Cinnamon Apple Pie

What better place to start a blog about food than with a traditional recipe that also happens to be one of my favorite desserts? I made my first homemade apple pie in college, over three years ago, and though it tasted okay, it was by no means pretty. I had the hardest time fitting all the apples in, getting the dough into the pie pan without it tearing and baking it without weird lumps forming on top. Needless to say, I've kept at it and now I think I've tweaked a recipe and found a baking method that are easy and really tasty. Let me know what you think...

Making the Crust

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp granulated sugar

6 tbsp butter

6 tbsp Crisco butter-flavored shortening

4-6 tbsp ice water

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt and sugar.
2. Cut cold butter into small cubes and add to the flour mixture, along with the shortening. Mix with a hand- or stand-mixer until the butter is the size of peas.
3. Slowly add one tbsp. of ice water at a time until the dough comes together but is not too slimy.

4. Mold the dough into a ball and wrap in Saran Wrap. Refrigerate it for at least 20 minutes.

Making the Filling

5 apples [I prefer to mix 3 Granny Smith (green) with 2 Gala apples (red) to vary the flavor]

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar

2 tbsp flour

3 tbsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tbsp distilled vinegar

While the dough is chilling in the refrigerator, make the filling.

1. In another large mixing bowl, combine the sugars, flour, cinnamon and salt.

2.  Peel the apples one at a time. After each is peeled, core the apple and slice it into small pieces. I try to slice them pretty small so that I can fit more into the pie with less gaps in the filling like you might find with bigger pieces.

3. After each apple is peeled and sliced, add it into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and toss well. After all of the apples are mixed in, add the vinegar and vanilla extract and mix very well until all of the apple slices are coated.

Once the filling is done, the dough should be chilled enough to begin putting together the pie.

1. Place a piece of Saran Wrap on the counter and spread it out so there are no wrinkles.

2. Cut the dough in half and place one half back in the refrigerator.

3. Take the other half and form it into a ball. Place it on the Saran Wrap and cover it with a second piece of Saran Wrap.

4. With the dough in between the pieces of Saran Wrap, flatten it by pounding with an open hand. This makes it easier to roll out and keeps your counter free of messy flour.

5. Now, roll the dough out into a flat circle. Start in the middle of the dough and push outward from the center, alternating directions until it is about 1/8" thick.

6. Now, butter a 9 1/2" pie dish. This helps the crust not to stick during baking and allows for easy, clean removal of each piece of pie.

7. Remove the top piece of Saran Wrap and discard. Pick up the remaining piece of Saran Wrap with the dough (the dough will remain stuck during this process). Using your hands, flip the Saran Wrap so the dough is now on the bottom. Place it directly into the pie dish.

8. Once you have lined up the dough in the pie dish, remove the Saran Wrap and discard it. Then mold the dough into the dish so that it forms the crust. With a fork, poke holes in the dough so that steam can escape during baking. This also prevents it from overflowing.

9. Now, pour the filling into the dish. Make sure to get all the extra "goo" out of the bowl and into the pie.

10. Cut four tbsp of salted butter and disperse them over the filling. This will add some flavor and keep the crust buttery.

11. Now, take the other half of the dough out of the refrigerator. It's time to lattice the pie!

Latticing the Pie

(It's really not difficult at all!)

12. Roll out the remaining dough in between two sheets of Saran Wrap as you did with the bottom half until about 1/8" thick.

13. With a knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into 14-16 strips. I prefer to use the pizza cutter, as I find it easier to make straighter strips.

14. Take one strip and lay it across the left side of the pie. Do this with 7-8 strips, depending upon the width of the strips, spacing them evenly. They will hang over the edge of the pie, and that's ok.

15. Once all the strips are evenly spaced and laid down, fold back every other strip.

16. Take another strip and lay it across the pie perpendicular to the strips you've already laid down. Then unfold the strips. It should now look like the strip you just laid down was woven into the pie.

17. Now, fold back the strips that you did not fold back before (these are the ones lying underneath the first perpendicular strip you laid down).

18. Place another strip perpendicularly across the pie and unfold the strips so they lay flat again.

19. Repeat this until your strips have all been laid down, continuing to alternate which strips you fold with each turn.

20. Once all your strips are in place, cut the extra ends of the strips off at the crust with a knife.
21. With your fingers, pinch each strip into the crust so that there are no gaps. You now have a perfectly latticed pie!

Baking the Pie

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. 
2. Create an egg wash (whisk one egg with a tbsp. of water), and brush it over the crust.
*Note: this helps facilitate a golden-browning of the crust.
3. Cut strips of aluminum foil and cover the edge of the pie. This will prevent your edges from burning during baking.

4. Place the pie on a baking sheet (to catch anything that spills over so your oven doesn't get dirty...it's also easier to take in and out of the oven this way). Bake in the oven for 40 minutes.

5. After 40 minutes, remove the foil and return to the oven for another 10 minutes

6. Let the pie cool a bit so the filling doesn't all spill out when you cut into it. Now, scoop yourself some ice cream (I think Breyer's Natural Vanilla...with the vanilla beans in it...is the best) and ENJOY!

(This is really good leftover if you just reheat a slice in the microwave with a fresh scoop of ice cream).