Recipe: Apple Pie
Just in time for the holidays: A classic dessert recipe from the Culinary Institute of America's Apple Pie Bakery Café.
Apple Pie Bakery Café's Apple Pie
Yield: One 9-inch pie
Ingredients:
Pie Dough
2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
½ cup ice water, or as needed
Apple Pie Filling
5 cups apples, peeled cored and sliced
1 cup apple cider
⅓ cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 to 3 tablespoons water
¼ cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon sugar
2 ounces (1/2 stick) butter, cut into pieces
Dough preparation:
Cut the cold butter into small cubes (about ½ to 1 inch in size). Place in freezer to chill.
Combine the flour, salt, and sugar.
Toss the cubed butter with the flour mixture.
Cut the fat into the flour using a food processor, pastry blender, or two knives. Leave some bits of butter in larger pieces, about the size of a walnut.
Drizzle a few tablespoons of the ice water over the surface of the flour mixture. Instead of stirring the dough, use a table fork to push and smear the dough, rubbing it against the side of the bowl, to keep the dough tender. Continue to add the water, a tablespoon or so at time, just until it holds together when you press a handful of it into a ball. The dough should be evenly moist, not wet, and shaggy or rough in appearance.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Gather and press the dough into a ball. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Pat each ball into an even disk, wrap well, and let chill in the refrigerator at least 20 minutes and up to overnight.
Apple filling preparation:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
In a large sauce pot on medium-high heat, bring the apple cider, the ⅓ cup sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice to a boil.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the water, cornstarch, and the 1 tablespoon of sugar and mix it into the boiling liquid using a whisk.
Add the apples in 3 stages, mixing thoroughly between each addition. Once all the apples have been added, remove from the heat. Mix together until all the apples are evenly coated with the sauce. Be sure not to overcook the apples, the goal is not to cook the apples, but to coat them well with the sauce. Transfer the apples to a large plate and allow to cool at room temperature while you line the pie plate with the dough.
Lining the pie plate:
Unwrap the dough, place it on a lightly floured work surface, and scatter a little flour over the top. Alternatively, place the dough between 2 sheets of parchment or waxed paper. Roll out the dough into an even round about 13 inches in diameter. It should be about ⅛-inch thick.
Fold the dough in half or roll it loosely around the rolling pin, and gently lift and position it over the pan. Unfold or unroll the dough, easing it into the pan without stretching it; make sure that the sides of the pan and the rim are evenly covered. Press the dough gently against the sides and bottom. Trim the overhang to 1 inch.
Filling the pie:
Mound the apples in the dough-lined pan, making the center higher than the sides. Dot the top evenly with the pieces of butter. Brush the rim of the pie shell with egg wash.
Roll out the second piece of dough into an 11-inch round, cut vents into the dough round, and place the round over the filling. Press together the top and bottom edges to seal, trim the excess dough so that the edges of the dough are almost even with the edges of the pan, and then crimp or flute the edges. Brush the top lightly with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
Baking the pie:
Place the pie on a baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake the pie for 15 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F and bake, rotating the pan as necessary for even browning, until the top crust is golden brown and the apples feel tender when pierced through the steam vents with a knife, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Let the pie rest for 20 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Note: For a decorative effect, roll out the pastry scraps, cut out leaf shapes, and place them on top of a vented crust.
- Recipe index: "Sunday Morning"'s 2015 "Food Issue" - Delicious menu suggestions from top chefs and the editors of Bon Appetit magazine
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