Apple Pie

My all time favorite pie is... apple pie! Yep, it even beats pumpkin.  So here's a recipe I found on pbs.org along with my own personal tips and pictures to help you through.  This pie is awesome!

Go to http://www.pbs.org/everydayfood/baking/recipes/apple_pie.html to see the whole and complete recipe.  For this post I've changed it to a recipe that makes more sense to me.

Apple Pie

Ingredients:   Basic Pie Dough (enough for two crusts)
                    4 lbs of apples, such as Granny Smith or Gala (I used Pink Lady and it was great)
                    2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
                    3/4 c. sugar
                    1/4 c. flour
                    1 tsp. ground cinnamon
                    1/2 tsp. salt
                    2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces


1. Make your pie dough for the crusts.  I used my Mom's recipe.  Roll out your dough and put the first crust down in the bottom of your pie pan.  I use this trick my mom taught me for rolling out the dough.  You put the dough in between pieces of wax paper and roll it with a rolling pin.  Then you take off the top layer of paper, lay the dough side down in the pan, and peel the wax paper off.

2.   Trim off the edges of the crust and set aside the bottom and top pie crusts for later. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

3.  Peel and core the apples.  I only used 4 large apples for my pie and it was plenty.  I learned a cool way of coring the apples when I watched a real chef make this on TV.  You use a small metal ice cream scoop to take out the center of the apple.  If you happen to have one of those ice cream scoops laying around, like I did, then you should try this.  Its kinda fun!

4.  Slice the apples into 1/4 inch thick slices and place them in a bowl.  Mix them with the lemon juice to keep them from turning brown.

5. Add sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt.  Toss to combine.

6.  Get your pie pan with your bottom crust in and fill it with the apple mixture.   Gently pack the apples and mold them to the center.  Then dot with butter.

7.  Place your top crust onto the pie and crimp around the edges. Then cut slits in the top.  Now your pie is ready to bake!

8.  Place your pie on a low rack in the oven and bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes.  Then turn the oven down to 375 and bake for another 50 to 60 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the juices are bubbling.

9.  Let it cool and eat it!  With vanilla ice cream of course!