Classic Apple Pie
Source: Lenore Estrada & Anna Derivi-Castellanos, Three Babes Bakeshop
Recipe Type: Desserts | Seasons: Autumn
This recipe was demonstrated for CUESA’s Market to Table program on October 25, 2014.
Makes 1 pie
INGREDIENTS
Dough
1 stick plus 1 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the plate
⅓ cup ice water
1½ teaspoons vinegar
1½ teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoons salt
1½ cups flour
Cream or egg wash for baking
Coarse sugar for sprinkling
Filling
2½ pounds washed, cored, and thinly sliced apples (Gravensteins, Jonathans, Granny Smiths, Pippins, Pink Ladies—any good baking apple that’s in season. Ask your farmer!)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¾ cup sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
PREPARATION
For the crust:
1. Cut the butter into ½-inch cubes and place in the freezer.
2. Combine the water, vinegar, sugar, and salt and stir until dissolved; place in the freezer to chill.
3. Measure the flour into a chilled bowl.
4. Remove the butter from the freezer and, using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingers, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Use your hands to break up any large pieces of butter.
5. Sprinkle the flour and butter with the water and vinegar mixture, a little at a time, tossing the mixture at first and then pressing together with your hands, until the dough just comes together. Pat into a disk, wrap with plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour in the fridge.
6. Butter a pie plate. Then use a rolling pin to roll out the dough and fit it into the buttered pie plate. Trim the excess edge of the dough so that the overhang barely touches the counter. Save the trimmings, and form them into a square or rectangular disc. Wrap the disc of dough in plastic wrap, and chill both the bottom shell and the disc of scraps for at least 30 minutes.
7. Once chilled, roll out the disc of scraps into a rectangular shape and cut strips of lattice for the top crust.
8. Chill on a sheet pan in the fridge or freezer until ready to use.
For the filling:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Upon prepping the apples, sprinkle the lemon juice over the slices to prevent browning.
3. Mix the flour, sugar, spices, and salt together and add to the apple slices.
4. Mix the lemon zest and butter into the apple mixture.
5. Add the apple mixture to a baking dish and bake for approximately 10 minutes until the apples are barely fork-tender. Mix and cool completely. (Note: make sure not to over-bake the apples!)
To assemble:
1. Spoon the cooled apple filling into the shell.
2. Weave the strips of lattice over the top of the filling. Trim the overhang of the lattice strips, and roll the edge of the bottom crust tightly up around the pie, so that the lattice and bottom crust become one rope that rests on top of the pie plate’s edge. Press the outer crust between two knuckles of one hand and the thumb or index finger of the other to flute.
3. Brush all exposed crust with cream or egg wash, and sprinkle liberally with coarse sugar.
4. If the pastry has gotten a bit warm from fluting and weaving the lattice, place it into the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
6. Bake on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper for 15 minutes, then rotate and reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 45 to 50 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
7. Allow to cool and serve with vanilla ice cream!
Farmers Market Ingredients