Apple pie is all-time favourite pie across the world. The combination of sweet, cinnamony-apple filling and flaky pastry is irresistible. Making pie can be intimidating at first, but with practice, and few tips you can easily master pie baking.
THE SECRET TO FLAKY PIE CRUST
If you ever had doughy or soggy pie crust, it can be disappointing to do all that hard work for anything short of amazing. To get that perfect flaky crust every time you need to follow a few simple steps. Aside from preparing the pie dough, try this the next time you make pie: 1. Use egg white to create a barrier between the filling and the crust. Soggy bottoms are the number one issue that people have with pies. Before filling your pie, brush a thin layer of egg white on the inside of the crust. The egg white will create a layer between the moist filling and the crust to ensure a crispy crust. 2. Bake at a higher temperature. Although recipes call for baking at 350°F, this is not the best temperature for pies. 350°F is too low to set the crust quickly enough to prevent sogginess. 425°F is the best temperature to bake pies because a hot temperature is essential for creating a crispy crust.
SELECTING APPLES
There are many apples that can be baked with. Some apples are tart, some are sweet, some are firm, and some are soft. I would recommend picking a variety of apples for your apple pie to add different flavours and textures. Make sure to use fresher apples because older apples will add an unpleasant vinegary flavour to your apple pie. Lastly, whatever apples you choose, try them first so you can pair them with contrasting flavours.
Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl.
Cut in the butter until it resembles pea-sized pieces.
Mix in the water, a tablespoon at a time, until it becomes a cohesive dough.
Divide into 2, and wrap in plastic wrap, using it to compress the dough into a disc.
Roll the crust on a floured surface until it becomes a 12-inch circle.
Place into a 9-inch glass pie plate, and press lightly into the sides. Dock with a fork, and chill in the fridge. Roll the other pie crust, and set aside.
Mix all the ingredients for the filling in a bowl. Brush the pie crust with egg white.
Place all the filling into the pie plate, and evenly space out.
Top with the other pie crust. Cut off the excess dough, and fold over. Crimp the crust, and brush the top with egg wash. Cut 4-8 slits in the center of the pie. Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown.
Cool the pie for at least 1 hour before slicing.
Enjoy!
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1/2 cup ice water
- 6 large apples, peeled and cubed
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
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In a bowl, sift the dry ingredients for the pie crust.
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Cut in the butter until it becomes pea-sized pieces.
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Mix in the water, a tablespoon at a time until it becomes a cohesive dough.
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Divide into 2, and wrap in plastic wrap, using it to compress the dough into a disc.
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Chill for at least 4 hours.
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Preheat your oven to 425°F.
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Roll the pie dough until it becomes a 12 inch circle on a floured surface.
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Place into a 9-inch glass pie dish, and lightly press into the sides.
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Dock the bottom of the crust using a fork.
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Chill while preparing the filling.
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Roll the other pie crust, and set aside.
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In a bowl, mix all the ingredients for the filling until incorporated.
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Brush the inside of the pie crust with egg white.
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Place all the apples into the pie dish, and evenly spread.
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Place the other crust over the top, and cut off the excess dough from the side.
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Fold over edge of the crust, and crimp.
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Brush the top of the pie dough with egg wash, and cut 4-8 slits in the center of the crust.
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Bake for 40-45 minutes until the crust is browned, rotating halfway. Cover the crust with aluminum foil, (if it browns too quickly).
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Cool for at least 1 hour at room temperature before slicing.
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Slice into 8-10 slices.
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Enjoy!