Man do I love apple pie! I'm actually more of a pie filling kinda person--not so much a crust fan, although on this pie I did enjoy eating the top crust. Pies are relatively new territory for me, so I'll count this one as a good learning experience. With a little tweaking my next pie should be...perfection. And now, for the first time ever, I've decided to go ahead and share recipes. (gasp!) I made some adaptations to Alton Brown's Super Apple Pie, but for the most part I stuck to it. Didn't make the crust (too lazy and like I said, not a crust fan so I turned to the Doughboy for help), made some substitutions, and an omission. I'm not buying a whole container of apple cider so I can have 1 tablespoon for the filling. Just not gonna do it. Look up the recipe if you wanna see the original.I should also add that this recipe takes longer to prepare than most other apple pie recipes, but trust me, it's worth it. You're not "supposed" to cut into it for at least 4 hours. Longest wait ever. Best to make it at night so you can have pie for breakfast. Either that or bake it and then go somewhere for 4 hours while it cools down. What's that, you say? Pie for breakfast? Sure, why not! Eight apples went into the pie, and if you slice it into 8 pieces, that's like a whole apple per serving. And who said pie wasn't a nutritious snack? ;) Have fun!
Apple Pie (version 1.0)
3 to 3.5 pounds of mixed apples: (about 8 my fist-sized apples) I used 2 each: Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Fuji, and Braeburn
1/2 cup sugar, divided
3 Tbl. flour
1 Tbl. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. apple pie spice
2 Tbl. apple jelly
1 Tbl. water
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
1 pkg. refrigerated Pillsbury pie crust
- Peel and core the apples, then slice into 1/2" thick wedges. (I cut each apple into 12 slices) Toss the apples in 1/4 cup sugar, place in a colander set over a large bowl and allow to drain for 90 minutes. Cover the colander with plastic wrap, and stir the apples once or twice for evenness.
- When apples are done draining, transfer the drained liquid into a small saucepan and reduce over medium heat until about 2 Tablespoons remain. Set aside to cool.
- Preheat oven to 425 deg. F.
- Combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar, flour, cornstarch, salt, and apple pie spice until evenly mixed, then toss with the apples. Whisk apple jelly, water, and lime juice until smooth and add to apples. Toss to combine.
- Unroll one pie crust and place into a 9" deep pie pan. Begin layering the apples into the crust, arranging them so the curved part of the apple is in line with the curve of the pan. Continue layering apples in pan, building up a mound in center. Pour any liquid that remains in the bowl over the apples. Cover with second crust; seal and flute the edges. Cut some steam vents. Brush top of pie (but not the edges) with the reduced apple liquid from step 2.
- Place your pie on a foil-lined, RIMMED baking sheet and bake on the oven floor** for 30 minutes. Transfer to the lowest rack in the oven and continue baking for an additional 20 minutes.
- Cool on a wire rack for a minimum of 4 hours. (Hardest part!!!)
- Eat it. Preferably with ice cream. And smile, dang it! That was some good pie!
- Things I would do differently next time:
- Seek out and find tapioca flour. Flour + cornstarch = weird look. See below.
- Pie could use a little more sugar. Or use sweeter apples.
- Omit lime juice and apple jelly? Do I really need them?
- Don't use a bottom crust. Hey, now I can make 2 pies.
- Cut better steam vents. You can see in the top photo that I cut a hole in the top, but little x's in the rest of the crust. Apparently the x's didn't help much because by the end of the baking time the entire top circle of crust had broken free and was floating above a layer of bubbling hot apple pie magma. More holes next time.
