With the first fall breeze, I think of the orchard and apple pie. I love warm apple pie topped with vanilla ice cream. An apple pie may be the perfect Autumn dessert. What do you think?
Crisp, fresh apples, sugar, cinnamon -it doesn’t get much better. The recipe I am providing is one I have made since high school. I can’t even recall where I found the recipe, but it is a keeper. My family asks for this pie, as do my friends. Maybe your family and friends will ask you to make this pie for them. It is a pleasure to feed hearts and bellies. Enjoy!
Apple Pie Recipe
Go on, make your own crust. It isn’t difficult to do and allows for just a bit more pride in the finished product.
- 1 ¼ C flour
- ¼ t. Salt
- 8 T cold butter
- 3 T ice water
In a medium size bowl, mix flour and salt. Using fingers, knives or a pastry cutter, cut butter into flour until the butter is pea-sized and smaller. One Tablespoon at a time, add ice water and fluff with a fork. The dough should come together (if it does not, you may need another ½ T of ice water.). Gently knead a few times to form a ball; Press into a flat disk and tightly wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least one hour.
Meanwhile, make your Pie Filling.
Peel and slice apples (tart, firm apples are best but any with work) into eighths. Place the apples in an empty pie pan. Make certain you have enough apples to fill and rise above the pan. Then place apples in a bowl and stir in a mixture of:
- ½ C sugar
- 1 t. Cinnamon
Remove dough from the refrigerator and remove plastic wrap. Place the disk on a floured service and begin to roll with a floured rolling piun. Adjust dough after a few rolls to ensure it is not sticking. Hold your pie pan over dough to see if you have rolled a large enough circle to fit your pan with an inch overhang. Once the dough is the correct size, roll it onto your rolling pin, pick up and gently fit the dough into the pan. Fold the overhand under and crimp the edges using one thumb on one hand and the thumb and forefinger of the other hand.
Pour apples into the crust and with your hands, spread evenly in the pan.
Then make a mixture of:
- ½ C. sugar
- ¾ C. flour
And cut in:
- ⅓ C. butter
Sprinkle over the apples
Bake in a 400 degree oven for 40 minutes.
Let cool before cutting.
Tips: If apples are not very sweet, add more sugar.
If apples create a lot of juice after being cover with sugar and cinnamon, add 2-3 T. cornstarch
Bake until the topping is browned and apple filling is bubbly.
