Apple Pie

Thirsty? Have a flavored water..infused with lemon and strawberries with some ice cubes.  A great thirst quencher on a hot day..and a great drink to wash down a great tasting apple pie! Yumm yumm!

You know, I have many recipe books with all types of pies and tarts.  Be it savory or sweet on puff pastry, sweet pastry, raised pie pastry, short crust etc..I have them all.  I took out my recipe book, virtually picturing the flow of the process in making a pie, then I put it back and there goes..end up not doing any due to laziness.  But yet, want to bake something, then took out the recipe book again and select the most easiest of pies to make..yup, you guessed it..none other than the classic can-never-go-wrong Apple Pie!  So now, I can proudly say that 'I've baked a pie!'.  

I know that for many of you, baking a pie is nothing but for me, it's a BIG thing! To be frank, I'm not so in-to with dough although I love eating bread, tarts, pies etc.  The thought of working the dough that puts me off most times.  So, finally work up on the laziness, rolled up the sleeves, I'm ready to roll.  And I'm glad I did.

However, you will see that my pie is kinda shallow.  It's not that I'm stingy with the filling, it's just that it's not planned in advance. I used up whatever apples left in my fridge.  But the recipe which I'm sharing with you should give you a decent size filling.

Here's how:

Pastry Dough for 2-crust pie: (preparation: 15 mins plus chilling)

2 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup cold butter cut into pieces

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

4-6 tbsp ice water

1. In large bowl, combine flour and salt. With pastry blender or 2 knives, using scissor-fashion, cut in butter and shortening until mixture resembles course crumbs.

2. Sprinkle in ice water, 1 tbsp at a time, mixing lightly with fork after each addition until dough is just moist enough to hold together.

3. Shape dough into 2 disks, one slightly larger than the other, wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 mins or up to overnight. (If chilled overnight, let stand 30 mins at room temperature before rolling).

Pie Filling:

Pastry dough for 2-crust pie

2/3 cup sugar

2 tbsp all purpose flour

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

3 pounds cooing apples (9 medium), peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp butter cut into pieces

1. Pre-heat oven to 200dC, in large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. Add apples and lemon juice; gently toss to combine.

2. On lightly floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll larger disk of dough onto 9-inch pie plate. Spoon filling into crust; dot with butter.  Roll out remaining disk of dough; cut center circle and 1 inch slits to allow steam to escape during baking. Place over filling and make decorative edge.

3. Place pie on foil-lined cookie sheet to catch any overflow during baking. Bake 20 mins. Turn oven control to 160dC; bake until filling bubbles in center, about 1 hour longer. If necessary, cover pie loosely with foil during last 20 mins of baking to prevent over browning. Cool on wire rack. Can serve warm or completely cooled.

Makes 10 servings.