APPLE PIE

With Thanksgiving only a few days away I have decided to post this special Apple Pie recipe with a homemade crust that I have been baking since college.  The double crust is super flaky and is filled with thin slices of fresh apples that are baked with warm cinnamon and nutmeg spices.  Apple has always been my favorite pie and this one is a particularly light and delicious holiday dessert that is also perfect any day with afternoon tea or morning coffee.

Since this Apple Pie was probably one of the very few things that I did bake in college days, I baked it on special occasions for my friends. I remember after a long hike in the mountains I baked this pie for a good friend.  She loved it so much that ever since that day baking this pie became a joint effort in the kitchen; she peeled and I baked, quite frequently! That was so long ago but to this day I can’t make this pie and not think about those days.

My Apple Pie has an oil crust which goes very well with most fruit pies. The crust is delicious with a very flaky texture, almost like a very delicate puff pastry. I know most bakers debate whether to use butter or oil; I have tried both and love using the oil because it works a lot easier into the flour and makes a very smooth dough that is more pliable and bakes into a flaky crust every time.

After the sliced apples are piled high in the crust I dot the top with sweet butter and this gives the pie its amazing buttery flavor. Very little water is used in making this crust to keep it from becoming tough and bread like.

I have used firm golden delicious apples because I love their fragrance but any firm cooking apple will be fine. The apples are cored, peeled and sliced about 1/4 inch thick and sprinkled with 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice so they don’t turn brown while preparing the crust.

Sprinkle the apple slices with sugar, flour, and spice mixture and toss. The sugar releases the natural apple juices and makes a thick syrup that coats the apples while the crust is getting ready.

To make the crusts, mix the flour and vegetable oil with a fork and work the oil completely into the flour, then add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time and blend after each addition until the dough starts coming together and pulling away from the bowl.  If the dough feels too dry add an extra tablespoon of oil.  Do not add more water.  Gather the dough into a ball by pressing it with your fingers. Then divide the dough in half and make 2 balls. Flatten each ball into a disk.

At this point place one of the disks between two silicone baking mats or two sheets of parchment paper and roll it out to a 10 inch circle. (If using parchment paper dampen the work surface by wiping it with a wet paper towel before placing the paper on it; this will prevent the paper from moving around and lifting as you roll out the crust).  Move the crust with the silicone mat (or paper) to a 9-inch pie pan.  Line the bottom of the pan and peel away the mat (or paper).  Fill the crust with the apple slices and dot with small pieces of butter evenly.

Roll out the top crust the same way as the bottom crust and using the silicone mat (or paper) lay it on the apple slices and peel away the mat (or paper). Bring the edges of the bottom and top crusts together and seal completely by pressing with the tip of a fork. Use a sharp knife to make a few small slits on the top crust.

To prevent the edges from over browning cover it loosely with few 3-inch wide strips of aluminum foil. Place the pie pan inside a large baking sheet to catch any possible drippings while baking. Bake in a preheated 425 F oven in the center rack until the juices start bubbling through the slits and the top crust is golden brown. Remove the foil strips in the last 15 minutes of baking.

Enjoy this amazing Apple Pie with a super flaky crust with friends and family on special occasions or for an afternoon teatime with a special friend!  It is not very often that you will have leftovers but if you do, you will find that the crust stays flaky even after refrigeration.

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APPLE PIE

 

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Temperature: Preheated oven 425 F, center rack
Prep time, about 30 min. Bake time, 45-55 min.
Yield: One 9-inch apple pie
You will need one 9-inch glass pie pan

Author: Homa

Recipe type: Pie/Dessert

Cuisine: American

Ingredients

• INGREDIENTS FOR THE CRUST
• 2⅔ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• 5 TBSP cold water
• INGREDIENTS FOR THE FILLING
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 2 ½ pounds (8 cups) thinly sliced firm apples (about 6-7 medium apples)
• 1 TBSP fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 3 TBSP (1 ½ ounces) cold butter, cubed into small pieces

Instructions

1. Make the filling: Core and peel apples. Slice the apples into ¼ -inch slices. Place in a large bowl.
2. In a small bowl whisk together sugar, flour, spices and salt. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the sliced apples and toss to coat. Set aside.
3. Make the crust: Add 2⅔ cup flour and ½ tsp salt into a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add the oil to flour and mix with a fork for 5-7 minutes, or until the mixture is uniformly moist and there is no dry flour seen.
4. Sprinkle cold water 1 tablespoon at a time and mix with the fork after each addition. Continue this until the mixture is moistened uniformly and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough seems dry, add additional one tablespoon of oil. Do not add extra water.
5. Gather dough with your hands and press firmly into a ball. Divide the dough in half and make two balls. Flatten each ball into a disk.
6. Place one disk between two large silicone baking mats, or two squares of parchment paper (If using parchment paper, wipe the surface with a damp paper towel to help stick the paper to the work area so it does not slip).
7. Use a rolling pin and roll the disk of dough into a 10-11 inch circle. Smooth the edges with your fingertips.
8. Remove the top silicone mat (or paper) and lift the dough with the bottom mat and line the pie pan and peel away the mat.
9. Add the apple mixture to the pie pan. The pan will be very full. Dot the top with cubed butter.
10. Roll the top crust just as for the bottom crust and lay it over the apple mixture with the help of the silicone mat (or paper) and peel away the mat. Bring the edges of bottom and top crust together and seal completely by pressing around the edge with the tip of a fork. Use a sharp knife to make slits on the top crust.
11. Cover the edges with a few strips of 3-inch wide aluminum foil to prevent over browning during the baking. Place the pie pan in a shallow baking sheet to catch any possible drippings.
12. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until the juices begin to bubble through the slits and the crust is golden brown. Remove the aluminum foil strips during the last 15 minutes of baking.
13. Remove the pie from the oven. Place on a rack and cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting into wedges.

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