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A Step-by-step Guide To The Perfect Apple Pie

A step-by-step guide to the perfect apple pie

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By Janet Loehrke

A step-by-step guide to the perfect apple pie

Did you know National Apple Pie Day is on May 13th?

CHOOSING THE RIGHT APPLE

Have you ever heard that saying "it's easy as pie"? Well, it really is that easy. Here are the basic steps to bake your own pie from scratch: 

The thought of making an apple pie from scratch can seem intimidating, but it's easier than you might think. 

Fuji

Sweet, juicy and firm. Best for: Pie filling and tarts. The slices hold their shape.

Honeycrisp

Firm, with a crisp, sweet taste. Best for: Eating raw or use in cakes and pies.

Pink Lady

Firm with a crisp, sweet-tart taste. Best for: Eating raw or use in cakes and pies.

Granny Smith

Firm with a crisp, tart taste. Best for: Eating raw or use in cakes and pies. 2 cups flour1 teaspoon salt3/4 cup shortening1/3 cup ice water  Crust ingredients Making the pie crust

Be sure to keep your hands and the ingredients cool. The less you mix the mixture, the flakier the crust will be.

The foundation of a pie is as important as the filling. There are only four ingredients, so it's an easy task. 

Tools for making the apple pie

Mixing bowls 

Paring knife and cutting board

Rolling pin 

Pastry blender

Measuring cup and spoons

Pie plate or tin 

1

2

Measure shortening, then add to flour and salt mixture. Combine.

Add flour to a large bowl, then add the salt and mix.

3

Add ice water a tablespoon at a time and mix together.

4

Fold the dough into a ball. Cut it in half and cover separately in plastic wrap. Chill in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

6 to 9 apples (4 cups)1 cup sugar *1/2 teaspoon cinnamon1/4 teaspoon nutmeg1 teaspoon lemon juice2 tablespoons cornstarch Filling ingredients Prepping the apples and making the filling

They will taste so much better then the precooked, store-bought filling. Put on some holiday music and begin.

Homemade pie filling is easy to make, it just takes a little patience when cutting and slicing the apples.

1

2

In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, corn starch, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix.

Cut apple into quarters. Peel away skin, cut away center and slice apple into wedges.

3

4

Cover with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator while crust is prepared for filling.

Combine mixture with apples.

Time to assemble!

Roll out the crust and pile in the apple filling. Dust your hands with flour to prevent the dough from sticking. And pile those apples high, they will reduce in size while baking.

1

2

Peel off the top layer of wax paper. Place pie plate on top of crust. Slide your hand under the wax paper and crust and flip rightside up. Carefully peel away wax paper.

Place one half of the dough between two pieces of wax paper. Roll out dough until it is about 1/8 inch thick, making it little bigger than the pie plate

3

4

Pinch edges around the pie to seal in filling. Cut small slits into the top to allow the steam to escape. You can be creative and cut leaves with the extra dough and place on top of pie. 

Add apple filling to pie shell. Repeat Step 1. Add a little milk along edge of pie. Place crust on top of pie. Trim excess dough from pie edge.

Baking the apple pie

Tip: Put some aluminum foil on the bottom rack of the oven to catch any drippings that might overflow from the pie.

Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour, 15 minutes or until the pie appears golden brown and apple juices bubble out through steam slits.

Let it cool for a few hours. This will allow the filling to thicken, which will prevent it from pooling after it is sliced.

For more visual explainers, visit USATODAY.Com

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Sweet And Tart Deep Dish Apple Pie Recipe

While this sweet and tart deep-dish apple pie isn't quite a mile high, recipe developer Patterson Watkins quips that it will "literally elevate your apple pie game." This recipe calls for you to layer three different kinds of apples in a buttery flaky crust sprinkled with coarse sugar, resulting in a pie that's tart-sweet and tender-crisp. Although this pie would make a great addition to a summer picnic, spiced cooked apples are always welcome in the fall and winter months, and this deep-dish pie makes for a comforting and delicious dessert on a cold evening, especially with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of lightly whipped cream.

You won't need a deep dish pie pan as long as you have a springform pan, which makes for a visually interesting presentation since you'll be able to unmold an intact pie. Watkins feels that the crust in this recipe, while it was designed to be strong enough to support the pie, still manages to have "superior flake and flavor." The real flavor, however, comes from the filling, which she describes as being "well-balanced thanks to the apple trio and aromatic baking spices and orange zest." Watkins includes a spice that you don't find in every apple pie recipe, but as she tells us, "I love the addition of cardamom because it adds warmth and unmatched aromatics."

Read more: 12 Popular Ice Cream Brands, Ranked Worst To Best

Gather The Ingredients For The Sweet And Tart Deep Dish Apple Pie

apple pie ingredients - Patterson Watkins/Mashed

The dough for this apple pie is made with flour, salt, sugar, butter, and shortening, while the filling is made of a mixture of red, green, and yellow apples flavored with vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, and the zest and juice from an orange. Watkins likes to finish off her pie with an egg wash, for which you will, of course, need an egg. She also sprinkles it with coarse sugar before it goes into the oven.

Step 1: Mix The Dry Ingredients For The Dough

flour in metal bowl - Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Place 3 cups flour, ½ teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl and whisk to combine.

Step 2: Cut In The Butter And Shortening

bowl of flour and butter - Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Add the chilled butter and shortening to the bowl and cut into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or fork, creating pea-sized pieces.

Step 3: Stir In The Water

pie dough in bowl - Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Add the ice water and stir, creating a shaggy dough.

Step 4: Knead The Dough

pie dough on countertop - Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Knead a couple of times, just until the dough roughly holds together.

Step 5: Chill The Dough

pie dough in plastic wrap - Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap, form into a rough ball, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Step 6: Reserve Dough For The Top

two pieces of pie dough - Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap, and remove ⅓ (this will be for the top crust). Wrap the portioned piece in plastic and return it to the refrigerator.

Step 7: Roll Out The Pie Crust

pie dough rolled flat - Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Dust a clean work surface with flour and roll out the larger dough portion into a large circle.

Step 8: Put The Piecrust In A Springform Pan

pie crust in pan - Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Carefully transfer the rolled dough to a 9-inch springform pan, gently pressing the dough into the bottom and sides.

Step 9: Trim And Chill The Pie Crust

pie crust in pan - Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Trim off the excess dough and place the pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the top crust.

Step 10: Roll Out The Remaining Pie Crust

pie crust on countertop - Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Sprinkle a little more flour on your work surface and roll the remaining dough portion into a large circle (a little larger in diameter than your springform pan).

Step 11: Refrigerate The Top Crust

pie crust rolled into cylinder - Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Sandwich the dough between two sheets of wax paper, roll it into a cylinder and place it in the refrigerator.

Step 12: Put The Apples In A Bowl

sliced apples in bowl - Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Place the sliced apples in a large bowl.

Step 13: Stir In The Rest Of The Filling Ingredients

sliced apples with seasonings - Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Add the orange juice, vanilla, ⅓ cup flour, ¾ cup sugar, orange zest, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves, stir to coat and combine. Set aside to rest for 15 minutes.

Step 14: Preheat The Oven

oven temperature gauge - Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Preheat the oven to 400 F and place a rack in the lower center of the oven (you want plenty of clearance for your deep dish pie).

Step 15: Put The Apple Filling In The Crust

sliced apples in pie crust - Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Once the apples have rested, remove the pan from the refrigerator, place it on a large baking sheet, and fill it with the apple mixture (liquid and all). Spread out in an even layer.

Step 16: Put The Top Crust On The Pie

unbaked pie in pan - Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Remove the top crust from the refrigerator, unroll it, and drape it over the pan.

Step 17: Trim The Pie Crust

unbaked pie in pan - Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Gently press the crust to conform to the top of the pie and trim away any excess.

Step 18: Crimp The Pie Crust

unbaked pie in pan - Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Crimp the edges together, making sure not to overlap the lip of the pan.

Step 19: Slice Some Vents Into The Crust

unbaked pie in pan - Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Cut 4 slits in the top of the crust (for the air to escape).

Step 20: Apply The Egg Wash

unbaked pie in pan - Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Brush the crust evenly with egg wash made from one beaten egg.

Step 21: Top The Pie With Sugar

unbaked pie in pan - Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Sprinkle the top of the crust evenly with the coarse sugar.

Step 22: Bake The Pie

baked pie in pan - Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Rotate the pan, drape the pie with foil (if necessary, to prevent dark spots), and bake for another 30 minutes or until cooked through and golden.

Step 23: Cool The Pie

pie on table with apples - Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 3 hours before slicing and serving.

Why Are There 3 Kinds Of Apples In This Pie?

pie with apples - Patterson Watkins/Mashed

While Watkins uses three different colors of apples in this pie, their visual appeal is at its strongest before they are baked. All apples tend to turn a beige color once cooked, but in this pie, the variety of apples adds to the overall appeal of the pie due to the contrasting flavors and textures. The varying levels of tartness of each type of apple will contribute to the distinctive sweet-tart flavor that makes this pie special, and the apples will break down at different rates during the baking process, resulting in a more interesting texture.

Watkins admits that though she knows that Granny Smiths are "the go-to pie apple," she finds them "too dang tart," and she feels that " ... They fall short on what you can achieve in terms of superior apple aromatics and flavor." She does use them in her pie but explains "I like bringing other apple varieties along for the ride." In her opinion, the best types of apples for baking along with the slightly sour Granny Smiths include red apples such as Fuji, Honeycrisp, or Gala, which she describes as having "a honey sweetness." She also favors the inclusion of Golden Delicious apples, which temper the tartness of the Granny Smiths and add what she calls an "aromatic pop."

Should Pie Apples Be Peeled Or Unpeeled?

apple pie on white plate - Patterson Watkins/Mashed

To peel or not to peel? When making an apple pie, this is a matter of individual preference. Some cooks are adamant that peeling apples for pie is de rigueur. Others, however, don't mind the added bit of fiber and Watkins is definitely in the latter camp. She calls apple peels magic, and explains, "One, I don't want to create more work for myself. And, two, there is so much untapped flavor in apple peels. They make apples taste more like apples."

The main issue with apple peels in pie is a matter of texture. The peeled apples-only camp feels that fruit in a filling should meld together smoothly, and the inclusion of peels means that the slices will remain more distinct. Watkins, however, says that apple slices that remain more intact add to the deep dish pie's structural integrity. This is especially advantageous in a deep-dish pie as such a thick layer of soft apple might become too mushy. Ultimately, however, it's up to you to choose whether you do or don't want apple peels in your pie. Peeling the apples will, of course, add a few more minutes to the pie's prep time. Watkins advises that if you want to peel your apples you should slice them a little thicker so they don't break down so quickly while baking.

Sweet And Tart Deep Dish Apple Pie Recipe

pie with napkin and apples - Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Prep Time: 4h 30mCook Time: 1hYield: 8 SlicesIngredients

:::For the dough:::

3 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) butter, chilled

8 tablespoons vegetable shortening, chilled

⅓ to ½ cup ice water

‌:::For the filling:::

3 cups sliced red apples (about 2 apples)

3 cups sliced green apples (about 2 apples)

3 cups sliced yellow apples (about 2 apples)

3 tablespoons orange juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

⅓ cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons orange zest

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

:::To finish:::

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon coarse sugar

Directions

Place 3 cups flour, ½ teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl and whisk to combine.

Add the chilled butter and shortening to the bowl and cut into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or fork, creating pea-sized pieces.

Add the ice water and stir, creating a shaggy dough.

Knead a couple of times, just until the dough roughly holds together.

Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap, form into a rough ball, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap, and remove ⅓ (this will be for the top crust). Wrap the portioned piece in plastic and return it to the refrigerator.

Dust a clean work surface with flour and roll out the larger dough portion into a large circle.

Carefully transfer the rolled dough to a 9-inch springform pan, gently pressing the dough into the bottom and sides.

Trim off the excess dough and place the pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the top crust.

Sprinkle a little more flour on your work surface and roll the remaining dough portion into a large circle (a little larger in diameter than your springform pan).

Sandwich the dough between two sheets of wax paper, roll it into a cylinder and place it in the refrigerator.

Place the sliced apples in a large bowl.

Add the orange juice, vanilla, ⅓ cup flour, ¾ cup sugar, orange zest, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves, stir to coat and combine. Set aside to rest for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 F and place a rack in the lower center of the oven (you want plenty of clearance for your deep dish pie).

Once the apples have rested, remove the pan from the refrigerator, place it on a large baking sheet, and fill it with the apple mixture (liquid and all). Spread out in an even layer.

Remove the top crust from the refrigerator, unroll it, and drape it over the pan.

Gently press the crust to conform to the top of the pie and trim away any excess.

Crimp the edges together, making sure not to overlap the lip of the pan.

Cut 4 slits in the top of the crust (for the air to escape).

Brush the crust evenly with egg wash made from one beaten egg.

Sprinkle the top of the crust evenly with the coarse sugar.

Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Rotate the pan, drape the pie with foil (if necessary, to prevent dark spots), and bake for another 30 minutes or until cooked through and golden.

Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 3 hours before slicing and serving.

Read the original article on Mashed.

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Apple Pie

There has been something missing from the winning apple recipes that have been running in Bite — my mile-high apple pie. This pie is a staff favourite at the restaurants. We usually have a lot of pastry left over from our tarte tatin at Depot and this is a great way to use it.

I have a few tips when it comes to my apple pie:

1 If possible, don't put the apples in water, this can dilute the flavour and also make the filling a little sloppy.

2 Pre-cook the filling over a very high heat. Reducing the juices that the apples release with brown sugar before baking means the pie is filled to the brim with epic amounts of apple and the base doesn't get too soggy.

3 Use up to three different varieties of apple — granny smith for tartness, braeburn for body and a softer apple that will break down and thicken the filling, such as ambrosia or jazz. I suggest you serve this pie "a la mode" with scoops of vanilla icecream, while the pie is still warm.

Ingredients 3 kgs Apples, mixed (Main) 75 g Butter, diced 200 g Sugar 60 g Brown sugar 100 g Raisins 500 g Flaky pastry, packet Paneton pre-rolled sheets (Main) 1 Egg, beaten 1 Tbsp Caster sugar Directions

Peel, core and cut the apples into chunks (eighths).

Cook the apples in a heavy-based saucepan with the butter over a very high heat for 5 minutes. (Reducing and evaporating any apple liquid so the pie base remains crisp when baked.)

Add sugars and raisins and stir well, continuing to cook for 10-15 minutes over high heat. The apple should begin to soften and the juices become very reduced and dry.

Pour cooked filling into a bowl and allow to cool. Then refrigerate while you prepare the pastry.

Preheat a thick oven tray in a 200C oven.

Cut the pastry sheet in half. Using a 24cm pie dish as a guide, cut roll out one half and cut it into a round 2cm larger than the dish. Set aside.

Roll the other half out until it is big enough to line the pie dish, pushing it into the corners and allowing the excess pastry to hang over the side of the pie dish.

Spoon in all the chilled apple pie filling. It should fill it well above the pastry line, smooth it into a dome-like shape with a spatula.

Using egg wash as glue, stick the pastry lid to the over hanging pastry base and squeeze together firmly.

Using scissors, cut around where the two pastries join.

Fold the pastry under itself, and squeeze together firmly. Score the top of the pie to allow steam to escape.

Bake on the preheated oven tray for 30 minutes, then brush the pastry with some egg wash and sprinkle over the caster sugar.

Bake for a further 10 minutes, then allow to cool for an hour before serving to allow filling to thicken.

Kyle Street, executive chef at Depot Eatery & Oyster Bar and Federal Delicatessen, is an avid lover of street food. He takes a playful approach to cooking — for him it is all about provenance, big flavours and, most importantly, respecting his ingredients.Find more of Kyle's recipes here.

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