Well it is officially Autumn, and here on the east coast this means Apple Picking time.
A family tradition that Clappy the kids and I have enjoyed year after year.
I make lots of Apple sauce, that never seems to last very long, and of course the Apple pies. So here is my best deep dish Apple Pie recipe and my personal secret to add that sweet flavor, without all the sugar.
Pie Dough
2 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup of shortening or butter(shortening is better)
6 to 7 tablespoons cold water
In a mixing bowl stir together flour and salt. Cut in shortening until pieces are the size of small peas. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the water into flour mix. Repeat with the water until the mixture is nice and moist, but not wet. Divide the dough in half, and form into balls.
On lightly floured surface, flatten ball with your hands then proceed to roll out, try to make it only as big as your pie pan, and not much bigger, the dough will be too thin otherwise. Use a deep dish pie pan.
Option---- if you want a crispier and flakier crust than poke some holes in the bottom and on the sides of this crust and bake for 5 min. at a 350 degree oven, this will bearly brown the crust, but dry it out slightly.
---- if you want a moist, apples baked into the dough crust then fill the pie with the raw dough.
Roll out the other dough ball and carefully lay over your filled pie, try not to stretch this top layer too much. Pinch the rim to flute the pie or a fork to seal the pie, either will do the trick.
Deep Dish Apple Pie
1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar
6 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/4 cup apple juice
6 to 7 thinly sliced, peeled cored golden delicious apples or granny smith apples.
1 thinly sliced peeled and cored bartlett or bosch pear.
For those daring use 1 peach thinly sliced, peeled and pitted instead of pear.
Mix the above in a large bowl making sure all fruit is coated with ingredients. Pour mixture into waiting pie crust, and top with the other crust. Seal the pie, put small cuts in top of pie to release the steam when cooking.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for approx. 30 to 35 min.
Some trade secrets... Make a simple syrup mixture by mixing one cup of sugar and one cup of water if you have one slice a lemon and add one slice to pot and heat on stove until sugar melts and almost boils. Cool completely and use to brush the filled pie crust. This will give a deep browning effect with a shine to the finished pie.
or ... Brush milk on the filled pie crust to give a light browning effect, but does not shine when finished.
or ... Brush with plain water, and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top, this will give the glazed caramel look and add a crunch to the crust.
Good luck to all who try this out.
I will try to post a different pie every now and then, I have millions of them.
drea |
