Crustless Apple Cherry Pie

The holiday season is upon us folks, so get those pie pans greased and ready to go. Bay Colony Golf Club Executive Chef Wilhelm Gahabka has welcomed NaplesIllustrated.com into his newly remodeled kitchen to share a modern twist on an American classic, the apple pie. Offering up his recipe for his Crustless Apple Cherry Pie, Gahabka’s version is sure to become a new family tradition. The intoxicating aroma of the sauteing apples alone is enough to convert the most ardent dentist to that their anti-sweet tooth neurosis. And the custard like glue that holds this crustless pie together is like eating caramelized apples on a sugary cloud.

   Welcoming us into his kitchen, Chef Gahabka walked us through the process (which we caught on film), easing the minds of those kitchen weary folk (myself included), making the art of baking a pie as easy as, well, pie. The video shows the process step by step, giving visual guidance to the recipe posted below. So get into the kitchen, give this holiday season a crustless twist and tell us your thoughts on our video and how your home cooking turned out.

   And for those of you who tend to overindulge during the holiday season (myself included), NaplesIllustrated.com‘s Healthy Living section will help give you a jump start on this upcoming New Year’s Resolution. Enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of:

Bay Colony Golf Club and Executive Chef Wilhelm Gahabka

9740 Bent Grass Bend

Naples, FL  34108

239-592-9515

www.baycolonygolfclub.com

Crustless Apple Cherry Pie

   Yields: 9-inch pie dish

For the filling:

• 1/2 cup dried cherries
• 1/2 cup Brandy
• 5 each Granny Smith (or Fuji) apples, peeled, cored and sliced (1 3/4 lb.)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the batter:

• 3 tbsp. unsalted melted butter (plus 1 tbsp. unsalted butter for brushing pie dish)
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup half & half
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt

For the top:

• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tbsp. granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

   Combine cherries & brandy in a bowl; set aside to plump; 15-30 minutes. Strain cherries, reserve liquid; set both a side.

   Cook apples, brown sugar, 3 tablespoons butter, lemon juice, vanilla extract & reserved liquid in a skillet over medium heat, until apples are softened & juices are reduced & evaporated, about 10-14 minutes.

Brush pie plate with 1 tablespoon butter.

   Blend butter, eggs, half & half, flour, sugar, vanilla extract, ginger, cinnamon & salt until smooth & frothy; set aside.

   Pour half of the batter into buttered pie plate. Layer the apples & cherry mixture, on top of batter, cover with the rest of the batter. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove pie from the oven & sprinkles with cinnamon sugar. Put pie back into the oven & bake for 10 more minutes or until golden brown & set in the center.