Tutorial: Traditional Apple Pie

In a matter of hours, my dad will be here visiting for the next couple of days. Yesterday I agonized over this apple pie: should I pre-cook the filling and then make the pie on Sunday or should I just bake the pie right now? I do not like to bake under pressure so I made the pie yesterday and it is still in one piece so I can not vouch for the flavours yet but I have made both the filling and the pie crusts before, just not together. I was so impressed with Christine Cushing’s Pecan Pie crust when I did this tutorial on how to make a pecan pie I decided to use it for an apple pie. Although I do not know Sandi Anderson from the U.S. Food Network, I do like her simple approach to the traditional apple pie filling, you can find her recipe here.

When Christine made her crust for her pecan pie on TV she used the food processor so that is what I did again. I had a lot to do yesterday and had success last time so why not? Because I needed a top and bottom layer, I did two separate batches of crusts and took the dough out at this point where it is just about to come together. I put the dough in plastic wrap and let it chill for two hours.

Then I made the filling. I am very picky about my apples in my apple pie. I do not like hard apples in a pie, I would eat them mushy if I had a choice. Instead of cutting them the traditionally length-wise shape, I again cut them in half so the pieces would be smaller increasing the chances they will be cooked all the way through. Sandi’s approach to ingredients is great: sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, flour and butter. Simple and delicious. Definitely classic flavours, I love that.

This is what you do not want to have happen when you roll out your dough. It happens to everyone! Although not to me in a very, very long time. I think I whacked the dough with the rolling pin too fast and hard and it started to split on me. The good thing about the bottom layer is it can be imperfect. I just kept putting it together with my hands and worked the dough more gently.

UPDATE: I got this email from Poledra: …if your pastry is cracking when you are rolling it out it means The pastry is too cold. If you let it sit for 5 min it Will stop cracking ( it’s a délicate balance-too warm and it sticks, too cold and it cracks). Just keep popping it inand out of The fridge as you roll and it goes fine

I did not know that! That explains why the second batch of pastry rolled out just fine! Thanks Poledra!

You put the filling in, top with some pats of butter and see? The failed crust looks fine.

For the top I was totally worried that I would have the same problem and that the crust would just crumble apart. I floured the board and rolling pin well, I gently smacked the disk as I carefully turned the disk in circles and it took a while but look! It worked just fine.

I like adding an eggwash and a combination of sugar and cinnamon to the top of the pie for a little extra spice and crunch.

When you put the pie in the over put it on a baking sheet covered in aluminum foil for you do not spent an hour scrubbing the apple caramel goo off the sheet like I did yesterday!

The pie looks fantastic! I can not wait to eat it tonight after our crockpot roast beef dinner!