American Apple Pie
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Apple pie should be all about tangy caramelized apples. Rolling out the dough is the hardest part to learn but it is so much more rewarding than the store bought variety. Keep the rolling surface floured and have a long, thin, metal spatula on hand to slide under the dough to keep it from sticking. Sometimes I decorate the pie with seasonal shapes cut from the extra dough. The apples produce a lot of juice and can make the pie soggy. One way to avoid that from happening is to allow the cut apples and sugar mixture to sit for 30 minutes before adding the apples to the pie with only some of the juice; another method is to sprinkle plain breadcrumbs onto the bottom crust before adding the apples that have just been sliced. A perfectly cooked pie bubbles up along the crust as it finishes and the caramelized juice soaks back into the crust as it cools. Yum.
Author: Anne Press
Ingredients
- The Crust
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp sugar
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons shortening (Crisco)
- 5 tablespoons ice cold water
- The Filling
- 8-10 med-large apples -- yields10 cups sliced thinly
- (mix of McIntosh, Granny Smith, Red Delicious)
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp all spice
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Bread crumbs - optional
- The Assembly
- 9” Pyrex Pie Dish
- 4 tablespoons butter cut into sixteen pieces
- 1 egg beaten
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°
- Start with the crust – mix together dry ingredients. Cut in the butter and shortening with fork or use a mixer with the paddle attachment. Add the ice water one tablespoon at a time and allow dough to come together. Quickly knead dough on floured surface sliding the heel of your hand across the top of the dough to incorporate all the butter. Cool the dough for 30 min before rolling out (see note).
- Peel, core and slice the apples thinly. Mix together sugar and spices and toss with apples. Set aside.
- Divide dough in two. Roll out bottom crust on floured surface and place in dish leaving enough of an edge to attach the top crust and cutting any excess dough. Sprinkle light layer of bread crumbs if using.
- Add half the apples and top with half the butter. Add the rest of the apples and place remaining butter in around sides and top of filling.
- Roll out the crust for the top. If you have any extra dough, cut small decorative shapes to top the pie.
- Brush edge of bottom crust with egg and place top crust over pie. Pinch together the edges once around to seal and then around again to make decorative edge.
- Lightly brush top of pie with egg and with a sharp knife cut a slits pattern in the top crust to allow the steam to escape while baking. Attach any decorative shapes by brushing the bottoms with egg before placing them on the crust.
- Bake in the middle of the oven at 375° for 1 hour or more until the juices are bubbling on the edge of the crust.
- Cool completely before serving to allow the juices to be reabsorbed.
- NOTE: If you are adroit at rolling out pastry dough, chilling will not be necessary but if you are a beginner it is easier to handle cooler, firmer dough.
