Difficulty: Intermediate
Who doesn’t love pie?! Seriously?With all of the different options out there every person on the face of the earth could find a pie that they like.
My husband loves pretty much all baked treats, but there is a special place in his heart for pie. I don’t think he has ever met a pie that he didn’t like. Of course he loves when I make pie. I have learned not to even mention pie without having any to serve him. That’s how much he likes it.
Apple pie is one of his favorites, but truth be told, it’s not one of mine. It’s ok, but I’m not a huge fan of cooked fruit, so I have to really be in the mood for apple pie. Don’t let that fool you. I have been making apple pie for about 20 years now and every time I serve it I receive compliments. 20 years?! That makes me seem old, but I made my first apple pie when I was about 15, so you do the math.
I even won second place in a church pie baking contest when I was in college with my apple pie. If a college student who doesn’t even really like apple pie can beat a bunch of church ladies with her recipe it must be good.
My biggest advice is to taste your apples ahead of time and adjust the amount of sugar if necessary. Since there are no eggs in this recipe you can mix the apples with the sugar and spices and taste the mixture to determine if you need more sugar. Just remember that you can always add more sugar, but it’s really hard to remove. Don’t underestimate the power of salt. A bit of salt will really bring out the flavor and sweetness of the apples, just don’t go crazy, because this recipe is not meant to taste salty. That’s another recipe for another day.
If you are intimidated by making your own crust by all means go ahead and use store bought. You can always make the edges a little untidy and everyone will think you made the crust too.
Try out this recipe this weekend. Imagine your family’s surprise and delight when they find out that there is pie.
Double Crust Apple Pie
Pie Crust:
2 ½ Cups Flour
3 TBSP Granulated Sugar
6 TBSP Lard or Vegetable Shortening
12 TBSP Unsalted Butter
½ tsp Salt
¼-1/2 Cup Ice Water
Cut butter and lard into small cubes and place in freezer. Measure out dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine.Pour ½ cup water in a cup and add several ice cubes. Remove lard from freezer and add to dry ingredients. Use a fork or pastry cutter to cut lard into the dry ingredients. Once lard has been cut into lots of pieces add cold butter and continue cutting until it resembles bread crumbs. Add ice water a small amount at a time working pastry with fork in between each addition of water. Once a lumpy , crumbly dough has been formed separate dough into two piles and place on two separate pieces of plastic wrap. Wrap dough and press into a disc shape. Place dough into refrigerator until ready to shape.
Cut butter and lard into small cubes and place in freezer. Pour ½ cup water in a cup and add several ice cubes.
Measure out dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine.
Remove lard from freezer and add to dry ingredients.
Use a fork or pastry cutter to cut lard into the dry ingredients.
Once lard has been cut into lots of pieces add cold butter
continue cutting until it resembles bread crumbs.
Add ice water a small amount at a time working pastry with fork in between each addition of water.
Once a lumpy , crumbly dough has been formed separate dough into two piles
place on two separate pieces of plastic wrap.
Wrap dough and press into a disc shape. Place dough into refrigerator until ready to shape.
Apple Pie Filling
10 Cups Baking Apples Peeled and sliced (any firm, crisp apple will work)
½ Cup Brown Sugar
½ tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla
1-2 tsp Cinnamon (personal preference)
2-3 TBSP Flour
1 Egg, Beaten
1 TBSP Granulated Sugar
Combine apples, sugar, salt, vanilla, cinnamon and 2 TBSP flour in a large mixing bowl, stirring and tossing to coat apples. Set aside. Remove 1 pie crust(homemade or store bought) from refrigerator and roll out on a lightly floured surface. Take a 9” deep dish pie plate and spray with non stick cooking spray. Fold dough in half and then in half again and then transfer to pie plate. Unfold dough and gently press into the corners and flatten against the bottom. Trim rough edges and fold under. Get apple mixture and check for juice in the bottom of bowl. If a large amount of juice is in the bowl add remaining 1 TBSP Flour to apples and stir to coat. Dump apple mixture into pie crust lined pie plate and neatly mound apples up with fingers.Transfer to refrigerator and remove second pie crust. Roll out second crust on a lightly floured surface and decide on the top crust decoration. You can cut strips of dough to create a lattice top or use cookie cutters to cut shaped holes into the top crust. You can also cut lots of shapes out of the crust and use those cut outs as the top crust like I did. I used leaf cutters to make the leaf shapes. Place whatever top crust style you choose on top of pie and brush with beaten egg. Sprinkle with granulated sugar and cinnamon. Place uncooked pie back in refrigerator for 20 minutes. To produce a flaky crust the butter and lard need to be cold, that’s why there is so much in and out of the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place chilled pie on a baking sheet and place in oven. Bake for approx. 1 hour or until apples are cooked through and crust is browned. If crust is browning too quickly cover with aluminum foil to prevent burning. Remove pie and cool on wire rack for at least an hour before serving. Serves 8-10
Combine apples, sugar, salt, vanilla, cinnamon and 2 TBSP flour in a large mixing bowl, stirring and tossing to coat apples.
Set aside. Remove 1 pie crust(homemade or store bought) from refrigerator and roll out on a lightly floured surface.
Take a 9” deep dish pie plate and spray with non stick cooking spray.
Fold dough in half and then in half again and then transfer to pie plate.
Unfold dough and gently press into the corners and flatten against the bottom.
The pieces of butter and lard that you see dotting the dough are necessary to create a flaky crust. If your homemade crust doesn’t have those dots it means your butter and lard has melted or that the dough has been worked too much. The crust will taste ok, but you won’t get the flaky texture that you are looking for.
Trim rough edges and fold under.
Get apple mixture and check for juice in the bottom of bowl. If a large amount of juice is in the bowl add remaining 1 TBSP Flour to apples and stir to coat. Dump apple mixture into pie crust lined pie plate and neatly mound apples up with fingers.Transfer to refrigerator and remove second pie crust. Roll out second crust on a lightly floured surface and decide on the top crust decoration. You can cut strips of dough to create a lattice top or use cookie cutters to cut shaped holes into the top crust. You can also cut lots of shapes out of the crust and use those cut outs as the top crust like I did. I used leaf cutters to make the leaf shapes.
These leaf cutters make quick work of the top crust decoration. If you don’t have a leaf cutter you can do it free hand or just choose another cookie cutter shape. Stars, hearts and circles are nice.
Place whatever top crust style you choose on top of pie and brush with beaten egg. Sprinkle with granulated sugar and cinnamon. Place uncooked pie back in refrigerator for 20 minutes. To produce a flaky crust the butter and lard need to be cold, that’s why there is so much in and out of the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place chilled pie on a baking sheet and place in oven.
The baking sheet will catch any drips and prevent a sticky burned sugar mess on the bottom of your oven.
Bake for approx. 1 hour or until apples are cooked through and crust is browned. If crust is browning too quickly cover with aluminum foil to prevent burning. Remove pie and cool on wire rack for at least an hour before serving.
Pie will still be warm after an hour of cooling, but will hold its shape when cut. Don’t attempt to serve pie fresh from the oven. Serves 8-10
It’s pie time!
