The whimsical fall treat ideal for special gatherings

Pumpkin spice may be all the rage in October and November, but it’s all about apples in the early weeks of autumn. Visiting a local orchard to hand-pick apples is an entertaining way to spend an afternoon with young or old, and it’s a great opportunity to gather ingredients for apple pie.

For fall birthdays or other special occasions, skip the celebratory cake for something even more eye-catching: an elaborately decorated pie! Not too many people can resist the tart flavor of fresh apples and the buttery, flaky appeal of a delicious pie crust. Turn a store-bought or homemade pie into an artistic masterpiece with these directions for “Flying Unicorn Pie” from “Pies are Awesome: The Definitive Pie Art Book” (Quarto) by Jessica Leigh Clark-Bojin.

Flying Unicorn Pie Makes 1 pie

Ingredients:

Egg wash (or almond milk if making a vegan pie) Brown gel food color Vanilla extract Assortment of sanding sugar, sprinkles and small Sixlets or dragées Gold and pearl luster dust Vodka or any clear alcohol or extract to mix with the luster dust Supplies: Pie pan of your choice Baking sheet Parchment paper Food-safe precision knife Pastry brush Food-safe artist brushes Ramekins or small containers to mix color and hold egg wash Fondant sculpting tool (or toothpick)

1. Roll out the dough of your choice onto parchment and cut out all the Flying Unicorn template pieces with a sharp knife. Cut out as many “rays” as you like. Don’t worry if they look long; they’ll shrink in the oven! (Purchase the cookbook for the template or use clip art to create your own template.)

2. Coat all the pieces in the egg wash using a pastry brush.

3. Paste the pieces together using the egg wash as “glue.” Smooth out the joints with the back of your fingernail or a fondant sculpting tool. If you have any trouble lifting the pieces, just pop your work in the freezer for

4. You can either paint the unicorn now with gel colors or just give it a quick vanilla wash. Make sure you choose colors that will stand out from your background. Bake the pieces at 400º F for about 8 minutes, or until golden brown. Every oven is slightly different so keep an eye on it. Set the baked pieces aside to cool while you make the base pie. If you are making your base pie, add a decorative crimped edge of some sort to fancy it up.

5. Once the base pie has baked, place your cooled “ray” pieces evenly around the top of the base pie with a spatula. Let the pie fully cool and then add the edible bling of your choice (this is the fun part!).

6. For the final step, place a dab of jam, chocolate, sugar glue or leftover filling in the center as glue, and place your unicorn with a spatula. You can add some luster dust mixed with a bit of vodka now if you feel like it needs a bit more fabulousness.

Tip: Since you are going to be coating the top of this pie in sanding sugars, select a filling that is not overly sweet – maybe even something tart – and don’t put any sugar in the crust. You can use any flavor of filling you like and the dough of your choice. You can also use a store-bought pie.