Apple Pie Recipe
Apple pie recipe from Little Spoon Farm, by Amy Duska
Pie recipe makes 8 servings.
Ingredients
- 2 (9") pie crusts
- 7 large Granny Smith apples peeled, cored and sliced into ½ inch slices
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar loosely packed
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice plus the zest of half of a lemon
- 1 large egg lightly beaten in a small bowl for egg wash
- 2 tablespoons sanding sugar (optional)
Equipment
- 9" pie plate
- Rolling pin
- Parchment paper
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Pie weights or dried beans
- Pie shield or foil
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
Pie Crust
There are a few options when it comes to pie crusts. You can prepare this flaky pie crust recipe which makes 2 (9") pie crusts, one for the bottom and one for the top of the pie. The pie dough will need to chill for at least 1 hour before rolling out, or it can be made a few days in advance and kept in the fridge or frozen until ready to assemble your apple pie. You may also use a store-bought pie crust and follow package directions. If you decide to use a store-bought crust, make sure to follow the directions on the packaging to determine when to take the crust out of the fridge in order to handle it more easily. This recipe will make a solid top pie, for a lattice top, check out this tutorial
Apples
There are so many apple varieties to choose from when making apple pie. How to pick the right apples? Here is a little guide to help:
- Granny Smith: These are the best apples for making apple pie because they are super tart and very firm. Firm apples hold up well during the baking process unlike softer varieties such as McIntosh.
- Honeycrisp: This variety is super crisp, tart, sweet and holds up great during the baking process.
- Jazz: Another crisp and sweet apple variety.
- Golden Delicious: Widely available apple variety. Holds up well during the baking process but will be a little softer than the others.
- Jonagold: A little tart and sweet.
- Pink Lady: Just like Jonagolds, this variety has a good balance of tart and sweet.
Step 1
Peel, core and slice the apples. In a large mixing bowl, gently toss the apple slices, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon zest and lemon juice until well combined and set aside.
Step 2
Place oven rack in the center position and Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
Step 3
Remove the pie crust dough from the fridge and let rest at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll one disc into a 12" circle that is ⅛" thick. Place the crust into the bottom of the deep dish pie plate.
Step 4
Spoon the apple pie filling into the crust, discarding any liquid at the bottom of the mixing bowl. Spread the apple slices evenly
Step 5
On a lightly floured surface, roll the second disc of pie dough into a 12" circle that is ⅛" thick. Place the crust over the apple pie filling.
Step 6
Use a sharp knife to trim the excess dough from around the edge of the pie plate. Use your fingers to pull both the bottom and top pie crust up and slightly away from the edge of the pie dish. Fold the edge under itself and press down to seal the edge in place. Rotate the pie a quarter turn and repeat until edges are neatly tucked in.
Step 7
Place the pie dish onto a baking sheet and gently brush the surface of the dough with the egg wash and sprinkle sanding sugar on top. Use a sharp knife to cut vents in the crust.
Step 8
In order to protect the edges of the pie from over-browning, use a long strip of aluminum foil (about 38" long) by folding it in half lengthwise and then folding in half again, lengthwise. Wrap it around the edges of the pie plate and over the edges of the crust. This is referred to as a "pie shield".
Step 9
Bake the pie at 400°F (204°C) for 25 minutes. Remove the pie shield, lower the oven temperature to 375°F and bake an additional 30-35 minutes. You'll know the apple pie is done when the crust is a lovely golden brown and the juice is bubbling up the sides of the pan. Cool at room temperature for at least 3 hours.
How to store:
The pie can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and stored, loosely covered, at room temperature or covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.