# Recipe challenge: grape pie **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 14, 2012, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-challenge-grape-pie/618786 "2012-04-14T21:02:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-challenge-grape-pie/618786/1 "2012-04-14T21:02:34Z")
I want to make a simple grape pie using basic seedless green or red grapes available anywhere. **Not Concord grapes**. I tried [this recipe](http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/grape-pie/26cc4404-9684-41ee-b169-8d3996b94063/) from Pillsbury, but the top crust was too “busy”, and the pie was way too sweet. Help a grape- and pie-loving brother out? ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-challenge-grape-pie/618786/2 "2012-04-14T23:39:44Z")
I clicked on this hoping to learn a new recipe for CONCORD grape pie. I have a very good one, quite literally an antique. But that’s not what the OP needs.☹ However, I will check out that link provided. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-challenge-grape-pie/618786/3 "2012-04-15T02:14:57Z")
**Lillith Fair** makes a excellent grape pie…but it uses Concords. They are really the only grapes that taste grape-y. I’ve never come across a green or red grape pie recipe…they just don’t have the same type of skins or flavor. But good luck! I’ll be chacking back to see if you find one! (Belatedly checks link) Oh! It’s just a streusel topping. You could easily just do a double crust on that puppy. ---
**Author:** ![Jamicat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c67d28/32.png) [@Jamicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamicat)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-challenge-grape-pie/618786/4 "2012-04-15T16:31:58Z")
Wouldn’t it be the same as Cherry, Peach, Apple or Blackberry’s? Pie Crust, Sugar/Corn Syrup, Spices, Fruit? Or do you want Grape Pie like Key Lime Pie? Or Grape Custard like Pumpkin Pie? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-challenge-grape-pie/618786/5 "2012-04-15T16:40:14Z")
Yeah. You know what you don’t like about that recipe. Why not just fix it by reducing the sugar, and making the topping less “busy” by just using a plain pie crust or eliminating what you don’t like about the busy pie crust. Just make a straightforward lattice crust, for example, if you’re into that sort of thing. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-challenge-grape-pie/618786/6 "2012-04-28T00:50:59Z")
While my quest for the perfect cooked grape pie goes on, today I took a shortcut - jello grape pie: Store-bought graham cracker crust, unflavored gelatin, white grape juice for the liquid, about 4 tablespoons sugar and halved “black” grapes. I was looking for a snappy fresh grape texture, but it was a bit too much. Very refreshing and light, though. If I make it again, I’ll probably put the grapes in the juice while heating it to a boil. By the way, the pie I cooked in the OP was the first pie I _ever_ baked, so I need pretty specific suggestions. For example, if I knew how to make fresh blueberry pie, I could probably adapt. Research continues… ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recipe-challenge-grape-pie/618786/7 "2012-04-28T01:06:51Z")
I’m a BIG fan of Concord grape pies (and I want to make other _Labrusca_ grape pies, but it’s hard to get them. i finally succeeded last year, and want to make more). I’ve written about it often enough on this Board. But i make other pies, too. I haven’t made a seedless grape pie, but I’ve made a Pomegranate pie. For what it’s worth, my suggestios: 1.) Too top-heavy? Don’t add that big, heavy top crust. Use an ordinary single-layer pie crust. Or (my favorite) a lattice cust. 2.) One thing I know is that you can’t trust the recipes for the amount of sugar to add to grape pies (or fruit pies generally, I’ve found) – there’s too much variability in the sweetness in the fruit. You have to either taste the filing. Or, if you won’t know until it’s all cooked, use trial and error. Try adding different amounts of sugar – obviously the amount in the recipe is too much. You might even want to make a series of mini-pies (tarts, we used to call them), each with a different amount of sugar in them.