Pies!

The once humble and homey cupcake became an almost overnight sensation a few years back. Specialized bakeshops sprang up. Even brides got on the bandwagon, ordering tiers of cupcakes instead of a traditional wedding cake.

Could pies be poised for the same leap?

That's the thinking of Lindsay and Brent Doolittle of Charleston, who already took a leap from the corporate world to launch 3.14 Pies in April.

The couple are making eight different kinds of pies at any given time and selling them by special order and to a select number of retail stores. They've also done four weddings to date.

Lindsay Doolittle gladly argues the case for the emergence of pies.

"I think pie is more complex than cake. It has more layers of flavor. I feel like there's a pie for every taste."

Besides, "This is a wonderful, classic American dessert. It needs to be elevated to the forefront of the modern palate."

Bill Bowick, a co-owner of Sugar Bakeshop on Cannon Street, says he's been hearing some buzz about pies, although they make up a relatively small part of his business, about two pies a week.

The bakery's focus is more on tarts than pies. However, he and partner David Bouffard also have a pie wedding coming up, and their peach pie will be featured in the September issue of Food + Wine magazine.

"For many years, old-fashioned desserts have been neglected. There's a trilogy: cupcakes, doughnuts and pies," he says.

Bowick, however, thinks the cupcake trend also may be turning to pies in terms of scale.

"As cakes are to cupcakes, so pies are to tartlets. It is the idea of bite-sized food that has become so pervasive in our society."

Smaller pies are among the trends being seen by the American Pie Council, says Executive Director Linda Hoskins. The Chicago-based council, which represents commercial bakers, professional and amateur chefs and consumers, sponsors an annual National Pie Championship.

She says the more noticeable trend at the championship, which drew 900 entries this year, is traditional with a twist in the flavoring or the decoration.

"We actually had a pie called Three Blind Mice. This chef used fondant to make little mice on top of her pie. ... The more people see creativity, the more they get excited."

The Doolittles see 3.14 Pies as a way to satisfy a number of personal desires: a passion for good food and baking, working for themselves, living in Charleston and contributing to a sense of community.

Although Lindsay Doolittle was raised in Summerville and the couple were married here five years ago, they had been living and working in Chicago before deciding to move to Charleston last summer.

"I've always dreamed of having a pie shop. I just got to the point that I said, 'I'm going to try it, I have nothing to lose,' " says Doolittle, 28.

While they have no formal culinary background, Doolittle says she and her husband both grew up in the kitchen with the "kind of moms that would never dream of brownies out of the box."

The couple found they enjoyed food and cooking together, and then decided to take it to another level.

The name 3.14 Pies is a play on the mathematical constant pi, the ratio of the circumference to the diameter of a circle.

While it came to them pretty quickly, "I was shocked to find no other pie company across the country was doing it," Doolittle says.

Their idea also is to "push the bounds" with their pies while still paying homage to the old-fashioned classics. In the fall, they plan to fine-tune the marketing by categorizing choices as either "down-home" or "downtown," the difference between, say, a brown butter pecan and a pumpkin mascarpone with hazelnut cream.

So far, their customers have shown an appetite for the "twist": Blackberry Cabernet is their most popular pie.

Doolittle says 3.14 Pies' ingredients are all natural, organic and locally sourced when possible, and seasonal. Their pastry crust is a guarded recipe from Brent's Canadian grandmother.

Brent's favorite is the Velvet Elvis with caramelized bananas, vanilla cream and peanut butter mousse.

Lindsay's current fav is Peach Amaretto, but she says she's easily swayed.

"It's a struggle every time I make a new one. I'll tell Brent, 'This is my favorite.' "

Teresa Taylor is the food editor. Reach her at food@postandcourier.com.

Makes one 9- or 10-inch pie

A S’Mores-y treat with homemade marshmallow creme from the 3.14 Pies company.

For crust:

3.14 Pies makes its own graham crackers for this crust, but for the home baker, a premade graham cracker crust can be easily purchased at a grocery store.

For chocolate ganache:

¾ cup heavy cream

1 cup semisweet chocolate

For marshmallow creme:

3 egg whites (see cook’s note)

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1/3 cup water

¾ cup light corn syrup

2/3 cup sugar

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

For chocolate ganache: Melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler over low heat until smooth. Add cream, stirring continuously, until completely combined. Spread a thick layer of ganache in the pie shell, covering the bottom and sides evenly. Chill crust in freezer until the ganache is set, about 30 minutes.

For marshmallow creme:

(Cook’s note: Be careful to separate eggs well and avoid any yolk seeping into the whites. Any yolk will keep the whites from fluffing.)

In a clean metal bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until light and foamy. (Tip: Wipe the bowl and beaters with white vinegar whenever you whip egg whites for a meringue or marshmallow topping to eliminate any fats from working against the egg whites’ ability to fluff.)

With mixer still running, sprinkle in the powdered sugar. Continue beating until soft peaks form.

In a small saucepan, mix water, corn syrup and granulated sugar. Cook over medium heat until it boils and comes to firm ball stage (246 degrees). Do not overcook.

Drizzle the hot syrup into the egg whites with the mixer running on low. Turn the mixer to high and beat for 5 or 6 minutes or until the mixture is fluffy and the consistency of marshmallow creme. Beat in vanilla. Once the creme has cooled, fill the pie crust and caramelize the creme by broiling or using a microtorch. If you choose to broil, be sure to manually rotate the pie throughout the process to ensure even caramelization.