I make an apple pie that is to die for. Neither Mrs. Smith nor Marie Callendar can come close to this apple pie. It's baked slowly with a lot of butter and sugar and it caramelizes the apples. I haven't made it in a while because I live alone now and don't have anyone to share it with but I plan on making one again this Thanksgiving just because I feel so good. After I make it, I'll post a picture. Oh yeah, I've won an award with it.
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8-12 Cameo Apples (depending on size) - Fujis or other baking apples will work,too
Bottled Lemon Juice
1 cup + ½ cup + 1/3 cup Granulated Sugar
Cinnamon
2 sticks of real Butter, approximately
Crisco Classic Pie Crust Ingredients for a 9-10 inch Deep Dish Pie Plate
2 2/3 cups unbleached All Purpose Flour
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1 chilled Crisco Shortening stick or 1 cup chilled Crisco Shortening
6-8 tbls ice cold water
few cubes of ice
Directions for the Filling
Because this pie bakes for a long time, the apples will cook down more than the average apple pie. When filling the shell, the apple slices should be heaped about 3 inches above the top of the pie plate to insure that the top crust doesn't sink by the time it is fully baked. Apples bought in the fall and winter are usually larger due to being a fresh crop. Apples purchased in the summer tend to be smaller and more of them are needed to make a great looking pie.
Core and peel the apples, then slice into approximate ½ inch slices – thinner or a little fatter is fine. As each apple is sliced, place it into a large bowl of water that has had about a half cup of lemon juice added to it to prevent the apples from turning brown. As the bowl fills, stir the slices to ensure they all are covered.
When finished slicing, drain the apples in a colander but leaving them wet and return to the bowl. Add one cup of granulated sugar to the apple slices and sprinkle with about 2 tbls of ground cinnamon-just enough to provide just a hint of flavor and color. Stir the sugar and cinnamon throughout the apples and set aside while you make the crust, occasionally stirring them to distribute the flavors evenly.
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Blend the flour and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Cut the Crisco into the flour mixture using a pastry blender in an up and down chopping motion until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs and small pea-sized pieces. Fill a small bowl with cool water (filtered, if available) and add the ice. The flakiness of the crust depends on the water being as cold as possible. Add the first 4 tablespoons of water (avoid the ice) over the flour mixture and stir into it using a fork to distribute the moisture evenly. Then add more chilled water 1 tablespoon at a time and mix until the dough is moist enough to hold together when pressed together. I have found that for me, seven tablespoons is ideal.
Shape the dough into a large ball, working in any moisture remaining on the bottom. No need to flour your hands for this. Then, divide the dough into 2 balls of equal size. Because of heaped apples, a larger surface area is needed for the top crust. Before rolling, flatten each ball into a ½ inch thick round disk.
Personally, I roll the dough between sheets of wax paper instead of on a floured surface to avoid any additional flour getting added into the dough and changing the texture of my finished crust. Parchment paper is equally as good and comes in a bigger sheet. The paper can then just be peeled off the top and placed over the pie plate as desired, then peel off the other side. Or, roll out on a lightly floured surface.
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