FOOD NEWS
How Mock-Apple Pie Cleverly Substitutes The Star Ingredient
BY MICHELLE WELSCH
Apple pie without apples may seem impossible, but thanks to an unexpected ingredient, you can make a mock apple pie with all the flavor.
In 1934, Ritz Crackers offered an apple-free pie recipe with its crackers as the base. The crackers create a pie that emulates the original so well you won’t even miss the apples.
Mock apple pie has a soft and gooey texture, and thanks to ingredients like lemon and vanilla with cinnamon aromatics, it tastes like the real deal too.
The pie became popular during the Great Depression when Americans needed cheaper food alternatives and creative recipes to elevate staple ingredients.
In particular, apples were expensive because people bought them in bulk and sold them at a raised price in the hopes of making a profit, so mock apple pie emerged.
To make the filling, boil sugar syrup and mix it with cream of tartar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. You can use a regular pie crust or make one with broken crackers and butter.
After pouring the filling into the crust, finish it off with extra butter, powdered cinnamon, and a sprinkle of sugar. Then bake and enjoy a delicious apple pie without the apples.