'Tis officially the season of joy, gingerbread, and generosity. The holidays are here, and you know what that means... 'tis the season for baking! As you unpack ornaments to trim the tree, go ahead and dust off your pastry blender and rolling pin because the holidays call for some seasonal home-made sweetness. And nothing says "I love you" quite like warm apple pie. This one is made with a from-scratch pie crust, a blend of apples, and a double dose of holiday cheer. Go ahead, promote a little peace, share a little love, serve a little pie.
And don't forget the vanilla ice cream y'all!
From-Scratch Double Pie Crust
Let me begin by saying, "Don't be intimidated by from-scratch pie crust!" It's really quite easy, and you'll be so proud of yourself when you serve your finished pie. People will probably hug you for it too.
You'll need about 30 minutes of prep time, and then at least an our (up to 24 hours) to chill the dough. Here's the ingredients list:
2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3 T. sugar
1/4 cup shortening, cold
12 T. unsalted butter, cold and cubed
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup very cold water
1. Measure out the shortening and butter (cubed) and place in the freezer to chill for a few minutes. Measure water and place in freezer to chill for a few minutes. NOTE: To achieve a flaky pie crust, it is essential that these ingredients be cold. Otherwise, the fat will melt when forming the dough, making it easier to over-mix.
2. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and sugar.
3. Cut the shortening and butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blend or two knives. Cut fat in quickly so it doesn't begin to melt. The resulting mixture should be crumbly, resembling coarse cornmeal.
4. Add the cold water, one tablespoon at a time, until the mixture comes together forming a dough. NOTE: The finished dough should neither be crumbly nor sticky-- add water gradually to prevent it from becoming sticky.
5. Bring the dough together in a ball. When it comes together, stop working it; otherwise the dough will become tough.
6. Divide the dough into two equal balls and flatten each slightly to form a disk shape. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
NOTE: If dough becomes too hard in the refrigerator, let it rest for 15-20 minutes on the counter before rolling it out.
Old-Fashioned Apple Pie
Now it's time to prepare the pie. You'll need the From-Scratch Double Pie Crust from above and 6 medium apples. I used 2 Granny Smith, 2 Golden Delicious, 1 Braeburn, and 1 Fuji. I love blending apples when baking to create a more complex overall taste. For more information on baking apples,
click here. The remaining ingredients are listed below.
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 Tablespoons butter, diced
1 Egg
Sugar, for sprinkling
1. Position rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F.
2. Mix together brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl.
3. Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples.
4. Place apples in a large mixing bowl, sprinkle with lemon juice, and toss to coat.
5. Stir in the sugar mixture to evenly coat the apples.
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll each disk of dough out into a 10"-11" circle to make a 9" pie.
7. Press one pie crust into the bottom of a 9" pie plate. Using scissors or a knife, trim the bottom dough to make it even with the edge of the plate.
8. Mound the apple filling into the dough-lined plate. Scatter dices of butter over the filling.
9. Using a sharp knife, cut an even number of strips form the remaining rolled out dough. Transfer every other strip to the pie top and weave in the lattice by folding every other strip back onto itself and laying another strip perpendicularly. Fold the strips back across and repeat until completed.
10. Trim the overhanging edges of dough to about 1/2" wider than the bottom pie crust. Tuck that overhang under the bottom crust and pinch to seal.
11. In a small bowl, whisk the egg and add 1 Tablespoon of water. Brush the top of the pie with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
12. Loosely wrap aluminum foil strips around the edges of the pie to prevent burning.
13. Bake for 45-55 minutes, removing foil strips for the last 15 minutes of baking. NOTE: If the top of the pie begins to brown too quickly, place a piece of foil over the whole crust for part of the baking time to shield.
14. Cool pie on a rack for at least an hour before slicing.
Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (garnish with a mint leave if you really want to impress!).
To print recipe,
click here.
Peace and Love and Happy Baking!
Love,
Erin
