The Pie Academy - Master the Perfect Crust and 255 Amazing Fillings, with Fruits, Nuts, Creams, Custards, Ice Cream, and More; Expert Techniques for Making Fabulous Pies from Scratch

The Pie Academy - Master the Perfect Crust and 255 Amazing Fillings is a comprehensive encyclopedia of mix and match crusts, fillings, and presentations with virtually endless possible combinations written by Ken Haedrich. Due out 27th Oct 2020 from Storey, it's 480 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.

I enjoyed reading the non-recipe background/tutorial parts of the book as well as the recipes and found them easy to understand and follow. The layout is logical and understandable. The introductory chapters and how-to tutorials include the basic hows and whys of the tools, ingredients, and processes including a -very- thorough step by step illustrated generic pie recipe.  The recipe chapters are arranged roughly thematically: from dough variations to fillings and processes, fruit, cream, nut, fillings, pairings of fill and crust, and more. This is an exhaustively complete list including some fill ingredients I wouldn't have normally associated with pie at all: polenta, rice, and more.

Each of the recipes includes an introductory description, ingredients listed in a bullet point sidebar (US measurements only), step by step instructions, as well a footers with tips and alternatives as well as professional tips on presentation and more. One of the high points of the book for me are the photographs. They're high quality and clear - and serving suggestions are appealing and appropriate. Really beautiful pies with professional finishes, and something to aim for. The author has also included an information rich troubleshooting guide which covers potential problem spots (overbrowned crusts, cracked pumpkin pies, pie crusts falling apart before they make it to the baking vessel, and more).

The recipe ingredients themselves are (mostly) easily sourced and will be available at well stocked grocery stores. There are a very few ingredients which might be a little more difficult to source, but definitely nothing that is 'way out there'.

All in all, -very- well written, beautifully presented pies, made from tasty ingredients which are easily sourced and beautifully enhanced with decorative complex looking fancy crusts. For cooks looking for a pie cookbook, this one is definitive.

Five stars, we'll be revisiting this recipe book often. A useful antidote to boring deserts. There are -so- many of these which will blow the socks off the "competition" at the next holiday gathering, reunion, or church social.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.