Hygge.  It’s all the rage in my house right now.  Pronounced, Hoog-ah, but not really because it’s impossible to write it phonetically and make it sound right, it is the Danish word for the feeling of coziness.  Hygge goes beyond coziness, though.  It seems to be a word that the Danes use to explain warm feelings and experiences that are more abstract. There is really no English equivalent.

Our exchange student from Denmark gave me a book about hygge which I promptly read cover to cover. I like to think I’m a hygge expert now. He is basically a walking example of hygge from his hygge pants (super comfy pajama pants in our world), to his love of all cozy blankets and obsession with Hygge Fætter (chubby people you just want to snuggle…pronounced hooga-fetta). The more hyggelig (hygge-like, pronounced hooglig…kind of), the better.

Hygge is so exciting to me because it has given me a word to finally explain what this whole pie obsession is for me. For six years, I have made occasional attempts to write long explanations of why pie is my thing, but I have never done it justice.  Until now.  Pie is hygge.  Making pie, giving pie, eating pie…it creates an experience that cultivates feelings of coziness, togetherness, sharing, and warmth. Hygge wraps it all into one word.

Pie is hyggelig because it is so uncomplicated.  Another concept of hygge is that you can take the hygge right out of something if you make it too complicated or too stressful.  I’ve been thinking about this because as I dabble in social media platforms with Pie Eyed, I’m starting to feel like I need to up my pie-making game.  Recently, I was tagged about a dozen times in a viral pie video that showed decorative hacks for pie crust.  I loved it and enjoyed seeing friends from all facets of my life think of me and send the video my way.  It just so happened that I was standing in front of two pie crusts as one of the video notifications came my way.  I watched it, then stared at my rolling pin contemplating if I should attempt one of these hacks.  In that moment, the hygge factor went down like three notches.

My role on the pie scene is not to teach people how to make fancy pie. Rather, it is to encourage the making, the giving and the creation of simple spaces in our life.  I want others to experience hygge. Pie seems to be a medium that can cultivate experiences, interpersonal connections and feelings that no other food can. More pie = more hygge = more happiness.

Back to the pie…

Fall is in the air now but the weather here in Cleveland is solidly summer.  Torn between two seasons, I wanted to make a pie that was the perfect transition.  This spiced plum and white nectarine pie was perfect!  This is a great recipe to warm up your pie making skills. Enjoy!

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Spiced Plum Nectarine Pie

Ingredients

• 1 recipe pie dough for a double 9 inch crust
• 4 medium white nectarines peeled and cubed
• 6 plums sliced about 1/2 inch thick
• 1/4 cup, plus 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar Set 2 Tablespoons aside in small bowl
• 3 Tablespoons corn starch
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg beaten
• Turbinado sugar for the top crust

Instructions

1. Prepare pie dough and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Once chilled, roll and plate pie dough in a deep dish, 9 inch pie plate, tucking edges under. Place in refrigerator.
3. Preheat oven to 425
4. Roll top crust to about 1/4 inch thick and cut circles with a glass or cutter. You can use any size that works for you. I used a 3 inch cutter. Place circles on a plate of piece of parchment and place in refrigerator while you make the filling.
5. Place 3T of cornstarch, 2T of granulated sugar and spices in a small bowl and set aside.
6. Peel nectarines and cube them by slicing 1/2 inch pieces, then cut those in half. You can boil the nectarines to get the peel off, but I like to use a hand peeler to quickly peel the skin when there are not that many to peel.
7. Slice plums into 1/2 inch slices and place into a large bowl with the nectarines.
8. Add 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla and gently mix.
9. Gently fold in the cornstarch mixture making sure that the fruit is evenly coated.
10. Turn mixture into chilled pie shell. Top with as many circles as you would like, overlapping a bit so they don't shrink away while they bake.
11. Beat an egg with a little milk and brush the top crust. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
12. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes then reduce heat to 375 for the remaining 25 minutes. Bake until brown and juices bubble. Cool for at least three hours until the pie is completely room temperature.