*Please Note: This post has been imported from my previous blog, Organized Magnolia*
As everyone knows last week was Thanksgiving! I was starting to get very homesick because I don't get to go home until Christmas. After talking to some of my American co-workers, we decided to have a little Thanksgiving here. Guess what I was in charge of? Dessert! I decided to try a very easy apple pie my mom and I made last year. The reason I went with something simple like this was because I had never baked in Belgium and neither had my co-workers! This recipe is very basic and so I was sure that I could find the ingredients in the local grocery store. Thankfully I did!
A lot of things were in Dutch though so thankfully I had a phone where I could just whip out the Google Translate app (Get it. You'll be so thankful you did). The only thing I was worried about was the flour. I knew it was flour, but I didn't know what kind. As you know, flour can make a huge difference in baking.
Also, they don't know what a 'pie' is here. After talking to some people, I figured out 'tart' crusts are what I wanted. Thankfully, those come pre-made as well.
If you get stuck in a jam like I did, my recommendation is to do a little research first. 1) Make sure it is an easy recipe. You don't want to try the Caramel triple chocolate cake on your first baking experience here. Follow my mom's rule for life: KISS (Keep it simple stupid). 2) Research your ingredients. If your grocery store doesn't have it, is there something else that could work? 3) Research your equipment. I showed up at my co-worker's apartment and found out she had no measurement cups or spoons. Thankfully she had a tart pan, but what if she didn't?
Finally, enjoy what ever happens! If this pie had turned out to be bad, we had all agreed to bring it to work the next day and tell everyone that was how it was made. Just have a good time whenever you are baking! The easy apple pie recipe that I used can be found here.
