Happy Fall All!

In celebration of this time of year, I am posting an easy recipe for an apple pie made from scratch. I have had the recipe for years and have made slight adjustments to it. However, for the most part it is a pretty standard recipe. The process can take a while if everything is done by hand, but can also be greatly expedited if you use a food process and a an apple peeler. However, if you like the process, it is fun to do by hand. I hope you enjoy.

Step 1: Ingredients: Crust

The Ingredient for the Crust are as follows:

2.5 Cups All Purpose Flour

1 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Tablespoon Sugar

16 Tablespoons Chilled Butter - Unsalted

3/4 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar

3 Tablespoons Chilled Water

This recipe makes enough dough for one top and one bottom crust.

Step 2: Ingredients: Filling

The Ingredients for the filling are as follows: Com

1/2 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar

3.5 Tablespoons All Purpose Unbleached Flour

1.25 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon

1/3 Teaspoon Ground Ginger

1/4 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

About 7 Apples, Peeled and Thinly Sliced. I used a variety of apples from tart to semi sweet, however, mostly Fuli Apples. This is great time of year to pick the apples from the tree.

Additional Ingredients for Glaze

One egg

1 Tablespoon Sugar

Step 3: Crust

For the crust, combine all of the ingredients except the water, and apple cider vinegar, in a food processor and run for about 10 seconds until the butter is well chopped up and dispersed into the flour mixture. Then add the chilled water and apple cider vinegar while running the food processor for about 15 more seconds. Then move the dough into a bowl and worked it by hand until the consistency is pretty consistent throughout. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator for about an hour.

Step 4: Filling

While the crust is chilling, this is a great opportunity to switch gears and make the filling. For the filling, combine the sugar, brown sugar, flour, and spices in a bowl, and mix.

Step 5: The Apples

Take about 7 apples, peel them, core them,and thinly slice them. Put them in bowl and sprinkle some lemon juice over them to keep them from browning while you prepare the rest. The lime will affect the flavor. A small amount tones down the sweetness of the pie. Too much can sour the pie slightly, so don't drench them.

Step 6: Mix It Up

Once all the apples are peeled, cored, and sliced, pour them in with the sugar/spice mix and mix until all of the apple slices are coated.

Step 7: Bottom Crust

Once the filling is mixed, take out the crust dough and cut it in half. Put it on a lightly floured surface, and roll it our into a circle with a lightly floured rolling pin.

Step 8:

Take the dough and put it in a pie pan. At this point I took a know an trimmed the top edge all around the pan. If here was any cracks or holes in the sides of he crust, you can fill them with the trimmed dough.

Step 9: Fill the Pie

Take the filling mix and pour them into the bottom crust until heaping.

Step 10: Top Crust: Conventional

Depending on what you would like for the aesthetic of the top crust, you can make a variety of different tops. For a more conventional top crust, roll out the other half of the crust and cut it into strips about an inch and half wide. Then cross weave the strips of dough. The trim each end so that the dough overlaps with the top edge of the bottom crust. Pinch the strips of dough to the bottom crust.

Step 11: Top Crust: Party Theme

For the second pie, I wanted a more festive, natural look for our fall party. I first put a circle crust over the top and connected it to the bottom crust, then I use a knife to cut five or six slits in the top crust . I then put a slip of crust over the top crust shaped like a tree branch. I cut out about a half dozen leaf shapes in the dough and put them on the branch.

Step 12: Top Glaze

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. While it is preheating, put an egg white in a bowl and whisk it until frothy.

Step 13:

Using a paper towel, or a cooking brush, coat the top crust of the pie with the egg white. The sprinkle over the top with sugar.

Step 14:

I put the pie(s) on a cookie sheet with aluminum for easy clean up. Then cover the of the pie with another piece of aluminum. This would allow the pie to cook though without burning the top.

Step 15: Baking

Put the pie in on the middle rack of the oven for about 25 minutes. Then remove the top piece of aluminum, and put back in the oven for another 25 to 30 minutes until the top crust is lightly browned. You can cool the pies on a wire cooling rack. Once the pie is cool enough, enjoy! This crust should be nice and flaky.