All Things Apple, Part II

After our adventures apple picking last weekend, the first thing we wanted to make with all our delicious apples was apple pie! We didn't have a recipe of our own and so we began searching through the many many cookbooks on our shelves, and of course we perused google to find some suggestions. We really didn't want to buy a pre-made frozen pie crust, since we felt that apples this good deserved a homemade variety. But there were literally 100's of recipes, all with slightly different variations on how to make the perfect pie crust. It seems that every cook has their own favourite - all butter, part butter part shortening, vegetable oil, almond flour, plain flour...you get the point. However, more than deciding on the ingredients to use, I found that most recipes called for a food processor - something I lack. I did find one blogger who espoused to make a great pie crust dough using the kitchenaid - perfect.   

The ingredients:
2 1/2 cups plain flour
225g cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch squares
1/3 cup water
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon unseasoned bread crumbs

The recipe:
Place butter and flour into the mixer bowl and place the bowl into the refrigerator. Combine the water, vinegar, and salt and place that in the refrigerator, leaving both for several minutes. Affix the bowl to the mixer, mix for 30 seconds on lowest speed. Then slowly add the cold water/ vinegar, and mix until the dough comes together in a ball. Divide the dough into two balls, wrap in plastic and press down into discs. Refrigerate for at least an hour, or up to two days. 

Take the dough out of the fridge, and place on a well floured surface. Roll out from the center, turning the dough as you go. Roll the dough out so that it’s circular and big enough to spread over your dish. Fold your crust into quarters,

Butter your pie dish and sprinkle the bottom with the tablespoon of breadcrumbs. Place the corner in the center of the pie dish, and then unfold the crust. Press out any air bubbles, and fold over the top of the crust if there is extra. Patch any holes with excessive pieces of hanging dough. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork. If you haven’t yet prepared your filling, refrigerate the crust while you do. Roll out the second crust. Put the filling into the shell, and then either:

1. lay the crust over the filling in the same method as you transported the first crust. Brush the edges with an egg wash and press the edges together, shaping it with your fingers. Cut four holes in the top of the crust.
or
2. cut the second crust into 1-inch strips. Arrange one set of strips going in one direction, then another set in the other direction. Brush edges with an egg wash and press the crust together at the edge, and shape with your fingers.

The results:

Super easy! I was scared of making pie crust - this has changed my opinion completely! And it was a very yummy crisp crust!! Iactually made the dough in the 20 minutes between the boys lunch and Kyah needing a feed. It was perfect timing. I love my kitchenaid!!

Our next challenge was deciding on the filling - traditional apple pie, spiced, apple pie, apple and raspberry...the list goes on. We decided on a Martha Stewart recipe for spiced apple pie - she is yet to disappoint me with her recipes.

The ingredients:
1.8kg Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Fine sanding sugar, for sprinkling

The recipe:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius, with racks in middle and lower positions. 

Toss together apples, lemon zest and juice, sugars, flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Place filling in piecrust, mounding it in the center. Dot with butter. 

To make egg wash, whisk together egg yolk and cream in a small bowl. Lightly brush edge of piecrust with egg wash. Place pastry top on pie. Lightly brush entire top of pie with egg wash. Sprinkle top with sanding sugar. Refrigerate pie for 1 hour.

Place a foil-lined baking sheet on lower oven rack to catch any juices. Place pie on middle rack, and bake until crust begins to turn golden brown, about 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 190 degrees, and bake until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling, about 1 hour 10 minutes more. Tent with foil if crust browns too quickly. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

The result:
Delicious. Amazing. Tasty. Lightly spiced. Moist. So yummy to dig into a warm apple pie on a cold crisp autumn day.

One of the funnest aspects of making apple pie - using the apple peeler & decorer! The kids love eating apple they get to twirl through the peeler and see it come out like a "snake". The best way to get kids to eat more apples!

Do you have a favourite Apple Pie recipe? Please share it with us - we have a lot more apples to use up!