CATEGORY

Pie Filling

2008 CHEFSBEST® AWARD FOR BEST TASTE WINNER

Comstock/Wilderness

What Makes a Great Pie Filling?

Everyone loves the aroma of a homemade pie cooling on the counter, but often the preparation time required is more than you have to spare. With canned pie filling and a prepared crust, dessert takes only minutes to assemble. But don’t stop at pies: Ready-made pie filling can also be used to make delicious fruit tarts and as a fruit topping for your favorite cheesecake recipe.

Our chefs define high-quality canned pie filling as having a bright natural fruit color that does not appear neon, color-enhanced or artificial. Apple pie filling may have a color that ranges between golden yellow and, if cinnamon is included, light brown with a golden hue. The fruit itself should have high structural integrity, meaning the pieces should be whole and intact with few broken or smashed bits. Blueberry and strawberry fillings should have a ratio of about 70 percent berries to 30 percent sauce, so that the sauce does not drown out the fruit.

Pie filling should have a moderate aroma with a complex character that resembles fresh ripe fruit, rather than candied, cooked or jam-like fruit. Aroma off notes, including metallic or packaging notes, should not be detected.

Taste balance is achieved when bold sweetness is the leading basic taste. A low sourness will follow. In apple pie filling, very low saltiness may also be present. If cinnamon is included, some bitterness may also be detectable.

In the flavor profile, the bold fruit flavor will have a complex character that reflects the aroma’s fresh, ripe fruit character. Like the aroma, the fruit should not have an overly cooked, candied or jam-like character, and there should be no off notes.

The fruit should have a firm texture that is not as firm as ripe fruit, but also thicker than preserves. However, the fruit may be slightly less firm after being baked into a pie. When baked, the moderate pie filling flavor should hold up to the crust flavor without overpowering it. The sauce texture should be smooth and thick, not watery, gloppy or gelatinous. A clean—not cloying—finish will result in a moderately long aftertaste that lingers for a while between bites.

Product Category Definition

The category judged was defined as pie filling for the consumer market, not including fresh or frozen pies, piecrusts or shells, pie cream or fruit preserves. This judging included apple, blueberry, strawberry and cherry pie filling.

Comstock and Wilderness are the same Award-winning product marketed in different U.S. geographies.

Other Leading Brands:

Lucky Leaf