Apple Pie

This is an apple pie recipe that will work for most apple varieties, because of the fact that the filling gets cooked before filling the pastry. While I know this creates an extra step, let me assure you that before trying this I was very anti-cook-the-filling-ahead-of-time. But historically I would occasionally bake a watery apple pie, and after talking with many other chefs about this, they admitted that it also happened to them. The reason lies in the fact that water activity in fresh apples can vary greatly between varieties, from different times of the year and how apples are harvested (especially when artificially ripened) and stored. So after a few test runs where I used the usual method of tossing apple slices with sugar, cinnamon and starch and yielding far varying results in pie filling viscosity, I attempted what I had scoffed at before. I added just a little apple cider to help get the filling going and cooked it until the apples were just al dente, and low and behold the filling was neither too watery or starchy dry. So during the cooking process if you need to add a bit more cornstarch because the apples are very juicy, or add more cider because they are not as succulent, there is room to adjust. Or if you are the type of baker to follow recipes exactly, this one will work more accurately than others I’ve tried. An assortment of different apple varieties is nice, above I used Granny Smith, pink lady and honey crisp.

Oh, and this is an all butter pie crust. I sometimes dabble with using 50:50 butter and shortening. Any crust you like is fine here, and frankly they all have the same ingredients, it’s not complicated. It’s how you work the dough that matters: a quick, no nonsense touch is essential and keeping it cold, cold, cold.

Apple Pie

Yield: one 9 inch pie; 8-10 servings

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups/340 g all purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

8 ounces (2 sticks)/225 g unsalted butter, very cold, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

6-7 Tablespoons Ice water (try very hard to only use 6 Tbsp)

8 cups/815 g Peeled and sliced apples (about 7-8 medium apples)

1 cup/200 g Granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon (Korijinte is nice)

3 Tablespoons Cornstarch

1 Tablespoon All purpose flour

3 Tablespoons Apple cider (apple juice will also work)

1 pad of butter (about a tablespoon)

1 egg yolk

2 Tablespoons milk

Cinnamon and sugar to garnish (1/4 cup sugar plus 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon)-or-sanding sugar

Directions:

Make the dough. I highly suggest a food processor, but a pastry cutter is also very effective (it’s how my mother has always made her crust and I will often do this too, but it takes practice). Measure the flour and salt into the bowl of the food processor. Pile in the cubed butter and have your ice water in a measure or bowl nearby. Pulse the butter into the flour until the mixture is uniform and the butter the slightly smaller than the size of peas. Pour out into a large mixing bowl.

Sprinkle the water over the surface of the flour one tablespoon at a time. Then use a fork or spatula to fluff the water into the flour. You will begin to see shaggy pieces of dough form together keep fluffing and turning the bowl until most of the dough is coming together in layers of shaggy parts. Then get your hands in it and press and knead until the dough comes together into a ball. This can also be done on a countertop using a bench knife, but my countertops are not big enough, so a bowl works for me.

Divide the dough into two balls and flatten into disks, then wrap in plastic wrap or parchment paper and place in the refrigerator to chill for about one hour.

Meanwhile, prep your apples. Peel the apples and slice. I like this method.

In a large soup pot, combine the apple slices, the sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch and flour. Toss to completely coat and turn on the heat to medium high. Stir in the apple cider or apple juice and continue to stir the apples until they start to release juice. Reduce the heat to medium or low and let the mixture cook for about 6-8 minutes more or until the liquid in the bottom is simmering and the starches have begun to turn clear. Remove from heat and let cool.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Bring both disks of dough out from the refrigerator and set one aside. Roll out one disk of dough to a circle, about 1/8” thick. Fold in half, or over a rolling pin and transfer to a 9” pie dish, making sure it is centered. Let the dough relax into the dish.

Roll out the second pastry disk. Here you have choices, you can get very decorative if you wish. I don’t typically do lattice work for apple pie because I find sometimes exposed apples dry out as they bake. I made a simple herring bone pattering in four parts across the dough. If you want to cut design into the dough, do it while rolled out on the countertop.

Gently press the bottom pie shell into the edges of your pie plate. Pour in the filling, and top with a few dots of butter (remember that fruit pies are essentially a pudding baked in a shell, the butter will help set up the jell as the pie cools). Brush the edges of the pie with water, only barely moisten.

Carefully transfer the top pastry to cover the pie (fold over a rolling pin or fold in half and lift). Center the top, then press down to gently seal the edges. Trim the edges overhang, then tuck the edges under and finish with a decorative edge. Tines of a fork work great, or you can pinch the dough into a frill.

Use a fork to whisk the egg yolk with the milk (sometimes I just use cream or half and half if I don’t have an extra egg yolk, it’s a slightly different finish but it works). Paint the egg wash over the top pastry, don’t fuss here, just get most of it painted. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the top.

Bake on the center rack of the oven. You may have to place a baking sheet under the pie if it over spills so it doesn’t get burning sugar on the bottom of your oven, that’s no fun. Bake until the center of the pie is bubbling, 55-70 minutes. Depending on how your apples cooked to start with, this could take more or less time, check after about 50 minutes.

Let cool completely to set up the filling. Although we never do this and just eat the pie scorchingly hot with vanilla ice cream so it all melts together and basically makes soup.

Brownies