Original Sin Apple Pie

[invisionary]

Inspired by the previous post on wheat-free crusts, here's something for those of you who don't have dietary restrictions (but might find yourself diabetic after eating this!). This recipe is adapted from an old version of the Joy of Cooking and uses a butter crust instead of a lard crust. This recipe makes two 9-inch pies.

The prep time for this recipe is 60-90 minutes, but if you have a partner you can split many of the tasks and get it done sooner.



For the crust, you will need:
4 cups flour (I often use 50/50 wheat and white)
2 1/2 sticks soft butter
4 tbsp cooking oil (canola or other vegetable)
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup water

Mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer or hand mix until the consistency of the mixture is generally uniform. Divide the dough in half (for each pie), and divide it again, with one half slightly larger and the other. Take the slightly larger halves and use them as the base of your pie crust. This dough is excellent for hand-pinching into your pie plate. Be careful around the bottom edge to get a consistent thickness of the dough - dough likes to collect there. Set the remaining dough aside - you'll use this to make the top crust later.

Peel and cut six medium-sized apples or five large apples. I personally prefer Empire or Macintosh, but most varieties work. Slice them to your preference, but keep in mind that the apples will slightly shrink in baking. A good way to tell if you have enough apple is to put it in the pies as you cut them up. They should be about level with the top of the pie plate. Taller is okay if you like a really stuffed pie, but note that it may make putting the pie top on more difficult (as the apples may poke holes in it).

Preheat your oven to 450 F.

Next, create the filling mixture. Combine the following ingredients in a small bowl:
1 cup sugar (feel free to experiment with type. I prefer sucanat or other less refined cane sugars.)
2 tbsp corn starch (for thickening)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp clove

Note, allspice is not an acceptable substitute when making pastries IMO. Adjust the above as follows depending on the following:
If your apples are particularly tart, add an extra 1/2 cup sugar.
If your apples are particularly moist, add an extra tbsp corn starch.

Divide the mixture between the two pies equally, coating the apples as evenly as possible. Then sprinkle the following over the open top of the pies (evenly again):
1/2 stick melted butter
1/4 cup vanilla, rum, or other liqueur of choice

Now, make the pie tops. This is best done with a rolling pin. Once the pie top is in place, pinch it into the edges of the pie for best effect. Poke holes into the top - I like to use a serving fork for this, but most anything will do. To make this pie more sinful, sprinkle maple sugar and cinnamon over the top of the pie before baking.

Bake the pies at 450 F for 10 minutes. At that point lower the temperature to 350 F and continue baking for another 35-45 minutes. Let them cool and enjoy as-is or with whipped cream if you really want to give yourself a coronary!

Comments

[zarhooie]

I WANT PIE.

[janinedog]

Test!