What can I say, I’m a little biased but I have tasted a few apple pies in my day and I think my mom’s is hand’s down the best. I remember growing up seeing her test out different types of crust with butter vs. lard, making sure not to over mix the batter, adding an ice cube to the batter to keep it cold, rolling out the dough in a frenzy before it got warm. It has taken over 40 years to perfect (a small hint to my age) but I think it’s at its best right about now.
She makes her apple pie for Thanksgiving and that’s it. I like it that way because I get to look forward to it every year and I know it’s going to be pretty special. I like it heated a la mode but it’s also great a bit chilled for breakfast. #mymomspieisbetterthanyours
Ingredients:
8-10 large pippin, granny-smith or gala apples - peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thin (depending on size of pie pan)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 heaping tbsp AP flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 pinch salt
Directions:
Prepare apples before making the crust by mixing apples with ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside.
Fabulous Crust:
1 1/4 cup AP flour plus 1/4 cup AP flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
3/4 cup butter (Irish Butter preferred)
1/4 cup butter sliced in small pieces
1 egg beaten
1/4 cup sugar
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Sift together 1 1/4 cup flour, salt and sugar in a medium-sized bowl.
Cut in 3/4 butter. Leave in large pea-sized chunks.
In a separate small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons ice-water with 1/4 cup flour to make a paste (this is the secret to the crust).
Combine the ice-water mixture with the cut-in butter mixture to form a ball in the medium-sized bowl. Mix with a fork, do not use your hands.
Mix as little as possible. Add a sprinkle of ice-water if the dough is not binding.
Divide the ball into 2 parts for upper and lower crust and wrap in saran wrap. Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes minimum to chill.
On a well floured board, roll one of the crusts out into a long oval and fold over into thirds to make the crust flaky. Repeat. Work quickly and handle as little as possible. Keep the other crust in the refrigerator until ready to use. Roll out in a large circle for the bottom crust to fit your pie pan with enough to go over the edges by 1/2 inch. Place in a large pie pan.
Sprinkle the bottom crust with flour. Do not prick the crust.
Heap in the apples and press down lightly to compact the apples.
Add butter slices on top evenly.
Roll out the top crust the same as the bottom crust by rolling out into a long oval and folding over to make the crust flaky. Repeat. Work quickly and handle as little as possible.
Roll out into a large circle. Cut in vents.
Roll the top onto the rolling pin to place on top of the apples.
Trim around the raggedy edges with a scissors so dough hangs over 1/2 inch from rim of pie plate. Roll the edges under to seal the crusts together and flute the edges.
Brush top of crust with egg wash and sprinkle lightly with sugar.
Place in 450 degrees oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees for 50 minutes.
