful. The crust option is an oversight but would not be enough to keep me from recommending the book. The recipes are a nice mix of modern and traditional. they are in love with their whipped cream. The key lime pie is covered in it. For me it's a bit much but I can always put on less. I made the pear butterscotch slab pie. It was delicious. I find pears often flavorless, this really helped give them flavor. Sable breton tart with cranberry curd was amazing and will be a new way to serve cranberries on thanksgiving, and other times of the year Sometimes I think ATK gets a little complicated or overwrought in their directions, but the results are worth the extra steps.

I could not resist tackling this cookbook as soon as it arrived. The color photos drew me in, but it was the information and recipes contained within that kept me there. Within 30 minutes, I was already baking my first pie, a Key Lime, since I had the ingredients on hand. And I kept going. The recipes are not only delicious, but also easy to follow. In true America's Test Kitchen manner, each recipe is prefaced by a "Why This Recipes Works" to provide the scientific explanation of why the instructions and ingredients are as they are. As a seasoned baker who has been baking pies and tarts for decades, I had no idea that I'd learn so much from this cookbook. Yeah, I knew a lot of it already, but certainly not everything. Nowhere else have I seen such a good illustrative photo about different pie crust finishes and what each accomplishes. Or how to get that first slice of pie out without making a mess of it. And I knew that unsalted butter is best for pastry, but I didn't know why (lower water content.) I appreciate that ATK has tested brands of butter, graham crackers, flours, etc. so that I can gravitate toward a specific brand, if I can find it. I was shocked that the Gold Medal unbleached flour that I used to use is better for pastry crust than the King Arthur version I currently use because of its lower protein content. These kind of revelations can be found not only in the introductory section but also throughout the book. Although The Perfect Pie includes recipes for the classics, its strength can be found in the less-often-homemade pies and tarts: rustic walnut tart, peach tarte tatin, Oregon blackberry pie, black-bottom pie, pumpkin praline pie, mocha cream pie, and nectarine and raspberry slab galette. I could go on and on. From cream pies to hand pies, this book has it all. Since I already have my own favorite recipes for pies such as apple and pecan, I skipped those recipes to try out pies I've never made before. I made an exception to this by trying new pie crust recipes. The Perfect Pie contains five versions of all-butter crust, in separate recipes for single and double crusts, classic pie dough, vegan pie crust dough, gluten-free pie dough, tart dough, gluten-free tart dough, free-form tart dough (for galettes and such), graham cracker crust, coconut cookie crust, chocolate cookie crust (with two variations for mint chocolate and Nutter Butter), and slab pie dough. See what I mean about this book being comprehensive? I have a lot of work ahead of me just to try out all the crust recipes. And that doesn't count all the ways to crimp and decorate pies. If you've never baked a pie or made a homemade crust before, don't worry. America's Test Kitchen will take you through it. If you've been baking pies for years, also don't worry because you will not only have scads of new recipes to work with but also tips for even better results. -- Debbie Lee Wesselmann

What a great cookbook. I've been cooking pies for years and have a number of pie cookbooks. This is one of the best. The recipes are broken into different sections, including classic standard pies, regional favorites and more adventurous pies as well at tarts and galettes. In the Upping Your Game chapter there are some really inventive more advanced recipes. The step by step instructions and illustrations are really helpful. I also appreciate the hints such as what can go wrong and how to avoid the problems. I've already made two of the pies and I am really looking forward to cooking my way through the book.

This is a perfect cookbook. Great recipes with variety and a bit of quirkiness. I initially hesitated to pay this much and now I am so glad I did. A fab collection. You’ll use it instantly.

They’re not kidding about this being the “ultimate guide” as this is a definitive tome on all things pie related. It has a wide range of recipes, from fancy to homey, my favorite being the regional specialty pies. Being from Virginia, they get bonus points for including peanut pie, which you usually wouldn’t find outside the Old Dominion. If you like pies, then this is the book for you.

I like how detailed this book is about pie making, it has in it every thing one will need to bake pies.

Haven’t baked from the book yet, but I’m so excited to use it, I’ve been reading the recipes, this week, and they ALL SOUND SO AMAZING!!!!! Usually their recipes are Great, the way they they do there all butter pie crust is VERY DIFFERENT, than I’ve ever heard or done before, I will try it, before, it’s a big occasion, just to make sure, I’m very anxious to hear how other people like that one particular recipe, I use that one Very Much!!!! I hope I hear back about that!

Ok—not as great as I hoped. I have other ATK cook books and the Pie recipes in those books I think are better. I did use the new crust recipe they feature. Like usual, it works as expected. For apple pie, I combined two recipes, the Dutch Apple one and the standard to make a better apple pie. So, not a total loss.

What can I say? It's a GREAT pie cookbook. I've made the apple cranberry, blueberry Earl Grey, and classic apple pies so far and all were super good. My family and friends agreed! One said the crust was the best ever and I've been making pie crust from scratch for 50 years using other recipes.

I find this book ridiculous. They are trying to push this idea that you can't make piecrust without an expensive food processor. That's absolutely absurd. I can't even tell you how many great piecrusts I've made with just a Pyrex bowl and a pastry blender, but that's not even covered in this expensive book. Ridiculous

I owe an apology to another reviewer. When I first read the reviews I thought there is no way they only offer a food processor method for the crust. I'm sure they offered another option, it's probably just hidden away somewhere, easily over looked. But no, every crust recipe is only given using a food processor. I mean you can google another method, but then again you can google pie recipes. For a large tome I would expect at least one none mechanical option. that being said the crust is perfect. They have moved away from their vodka crust into a crust where you freeze and grate part of the butter, resulting in tender flaky crust. It does work. This is a larger oversized book, weighing in at 3 lbs. It's 9x1x10. This can make it a bit unwieldy but because of the amount of content, quality and size of pictures. it would not be the same shrunk down. There are lovely pictures. Not only of the recipes but step by step illustrations of technique. Each recipe has a paragraph on why this recipe works, the ingredients laid out in list form, and then the directions, broken down in 1,2,3 format. The print is black on white paper. Nutritional information is provided in the back, on pages 346-351. There are gluten free crust options. The index is alphabetical and makes it easy to find recipe by ingredient or name. The first part of the book covers the types of pies covered. 1-double crust fruit pie 2- cream pie 3-custard pie 4-meringue pie 5-tart 6-galette 7-chiffon pie 8-ice cream pie There is good reading on core pie baking techniques the difference in crusts, flaky, sturdy, short crust how to roll the dough filling the pie, blind baking covering, baking, cooling and storing. I highly recommend not skipping this part, especially if you are newer to pie making. Next up is equipment and tools, with pictures and descriptions. Ingredients, another chapter I highly suggest reading first. You will learn about flours, fats, sweeteners, eggs etc. after the main four it also goes into the pie pantry staples and miscellany. Everything from Milk to how to scrape a vanilla bean. Next is the chapters, mastering the classics. cream, custard, and curd pies upping your game elegant tarts pies big and small regional favorites icebox and cream pies pie and tart doughs topping, sauces, and more techniques can be hidden in the book. I would think showing pie crust decorating techniques would belong in the back, with the crust recipes, but it's found starting on page 130, in the middle of the book. overall I think this is an excellent pie book with enough variety to keep one entertained for years. The step by step directions and multiple how to pictures are very helpful. The crust option is an oversight but would not be enough to keep me from recommending the book. The recipes are a nice mix of modern and traditional. they are in love with their whipped cream. The key lime pie is covered in it. For me it's a bit much but I can always put on less. I made the pear butterscotch slab pie. It was delicious. I find pears often flavorless, this really helped give them flavor. Sable breton tart with cranberry curd was amazing and will be a new way to serve cranberries on thanksgiving, and other times of the year Sometimes I think ATK gets a little complicated or overwrought in their directions, but the results are worth the extra steps.

I could not resist tackling this cookbook as soon as it arrived. The color photos drew me in, but it was the information and recipes contained within that kept me there. Within 30 minutes, I was already baking my first pie, a Key Lime, since I had the ingredients on hand. And I kept going. The recipes are not only delicious, but also easy to follow. In true America's Test Kitchen manner, each recipe is prefaced by a "Why This Recipes Works" to provide the scientific explanation of why the instructions and ingredients are as they are. As a seasoned baker who has been baking pies and tarts for decades, I had no idea that I'd learn so much from this cookbook. Yeah, I knew a lot of it already, but certainly not everything. Nowhere else have I seen such a good illustrative photo about different pie crust finishes and what each accomplishes. Or how to get that first slice of pie out without making a mess of it. And I knew that unsalted butter is best for pastry, but I didn't know why (lower water content.) I appreciate that ATK has tested brands of butter, graham crackers, flours, etc. so that I can gravitate toward a specific brand, if I can find it. I was shocked that the Gold Medal unbleached flour that I used to use is better for pastry crust than the King Arthur version I currently use because of its lower protein content. These kind of revelations can be found not only in the introductory section but also throughout the book. Although The Perfect Pie includes recipes for the classics, its strength can be found in the less-often-homemade pies and tarts: rustic walnut tart, peach tarte tatin, Oregon blackberry pie, black-bottom pie, pumpkin praline pie, mocha cream pie, and nectarine and raspberry slab galette. I could go on and on. From cream pies to hand pies, this book has it all. Since I already have my own favorite recipes for pies such as apple and pecan, I skipped those recipes to try out pies I've never made before. I made an exception to this by trying new pie crust recipes. The Perfect Pie contains five versions of all-butter crust, in separate recipes for single and double crusts, classic pie dough, vegan pie crust dough, gluten-free pie dough, tart dough, gluten-free tart dough, free-form tart dough (for galettes and such), graham cracker crust, coconut cookie crust, chocolate cookie crust (with two variations for mint chocolate and Nutter Butter), and slab pie dough. See what I mean about this book being comprehensive? I have a lot of work ahead of me just to try out all the crust recipes. And that doesn't count all the ways to crimp and decorate pies. If you've never baked a pie or made a homemade crust before, don't worry. America's Test Kitchen will take you through it. If you've been baking pies for years, also don't worry because you will not only have scads of new recipes to work with but also tips for even better results. -- Debbie Lee Wesselmann

What a great cookbook. I've been cooking pies for years and have a number of pie cookbooks. This is one of the best. The recipes are broken into different sections, including classic standard pies, regional favorites and more adventurous pies as well at tarts and galettes. In the Upping Your Game chapter there are some really inventive more advanced recipes. The step by step instructions and illustrations are really helpful. I also appreciate the hints such as what can go wrong and how to avoid the problems. I've already made two of the pies and I am really looking forward to cooking my way through the book.

This is a perfect cookbook. Great recipes with variety and a bit of quirkiness. I initially hesitated to pay this much and now I am so glad I did. A fab collection. You’ll use it instantly.

They’re not kidding about this being the “ultimate guide” as this is a definitive tome on all things pie related. It has a wide range of recipes, from fancy to homey, my favorite being the regional specialty pies. Being from Virginia, they get bonus points for including peanut pie, which you usually wouldn’t find outside the Old Dominion. If you like pies, then this is the book for you.

I like how detailed this book is about pie making, it has in it every thing one will need to bake pies.

Haven’t baked from the book yet, but I’m so excited to use it, I’ve been reading the recipes, this week, and they ALL SOUND SO AMAZING!!!!! Usually their recipes are Great, the way they they do there all butter pie crust is VERY DIFFERENT, than I’ve ever heard or done before, I will try it, before, it’s a big occasion, just to make sure, I’m very anxious to hear how other people like that one particular recipe, I use that one Very Much!!!! I hope I hear back about that!

Ok—not as great as I hoped. I have other ATK cook books and the Pie recipes in those books I think are better. I did use the new crust recipe they feature. Like usual, it works as expected. For apple pie, I combined two recipes, the Dutch Apple one and the standard to make a better apple pie. So, not a total loss.

What can I say? It's a GREAT pie cookbook. I've made the apple cranberry, blueberry Earl Grey, and classic apple pies so far and all were super good. My family and friends agreed! One said the crust was the best ever and I've been making pie crust from scratch for 50 years using other recipes.

I find this book ridiculous. They are trying to push this idea that you can't make piecrust without an expensive food processor. That's absolutely absurd. I can't even tell you how many great piecrusts I've made with just a Pyrex bowl and a pastry blender, but that's not even covered in this expensive book. Ridiculous

I owe an apology to another reviewer. When I first read the reviews I thought there is no way they only offer a food processor method for the crust. I'm sure they offered another option, it's probably just hidden away somewhere, easily over looked. But no, every crust recipe is only given using a food processor. I mean you can google another method, but then again you can google pie recipes. For a large tome I would expect at least one none mechanical option. that being said the crust is perfect. They have moved away from their vodka crust into a crust where you freeze and grate part of the butter, resulting in tender flaky crust. It does work. This is a larger oversized book, weighing in at 3 lbs. It's 9x1x10. This can make it a bit unwieldy but because of the amount of content, quality and size of pictures. it would not be the same shrunk down. There are lovely pictures. Not only of the recipes but step by step illustrations of technique. Each recipe has a paragraph on why this recipe works, the ingredients laid out in list form, and then the directions, broken down in 1,2,3 format. The print is black on white paper. Nutritional information is provided in the back, on pages 346-351. There are gluten free crust options. The index is alphabetical and makes it easy to find recipe by ingredient or name. The first part of the book covers the types of pies covered. 1-double crust fruit pie 2- cream pie 3-custard pie 4-meringue pie 5-tart 6-galette 7-chiffon pie 8-ice cream pie There is good reading on core pie baking techniques the difference in crusts, flaky, sturdy, short crust how to roll the dough filling the pie, blind baking covering, baking, cooling and storing. I highly recommend not skipping this part, especially if you are newer to pie making. Next up is equipment and tools, with pictures and descriptions. Ingredients, another chapter I highly suggest reading first. You will learn about flours, fats, sweeteners, eggs etc. after the main four it also goes into the pie pantry staples and miscellany. Everything from Milk to how to scrape a vanilla bean. Next is the chapters, mastering the classics. cream, custard, and curd pies upping your game elegant tarts pies big and small regional favorites icebox and cream pies pie and tart doughs topping, sauces, and more techniques can be hidden in the book. I would think showing pie crust decorating techniques would belong in the back, with the crust recipes, but it's found starting on page 130, in the middle of the book. overall I think this is an excellent pie book with enough variety to keep one entertained for years. The step by step directions and multiple how to pictures are very helpful. The crust option is an oversight but would not be enough to keep me from recommending the book. The recipes are a nice mix of modern and traditional. they are in love with their whipped cream. The key lime pie is covered in it. For me it's a bit much but I can always put on less. I made the pear butterscotch slab pie. It was delicious. I find pears often flavorless, this really helped give them flavor. Sable breton tart with cranberry curd was amazing and will be a new way to serve cranberries on thanksgiving, and other times of the year Sometimes I think ATK gets a little complicated or overwrought in their directions, but the results are worth the extra steps.

I could not resist tackling this cookbook as soon as it arrived. The color photos drew me in, but it was the information and recipes contained within that kept me there. Within 30 minutes, I was already baking my first pie, a Key Lime, since I had the ingredients on hand. And I kept going. The recipes are not only delicious, but also easy to follow. In true America's Test Kitchen manner, each recipe is prefaced by a "Why This Recipes Works" to provide the scientific explanation of why the instructions and ingredients are as they are. As a seasoned baker who has been baking pies and tarts for decades, I had no idea that I'd learn so much from this cookbook. Yeah, I knew a lot of it already, but certainly not everything. Nowhere else have I seen such a good illustrative photo about different pie crust finishes and what each accomplishes. Or how to get that first slice of pie out without making a mess of it. And I knew that unsalted butter is best for pastry, but I didn't know why (lower water content.) I appreciate that ATK has tested brands of butter, graham crackers, flours, etc. so that I can gravitate toward a specific brand, if I can find it. I was shocked that the Gold Medal unbleached flour that I used to use is better for pastry crust than the King Arthur version I currently use because of its lower protein content. These kind of revelations can be found not only in the introductory section but also throughout the book. Although The Perfect Pie includes recipes for the classics, its strength can be found in the less-often-homemade pies and tarts: rustic walnut tart, peach tarte tatin, Oregon blackberry pie, black-bottom pie, pumpkin praline pie, mocha cream pie, and nectarine and raspberry slab galette. I could go on and on. From cream pies to hand pies, this book has it all. Since I already have my own favorite recipes for pies such as apple and pecan, I skipped those recipes to try out pies I've never made before. I made an exception to this by trying new pie crust recipes. The Perfect Pie contains five versions of all-butter crust, in separate recipes for single and double crusts, classic pie dough, vegan pie crust dough, gluten-free pie dough, tart dough, gluten-free tart dough, free-form tart dough (for galettes and such), graham cracker crust, coconut cookie crust, chocolate cookie crust (with two variations for mint chocolate and Nutter Butter), and slab pie dough. See what I mean about this book being comprehensive? I have a lot of work ahead of me just to try out all the crust recipes. And that doesn't count all the ways to crimp and decorate pies. If you've never baked a pie or made a homemade crust before, don't worry. America's Test Kitchen will take you through it. If you've been baking pies for years, also don't worry because you will not only have scads of new recipes to work with but also tips for even better results. -- Debbie Lee Wesselmann

What a great cookbook. I've been cooking pies for years and have a number of pie cookbooks. This is one of the best. The recipes are broken into different sections, including classic standard pies, regional favorites and more adventurous pies as well at tarts and galettes. In the Upping Your Game chapter there are some really inventive more advanced recipes. The step by step instructions and illustrations are really helpful. I also appreciate the hints such as what can go wrong and how to avoid the problems. I've already made two of the pies and I am really looking forward to cooking my way through the book.

This is a perfect cookbook. Great recipes with variety and a bit of quirkiness. I initially hesitated to pay this much and now I am so glad I did. A fab collection. You’ll use it instantly.

They’re not kidding about this being the “ultimate guide” as this is a definitive tome on all things pie related. It has a wide range of recipes, from fancy to homey, my favorite being the regional specialty pies. Being from Virginia, they get bonus points for including peanut pie, which you usually wouldn’t find outside the Old Dominion. If you like pies, then this is the book for you.

I like how detailed this book is about pie making, it has in it every thing one will need to bake pies.

Haven’t baked from the book yet, but I’m so excited to use it, I’ve been reading the recipes, this week, and they ALL SOUND SO AMAZING!!!!! Usually their recipes are Great, the way they they do there all butter pie crust is VERY DIFFERENT, than I’ve ever heard or done before, I will try it, before, it’s a big occasion, just to make sure, I’m very anxious to hear how other people like that one particular recipe, I use that one Very Much!!!! I hope I hear back about that!

Ok—not as great as I hoped. I have other ATK cook books and the Pie recipes in those books I think are better. I did use the new crust recipe they feature. Like usual, it works as expected. For apple pie, I combined two recipes, the Dutch Apple one and the standard to make a better apple pie. So, not a total loss.

What can I say? It's a GREAT pie cookbook. I've made the apple cranberry, blueberry Earl Grey, and classic apple pies so far and all were super good. My family and friends agreed! One said the crust was the best ever and I've been making pie crust from scratch for 50 years using other recipes.

All of the recipes appeal to me. I have not tried yet but I certainly will! Love the color photos

Like all books in this series from America's Test Kitchen, recipes offered have been thoroughly tested to make sure they come out well, perfectly. I have the companion books for cookies and cakes and love them so when I saw the pie version I snapped it right up. It does not disappoint. From the basics to fancy dress pies this book gives you everything you need to place the perfect pie on your dessert table

I am going to use this book to perfect my pie making skills, which are sadly lacking. This book is very informative and has tons of delicious looking recipes. My project for the year is to make perfect pies. I'll probably gain 20 lbs., but it will be worth every bite!

I Just bought 2 of these beautiful books. One for myself and the other, I gave as a gift to a friend and she loved it! This book is chock-full of colorful photographs of beautiful pies and the recipes are awesome! I’m one of those people that not only loves to cook but love to read recipes and look at awesome pictures of good food. I can’t wait to start making these pies. I recommend this hardback pie book - it’s Perfect!

My money very well spent! Beautifully illustrated with many photos. Creamy and soft paper and a hardbound, and a dustcover too! Cooks Illustrated, Cooks Country et al, continue to produce wonderful kitchen tested recipes for home cooks and bakers. This is a WINNER!

Really good book. My wife has made a few of the pies and they are amazing. She says the recipes are fairly simple, but give tips that she would not thought of. The lemon pie was the best.

Print is fine. Great recipes I'm beginning to discover. I've already abandoned my old pie crust recipe for ATK's, there's no comparison.

I checked this out from the library for my mom and we liked it so much that I purchased the book! It has the best pie recipes in it with lots of photos. You won't be disappointed.

Gave this book as a gift and it was very well appreciated! American Test Kitchens recipes are always my go to choice! Will be adding this one to my own collections as well soon!

It was a gift for my sister in Germany she hosts a lot of dinner events and loves it

I find this book ridiculous. They are trying to push this idea that you can't make piecrust without an expensive food processor. That's absolutely absurd. I can't even tell you how many great piecrusts I've made with just a Pyrex bowl and a pastry blender, but that's not even covered in this expensive book. Ridiculous

I owe an apology to another reviewer. When I first read the reviews I thought there is no way they only offer a food processor method for the crust. I'm sure they offered another option, it's probably just hidden away somewhere, easily over looked. But no, every crust recipe is only given using a food processor. I mean you can google another method, but then again you can google pie recipes. For a large tome I would expect at least one none mechanical option. that being said the crust is perfect. They have moved away from their vodka crust into a crust where you freeze and grate part of the butter, resulting in tender flaky crust. It does work. This is a larger oversized book, weighing in at 3 lbs. It's 9x1x10. This can make it a bit unwieldy but because of the amount of content, quality and size of pictures. it would not be the same shrunk down. There are lovely pictures. Not only of the recipes but step by step illustrations of technique. Each recipe has a paragraph on why this recipe works, the ingredients laid out in list form, and then the directions, broken down in 1,2,3 format. The print is black on white paper. Nutritional information is provided in the back, on pages 346-351. There are gluten free crust options. The index is alphabetical and makes it easy to find recipe by ingredient or name. The first part of the book covers the types of pies covered. 1-double crust fruit pie 2- cream pie 3-custard pie 4-meringue pie 5-tart 6-galette 7-chiffon pie 8-ice cream pie There is good reading on core pie baking techniques the difference in crusts, flaky, sturdy, short crust how to roll the dough filling the pie, blind baking covering, baking, cooling and storing. I highly recommend not skipping this part, especially if you are newer to pie making. Next up is equipment and tools, with pictures and descriptions. Ingredients, another chapter I highly suggest reading first. You will learn about flours, fats, sweeteners, eggs etc. after the main four it also goes into the pie pantry staples and miscellany. Everything from Milk to how to scrape a vanilla bean. Next is the chapters, mastering the classics. cream, custard, and curd pies upping your game elegant tarts pies big and small regional favorites icebox and cream pies pie and tart doughs topping, sauces, and more techniques can be hidden in the book. I would think showing pie crust decorating techniques would belong in the back, with the crust recipes, but it's found starting on page 130, in the middle of the book. overall I think this is an excellent pie book with enough variety to keep one entertained for years. The step by step directions and multiple how to pictures are very helpful. The crust option is an oversight but would not be enough to keep me from recommending the book. The recipes are a nice mix of modern and traditional. they are in love with their whipped cream. The key lime pie is covered in it. For me it's a bit much but I can always put on less. I made the pear butterscotch slab pie. It was delicious. I find pears often flavorless, this really helped give them flavor. Sable breton tart with cranberry curd was amazing and will be a new way to serve cranberries on thanksgiving, and other times of the year Sometimes I think ATK gets a little complicated or overwrought in their directions, but the results are worth the extra steps.

I could not resist tackling this cookbook as soon as it arrived. The color photos drew me in, but it was the information and recipes contained within that kept me there. Within 30 minutes, I was already baking my first pie, a Key Lime, since I had the ingredients on hand. And I kept going. The recipes are not only delicious, but also easy to follow. In true America's Test Kitchen manner, each recipe is prefaced by a "Why This Recipes Works" to provide the scientific explanation of why the instructions and ingredients are as they are. As a seasoned baker who has been baking pies and tarts for decades, I had no idea that I'd learn so much from this cookbook. Yeah, I knew a lot of it already, but certainly not everything. Nowhere else have I seen such a good illustrative photo about different pie crust finishes and what each accomplishes. Or how to get that first slice of pie out without making a mess of it. And I knew that unsalted butter is best for pastry, but I didn't know why (lower water content.) I appreciate that ATK has tested brands of butter, graham crackers, flours, etc. so that I can gravitate toward a specific brand, if I can find it. I was shocked that the Gold Medal unbleached flour that I used to use is better for pastry crust than the King Arthur version I currently use because of its lower protein content. These kind of revelations can be found not only in the introductory section but also throughout the book. Although The Perfect Pie includes recipes for the classics, its strength can be found in the less-often-homemade pies and tarts: rustic walnut tart, peach tarte tatin, Oregon blackberry pie, black-bottom pie, pumpkin praline pie, mocha cream pie, and nectarine and raspberry slab galette. I could go on and on. From cream pies to hand pies, this book has it all. Since I already have my own favorite recipes for pies such as apple and pecan, I skipped those recipes to try out pies I've never made before. I made an exception to this by trying new pie crust recipes. The Perfect Pie contains five versions of all-butter crust, in separate recipes for single and double crusts, classic pie dough, vegan pie crust dough, gluten-free pie dough, tart dough, gluten-free tart dough, free-form tart dough (for galettes and such), graham cracker crust, coconut cookie crust, chocolate cookie crust (with two variations for mint chocolate and Nutter Butter), and slab pie dough. See what I mean about this book being comprehensive? I have a lot of work ahead of me just to try out all the crust recipes. And that doesn't count all the ways to crimp and decorate pies. If you've never baked a pie or made a homemade crust before, don't worry. America's Test Kitchen will take you through it. If you've been baking pies for years, also don't worry because you will not only have scads of new recipes to work with but also tips for even better results. -- Debbie Lee Wesselmann

What a great cookbook. I've been cooking pies for years and have a number of pie cookbooks. This is one of the best. The recipes are broken into different sections, including classic standard pies, regional favorites and more adventurous pies as well at tarts and galettes. In the Upping Your Game chapter there are some really inventive more advanced recipes. The step by step instructions and illustrations are really helpful. I also appreciate the hints such as what can go wrong and how to avoid the problems. I've already made two of the pies and I am really looking forward to cooking my way through the book.

This is a perfect cookbook. Great recipes with variety and a bit of quirkiness. I initially hesitated to pay this much and now I am so glad I did. A fab collection. You’ll use it instantly.

They’re not kidding about this being the “ultimate guide” as this is a definitive tome on all things pie related. It has a wide range of recipes, from fancy to homey, my favorite being the regional specialty pies. Being from Virginia, they get bonus points for including peanut pie, which you usually wouldn’t find outside the Old Dominion. If you like pies, then this is the book for you.

I like how detailed this book is about pie making, it has in it every thing one will need to bake pies.

Haven’t baked from the book yet, but I’m so excited to use it, I’ve been reading the recipes, this week, and they ALL SOUND SO AMAZING!!!!! Usually their recipes are Great, the way they they do there all butter pie crust is VERY DIFFERENT, than I’ve ever heard or done before, I will try it, before, it’s a big occasion, just to make sure, I’m very anxious to hear how other people like that one particular recipe, I use that one Very Much!!!! I hope I hear back about that!

Ok—not as great as I hoped. I have other ATK cook books and the Pie recipes in those books I think are better. I did use the new crust recipe they feature. Like usual, it works as expected. For apple pie, I combined two recipes, the Dutch Apple one and the standard to make a better apple pie. So, not a total loss.

What can I say? It's a GREAT pie cookbook. I've made the apple cranberry, blueberry Earl Grey, and classic apple pies so far and all were super good. My family and friends agreed! One said the crust was the best ever and I've been making pie crust from scratch for 50 years using other recipes.

If you enjoy reading cookbooks. This is one you will be lost in four hours. It is a pie baker’s dream come true!

Gift for a great cook who wants to up her pie game. Great techniques and lovely illustrations.

Bought as a gift for our daughter. She says the recipes are great.

This book is great, like all their others. I love it!

Love this cookbook. All the varieties of dessert is awesome. The techniques are easy to apply. They all so far taste great, the pies that I've baked

I checked this book out of the library and wanted to copy so many recipes that I had to buy the book!

My dad loves baking and he loves this book. Gives a lot of detail about all things pie related.

Really good recipes. Even a few I have not heard of.

wonderful book to try out variety pies. so far every recipe tried has been a hit in our house

Great ideas

I find this book ridiculous. They are trying to push this idea that you can't make piecrust without an expensive food processor. That's absolutely absurd. I can't even tell you how many great piecrusts I've made with just a Pyrex bowl and a pastry blender, but that's not even covered in this expensive book. Ridiculous

I owe an apology to another reviewer. When I first read the reviews I thought there is no way they only offer a food processor method for the crust. I'm sure they offered another option, it's probably just hidden away somewhere, easily over looked. But no, every crust recipe is only given using a food processor. I mean you can google another method, but then again you can google pie recipes. For a large tome I would expect at least one none mechanical option. that being said the crust is perfect. They have moved away from their vodka crust into a crust where you freeze and grate part of the butter, resulting in tender flaky crust. It does work. This is a larger oversized book, weighing in at 3 lbs. It's 9x1x10. This can make it a bit unwieldy but because of the amount of content, quality and size of pictures. it would not be the same shrunk down. There are lovely pictures. Not only of the recipes but step by step illustrations of technique. Each recipe has a paragraph on why this recipe works, the ingredients laid out in list form, and then the directions, broken down in 1,2,3 format. The print is black on white paper. Nutritional information is provided in the back, on pages 346-351. There are gluten free crust options. The index is alphabetical and makes it easy to find recipe by ingredient or name. The first part of the book covers the types of pies covered. 1-double crust fruit pie 2- cream pie 3-custard pie 4-meringue pie 5-tart 6-galette 7-chiffon pie 8-ice cream pie There is good reading on core pie baking techniques the difference in crusts, flaky, sturdy, short crust how to roll the dough filling the pie, blind baking covering, baking, cooling and storing. I highly recommend not skipping this part, especially if you are newer to pie making. Next up is equipment and tools, with pictures and descriptions. Ingredients, another chapter I highly suggest reading first. You will learn about flours, fats, sweeteners, eggs etc. after the main four it also goes into the pie pantry staples and miscellany. Everything from Milk to how to scrape a vanilla bean. Next is the chapters, mastering the classics. cream, custard, and curd pies upping your game elegant tarts pies big and small regional favorites icebox and cream pies pie and tart doughs topping, sauces, and more techniques can be hidden in the book. I would think showing pie crust decorating techniques would belong in the back, with the crust recipes, but it's found starting on page 130, in the middle of the book. overall I think this is an excellent pie book with enough variety to keep one entertained for years. The step by step directions and multiple how to pictures are very helpful. The crust option is an oversight but would not be enough to keep me from recommending the book. The recipes are a nice mix of modern and traditional. they are in love with their whipped cream. The key lime pie is covered in it. For me it's a bit much but I can always put on less. I made the pear butterscotch slab pie. It was delicious. I find pears often flavorless, this really helped give them flavor. Sable breton tart with cranberry curd was amazing and will be a new way to serve cranberries on thanksgiving, and other times of the year Sometimes I think ATK gets a little complicated or overwrought in their directions, but the results are worth the extra steps.

I could not resist tackling this cookbook as soon as it arrived. The color photos drew me in, but it was the information and recipes contained within that kept me there. Within 30 minutes, I was already baking my first pie, a Key Lime, since I had the ingredients on hand. And I kept going. The recipes are not only delicious, but also easy to follow. In true America's Test Kitchen manner, each recipe is prefaced by a "Why This Recipes Works" to provide the scientific explanation of why the instructions and ingredients are as they are. As a seasoned baker who has been baking pies and tarts for decades, I had no idea that I'd learn so much from this cookbook. Yeah, I knew a lot of it already, but certainly not everything. Nowhere else have I seen such a good illustrative photo about different pie crust finishes and what each accomplishes. Or how to get that first slice of pie out without making a mess of it. And I knew that unsalted butter is best for pastry, but I didn't know why (lower water content.) I appreciate that ATK has tested brands of butter, graham crackers, flours, etc. so that I can gravitate toward a specific brand, if I can find it. I was shocked that the Gold Medal unbleached flour that I used to use is better for pastry crust than the King Arthur version I currently use because of its lower protein content. These kind of revelations can be found not only in the introductory section but also throughout the book. Although The Perfect Pie includes recipes for the classics, its strength can be found in the less-often-homemade pies and tarts: rustic walnut tart, peach tarte tatin, Oregon blackberry pie, black-bottom pie, pumpkin praline pie, mocha cream pie, and nectarine and raspberry slab galette. I could go on and on. From cream pies to hand pies, this book has it all. Since I already have my own favorite recipes for pies such as apple and pecan, I skipped those recipes to try out pies I've never made before. I made an exception to this by trying new pie crust recipes. The Perfect Pie contains five versions of all-butter crust, in separate recipes for single and double crusts, classic pie dough, vegan pie crust dough, gluten-free pie dough, tart dough, gluten-free tart dough, free-form tart dough (for galettes and such), graham cracker crust, coconut cookie crust, chocolate cookie crust (with two variations for mint chocolate and Nutter Butter), and slab pie dough. See what I mean about this book being comprehensive? I have a lot of work ahead of me just to try out all the crust recipes. And that doesn't count all the ways to crimp and decorate pies. If you've never baked a pie or made a homemade crust before, don't worry. America's Test Kitchen will take you through it. If you've been baking pies for years, also don't worry because you will not only have scads of new recipes to work with but also tips for even better results. -- Debbie Lee Wesselmann

What a great cookbook. I've been cooking pies for years and have a number of pie cookbooks. This is one of the best. The recipes are broken into different sections, including classic standard pies, regional favorites and more adventurous pies as well at tarts and galettes. In the Upping Your Game chapter there are some really inventive more advanced recipes. The step by step instructions and illustrations are really helpful. I also appreciate the hints such as what can go wrong and how to avoid the problems. I've already made two of the pies and I am really looking forward to cooking my way through the book.

This is a perfect cookbook. Great recipes with variety and a bit of quirkiness. I initially hesitated to pay this much and now I am so glad I did. A fab collection. You’ll use it instantly.

They’re not kidding about this being the “ultimate guide” as this is a definitive tome on all things pie related. It has a wide range of recipes, from fancy to homey, my favorite being the regional specialty pies. Being from Virginia, they get bonus points for including peanut pie, which you usually wouldn’t find outside the Old Dominion. If you like pies, then this is the book for you.

I like how detailed this book is about pie making, it has in it every thing one will need to bake pies.

Haven’t baked from the book yet, but I’m so excited to use it, I’ve been reading the recipes, this week, and they ALL SOUND SO AMAZING!!!!! Usually their recipes are Great, the way they they do there all butter pie crust is VERY DIFFERENT, than I’ve ever heard or done before, I will try it, before, it’s a big occasion, just to make sure, I’m very anxious to hear how other people like that one particular recipe, I use that one Very Much!!!! I hope I hear back about that!

Ok—not as great as I hoped. I have other ATK cook books and the Pie recipes in those books I think are better. I did use the new crust recipe they feature. Like usual, it works as expected. For apple pie, I combined two recipes, the Dutch Apple one and the standard to make a better apple pie. So, not a total loss.

What can I say? It's a GREAT pie cookbook. I've made the apple cranberry, blueberry Earl Grey, and classic apple pies so far and all were super good. My family and friends agreed! One said the crust was the best ever and I've been making pie crust from scratch for 50 years using other recipes.

Wonderful

Very informative and thorough. If you want a good book with clear instruction along with visual representation this is it.

Love the Test Kitchen cookbooks. This is a gift for family... the Baker of the family. Looked thru it myself. I may have to order one for me!

Great guide to making pies. Designed for someone like me who wasn't raised with pies in my cooking files. This guide list all steps and techniques. Even avid pie makers could learn a thing or two.

Beautiful book. Detailed, thorough instructions. Full of details A to Z.

Good recipies, easy to follow instructions.

This book is fantastic just as the cake book !

This was a gift but had a lot of delicious pies in it

Packed with tips and education, plus a wide variety of recipes to please everyone.

My husband loves it as his Christmas gift.

I find this book ridiculous. They are trying to push this idea that you can't make piecrust without an expensive food processor. That's absolutely absurd. I can't even tell you how many great piecrusts I've made with just a Pyrex bowl and a pastry blender, but that's not even covered in this expensive book. Ridiculous

I owe an apology to another reviewer. When I first read the reviews I thought there is no way they only offer a food processor method for the crust. I'm sure they offered another option, it's probably just hidden away somewhere, easily over looked. But no, every crust recipe is only given using a food processor. I mean you can google another method, but then again you can google pie recipes. For a large tome I would expect at least one none mechanical option. that being said the crust is perfect. They have moved away from their vodka crust into a crust where you freeze and grate part of the butter, resulting in tender flaky crust. It does work. This is a larger oversized book, weighing in at 3 lbs. It's 9x1x10. This can make it a bit unwieldy but because of the amount of content, quality and size of pictures. it would not be the same shrunk down. There are lovely pictures. Not only of the recipes but step by step illustrations of technique. Each recipe has a paragraph on why this recipe works, the ingredients laid out in list form, and then the directions, broken down in 1,2,3 format. The print is black on white paper. Nutritional information is provided in the back, on pages 346-351. There are gluten free crust options. The index is alphabetical and makes it easy to find recipe by ingredient or name. The first part of the book covers the types of pies covered. 1-double crust fruit pie 2- cream pie 3-custard pie 4-meringue pie 5-tart 6-galette 7-chiffon pie 8-ice cream pie There is good reading on core pie baking techniques the difference in crusts, flaky, sturdy, short crust how to roll the dough filling the pie, blind baking covering, baking, cooling and storing. I highly recommend not skipping this part, especially if you are newer to pie making. Next up is equipment and tools, with pictures and descriptions. Ingredients, another chapter I highly suggest reading first. You will learn about flours, fats, sweeteners, eggs etc. after the main four it also goes into the pie pantry staples and miscellany. Everything from Milk to how to scrape a vanilla bean. Next is the chapters, mastering the classics. cream, custard, and curd pies upping your game elegant tarts pies big and small regional favorites icebox and cream pies pie and tart doughs topping, sauces, and more techniques can be hidden in the book. I would think showing pie crust decorating techniques would belong in the back, with the crust recipes, but it's found starting on page 130, in the middle of the book. overall I think this is an excellent pie book with enough variety to keep one entertained for years. The step by step directions and multiple how to pictures are very helpful. The crust option is an oversight but would not be enough to keep me from recommending the book. The recipes are a nice mix of modern and traditional. they are in love with their whipped cream. The key lime pie is covered in it. For me it's a bit much but I can always put on less. I made the pear butterscotch slab pie. It was delicious. I find pears often flavorless, this really helped give them flavor. Sable breton tart with cranberry curd was amazing and will be a new way to serve cranberries on thanksgiving, and other times of the year Sometimes I think ATK gets a little complicated or overwrought in their directions, but the results are worth the extra steps.

I could not resist tackling this cookbook as soon as it arrived. The color photos drew me in, but it was the information and recipes contained within that kept me there. Within 30 minutes, I was already baking my first pie, a Key Lime, since I had the ingredients on hand. And I kept going. The recipes are not only delicious, but also easy to follow. In true America's Test Kitchen manner, each recipe is prefaced by a "Why This Recipes Works" to provide the scientific explanation of why the instructions and ingredients are as they are. As a seasoned baker who has been baking pies and tarts for decades, I had no idea that I'd learn so much from this cookbook. Yeah, I knew a lot of it already, but certainly not everything. Nowhere else have I seen such a good illustrative photo about different pie crust finishes and what each accomplishes. Or how to get that first slice of pie out without making a mess of it. And I knew that unsalted butter is best for pastry, but I didn't know why (lower water content.) I appreciate that ATK has tested brands of butter, graham crackers, flours, etc. so that I can gravitate toward a specific brand, if I can find it. I was shocked that the Gold Medal unbleached flour that I used to use is better for pastry crust than the King Arthur version I currently use because of its lower protein content. These kind of revelations can be found not only in the introductory section but also throughout the book. Although The Perfect Pie includes recipes for the classics, its strength can be found in the less-often-homemade pies and tarts: rustic walnut tart, peach tarte tatin, Oregon blackberry pie, black-bottom pie, pumpkin praline pie, mocha cream pie, and nectarine and raspberry slab galette. I could go on and on. From cream pies to hand pies, this book has it all. Since I already have my own favorite recipes for pies such as apple and pecan, I skipped those recipes to try out pies I've never made before. I made an exception to this by trying new pie crust recipes. The Perfect Pie contains five versions of all-butter crust, in separate recipes for single and double crusts, classic pie dough, vegan pie crust dough, gluten-free pie dough, tart dough, gluten-free tart dough, free-form tart dough (for galettes and such), graham cracker crust, coconut cookie crust, chocolate cookie crust (with two variations for mint chocolate and Nutter Butter), and slab pie dough. See what I mean about this book being comprehensive? I have a lot of work ahead of me just to try out all the crust recipes. And that doesn't count all the ways to crimp and decorate pies. If you've never baked a pie or made a homemade crust before, don't worry. America's Test Kitchen will take you through it. If you've been baking pies for years, also don't worry because you will not only have scads of new recipes to work with but also tips for even better results. -- Debbie Lee Wesselmann

What a great cookbook. I've been cooking pies for years and have a number of pie cookbooks. This is one of the best. The recipes are broken into different sections, including classic standard pies, regional favorites and more adventurous pies as well at tarts and galettes. In the Upping Your Game chapter there are some really inventive more advanced recipes. The step by step instructions and illustrations are really helpful. I also appreciate the hints such as what can go wrong and how to avoid the problems. I've already made two of the pies and I am really looking forward to cooking my way through the book.

This is a perfect cookbook. Great recipes with variety and a bit of quirkiness. I initially hesitated to pay this much and now I am so glad I did. A fab collection. You’ll use it instantly.

They’re not kidding about this being the “ultimate guide” as this is a definitive tome on all things pie related. It has a wide range of recipes, from fancy to homey, my favorite being the regional specialty pies. Being from Virginia, they get bonus points for including peanut pie, which you usually wouldn’t find outside the Old Dominion. If you like pies, then this is the book for you.

I like how detailed this book is about pie making, it has in it every thing one will need to bake pies.

Haven’t baked from the book yet, but I’m so excited to use it, I’ve been reading the recipes, this week, and they ALL SOUND SO AMAZING!!!!! Usually their recipes are Great, the way they they do there all butter pie crust is VERY DIFFERENT, than I’ve ever heard or done before, I will try it, before, it’s a big occasion, just to make sure, I’m very anxious to hear how other people like that one particular recipe, I use that one Very Much!!!! I hope I hear back about that!

Ok—not as great as I hoped. I have other ATK cook books and the Pie recipes in those books I think are better. I did use the new crust recipe they feature. Like usual, it works as expected. For apple pie, I combined two recipes, the Dutch Apple one and the standard to make a better apple pie. So, not a total loss.

What can I say? It's a GREAT pie cookbook. I've made the apple cranberry, blueberry Earl Grey, and classic apple pies so far and all were super good. My family and friends agreed! One said the crust was the best ever and I've been making pie crust from scratch for 50 years using other recipes.

Wonderful recipes

No doubt about it--this is a beautiful book, and you will be drooling over the pictures by the time you browse through a few chapters. But it is the instructions, the ingredient lists and the explanations "why this works", that will make or break this pie book for you. You will want to have this book--right now, before the holidays--if you are looking to create over-the-top pies. If you want to take your pies to the next level, this book will get your pies up on that pedestal you are aching to reach. On the other hand, if you like making, baking pies because you can whip one up easily and quickly, well, then, this book is definitely not the one you want! For instance, if you are used to whipping up a quick pumpkin pie Thanksgiving morning while your counters and cook top are jammed up with dinner foods, the recipe in this book will try your patience: Besides that can of pumpkin puree, you will need a can of candied sweet potato, too. And you will need to find room on your cook top for cooking the custard before you put it into a par-baked pie crust and into the oven. Apples don't just get peeled and sliced, they need to be sauteed or roasted before going into the crust. Berries need to be pureed and strained. And those extra steps seem never-ending. But you will also get some fab ideas for lattice tops and a lot of other things. And you will find trouble-shooting tips, lots of how-to pictures, and advice. You will also have to put up with the ATK advertising and all the patting themselves on the back. You will find pages of their recommendations, too. (And I find those recommendations getting a bit old, especially considering they really do NOT test all the possibilities--and they DO miss many great possibilities. And I don't think they are totally unbiased.......)

If you’ve mastered pie crust, then pie really is “easy as pie”. This book, THE PERFECT PIE: YOUR ULTIMATE GUIDE TO CLASSIC AND MODERN PIES, TARTS, GALLETTES, AND MORE will guide you to pie crust mastery--or you can take the easy way out (as I do) and use commercial pie crust from your grocery store’s cold case (e.g.,

This Perfect Pie book is a wonderful addition to my cookbook collection. It pretty much has every information you need to make a delicious pie. Plenty clear and professional photos, including the step-by-step photos make this book very easy to read, understand and follow. Besides all the traditional pie making techniques, I also see many interesting new techniques and ideas introduced in this book. There are so many recipes in this book, from the famous classic ones to the unique modern ones. When I received the book, after I browsed the whole book, I went ahead and followed the "Chocolate, Matcha and Pomegranate Tart" recipe and made the tart. It is definitely a unique interesting one. The recipe is easy to follow and the tart is just delicious. I added a little bit personal touch to the tart during the making and I attached a photo of the tart that I made. Me and my husband finished half of the tart already for just one night's dessert. We love dessert. :P I like this book a lot. America's Test Kitchen surely put lots of effort into this book. Whether you are getting this book for yourself or as a gift to someone that loves making dessert, this will be a really good one. I highly recommend this book.

This is a beautiful cookbook. Full color pictures on every shiny page. Yes, the pages are glossy so if your kitchen light shines down on the counter then there will be a glare on the page. Not a super big deal - just a small annoyance. America's Test Kitchen cookbooks are my favorite. When I have a lot of time to cook and can afford it, I get a subscription to their website which has videos that, while boring, include details that there's not room for in recipes. They really need to hire Alton Brown to teach them how to make a video... I digress. Back to the Perfect Pie. This book is full of recipes for every type of pie known to man. Tips and hints for how to make them beautiful. Vegan and gluten free options included (though I haven't tried those yet). What they don't give you is information on what to do if you don't have all the equipment. Thankfully, I had a stand mixer. Almost every recipe in this book calls for one. The first pie I made was this raspberry tart - it looked beautiful and tasted great but it was watery. ??? I followed the directions exactly EXCEPT I do not own a spring form pan. There is no room in my kitchen for another pan. Does that mean I can't make a tart??? Why not tell me what other pans I can use? My cupboards will not hold every kind of pan and cooking equipment known to man. I need other instructions - if I bake my tarts in glass pie pans - should I bake longer? Add something? Or maybe that was fine and my fruit was too moist? Since my pie didn't come out perfect, I'm going to say that the title is incorrect. Maybe nothing is perfect. This cookbook does contain beautifully written paragraphs on every aspect of pie making. There's enough information to turn an amateur into a professional. Since the holiday season is approaching, there are plenty of awesome pies to make for all those holiday celebrations. Tired of pumpkin? There's a maple syrup pie or an apple pie with cheddar cheese crust (nice spin on an old favorite). I'm impressed that there's recipes for both innovative new pies and ancient favorites.

America's Test Kitchen has a well-deserved reputation for thoroughness and reliability. When they cover a subject they cover the heck out of it, and this book is no exception. I'm an experienced and enthusiastic baker (mostly bread and now cookies and other sweet things) but I never could get the hand of pie dough. So I've been putting off tackling pie. This book has enough information, enough technique, and enough pictures that I've actually been able to do pies. Not just tarts with their easier crusts, but actual flaky crusts. I'm probably not going to get deep into pie-making, but with this book I've been able to make fruit pies with decent crusts for the first time. ATK cookbooks don't have the individual personality that individual authors bring to their cookbooks, but as this is meant as a comprehensive technique oriented work, it doesn't matter. Recommended as a way to get into pie baking. And don't miss the "pie chart" illustration!

So I was comparing some double crust recipes on this cookbook. Most recipes require to use a food processor which it is easier to make the pie dough in a jiffy. But what if you don't have the so-called equipment. I have tried with a pastry blender, and the process is quite similar but gives you a traditional method. I have read other recipes making other types of crusts like the graham cracker crust is in a bowl and fork method. It also give you some savy tips to almost make a "perfect" pie. Although I have no complaints about this book, the cook has to be creative enough that making with pastry blender is possible eventhough they say to use a food processor. It's probably just the speed that will differ, but methods are still similar making the dough of the pie crust. What I really enjoy about these recipes are the savvy tips and techniques they created, and wrote for this book. If you are into pies, tarts, galettes; then this book is for you. They also have a variety of fillings, pie crusts, tart shells, graham and cookie crusts, and toppings you can mix and/ or match depending on what pie you want to create. Once you are comfortable making 1 recipe. You can create and bake a pie with a variety of crusts, fillings, toppings. America's Test Kitchens has evolved into a cooking school where you can watch on Youtube, buy a book either as an e-book, or have the book in your kitchen library. I always have the Kindle version of their cookbooks as I don't have enough space, but it is so convenient when I cook or bake in my own kitchen, or make something special for family and friends. Their business model is more varied and categorized into topics that are given to specific groups of people depending on age, and varied topics about cooking, baking and drinking.

A person has to appreciate the high production standards of the cookbooks from America's Test Kitchen--not only do they offer fine, clear illustrations, but the instructions are thorough and clear, leading to success after success. So is the case with THE PERFECT PIE, with its wide selection of desert pies and its guide to pie-making basics. Recommended, although it would have been fun to see some meat pies in here--

An excellent cookbook all about pies from America's Test Kitchen. This book is a hands down winner for a pie lover - even if you don't think you enjoy pies - if you take a look at the beautiful photos you will want pie! As with all their cookbooks each recipe contains information as to 'why this works' and or ' what we did to make it work'. For instance because peaches are so juicy you not only have to cook the peaches a bit but use double thickeners. I can't wait to try the slab pie which are pies baked in a large 18 x 13" rimmed baking sheet as I have to bring something to a large gathering and I think this will be a hit. There are wonderful hints how to work large pieces of dough and something I never thought of , save some of the peach juice and mix with confectioners sugar to drizzle on the top. The variety of pies is amazing and includes all types of fruits, berries, vegetables and nuts. All sizes too from small 3" pies on a stick to muffin tin pies to 18 x 13" slab pies. I appreciated the photo of what different washes on pies look like, from untouched to egg wash, egg wash with sugar or just sugar. I have always used an egg wash but still interesting to know. There are very easy to follow photo explanations on how to create different tops for pies including lattice and herringbone. Some great ideas too - I never thought to combine pumpkin and pecan pies but this Thanksgiving I will definatly be making their pumpkin pie with pecan praline topping. Oh boy! There are demonstration photos with explanations throughout the book. Although I love to bake and have been for many decades I still learned something. This is a larger size book but if you enjoy baking you will love it! Unfortunately the only bad thing is the nutrition content of every pie, including calories is listed in the back of the book. I recommend you just rip those pages out and enjoy the wonderful variety of pies. Another reviewer commented that there is no instruction on how to make crust using a pastry cutter or knives for that matter. Both techniques I have used in the past. The instruction here is to use a food processor. I don't find that off putting. I think food processors have become main stream and so many people have them and they are so affordable and easy to use why spend more time cutting butter into flour than you have to? Highly recommend.

The America’s Test Kitchen: The Perfect Pie is a great book if you’re looking to make a wide variety of pies, tarts, and galettes. This book covers a lot of information on how to make a good pie including proper techniques to making a good crust (weighing ingredients, proper technique for kneading the dough, ingredient temperatures, etc), the difference between using ingredients like butter vs shortening, different flours, different finishes such as water, egg wash, sugar washes, and many troubleshooting tips to make your pie a success. The variety of pie recipes was incredible - there’s recipes that cover all types of pies including double crust pies, cream pies, custard pies, meringue pies, chiffon pies, ice cream pies, tarts and galettes. The one thing I was a bit disappointed about in the book is that the pies are all sweet pies - there are no savory pies listed, so if you have your heart set on a good chicken pot pie, you’re going to have to look elsewhere. That said, if you need a good pie crust recipe for said chicken pot pie, this is the book to go to. Overall, I found this pie book to be an absolute delight to go through and would recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning more about the art of pie.

I find this book ridiculous. They are trying to push this idea that you can't make piecrust without an expensive food processor. That's absolutely absurd. I can't even tell you how many great piecrusts I've made with just a Pyrex bowl and a pastry blender, but that's not even covered in this expensive book. Ridiculous

I owe an apology to another reviewer. When I first read the reviews I thought there is no way they only offer a food processor method for the crust. I'm sure they offered another option, it's probably just hidden away somewhere, easily over looked. But no, every crust recipe is only given using a food processor. I mean you can google another method, but then again you can google pie recipes. For a large tome I would expect at least one none mechanical option. that being said the crust is perfect. They have moved away from their vodka crust into a crust where you freeze and grate part of the butter, resulting in tender flaky crust. It does work. This is a larger oversized book, weighing in at 3 lbs. It's 9x1x10. This can make it a bit unwieldy but because of the amount of content, quality and size of pictures. it would not be the same shrunk down. There are lovely pictures. Not only of the recipes but step by step illustrations of technique. Each recipe has a paragraph on why this recipe works, the ingredients laid out in list form, and then the directions, broken down in 1,2,3 format. The print is black on white paper. Nutritional information is provided in the back, on pages 346-351. There are gluten free crust options. The index is alphabetical and makes it easy to find recipe by ingredient or name. The first part of the book covers the types of pies covered. 1-double crust fruit pie 2- cream pie 3-custard pie 4-meringue pie 5-tart 6-galette 7-chiffon pie 8-ice cream pie There is good reading on core pie baking techniques the difference in crusts, flaky, sturdy, short crust how to roll the dough filling the pie, blind baking covering, baking, cooling and storing. I highly recommend not skipping this part, especially if you are newer to pie making. Next up is equipment and tools, with pictures and descriptions. Ingredients, another chapter I highly suggest reading first. You will learn about flours, fats, sweeteners, eggs etc. after the main four it also goes into the pie pantry staples and miscellany. Everything from Milk to how to scrape a vanilla bean. Next is the chapters, mastering the classics. cream, custard, and curd pies upping your game elegant tarts pies big and small regional favorites icebox and cream pies pie and tart doughs topping, sauces, and more techniques can be hidden in the book. I would think showing pie crust decorating techniques would belong in the back, with the crust recipes, but it's found starting on page 130, in the middle of the book. overall I think this is an excellent pie book with enough variety to keep one entertained for years. The step by step directions and multiple how to pictures are very helpful. The crust option is an oversight but would not be enough to keep me from recommending the book. The recipes are a nice mix of modern and traditional. they are in love with their whipped cream. The key lime pie is covered in it. For me it's a bit much but I can always put on less. I made the pear butterscotch slab pie. It was delicious. I find pears often flavorless, this really helped give them flavor. Sable breton tart with cranberry curd was amazing and will be a new way to serve cranberries on thanksgiving, and other times of the year Sometimes I think ATK gets a little complicated or overwrought in their directions, but the results are worth the extra steps.

I could not resist tackling this cookbook as soon as it arrived. The color photos drew me in, but it was the information and recipes contained within that kept me there. Within 30 minutes, I was already baking my first pie, a Key Lime, since I had the ingredients on hand. And I kept going. The recipes are not only delicious, but also easy to follow. In true America's Test Kitchen manner, each recipe is prefaced by a "Why This Recipes Works" to provide the scientific explanation of why the instructions and ingredients are as they are. As a seasoned baker who has been baking pies and tarts for decades, I had no idea that I'd learn so much from this cookbook. Yeah, I knew a lot of it already, but certainly not everything. Nowhere else have I seen such a good illustrative photo about different pie crust finishes and what each accomplishes. Or how to get that first slice of pie out without making a mess of it. And I knew that unsalted butter is best for pastry, but I didn't know why (lower water content.) I appreciate that ATK has tested brands of butter, graham crackers, flours, etc. so that I can gravitate toward a specific brand, if I can find it. I was shocked that the Gold Medal unbleached flour that I used to use is better for pastry crust than the King Arthur version I currently use because of its lower protein content. These kind of revelations can be found not only in the introductory section but also throughout the book. Although The Perfect Pie includes recipes for the classics, its strength can be found in the less-often-homemade pies and tarts: rustic walnut tart, peach tarte tatin, Oregon blackberry pie, black-bottom pie, pumpkin praline pie, mocha cream pie, and nectarine and raspberry slab galette. I could go on and on. From cream pies to hand pies, this book has it all. Since I already have my own favorite recipes for pies such as apple and pecan, I skipped those recipes to try out pies I've never made before. I made an exception to this by trying new pie crust recipes. The Perfect Pie contains five versions of all-butter crust, in separate recipes for single and double crusts, classic pie dough, vegan pie crust dough, gluten-free pie dough, tart dough, gluten-free tart dough, free-form tart dough (for galettes and such), graham cracker crust, coconut cookie crust, chocolate cookie crust (with two variations for mint chocolate and Nutter Butter), and slab pie dough. See what I mean about this book being comprehensive? I have a lot of work ahead of me just to try out all the crust recipes. And that doesn't count all the ways to crimp and decorate pies. If you've never baked a pie or made a homemade crust before, don't worry. America's Test Kitchen will take you through it. If you've been baking pies for years, also don't worry because you will not only have scads of new recipes to work with but also tips for even better results. -- Debbie Lee Wesselmann

What a great cookbook. I've been cooking pies for years and have a number of pie cookbooks. This is one of the best. The recipes are broken into different sections, including classic standard pies, regional favorites and more adventurous pies as well at tarts and galettes. In the Upping Your Game chapter there are some really inventive more advanced recipes. The step by step instructions and illustrations are really helpful. I also appreciate the hints such as what can go wrong and how to avoid the problems. I've already made two of the pies and I am really looking forward to cooking my way through the book.

This is a perfect cookbook. Great recipes with variety and a bit of quirkiness. I initially hesitated to pay this much and now I am so glad I did. A fab collection. You’ll use it instantly.

They’re not kidding about this being the “ultimate guide” as this is a definitive tome on all things pie related. It has a wide range of recipes, from fancy to homey, my favorite being the regional specialty pies. Being from Virginia, they get bonus points for including peanut pie, which you usually wouldn’t find outside the Old Dominion. If you like pies, then this is the book for you.

I like how detailed this book is about pie making, it has in it every thing one will need to bake pies.

Haven’t baked from the book yet, but I’m so excited to use it, I’ve been reading the recipes, this week, and they ALL SOUND SO AMAZING!!!!! Usually their recipes are Great, the way they they do there all butter pie crust is VERY DIFFERENT, than I’ve ever heard or done before, I will try it, before, it’s a big occasion, just to make sure, I’m very anxious to hear how other people like that one particular recipe, I use that one Very Much!!!! I hope I hear back about that!

Ok—not as great as I hoped. I have other ATK cook books and the Pie recipes in those books I think are better. I did use the new crust recipe they feature. Like usual, it works as expected. For apple pie, I combined two recipes, the Dutch Apple one and the standard to make a better apple pie. So, not a total loss.

What can I say? It's a GREAT pie cookbook. I've made the apple cranberry, blueberry Earl Grey, and classic apple pies so far and all were super good. My family and friends agreed! One said the crust was the best ever and I've been making pie crust from scratch for 50 years using other recipes.

America’s Test Kitchen (ATK) has a consistent formula when it comes to publishing cookbooks – find a recipe, refine it and tune it to near-perfection, and explain in detail what works, what doesn’t work and why, and includes a bunch of photographs. This one, “The Perfect Pie” follows that same formula. I grew up with cakes, whereas my wife grew up with pies. Pies are generally easier to make than cakes but there is still an art to doing it right and getting good results. This cookbook is an excellent resource for the pie-lover who wants to make the basic easy-to-assemble treat to the multi-step labor-intensive pie that will wow anyone at the table. There’s a lot of ground covered in this book. There is of course coverage of the crust and how to get it flaky, heavy or somewhere in between. There is also discussion of more than just pies – tarts, toppings, ice box desserts (in the pie family) and more. This is not just a simple rundown of apple, pumpkin and meringue, but it covers a wide array of different types of pies from fruit-filled to cream to a few unusual novelties as well. It even covers making mini-pies. And, each recipe comes with at least one full-color picture, sometimes more. A shock to me was finding a recipe and picture for Sugar Cream Pie (titled Hoosier Pie in this book). A good many people have never heard of it unless they live in or are from Indiana (or in my case, married a Hoosier). I have been making this one for years, and my recipe is quite different than the one in this book. I will be making this recipe shortly. As always is the case, the recipes work out excellently if you follow the directions carefully. I haven’t made too many of the pies in this book [yet] but those I have made have been outstanding. This book has brought variety I did not previously have access to, and of interest to me is the crust which is just as important as the filling. There are about a dozen crust dough recipes that include slab pie dough, graham cracker crust, and even a gluten-free crust. So far, this has been a fantastic resource that is just as consistent as other ATK books I have used. The results are predictable because the recipes have been tested and retested and tuned as a result. If you like pie and want to make excellent ones that will impress your family and friends, this is the book you want.

It's a book about pies, so I'd recommend ATKs Family Cookbook or Family Baking book (both nice three-ring binder format) if you want a broader selection of recipes. But if you want pies, this is a fantastic book. Many of the recipes come from other ATK sources, so I've been making them for years. The Lemon Meringue Pie is our family favorite, it's my wife's birthday treat every year. Fantastic lemon flavor. The French Silk Chocolate Pie is fantastic as well. The Raspberry Chiffon Pie I've made variations of many times, but the actual recipe, although making an intense raspberry filling, was such a chore that I always used shortcuts after the first time (go ahead, press raspberries through a fine mesh strainer). And the Maple Syrup Pie was a very cool, unbelievably sweet experience. You'll have dozens of pies to choose from, whether you want a party treat or something impressive to take to a work party (that also tastes amazing). As always, the ATK explanations allow even a raw beginner to make fantastic pies.

I love how this book is set up. It is perfect for me and how intimidate I've been about baking pies. The book holds my hand in an empowering way, but it doesn't cater only to beginners. The book starts with the basics: top types; core baking techniques; equipment and tools; the best flours, fats, sweeteners, eggs and thickeners and pie troubleshooting. There are chapters on classic pies; custard, cream and curd pies; tarts; regional pies; icebox and ice cream pies; sauces and toppings. There is so much content in this book. There are one-crust pies and two-crust pies and separate recipes for the optimal crusts for each style. There are helpful guides for the different type of artwork you can make with crust for the top of pies. The pictures are stunning. It will be a great holiday gift, but I already know I have to buy a copy for someone so she has it BEFORE the holidays arrive. You should keep that in mind; it will be better to have this book as we enter the holiday season. Enjoy your pie!

This cookbook not only has a large selection of recipes of different types of pies (double-crust fruit pies, cream pies, custard pies, meringue pies, tarts, galettes, chiffon pies, and ice cream pies), but includes pie and tart crusts for vegans and those with celiac disease and gluten intolerance. There is a nice section explaining the different types of pies, core pie-baking techniques including different types of pie crusts, pie baking equipment and tools, explaining the building blocks of pie baking, pie pantry staples and more. Sections include: Getting Started, Mastering the Classics, Custard, Cream, and Curd Pies, Upping Your Pie Game, Elegant Tarts, Pies Big and Small, Regional Pies, Icebox and Ice Cream Pies, Pie and Tart Doughs, and Sauces, Topping, and More. This book has plenty of pictures illustrating every aspect of pie making and the various pies included. The staff took each pie recipe and perfected it for modern cooks, including straightforward instructions, and plenty of pictures. My only complaint is that I wish the font were larger for those of us who don’t have the greatest eyesight. Very, very happy with this wonderful compendium of pie recipes. Lots of fun cooking incoming! Let Amazon donate to your favorite charity! Use Amazon Smile (smile.amazon.com) when you order and Amazon will donate to the charity of your choice when you make a qualifying purchase. Check out how Amazon Smile works at https://smile.amazon.com/gp/chpf/about/ref=smi_se_rspo_laas_aas. My shopping is donating to my favorite charity, Canines for Independence at no cost to me. Awesome!

As a classically trained Chef, I am drawn to cookbooks. I have the reference books which just provide the information I need, and then a much larger collection of cookbooks with photos and warm fuzzies. The Perfect Pie: Your Ultimate Guide to Classic and Modern Pies, Tarts, Galettes, and More by America's Test Kitchen is in the latter category. The cookbook is broken into 13 sections including the forewords, nutritional information, conversion & equivalents, and the index. The remaining 9 sections include instructional information, recipes, and full-page photos. Some of the recipes have instructional photos framed around the side and bottom of the finished dessert, others have a full-page photo of the item itself. I enjoy cookbooks like these whether I make the recipes or not. Reviewing the photos give me an idea of what I would enjoy eating or work well with my menu and I can the item being displayed. If you’re searching for a dessert pie recipe book, The Perfect Pie: Your Ultimate Guide to Classic and Modern Pies, Tarts, Galettes, and More by America's Test Kitchen is an excellent option to consider. ► PROS: Plenty of instructions and explanations Can help improve baking skills Tempting photos ► CONS: So many pies, so little time to bake them all

From the crust to the topping, this pretty much covers every pie style, tip and trick I’ve ever heard of and a few more besides. I’ve been baking for way longer than I want to think about and pies are my favorite so I was excited to get this. So far I’ve only tried a few, but they have come out wonderfully. I expect to have many successful pies come to life using this book and a few new techniques to make their way into my repertoire. Clear and easy to read, easy to understand and steps are well explained. I think it’ll be a good add on for everyone from beginners to advanced bakers.

Would someone please help me troubleshoot the passion fruit pie, which never solidified after sitting the fridge for 24 hours? I briefly stirred the water, sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, and puree (prepared from fresh passion fruit) together until it was homogenous, but the sugar and cornstarch wasn't necessarily dissolved yet. Then I cooked the curd on med-low heat constantly stirring until it reached 170C. I put the pie in the freezer because I don't know what else to do with it and now I'm not sure if I ruined it. Can the age of cornstarch affect its thickening property? Thank you.

The ultimate pie book, 180 recipes for pies, 355 pages. All from the America’s Test Kitchens . The contents have everything you have ever wanted to know about pies, with multiple photographers taking photos of every pie, and how they were made. There are 13 chapters plus the index. Welcome to the Test Kitchens Getting Started- the types oF pies and crusts, making the crust, staples you will need, and pie troubleshooting. Mastering the classics- 20 pages of the most popular pies and making them correctly. Cream, custard and curd pies- 40 pages of these pies Upping your game- the most delectable Of pies and crust edge and top designs. Elegant tarts- 50 pages of every tart you can imagine. Pies big and small- 46 pages of slab pies, Hand pies, pie in a jar and tartlets. Regional favorites- from Oregon to New England to Mississippi, 37 different region pies. Icebox and ice cream pies- 20 pages of these sublime pies. Pie and tart doughs- 20 pages all about pie doughs. Toppings, sauces and more- 5 pages dedicated to the tops of pies Step by step guides on the most wonderous pies. The most visually appealing cookbook on pies I have seen. Recommended. prisrob 09-29-19

I love America's Test Kitchen cookbooks. I have one general cooking and my daughter has the Cookie cookbook. They're are great! Explanation of " why the recipe works" then a very good recipe. I made the Slab Apple Pie recipe a couple of days ago and it was wonderful. Make a single butter piecrust, there is a special recipe, and core, peel, cut and cook apples a short amount of time in apple cider, maple syrup and a few more ingredients in an 10" skillet and lay the piecrust on top of apples and bake at 500 degrees 15-20 minutes. It was a wonderful recipe and there are so many different pies to make with different fillings. I do recommend America's Test Kitchen cookbooks and their TV show on PBS. I see there is a special price for Prime. It's a large hardback book. It's has several piecrust recipes as well as tarts, galettes and more

First off, there is not a savory pie to be found in here--strictly the dessert variety. I have made a couple of the recipes and each has come out perfect and delicious. (Oh, so that is what fruit curd is). The recipes can be several steps--the dough, the filling, and the topping--and use a lot of pots and such, but the end results are worth it. The instructions are clear and easy enough to follow. The variety of recipes includes is quite broad as well. It includes classics like lemon meringue, apple, and blueberry, but also international types like Breton Sable with cranberry curd. The book really is a how-to. It includes instructions for various different pie doughs, and detailed instructions for creating different edge treatments, and lattices. There are even recipes for toppings, sauces, ice cream and brittle. If you like pie and want some new ideas, or you want recipes for old classics, this is a good book to try.

I find this book ridiculous. They are trying to push this idea that you can't make piecrust without an expensive food processor. That's absolutely absurd. I can't even tell you how many great piecrusts I've made with just a Pyrex bowl and a pastry blender, but that's not even covered in this expensive book. Ridiculous

I owe an apology to another reviewer. When I first read the reviews I thought there is no way they only offer a food processor method for the crust. I'm sure they offered another option, it's probably just hidden away somewhere, easily over looked. But no, every crust recipe is only given using a food processor. I mean you can google another method, but then again you can google pie recipes. For a large tome I would expect at least one none mechanical option. that being said the crust is perfect. They have moved away from their vodka crust into a crust where you freeze and grate part of the butter, resulting in tender flaky crust. It does work. This is a larger oversized book, weighing in at 3 lbs. It's 9x1x10. This can make it a bit unwieldy but because of the amount of content, quality and size of pictures. it would not be the same shrunk down. There are lovely pictures. Not only of the recipes but step by step illustrations of technique. Each recipe has a paragraph on why this recipe works, the ingredients laid out in list form, and then the directions, broken down in 1,2,3 format. The print is black on white paper. Nutritional information is provided in the back, on pages 346-351. There are gluten free crust options. The index is alphabetical and makes it easy to find recipe by ingredient or name. The first part of the book covers the types of pies covered. 1-double crust fruit pie 2- cream pie 3-custard pie 4-meringue pie 5-tart 6-galette 7-chiffon pie 8-ice cream pie There is good reading on core pie baking techniques the difference in crusts, flaky, sturdy, short crust how to roll the dough filling the pie, blind baking covering, baking, cooling and storing. I highly recommend not skipping this part, especially if you are newer to pie making. Next up is equipment and tools, with pictures and descriptions. Ingredients, another chapter I highly suggest reading first. You will learn about flours, fats, sweeteners, eggs etc. after the main four it also goes into the pie pantry staples and miscellany. Everything from Milk to how to scrape a vanilla bean. Next is the chapters, mastering the classics. cream, custard, and curd pies upping your game elegant tarts pies big and small regional favorites icebox and cream pies pie and tart doughs topping, sauces, and more techniques can be hidden in the book. I would think showing pie crust decorating techniques would belong in the back, with the crust recipes, but it's found starting on page 130, in the middle of the book. overall I think this is an excellent pie book with enough variety to keep one entertained for years. The step by step directions and multiple how to pictures are very helpful. The crust option is an oversight but would not be enough to keep me from recommending the book. The recipes are a nice mix of modern and traditional. they are in love with their whipped cream. The key lime pie is covered in it. For me it's a bit much but I can always put on less. I made the pear butterscotch slab pie. It was delicious. I find pears often flavorless, this really helped give them flavor. Sable breton tart with cranberry curd was amazing and will be a new way to serve cranberries on thanksgiving, and other times of the year Sometimes I think ATK gets a little complicated or overwrought in their directions, but the results are worth the extra steps.

I could not resist tackling this cookbook as soon as it arrived. The color photos drew me in, but it was the information and recipes contained within that kept me there. Within 30 minutes, I was already baking my first pie, a Key Lime, since I had the ingredients on hand. And I kept going. The recipes are not only delicious, but also easy to follow. In true America's Test Kitchen manner, each recipe is prefaced by a "Why This Recipes Works" to provide the scientific explanation of why the instructions and ingredients are as they are. As a seasoned baker who has been baking pies and tarts for decades, I had no idea that I'd learn so much from this cookbook. Yeah, I knew a lot of it already, but certainly not everything. Nowhere else have I seen such a good illustrative photo about different pie crust finishes and what each accomplishes. Or how to get that first slice of pie out without making a mess of it. And I knew that unsalted butter is best for pastry, but I didn't know why (lower water content.) I appreciate that ATK has tested brands of butter, graham crackers, flours, etc. so that I can gravitate toward a specific brand, if I can find it. I was shocked that the Gold Medal unbleached flour that I used to use is better for pastry crust than the King Arthur version I currently use because of its lower protein content. These kind of revelations can be found not only in the introductory section but also throughout the book. Although The Perfect Pie includes recipes for the classics, its strength can be found in the less-often-homemade pies and tarts: rustic walnut tart, peach tarte tatin, Oregon blackberry pie, black-bottom pie, pumpkin praline pie, mocha cream pie, and nectarine and raspberry slab galette. I could go on and on. From cream pies to hand pies, this book has it all. Since I already have my own favorite recipes for pies such as apple and pecan, I skipped those recipes to try out pies I've never made before. I made an exception to this by trying new pie crust recipes. The Perfect Pie contains five versions of all-butter crust, in separate recipes for single and double crusts, classic pie dough, vegan pie crust dough, gluten-free pie dough, tart dough, gluten-free tart dough, free-form tart dough (for galettes and such), graham cracker crust, coconut cookie crust, chocolate cookie crust (with two variations for mint chocolate and Nutter Butter), and slab pie dough. See what I mean about this book being comprehensive? I have a lot of work ahead of me just to try out all the crust recipes. And that doesn't count all the ways to crimp and decorate pies. If you've never baked a pie or made a homemade crust before, don't worry. America's Test Kitchen will take you through it. If you've been baking pies for years, also don't worry because you will not only have scads of new recipes to work with but also tips for even better results. -- Debbie Lee Wesselmann

What a great cookbook. I've been cooking pies for years and have a number of pie cookbooks. This is one of the best. The recipes are broken into different sections, including classic standard pies, regional favorites and more adventurous pies as well at tarts and galettes. In the Upping Your Game chapter there are some really inventive more advanced recipes. The step by step instructions and illustrations are really helpful. I also appreciate the hints such as what can go wrong and how to avoid the problems. I've already made two of the pies and I am really looking forward to cooking my way through the book.

This is a perfect cookbook. Great recipes with variety and a bit of quirkiness. I initially hesitated to pay this much and now I am so glad I did. A fab collection. You’ll use it instantly.

They’re not kidding about this being the “ultimate guide” as this is a definitive tome on all things pie related. It has a wide range of recipes, from fancy to homey, my favorite being the regional specialty pies. Being from Virginia, they get bonus points for including peanut pie, which you usually wouldn’t find outside the Old Dominion. If you like pies, then this is the book for you.

I like how detailed this book is about pie making, it has in it every thing one will need to bake pies.

Haven’t baked from the book yet, but I’m so excited to use it, I’ve been reading the recipes, this week, and they ALL SOUND SO AMAZING!!!!! Usually their recipes are Great, the way they they do there all butter pie crust is VERY DIFFERENT, than I’ve ever heard or done before, I will try it, before, it’s a big occasion, just to make sure, I’m very anxious to hear how other people like that one particular recipe, I use that one Very Much!!!! I hope I hear back about that!

Ok—not as great as I hoped. I have other ATK cook books and the Pie recipes in those books I think are better. I did use the new crust recipe they feature. Like usual, it works as expected. For apple pie, I combined two recipes, the Dutch Apple one and the standard to make a better apple pie. So, not a total loss.

What can I say? It's a GREAT pie cookbook. I've made the apple cranberry, blueberry Earl Grey, and classic apple pies so far and all were super good. My family and friends agreed! One said the crust was the best ever and I've been making pie crust from scratch for 50 years using other recipes.

This is a stunning cookbook, beautifully presented, and sure to inspire you to get in the kitchen. I have several American Test Kitchen books and they are very trustworthy and have excellent recipes. This book on pies is no exception. The photography alone is stunning with enticing presentations of the pies and some, such as a photo of a crust prepared four ways (finish-free, egg wash, water and sugar, egg wash and sugar) very informative. Each recipe also has photos showing each step of the recipe. The recipes cover all types of pies - cream pies, tarts, fruit pies, icebox and ice cream pies, etc. The introductory chapters cover the basics of equipment and ingredients (flour, butter, spices, nuts) with their choices of favorite brands. Overall, an excellent book. If I had to choose a negative aspect, it would be the overuse of the pronoun "we" which seems to be in every sentence. But that would be a minor complaint.

I do believe there is every known dessert pie recipe in this cookbook, from crust to topping. Since pie is my favorite dessert and all my faves are in this book, I'm loving it. It has recipes for every type of crust imaginable. And for every type of filling both baked and frozen. This is the definitive cookbook for pie.

When she first looked at the cookbook, my wife said it would challenge her. I've never heard her say that about any cookbook before. So for my Toastmasters meeting today she baked this amazing Coconut Cream Pie recipe from the book. There was unanimous approval from my fellow Toastmasters. I'd give a star for each roasted strand of coconut if I could, I'll just have to settle with just five stars.

Nice variety from most traditional pies to some more contemporary ideas. Great photos. Clear recipes. Minimal fluff. A find baking book for anyone who wants to learn how to make pies or have a comprehensive guide.

I like the book. I made some pies from it, and they came out good. I like how they explain why they chose each of the ingredients or cooking methods and how it all works. The pies are very different, from creamy to fruity to ice box pies that are actually baked and so many more. The ingredients are mostly easy to find, and it all just makes sense. Pictures are very inspiring and yummy looking

I have been purchasing American Test Kitchen books for a while. I love them! Decided to do a "pie month" Book was beautiful when it arrived and shortly later the binding fell apart. I had purchased the ultimate bread book with a spiral binding and it is wonderful. That option was not available on this book. The book is falling apart and I'm afraid to use it! Can anyone help with this problem?

This gorgeous book is packed with yummy recipes abd stunning photography. The tips are spot on and the "why this recipe works" is fun and informative. The recipes are doable and feature popular stand bys as well as more modern riffs including slab pies and muffin tin pies. Definitely not for dieters this book demystifies the art of making pie.

Granddaughter was very happy with it. She recommends.

The book itself is beautiful, with full color pictures throughout. It has pies, hand pies, slab pies and tarts, all with step by step pictures and directions.

Great book!

I find this book ridiculous. They are trying to push this idea that you can't make piecrust without an expensive food processor. That's absolutely absurd. I can't even tell you how many great piecrusts I've made with just a Pyrex bowl and a pastry blender, but that's not even covered in this expensive book. Ridiculous

I owe an apology to another reviewer. When I first read the reviews I thought there is no way they only offer a food processor method for the crust. I'm sure they offered another option, it's probably just hidden away somewhere, easily over looked. But no, every crust recipe is only given using a food processor. I mean you can google another method, but then again you can google pie recipes. For a large tome I would expect at least one none mechanical option. that being said the crust is perfect. They have moved away from their vodka crust into a crust where you freeze and grate part of the butter, resulting in tender flaky crust. It does work. This is a larger oversized book, weighing in at 3 lbs. It's 9x1x10. This can make it a bit unwieldy but because of the amount of content, quality and size of pictures. it would not be the same shrunk down. There are lovely pictures. Not only of the recipes but step by step illustrations of technique. Each recipe has a paragraph on why this recipe works, the ingredients laid out in list form, and then the directions, broken down in 1,2,3 format. The print is black on white paper. Nutritional information is provided in the back, on pages 346-351. There are gluten free crust options. The index is alphabetical and makes it easy to find recipe by ingredient or name. The first part of the book covers the types of pies covered. 1-double crust fruit pie 2- cream pie 3-custard pie 4-meringue pie 5-tart 6-galette 7-chiffon pie 8-ice cream pie There is good reading on core pie baking techniques the difference in crusts, flaky, sturdy, short crust how to roll the dough filling the pie, blind baking covering, baking, cooling and storing. I highly recommend not skipping this part, especially if you are newer to pie making. Next up is equipment and tools, with pictures and descriptions. Ingredients, another chapter I highly suggest reading first. You will learn about flours, fats, sweeteners, eggs etc. after the main four it also goes into the pie pantry staples and miscellany. Everything from Milk to how to scrape a vanilla bean. Next is the chapters, mastering the classics. cream, custard, and curd pies upping your game elegant tarts pies big and small regional favorites icebox and cream pies pie and tart doughs topping, sauces, and more techniques can be hidden in the book. I would think showing pie crust decorating techniques would belong in the back, with the crust recipes, but it's found starting on page 130, in the middle of the book. overall I think this is an excellent pie book with enough variety to keep one entertained for years. The step by step directions and multiple how to pictures are very helpful. The crust option is an oversight but would not be enough to keep me from recommending the book. The recipes are a nice mix of modern and traditional. they are in love with their whipped cream. The key lime pie is covered in it. For me it's a bit much but I can always put on less. I made the pear butterscotch slab pie. It was delicious. I find pears often flavorless, this really helped give them flavor. Sable breton tart with cranberry curd was amazing and will be a new way to serve cranberries on thanksgiving, and other times of the year Sometimes I think ATK gets a little complicated or overwrought in their directions, but the results are worth the extra steps.

I could not resist tackling this cookbook as soon as it arrived. The color photos drew me in, but it was the information and recipes contained within that kept me there. Within 30 minutes, I was already baking my first pie, a Key Lime, since I had the ingredients on hand. And I kept going. The recipes are not only delicious, but also easy to follow. In true America's Test Kitchen manner, each recipe is prefaced by a "Why This Recipes Works" to provide the scientific explanation of why the instructions and ingredients are as they are. As a seasoned baker who has been baking pies and tarts for decades, I had no idea that I'd learn so much from this cookbook. Yeah, I knew a lot of it already, but certainly not everything. Nowhere else have I seen such a good illustrative photo about different pie crust finishes and what each accomplishes. Or how to get that first slice of pie out without making a mess of it. And I knew that unsalted butter is best for pastry, but I didn't know why (lower water content.) I appreciate that ATK has tested brands of butter, graham crackers, flours, etc. so that I can gravitate toward a specific brand, if I can find it. I was shocked that the Gold Medal unbleached flour that I used to use is better for pastry crust than the King Arthur version I currently use because of its lower protein content. These kind of revelations can be found not only in the introductory section but also throughout the book. Although The Perfect Pie includes recipes for the classics, its strength can be found in the less-often-homemade pies and tarts: rustic walnut tart, peach tarte tatin, Oregon blackberry pie, black-bottom pie, pumpkin praline pie, mocha cream pie, and nectarine and raspberry slab galette. I could go on and on. From cream pies to hand pies, this book has it all. Since I already have my own favorite recipes for pies such as apple and pecan, I skipped those recipes to try out pies I've never made before. I made an exception to this by trying new pie crust recipes. The Perfect Pie contains five versions of all-butter crust, in separate recipes for single and double crusts, classic pie dough, vegan pie crust dough, gluten-free pie dough, tart dough, gluten-free tart dough, free-form tart dough (for galettes and such), graham cracker crust, coconut cookie crust, chocolate cookie crust (with two variations for mint chocolate and Nutter Butter), and slab pie dough. See what I mean about this book being comprehensive? I have a lot of work ahead of me just to try out all the crust recipes. And that doesn't count all the ways to crimp and decorate pies. If you've never baked a pie or made a homemade crust before, don't worry. America's Test Kitchen will take you through it. If you've been baking pies for years, also don't worry because you will not only have scads of new recipes to work with but also tips for even better results. -- Debbie Lee Wesselmann

What a great cookbook. I've been cooking pies for years and have a number of pie cookbooks. This is one of the best. The recipes are broken into different sections, including classic standard pies, regional favorites and more adventurous pies as well at tarts and galettes. In the Upping Your Game chapter there are some really inventive more advanced recipes. The step by step instructions and illustrations are really helpful. I also appreciate the hints such as what can go wrong and how to avoid the problems. I've already made two of the pies and I am really looking forward to cooking my way through the book.

This is a perfect cookbook. Great recipes with variety and a bit of quirkiness. I initially hesitated to pay this much and now I am so glad I did. A fab collection. You’ll use it instantly.

They’re not kidding about this being the “ultimate guide” as this is a definitive tome on all things pie related. It has a wide range of recipes, from fancy to homey, my favorite being the regional specialty pies. Being from Virginia, they get bonus points for including peanut pie, which you usually wouldn’t find outside the Old Dominion. If you like pies, then this is the book for you.

I like how detailed this book is about pie making, it has in it every thing one will need to bake pies.

Haven’t baked from the book yet, but I’m so excited to use it, I’ve been reading the recipes, this week, and they ALL SOUND SO AMAZING!!!!! Usually their recipes are Great, the way they they do there all butter pie crust is VERY DIFFERENT, than I’ve ever heard or done before, I will try it, before, it’s a big occasion, just to make sure, I’m very anxious to hear how other people like that one particular recipe, I use that one Very Much!!!! I hope I hear back about that!

Ok—not as great as I hoped. I have other ATK cook books and the Pie recipes in those books I think are better. I did use the new crust recipe they feature. Like usual, it works as expected. For apple pie, I combined two recipes, the Dutch Apple one and the standard to make a better apple pie. So, not a total loss.

What can I say? It's a GREAT pie cookbook. I've made the apple cranberry, blueberry Earl Grey, and classic apple pies so far and all were super good. My family and friends agreed! One said the crust was the best ever and I've been making pie crust from scratch for 50 years using other recipes.

I am really conflicted with this book - it's got great photos for every recipe, a wide variety of recipes, does a fairly good job of breaking down how to make pastry, has all the basics along with boujie pie fillings and types, and even talks about the different ways to decorate a pie. It's America's Test Kitchen which is a trusted name and brand for all things cooking, so the recipes are good and well tested. BUT, why no PROPER weights? There is only the occasional weight in ounces that are random. Most recipes will have no weights at all, then one will have a weight next to a single item in the list and the weight isn't standard at all. I haven't seen a scale that will do a fractional ounce, it doesn't mean they don't exist, but I've never seen one and have never used one, so to see a random weight for something like sugar that says "5 1/4 ounces" is odd. Sure, I can do math, but the point of having weights is so you don't have to think, you don't have to guess, and you can be precise every time. There are no weights in grams at all in this book, which is an even more precise and accurate way to bake then in ounces. This is such an educationally-focused cook book it's again disappointing that publishers and authors don't take that extra step that should be the most crucial step in sharing a recipe.

I like this book and all its varieties of pie. There are dessert pies, tarts, non-traditional pies (tin pies, hand pies)...anything you would want in a pie. I understand the other reviewers who were frustrated by a food processor method for making the pie crust, but there is so much more to this book than that (and the pie crust is delicious if you follow the recipe) and there are alternatives if you want to try them such as veganor gluten-free and cookie crumb pie crusts. I also felt like I got a tour of the US with sweet potato sinker, haupia cream pie, thoroughbred pie, Florida sour orange pie, Tar Heel pie, and more - and in true ATK style each as a story to go with it. I particularly like the ideas and step-by-step instructions for the top pie crust to make a beautiful pie. Two thumbs up on this book!

America's Test Kitchen sforna da sempre ottimi libri di ricette e questo non sfigura affatto: 180 tipi di torte e dolci in crosta, dai più tradizionali alle varianti un pochino più sperimentali, comprese monoporzioni, pops e bicchierini, tutti testati nelle cucine della redazione con un format che garantisce il successo casalingo. Due motivi di particolare interesse: l'ottima cura formale in stile “comfort food”, che si esprime nelle coperture (intrecciate o croccanti o meringate, in tutte le varianti), e le torte con abbinamenti speciali (zenzero-prugna-pera, ricotta-limone-timo, uva spina-fiori di sambuco-meringa, fichi-ciliege-noci, cioccolato-macha-melograna). Per chi ha un interesse specifico, sono presenti torte con tipici ingredienti Usa (noci pecan, burro d'arachidi, zucca e patate dolci) o veri e propri dolci nazionali; unica difficoltà o fastidio, il sistema di pesi e misure (ma una tavola delle conversioni è presente nelle pagine finali, oltre ad un indice con un utilissimo calcolo delle calorie a porzione). Fotografia da Oscar.

Me acaba de llegar. Pero he hojeado las recetas y se ven sencillas y realistas.

Excellent recipes and tons of key tips for new bakers. Lots of photos for technique. HIGHLY recommend for anyone looking to truly learn the art of pie. In photos the ones I made from this book :)

I find this book ridiculous. They are trying to push this idea that you can't make piecrust without an expensive food processor. That's absolutely absurd. I can't even tell you how many great piecrusts I've made with just a Pyrex bowl and a pastry blender, but that's not even covered in this expensive book. Ridiculous

I owe an apology to another reviewer. When I first read the reviews I thought there is no way they only offer a food processor method for the crust. I'm sure they offered another option, it's probably just hidden away somewhere, easily over looked. But no, every crust recipe is only given using a food processor. I mean you can google another method, but then again you can google pie recipes. For a large tome I would expect at least one none mechanical option. that being said the crust is perfect. They have moved away from their vodka crust into a crust where you freeze and grate part of the butter, resulting in tender flaky crust. It does work. This is a larger oversized book, weighing in at 3 lbs. It's 9x1x10. This can make it a bit unwieldy but because of the amount of content, quality and size of pictures. it would not be the same shrunk down. There are lovely pictures. Not only of the recipes but step by step illustrations of technique. Each recipe has a paragraph on why this recipe works, the ingredients laid out in list form, and then the directions, broken down in 1,2,3 format. The print is black on white paper. Nutritional information is provided in the back, on pages 346-351. There are gluten free crust options. The index is alphabetical and makes it easy to find recipe by ingredient or name. The first part of the book covers the types of pies covered. 1-double crust fruit pie 2- cream pie 3-custard pie 4-meringue pie 5-tart 6-galette 7-chiffon pie 8-ice cream pie There is good reading on core pie baking techniques the difference in crusts, flaky, sturdy, short crust how to roll the dough filling the pie, blind baking covering, baking, cooling and storing. I highly recommend not skipping this part, especially if you are newer to pie making. Next up is equipment and tools, with pictures and descriptions. Ingredients, another chapter I highly suggest reading first. You will learn about flours, fats, sweeteners, eggs etc. after the main four it also goes into the pie pantry staples and miscellany. Everything from Milk to how to scrape a vanilla bean. Next is the chapters, mastering the classics. cream, custard, and curd pies upping your game elegant tarts pies big and small regional favorites icebox and cream pies pie and tart doughs topping, sauces, and more techniques can be hidden in the book. I would think showing pie crust decorating techniques would belong in the back, with the crust recipes, but it's found starting on page 130, in the middle of the book. overall I think this is an excellent pie book with enough variety to keep one entertained for years. The step by step directions and multiple how to pictures are very helpful. The crust option is an oversight but would not be enough to keep me from recommending the book. The recipes are a nice mix of modern and traditional. they are in love with their whipped cream. The key lime pie is covered in it. For me it's a bit much but I can always put on less. I made the pear butterscotch slab pie. It was delicious. I find pears often flavorless, this really helped give them flavor. Sable breton tart with cranberry curd was amazing and will be a new way to serve cranberries on thanksgiving, and other times of the year Sometimes I think ATK gets a little complicated or overwrought in their directions, but the results are worth the extra steps.

I could not resist tackling this cookbook as soon as it arrived. The color photos drew me in, but it was the information and recipes contained within that kept me there. Within 30 minutes, I was already baking my first pie, a Key Lime, since I had the ingredients on hand. And I kept going. The recipes are not only delicious, but also easy to follow. In true America's Test Kitchen manner, each recipe is prefaced by a "Why This Recipes Works" to provide the scientific explanation of why the instructions and ingredients are as they are. As a seasoned baker who has been baking pies and tarts for decades, I had no idea that I'd learn so much from this cookbook. Yeah, I knew a lot of it already, but certainly not everything. Nowhere else have I seen such a good illustrative photo about different pie crust finishes and what each accomplishes. Or how to get that first slice of pie out without making a mess of it. And I knew that unsalted butter is best for pastry, but I didn't know why (lower water content.) I appreciate that ATK has tested brands of butter, graham crackers, flours, etc. so that I can gravitate toward a specific brand, if I can find it. I was shocked that the Gold Medal unbleached flour that I used to use is better for pastry crust than the King Arthur version I currently use because of its lower protein content. These kind of revelations can be found not only in the introductory section but also throughout the book. Although The Perfect Pie includes recipes for the classics, its strength can be found in the less-often-homemade pies and tarts: rustic walnut tart, peach tarte tatin, Oregon blackberry pie, black-bottom pie, pumpkin praline pie, mocha cream pie, and nectarine and raspberry slab galette. I could go on and on. From cream pies to hand pies, this book has it all. Since I already have my own favorite recipes for pies such as apple and pecan, I skipped those recipes to try out pies I've never made before. I made an exception to this by trying new pie crust recipes. The Perfect Pie contains five versions of all-butter crust, in separate recipes for single and double crusts, classic pie dough, vegan pie crust dough, gluten-free pie dough, tart dough, gluten-free tart dough, free-form tart dough (for galettes and such), graham cracker crust, coconut cookie crust, chocolate cookie crust (with two variations for mint chocolate and Nutter Butter), and slab pie dough. See what I mean about this book being comprehensive? I have a lot of work ahead of me just to try out all the crust recipes. And that doesn't count all the ways to crimp and decorate pies. If you've never baked a pie or made a homemade crust before, don't worry. America's Test Kitchen will take you through it. If you've been baking pies for years, also don't worry because you will not only have scads of new recipes to work with but also tips for even better results. -- Debbie Lee Wesselmann

What a great cookbook. I've been cooking pies for years and have a number of pie cookbooks. This is one of the best. The recipes are broken into different sections, including classic standard pies, regional favorites and more adventurous pies as well at tarts and galettes. In the Upping Your Game chapter there are some really inventive more advanced recipes. The step by step instructions and illustrations are really helpful. I also appreciate the hints such as what can go wrong and how to avoid the problems. I've already made two of the pies and I am really looking forward to cooking my way through the book.

This is a perfect cookbook. Great recipes with variety and a bit of quirkiness. I initially hesitated to pay this much and now I am so glad I did. A fab collection. You’ll use it instantly.

They’re not kidding about this being the “ultimate guide” as this is a definitive tome on all things pie related. It has a wide range of recipes, from fancy to homey, my favorite being the regional specialty pies. Being from Virginia, they get bonus points for including peanut pie, which you usually wouldn’t find outside the Old Dominion. If you like pies, then this is the book for you.

I like how detailed this book is about pie making, it has in it every thing one will need to bake pies.

Haven’t baked from the book yet, but I’m so excited to use it, I’ve been reading the recipes, this week, and they ALL SOUND SO AMAZING!!!!! Usually their recipes are Great, the way they they do there all butter pie crust is VERY DIFFERENT, than I’ve ever heard or done before, I will try it, before, it’s a big occasion, just to make sure, I’m very anxious to hear how other people like that one particular recipe, I use that one Very Much!!!! I hope I hear back about that!

Ok—not as great as I hoped. I have other ATK cook books and the Pie recipes in those books I think are better. I did use the new crust recipe they feature. Like usual, it works as expected. For apple pie, I combined two recipes, the Dutch Apple one and the standard to make a better apple pie. So, not a total loss.

What can I say? It's a GREAT pie cookbook. I've made the apple cranberry, blueberry Earl Grey, and classic apple pies so far and all were super good. My family and friends agreed! One said the crust was the best ever and I've been making pie crust from scratch for 50 years using other recipes.