It is spring in New York, and pie pal Jan and I made what is now our annual pie pilgrimage, disguised as a theater trip. While we did see three great shows, Hello Dolly with Bette Midler, Anastasia, and Come From Away, our main adventure took us to Brooklyn to eat pie at the highly rated Four and Twenty Blackbirds Pie Shop.
I first became aware of this pie place when reading the cookbook, The Four and Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book, Uncommon Recipes from the Celebrated Brooklyn Pie Shop. Sisters Emily and Melissa Elsen, who have been baking pies since they were kids, and, according to their cookbook, opened the Pie Shop to support their Brooklyn community by serving seasonal and really good pies. I have made many of the recipes from this book, and keep on hand the uncommon ingredients that usually appear in the recipes: Angostura bitters, Maldon salt, and Demerara sugar. I soon added eating pie at this Pie Shop to my bucket list.
So, on a sunny spring day, Jan and I trekked out to Brooklyn. Visiting the pie shop definitely was worth the trip. On this day, pie slices were “buy two and the third one is free.” Of course, we took them up on this offer! The shop is a neighborhood gathering place with loads of ambiance created by wooden tables and stamped copper walls. 
Patrons were eating pie, drinking coffee, and using their laptops. We ordered the lemon chess pie, which had the most heavenly lemon flavor, and the rosemary shoefly pie, a more earthy, herby pie from an “uncommon recipe” that characterizes the Four and Twenty Blackbirds pies. For our third slice we had the Salted Caramel Apple, their signature pie. When we asked to meet Melissa and Emily, we learned that while they did start their pie-making business in this Pie Shop, they have now moved their baking operation to a larger shop nearby, which is not open for visitors.
On our way back from Brooklyn, we passed through Times Square and saw a food truck offering the “world’s best cherry pie.” Of course, we walked closer to check it out. The truck was mobbed, and we assumed we were going to taste the world’s best cherry pie.
But, as we came closer we saw Katy Perry in the service window distributing pies and kisses. We did obtain a cherry pie-without the kisses. On first glance the pie looked like it was made from the same ingredients as the cardboard box in which it was being served,
but as we used our wooden forks to dig in, the pie actually was not all that bad.
People:
• Sisters who make fabulous pies
• Singers who use a pie truck to promote themselves
Places:
• Four and Twenty Blackbirds Pie Shop in Brooklyn, serving sublime pies.
439 3rd Avenue, Brooklyn 11215 http://www.birdsblack.com/
• Times Square in Manhattan, serving ridiculousness 24/7.
Pies:
• Salted Carmel Apple Pie. The Pie Shop serves this pie every day of the week. The pie is made with 
seasonal and local apples and an all-butter crust. We were expecting more salt and caramel, but the chefs note that the focus is on the apples. The flavor comes from the blend of sweet and tart, soft and firm apples.
- 1 recipe for a 2-crust) butter pie crust
- For the Salted Caramel
- 1 cup white sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) fresh unsalted butter
- ½ cup fresh heavy cream
- 1½ teaspoon sea salt (recommended: Maldon sea salt flakes)
- For the Apple Filling
- 4 to 6 lemons
- 5 to 6 medium to large apples*
- For the Apple Filling Seasoning
- ⅓ cup raw sugar (castor, unrefined, large granule sugar)
- 2 tablespoons flour
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 to 3 dashes Angostura bitters
- To finish:
- 1 egg beaten
- Raw sugar, for sprinkling on top
- 1 teaspoon sea salt (flake)
- Prepare one 2-crust batch of your favorite all butter pie crust. Roll the bottom crust to fit a 9-inch pan, and cut the top crust as a lattice, approximately 1-inch in width or as desired. Chill the rolled crust while you prepare the salted caramel and apple filling.
- To make the salted caramel:
- Cook the sugar and water together over low heat until just dissolved. Add the butter and bring to a slow boil. Continue cooking at a low boil until the mixture turns a deep, golden brown color, almost copper.**
- Once the mixture has turned a copper color, remove it from the heat and immediately add the heavy cream - the mixture will bubble rapidly and steam - be cautious as the sugar will be very hot.
- Whisk the final mixture together well over low heat and sprinkle in the sea salt. Set the caramel aside while you prepare the apple filling.
- To make the apple filling:
- Juice the lemons into a large mixing bowl. Core, peel, and thinly slice the whole apples. Dredge all the apple slices in the freshly squeezed lemon juice to prevent browning and to add flavor. Set the prepared apples aside.
- To make the apple filling seasoning:
- In a large measuring cup or small mixing bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and Angostura bitters. Sprinkle this mixture over the apples in the mixing bowl. Use your hands to gently mix and coat the apple slices.
- To assemble the pie:
- Preheat the oven to 375 to 400 degrees F (depending on the hotness of your oven).
- Gather your rolled pie crust, salted caramel, and apple mixture. Begin by layering ⅓ of the apples in the bottom of the crust so that there are minimal gaps. Pour ⅓ of the caramel over the apples. Add ⅓ of the apples and caramel for a second layer, and then add a third layer of apples, and then the caramel again. Cook's Note: Save a small portion of the caramel to pour on top once the lattice is assembled.
- Assemble the lattice crust and flute the edges of the crust. Pour the last bit of caramel on top. Brush the crust with the beaten egg and lightly sprinkle with raw sugar and sea salt.
- Bake the pie on a baking sheet larger than the pie pan for 20 minutes (otherwise the caramel will bubble over and burn on the bottom of your oven). Reduce the oven temperature to 325 to 350 and bake for 25 to 35 minutes. You can test the apples for doneness with a long toothpick or small knife. The apples should be just soft.
- Let the pie cool, then slice and enjoy.
