Made with boiled cider and maple sugar, Shaker Cider Pie boasts robust old-fashioned flavor in a golden, buttery crust. Never heard of boiled cider? Once a popular pantry-staple along with molasses and maple syrup, boiled cider is made by simmering apple cider for hours until it reduces into a thick, syrupy consistency that’s full of […]
Made with boiled cider and maple sugar, Shaker Cider Pie boasts robust old-fashioned flavor in a golden, buttery crust. Never heard of boiled cider? Once a popular pantry-staple along with molasses and maple syrup, boiled cider is made by simmering apple cider for hours until it reduces into a thick, syrupy consistency that’s full of concentrated apple flavor. The Shakers were especially fond of using the concentrated cider in pies like this one, and while it’s hard to find on store shelves these days, boiled cider is well worth hunting for.
Shaker Boiled Cider Pie. Photo Credit : Aimee Seavey
We especially like the boiled cider made by Wood’s Cider Mill in Springfield, Vermont (it’s available via the King Arthur Flour website). Note that the ingredients have just one entry: Apple Cider.
Boiled Cider from Wood’s Cider Mill. Photo Credit : Aimee Seavey
Like a lot of old-fashioned desserts, this boiled cider pie has a lot of flavor. I actually think it tastes more like molasses than apple or maple, but maybe that’s part of its charm. They syrupy custard also also gets a lightened texture thanks to whipped egg whites. I’d made this pie once before, but only barely folded in the egg whites. The result was a filling that set in 2 thick layers, with an apple layer on the bottom and spongy egg white layer on top. This time I did a better job folding in the whites so the texture was more consistent, but you can do whatever you prefer.
Folding the egg whites into the boiled cider mixture. Photo Credit : Aimee Seavey
This recipe calls for maple sugar, which is delicious, but costly and sometimes hard to find. Feel free to swap it for brown sugar (I suggest light over brown) if you prefer. In addition, if you can’t get your hands on ready-made boiled cider, you can always make your own — all it takes is a good amount of fresh apple cider to start and plenty of time to let it simmer. It’ll take about a quart of cider to get the 1/2 cup of boiled cider called for in this recipe, but if you make a bigger batch, you’ll be handsomely rewarded. Beyond Shaker Cider Pie, you can also use the sticky syrup drizzled over pancakes or oatmeal, as a glaze for roasted vegetables, or as a flavor-enhancing boost in your next apple pie.
Aimee Tucker is Yankee Magazine’s Home Editor and the Senior Digital Editor of NewEngland.com. A lifelong New Englander and Yankee contributor since 2010, Aimee has written columns devoted to history, foliage, retro food, and architecture, and regularly shares her experiences in New England travel, home, and gardening. Her most memorable Yankee experiences to date include meeting Stephen King, singing along to a James Taylor Fourth of July concert at Tanglewood, and taking to the skies in the Hood blimp for an open-air tour of the Massachusetts coastline.
