The Best Apple Pie

Yesterday was my oldest son’s last day at home so I asked him if he would like for me to make him a Chicken Pot Pie or an Apple Pie, and he decided on Apple Pie. I was really cutting it short because I started the pie at 1 pm and we had to leave the house by 3:30, be at the airport by 5:30 for his 6:30 flight. I gathered my ingredients as fast as I could and hoped I wouldn’t mess up. I knew that if the pie wouldn't come out right it would be my fault and not the recipe itself because I always use the one that I got from a friend who is a baker and it’s the best ever. Here I am mixing the pie dough. I always add the same amount of water, no more, no less and it’s always perfect. You can find the recipe on the bottom of this post.

I sprinkled some flour on the table, which by the way is very old and has had lot’s of cookies dough,pie dough, and tortillas rolled out on. I love that table. Anyway, I always use a rolling pin sock other wise the dough would stick to the rolling pin and that’s not cool. I roll out the dough about one inch bigger than the pie plate. If you use this recipe I promise you’ll never have another pie dough sticking to your rolling surface again. Just add very little flour on the bottom of the dough every once in a while.I always fold the dough in half before placing it on the plate. It’s easier to get it centered that way. I just make sure there are no air bubbles on the bottom by gently pressing the dough with my fingers all over the dough once it’s on the plate. Remember, the dough for the bottom is always bigger so you can turn the sides onto the top dough.

I then place all the apple slices onto the dough making sure I get every little last drop of the juicy syrup that the apples create. I’m allergic to cinnamon so I only add nutmeg to the apple, but you can add whatever spices you like for example: cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, or whatever you prefer.

I flour the bottom of the ball of dough and roll it out just big enough to cover the top of the apple slices.Once the top dough is rolled out I fold it in half and place the center on the center of the apples.

Once the top dough is on the apples I seal the top and bottom edges together so the juices from the apples won’t seep out.I brush egg white on all the top and sides then add about two tablespoons of granulated sugar on top. I don’t like a plain pie top so that’s why I add the sugar. I place some foil paper under the pie plate when I place it in the oven to catch any juice that might accidently come out. But I don’t make vents on the top of my pies so that doesn’t happen to often. I just prefer a round top.You can make air vents so the steam can escape which will also give you a flatter top.

This is what the pie looks like once it’s done. I always let it cool for a while so the syrup and apples have a chance to settle and not run out as soon and you cut into it.

Here is the end result. This is such a good pie especially when there’s the extra ingredient of love. my son loved the pie and had a big slice before we left for the airport. I thank my baker friend every time I make a pie.

Apple Mixture

5 Golden Delicious apples peeled and sliced 1/4 thick.

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoon all purpose flour

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

1 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter cut up

granulated sugar for top

Pie dough for a two crust pie

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3 tablespoons granulated sugar (optional)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 sticks cold unsalted butter cut up

3 tablespoons very cold shortening

1 egg yolk set egg white aside for glazing top of pie

1 tablespoon white vinegar

5 tablespoons ice water or more if your dough is very dry

Mix together flour, sugar, salt, egg yolk and vinegar. Add butter and shortening and cut into the dry ingredients until crumbly. Add water and knead into a ball just until all the mixture is incorporated. Divide into two balls in for the top and one for the bottom making sure the ball for the bottom is bigger. Roll out bigger ball of dough and lay onto the bottom of the pie plate. Add apple mix into dough covered pie plate and then roll out second ball of dough and seal edges. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with sugar.