Apple Pie

Apple Pie

Usually Apple pie is one of America's favorite dessert. I personally love Apple pie because of the spices and the brown sugar'd apples which yeild a divine taste. Usually you can use any firm Apples which would stand the heat from baking them. I have made Apple pie several times and each time I made them, I tried different combinations of Apples. I have used Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Rome and Braeburn. You get these apples year around and I usually buy it from the local farmers market as I reaslised they are of superior quality and flaovor. The base of the Apple pie - the pie crust can be bought from the store, however I make it myself, that ways it is easier for me to tweek it a lil bit to adjust to our tastebuds. This recipe was orginally taken and from Joyof Baking and Rose Levy Beranbaum Pie and Pastry Bible who says this pie needs to be baked on a baking stone which gives the bottom crust fully brown and wonderful taste. This apple pie can be served just as is or it tastes even better with vanilla icecream or whipped cream.

Pie Crust:

-1/2 cups All-purpose flour
-1 teaspoon Salt
-2 tablespoon granulated white sugar
-1 cup unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into cubes
-1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Apple Pie Filling

-2 1/2 pounds apples (about 6 large), peeled, cored, and sliced
-1/4 cup granulated white sugar
-1/4 cup light brown sugar
-1 tablespoon lemon juice
-1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
-1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-2 tablespoons unsalted butter
-1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch (corn flour)

Proceedure:

Pie Crust:

1.Take the flour, salt, and sugar and mix until combined. Then add the butter and using a hand mixer or your processor, mix until the mixture resembles coarse meal (Say about 15 seconds).

2. Add 1/4 cup water in a slow, steady stream, until the dough just holds together when pinched. If necessary, add more water. Use your hands and knead into a ball. This again should resemble a chapati dough.

3.Divide the dough in half, flattening each half into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about one hour before using. This will chill the butter and relax the gluten in the flour.

4.After about an hour or more, remove one portion of the dough from the fridge and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry into a 12 inch circle. Fold the dough in half and gently transfer to a 9 inch pie pan. Brush off any excess flour and trim the edges of the pastry to fit the pie pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.

5. Then remove the second round of pastry and roll it into a 12 inch circle. Transfer to a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator.

Apple Pie Filling:

1.In a large bowl combine the sliced apples, sugars, lemon juice , ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

2.Let the apples macerate at room temperature for 30 minutes to three hours. (I usually keep it in the fridge overnite.)Then, place the apples and their juices in a strainer that is placed over a large bowl (to capture the juices). Let the apples drain for about 15-30 minutes or until you have at least 1/2 cup of juice.

3.Spray a heatproof measuring cup with a nonstick vegetable spray, and then pour in the collected juices and the 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter. Place in the microwave and boil the liquid, on high, 6 to 7 minutes or until the liquid has reduced to about 1/3 cup . (Alternatively, you could place the juices and butter in a small saucepan and boil over medium high heat on the stove - This has worked the best for me all the time that I tried this dish.)

4. Meanwhile, take the top pastry crust from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes so it has time to soften . Transfer the drained apples slices to this pastry crust nd mix them with the cornstarch (corn flour). Then pour the reduced syrup over the apples and toss to combine. Moisten the edges of the pie shell with a little water or milk and then place the top crust over the apples. Tuck any excess pastry under the bottom crust and then crimp the edges using your fingers or a fork. Using a sharp knife make five 2-inch slits from the center of the pie out towards the edge of the pie to allow the steam to escape.

5.Cover the pie with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill the pastry while you preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F . Place the oven rack at the lowest level. Place a piece of aluminum foil on the pan to catch any apple juices. The apple juice will definitely wooze out and make sure you have an alumnium foil below. Bake for about 45 to 55 minutes or until the juices start to bubble through the slits and the apples feel tender (not mushy) when a toothpick or sharp knife is inserted through one of the slits. Make sure to cover the edges of the pie with a foil ring to prevent over browning after about 30 minutes.

6.Remove the pie from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 3-4 hours before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream or softly whipped cream. Store at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.

Makes one 9 inch pie.

Lattice Crust:

If you would like to make a lattice crust, as in the picture, roll the top pastry into a 13 inch circle. Using pizza cutter, cut the pastry into 2 cm strips. Place the strips of pastry on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. Once the bottom crust is filled with the apple slices, remove the lattice pastry from the refrigerator and, starting at the center with the longest strips and working outwards, space the strips about 2 cm apart. Use the shortest pastry strips at the outer edges. Then, rotate pie plate a quarter turn, and repeat the process with the rest of the strips. Weave the top strips over and under the bottom strips. Trim the edges of the strips, leaving a 1 inch overhang. Seal the edges of the pastry strips by folding them under the bottom pastry crust and flute the edges of the pastry. Brush the lattice pastry with milk and sprinkle with a little sugar.

Source:

-The Pie and Pastry Bible - Beranbaum, Rose levy.

-Joyofbaking