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Apple: All-Season Apple Pie

Source of Recipe

Christopher Kimball


Recipe Introduction

If you are making this pie during the fall apple season, when many local varieties may be available, follow the recipe below using Macoun, Royal Gala, Empire, Winesap, Rhode Island Greening or Cortland apples. These are well-balanced apples, unlike Granny Smith, and work well on their own without thickeners or the addition of McIntosh. Placing the pie on a baking sheet in the oven inhibits cooking, so cover the bottom of the oven with a sheet of aluminum foil to catch a dripping juices. The pie is best eaten when cooled almost to room temperature, or even the next day.

List of Ingredients

Pie Dough
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
12 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
8 tablespoons chilled all-vegetable shortening
6-8 tablespoons ice water

Apple Filling
2 pounds Granny Smith (4 medium) and 2 pounds McIntosh (4 medium) apples (about 8 cups sliced)
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons juice and 1 teaspoon zest from one medium lemon
1/4teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1 egg white, beaten lightly




Recipe

1. Pulse flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor workbowl fitted with the steel blade. Add butter and pulse to mix in five 1-second bursts. Add shortening and continue pulsing until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal, four or five more 1-second pulses. Turn mixture into medium bowl. (To do this by hand, freeze the butter and shortening, grate it into the flour using the large holes of a box grater, and rub the flour-coated pieces between your fingers for a minute until the flour turns pale yellow and coarse.)

2. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons ice water over mixture. Press mixture together with broad side of rubber spatula, adding up to 2 tablespoons more ice water if dough will not hold together. Squeeze dough gently until cohesive and divide into two equal balls. Flatten each into a 4-inch-wide disk. Dust lightly with flour, wrap separately in plastic, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days, before rolling.

3. Remove dough from refrigerator. If stiff and very cold, let stand until dough is cool but malleable. Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 425 degrees.

4. Roll one dough disk on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle. Fold dough in quarters, then place dough point in center of 9-inch Pyrex regular or deep dish pie pan. Unfold dough.

5. Gently press dough into sides of pan leaving portion that overhangs lip of pie plate in place. Refrigerate while preparing fruit.

6. Peel, core, and cut apples into 1/2-to-3/4-inch slices and toss with 3/4 cup sugar and lemon juice and zest through allspice. Turn fruit mixture, including juices, into chilled pie shell and mound slightly in center. Roll out other dough round and place over filling. Trim top and bottom edges to 1/2 inch beyond pan lip. Tuck this rim of dough underneath itself so that folded edge is flush with pan lip. Flute edging or press with fork tines to seal. Cut four slits at right angles on dough top. Brush egg white onto top of crust and sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.

7. Bake until top crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees; continue baking until juices bubble and crust is deep golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes longer. Transfer pie to wire rack; cool to almost room temperature, at least 4 hours.

APPLE PIE WITH CRYSTALLIZED GINGER

Follow master recipe for Classic Apple Pie, adding 3 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger to apple mixture.

APPLE PIE WITH DRIED FRUIT

Macerate 1 cup raisins, dried sweet cherries, or dried cranberries in the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon Apple Jack, brandy, or cognac. Follow master recipe for Classic Apple Pie, adding macerated dried fruit and liquid to apple mixture.

APPLE PIE WITH FRESH CRANBERRIES

Follow master recipe for Classic Apple Pie, increasing sugar to 1 cup and adding 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries to apple mixture.