Old Fashioned Apple Pie: Schwan's Makes Holiday Baking Easy

Hectic times call for desperate measures. With the holiday season rushing upon us I have decided to use all the shortcuts I can find to make my family happy. This time I have found the Schwan's Old Fashioned Apple Pie. This pie came directly to my door ready to go in the freezer or in the oven.

The Old Fashioned Apple Pie came in a sturdy box encased in a vacuum sealed plastic wrapping. When I took the frozen pie out of the box I was astounded by the weight of the pie. Using my kitchen scales this pie weighed in at just over 3 pounds before cooking. It was at its highest point over 3 inches tall. The box says it will serve 12 and even with my family we will probably get 10 good slices out of it.

Following the directions I protected the edges to keep them from burning and placed the pie in a preheated 350 degree oven. I initially placed the timer for 75 minutes and when I checked I had to add 6 additional minutes for a total cooking time of 81 minutes and the pie is just as you see in the picture. To quote Food Network Star Alton Brown, "It is golden brown and delicious." The pie required almost 45 minutes to cool sitting on the counter. Once cooled it sliced without problem and lifted from the pie pan without falling apart. The ability to serve a pie that looks good is a big plus with me.

The aroma that filled the kitchen was as sweet as any bakery. The spicy apples filled the entire house with a holiday feeling even though we did this test on an ordinary Saturday night. The pie crust rose slightly as it baked and when cooled carried a hint of butter and a flakiness the likes of which I have never seen before in frozen pastry. When placed on a plate the pie held up well to sitting alone for over 10 minutes. On the first forkful I knew we had a winner. Tart, sweet and with a nice combination of spice this pie will not overpower your palate nor leave your senses wishing for more. The apples stayed together and maintained a firm texture during cooking and let you know you're eating real apples and not just watered down frozen filler.