Apple Pie
Apples
I felt the need to post a dessert recipe, it’s not earth shattering or different it’s as American as apple pie, well, it is apple pie. Simple and delicious, a touch of Americana. The recipes I have posted lately have been wholesome and healthful and thats really good, I love that, but my real love is baking and I have not really been doing that lately. Maybe when the weather turns cooler I will feel more inspired to crank up the oven and bake something. To inspire myself I just got the new cookbook from Zoe Nathan, Huckleberry, it’s beautiful, droolworthy and yes, very inspiring. I hope to share some recipes from the book with you, I have already chosen several to make immediately.
Every year when apples hit the green market one of the first things I like to make is apple pie. It’s an American classic and is still one of my all time favorite desserts. Buttery flaky pie crust and sweet/tart apples scented with warm spices, cinnamon and nutmeg. Served warm with a scoop of ice cream I am in heaven. There’s a million and one recipes for apple pie, it a classic dessert and this is probably no different than most but I wanted to post as a tribute or an homage to Fall and apple season. I use several different types of apples in my pie, cortland, honey crisp, winesap,macoun,ginger gold,pink lady and always one granny smith, I don’t use Macintosh or apples with a similar texture they tend to turn mushy. Honestly, I forget what I got this go around but they looked good and I am sure they will make a great pie. Cut the apple slices fairly thin but not so thin that they will turn to mush but I do want them soft and well done. I like to use both granulated and brown sugar, a pinch of sea salt, some flour to thicken and a splash of apple cider. it’s not aggresively spiced just enough for a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg. I use 6-7 apples for a deeper pie dish and 4 or 5 apples for a normal size pie dish.
Juilia Childs Pastry Dough
Makes enough dough for a double crust 9 inch pie
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1 tsp salt
6 oz cold unsalted butter cut into tbs size pieces
4 tbs shortening or leaf lard cold ( I weighed and used 2 oz of shortening or lard)
1/2 cup ice cold water
You can make this either by hand or in the food processor. To make by hand, put flours, salt, butter, lard or shortening into mixing bowl, use pastry cutter to combine until it resembles pea size crumbs. Add water mix with fork, gather with your hands, divide dough into a 2 discs and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Your dough may be pretty moist, thats ok don’t add more flour.
In Food Processor, add the flours, salt, butter and shortening or lard into the bowl of the processor. Pulse a few times until the mixture resembles pea size crumbs. Add the water and pulse a few times until it becomes a cohesive dough. Divide dough into two discs and wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
about this thickness
My apple peeler
Apple Filling:
6 apples, I like an assortment and always have 1 granny smith in the mix – peel, core and slice
1/3 cup brown sugar firmly packed
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3-4 tbs flour (You can also use cornstarch or tapioca)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
juice of half a lemon
Note: Try to get the apple slices about the same thickness, doesn’t have to be perfect but if most of them are it cooks more evenly in the pie.
Add everything to a mixing bowl, stir gently to combine and set aside. Add the lemon juice to the apples as you slice, it will keep them from turning brown. You can adjust the amount of sugar to your personal preference.
look closely you can see the little pieces of butter in the dough, makes it extra flaky!
Making the Pie:
Have your 9 inch pie dish ready, take out one disc of dough and roll out to a thinish round, make sure your work surface is well floured as is your rolling pin. Roll dough onto the rolling pin and gently lay into the pie dish. Add the apples and put a few dots of butter. Roll out top crust following the same procedure and lay on top of the apples. Crimp the edges, cut a few vents, decorate if you like, brush with egg wash or cream and sprinkle with some sugar. Bake in a pre heated 375 degree oven for 45-50 minutes or until it’s golden brown and bubbly. Note: leave the overhanging dough on the bottom crust, trim after you lay top ccrust on and fold under then crimp, This will give a good seal so that most of the juices stay in the pie.
Apple pie right out of the oven
The pie was wonderful but I could have added a bit more flour to the filling. The apples were really juicy and the juice was not thickened quite enough. It’s almost impossible to gage really. You could do the Julia Child method and let the apples rest in a bowl and whatever juice comes off drain before baking. I didn’t do that and had quite a bit of excess juice, but I never really do that for apple pies. The flavor was great and the crust was so flaky and tender.
apuginthekitchen 
Beautiful!
Hey Pat, haven’t seen you in a while. Hope you are well, thank you so much.
Looks so delicious and simple Suzanne, I love it. I love how perfect and flaky hour crust turned out. Nothing better than apple pie is there?!
No really isn’t, except maybe one of your amazing desserts. Thanks so much Brandi
Aww thanks Suzanne! Hey, by the way I’ve been thinking about your friend….that entered the Martha Stewart contest….did they win??
We don’t know yet, voting continues until Oct. 13th I think and the winners are announced on the 17th. I have tried to remember to vote every day but have missed some days.
I love your apple peeler! 🙂 And your finished pie is such a beauty!!!
Thanks Em, a bit too juicy but thats not altogether a bad thing.
I swear Suzanne, i think that is the most beautiful apple pie i’ve ever seen. You’re absolutely right — it is the perfect time for anything apple. Last week i “pinned” apple anything with abandon. LOL. Enjoy this gorgeous pie and this lovely time of year. Hugs!
Thanks Teagan, I am always happy to see apples at the farmers market, So many great desserts to make.
I could not wait to read this post when I saw the title. I’m always looking for how folks make pie, especially classic Apple. Interesting to note that you use a touch of cake flour! I will have to try that. Right now I am crushing on Allison Kave (NY)(First Prize Pies) book and she uses cold whole milk and cider vinegar AND a touch of cornstarch in her crust . . . oh man did it turn out awesome. Your apple filling looks identical to mine . . . I love to use brown sugar with apples for that slightly caramel flavor. The pie looks fabulous and you do such a nice job crimping!!!!
Interesting using cold whole milk. I’ll have to look up Allison’s book. I used to follow Gale Gand’s pie crust recipe that used vinegar but when I tried Julia’s with the cake flour I was smitten. It is so tender and I leave fairly large pieces of butter in the dough so it’s really flaky, I should have added more flour to the filling but it was good nonetheless. Thanks so much Sue.
That’s a beautiful pie. Can that peeler peel little apples?
Do you mean like crab apples? Not sure. I have peeled small apples but honestly, I am going to splurge on another peeler, this one is good, has been for years but it’s time for a new one. Got it on QVC, my only purchase ever on TV and it was a good one.. Thanks so much.
no, I just mean small apples. good to know about this gadget!
It has suction cups on the bottom that hold it in place pretty well, the blade is getting dull but it still strips those apples pretty well.sometimes if the apple is shaped strangely it doesn’t remove all the skin but I would think any peeler would do that. All in all a good purchase, you like kitchen gadgets like I do and apple season this and the corer come in really handy.
Love the color<3 Looks Delicious. Been ages since I had a pie. Thanks for the inspiration, will be making a vegan GF version soon ❤
Oh wow, look forward to that recipe. I always wondered what GF flour would be used for a traditional pie dough. I have used coconut oil and vegetable shortening for the fat. Thank you so much.
Thanks for the tip 🙂 Coconut oil sounds yum ❤
Coconut oil (solid) makes a fantastic pie crust very flavorful. I have never done gf though look forward to seeing what flour you would use.
Such a great pie Suzanne! I´m craving for some already. Lovely that you baked again and shared with us!
I love apple pie, it is the harbinger of Fall and apple season. I so enjoy making the first apple pie of the season. Thanks so much Viviana.
I loooove apple pie! Especially à la mode. I can’t wait to make my first one for the season 🙂
Me too, it’s my fave and all the apple laden recipes that follow are wonderful. Thank you so much.
What a beautiful apple pie – you’re so artistic. I could be an ad for Apple Mac!! Nothing beats a good apple pie and ice cream. I used to go to an American restaurant in London years ago where they served apple pie with melted cheese on top? Have you ever done this? Is it authentic? I never saw it when I lived in the US.
Yes apple pie with cheddar cheese on top is wonderful. It is entirely authentic and served widely here. Thank you so much.
Apple pie (we called it apple tart but it’s the same thing) was so much part of my childhood and I still love it along with another favourite – apple crumble. Your pie look very inviting, I really like the apple shaped pastry decoration. 😉
Tart, crumble or pie it’s all the same. Apples are just so wonderful enveloped in pastry!! Thanks so much.
Oh my goodness, Suzanne! It looks so gorgeous and yummy! I adore apple pie.
Oh me too Francesca. thank you so much.
And I have fallen in love with it :). Gorgeous pie. Apples are in air :).
Yes they are and it makes me happy, thank you so much.
I adore apple pie. Your looks simply delicious!
Thanks Michelle, it’s one of my favorite desserts.
Love!…but you already know that
LOL, yes and there is no pie better than yours.
Yours AND mine in the same category 🙂
Blush,:o)
Nothing about apple pie ever gets old for me. It’s a pie I can never refuse. I love your crust!
Thanks Susan, yes, I can never refuse apple pie. I love this recipe, the pie crust is always so good.
Looks so delicious! Yumm!!!
Thanks so much Sarah!
Do you know, I’ve always made apple pie with cooking apples – the ones that cook down to a mush… maybe that’s where I’ve been going wrong. I’ll be trying your recipe soon. Although my apple peeler isn’t half as fancy looking as yours!
Yes use a firm crisp apple, they hold their shape and thats preferable for a pie. Give it a try using several different types of apples if you can, it makes the pie so good. The cooking apples are the best for apple sauce, love making that every year too!
That pastry looks super flaky. I could do with a huge slice of that right now! Actually, I’ve never read about using cake flour in pastry before. I’m wondering what it does. As cake flour has less gluten. Huh, can’t figure that one. I’ll have to give it a try.
The cake flour makes it like you are using pastry flour, the pie crust is so tender and light. Really exceptional, I swear by and love this recipe. The problem with making a pie is that if I cannot find someone to give it to I end up eating it, can’t freeze it. Wish I could dash over and give you a piece.
Thanks for the offer of a piece of pie! And for letting me know about the cake flour. I did check my local store and they don’t have it (and I’ve never seen pastry flour here). But I found a plain (AP) flour suitable for pastry – huh, go figure that one. So I tried it today and it turned out to be the best pastry I’ve made! Difficult to work with. Partly as I used equal amounts of butter and flour, along with ground almonds and polenta. Worth the extra hassle, though. And perfect for my new chestnut tart.
For future reference you can make your own cake flour take 1 cup of flour and remove 2 tbs, now add in 2 tbs of corn starch or corn flour. Whisk to combine and voila, cake flour. Your chestnut tart sounds Delicious!!
That’s a beautiful pie, Suzanne! Adding cake flour in the crust is ingenious! I’ll bet that makes for a super tender crust. Thanks for posting the recipe! XOXO
I am convinced that cake flour does make the crust so tender, I also do everything by hand using a pastry cutter and my hands to break up the butter I like to see pieces of butter dispersed in the dough, it makes it super flaky also. Thank you so much Angie.
Love your apple pie! It is definitely drool-worthy. I have been to the Huckleberry Cafe many times in the past and their baked goods are simply irresistible. I look forward to seeing what goodies you bake up from that cookbook!
I wonder if they might open one in NYC, would be a natural progression. Can’t wait to start cooking from their book. Thank you so much.
Your pie looks so delicious–there’s nothing like a homemade apple pie! 🙂
Agreed, nothing like homemade pies, Thanks Nancy.
Your apple pictures make me so happy! Crazy good pie–simple is always best 🙂 A+ for crust design, too.
Thanks so much Liz. Apple pie makes me happy too!
That crust looks perfect Suzanne! so golden– and that’s what really can make or break a pie– I’d love to have a slice of this one–it’s beautiful…
Thanks Rhonda, wish you lived close I would bring you some.
You know I”d love that Suzanne!! Seems like you have a lot of people there in Brooklyn to cook for…
Yes there are a lot I cook for my friends all the time. I saved the pie for my daughter she loves apple pie but I still have leftovers that I am afraid won’t last and for the life of me I cannot think of a way to re purpose pie.
Lovely Apple Pie, Suzanne 🙂 I love the little apple on the top.
Thanks so much!
Yee haa!
That’s what I say, LOL! Thanks Mr. Fitz.
Looks a good pie…..autumn is pastry time:)
It truly is, thank you so much.
Beautiful job Suzanne. Nothing quite as appealing as a proper homemade apple pie with a perfectly browned crust. And I love the collection of apples you used in your pie – honeycrisp..mmmmmm.
I love honeycrisp, so good for eating as they are or cooking. So versatile and delicious Thank you.
I’m so happy you felt the need to post an apple pie, Suzanne! This looks absolutely delicious. I’m with you when it comes to eating it…warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and I’m in heaven!! And now I want an apple peeler.. ❤ Delicious.
It’s the quintessential American and Fall dessert and I have always loved it. I have to find a new peeler, that silly little contraption has given me 10 good years but is ready to retire. Thanks Prudy.
That peeler is so cool! Nothing says fall like apple pie.
You are so right, thanks so much,
Looks delicious! I love your apple peeler ;-). You can’t seem to get away from juicy fruit pies it seems. It all tastes so good though so who really cares?
I know right, me and my juicy fruit, it was good and was fine, a bit more flour as thickener and it would have been perfect. Thanks Cindy!
Love the Apple peeler!! And give my that pie it looks so dang good!!! 🙂
Thank you, I tell you that apple peeler comes in handy, I have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome which is one of the main reasons I bought it, my hands go numb peeling apples. It is a life saver.
yummy! Looks so inviting. I could go for a large slice of that with an equally large helping of custard 🙂
One of my favorite things is Apple rhubarb crumble with Birds Custard. YUM!! Thank you so much.
Looks very delicious Suzanne! Apple pie is on of my favorites, especially this time of year when apples are in season! I’ll bring the ice cream 🙂
You bring the ice cream I’ve got the pie, it’s a party. Thanks Michael.
Wow wow apples on Apple pie looks fetching Suzanne… the crust looks so appealing- love the colour…. and never guessed cake flour can be used in pies. ….. yummers…
I love apple pie, so happy when apples are in season. Yes, cake flour in pastry is wonderful, Makes it very tender. Thank you so much,
Easy to see why you love baking, Suzanne ! – results are yummy !!!!!
Thank you so much M-R. I truly do love to bake. More than cooking savory foods I love baking dessert. I just have not been baking that much lately, hot weather and I don’t want it around here or I will eat it.
You made me laugh with that “I don’t want it around here” ! The subsequent phrase is why I just look at most recipes and have no intention of ever doing anything with ’em ! 😀
I thought for sure I could give it away but all the usual suspects are either out of town or too busy to stop by for pie and I am not delivering, I suppose I could have made hand pie’s but I wanted a whole pie, the real deal, Oh well.
Nothing says fall like apple pie! That crust looks amazing! So buttery and flakey!
Thank you so much Christin, apples are the essence of Fall.
Perfect pie with perfect crust and filling.. Looks delish… 🙂
Yes fall is all about apples and apple pies! This is a delicious one Suzanne!
Thanks Katarina, love the Fall and the fruit, apples and pears are great and there is so much you can do with them.
It’s lovely to be able to store away this tried and tested recipe of yours Suzanne, for when I need a traditional American Apple Pie. I’ll be making this for sure sometime in the future… the pink lady apples are actually still really beautiful and crisp at our local farmer’s market (thanks to cold storage though…), so perhaps I’ll be able to make it sooner rather than later. 🙂
Love pink lady, they really do make a good pie. Thanks Margot, you are coming into summer fruit now. Lucky!!
Hi Suzanne, love the “little apple” on the outside of the pie, looks gorgeous. Also using different types of apples sounds like a wonderful ides for lots of flavor. This recipe is a real keeper! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Cheri, I have experimented over the years and found a mix of apples is the way to go.
Suzanne – I adore apple pie and have probably eaten twice my weight in store bought apple pie slices and have also tried making many many variations but have never tried making a bona fide American Apple Pie – thanks so much for this recipe!
I love apple pie and would probably take a piece of homemade apple pie over chocolate cake. That say’s a lot. LOL!! Thank you so much.
Oh nice your book came in! I’m seeing it everywhere. I love apple pie. The dough recipe looks delicious. Cool apple gadget!!! And very creative top cover. Yum. Perfect recipe, perfect pie.
I can’t decide what to make first everything looks and sounds so good. Thank you so much.
Love ur apple peeler and the way u cut the flour in the shape of small apple in the pie
Thank you, I always cut out an apple for an apple pie, my pumpkin and sweet potato I usually do leaves around the outer edge of the crust. Makes it look so pretty.
Ohh ya would like to steal ur idea;-) love it
You should do it on your next pie, it’s so easy to do and really makes the pie look nice
This recipe looks perfect! I love, love, love apple pies! I may need one of those apple peelers in my life 🙂
I’m on the hunt for a new one. saw one in the Provisions shop at Food52 that clamps onto a table or counter. Love the retro look but mine has served me well for so many years. Thank you so much.
They still make the peeler and sell on QVC, it’s not fancy but it works and it’s very inexpensive here is the link http://www.qvc.com/Starfrit-Apple-Pro-Peeler-with-Apple-Slicer-&-Core-Ejector.product.K6635.html
Awesome! Thanks so much!
I think if I made tons of apple pies and peeled apples all the time I would opt for the heavy duty peelers but this one has worked well for me for over 10 years. It’s not perfect sometimes if an apple is misshapen it misses some peel but for me thats not a big deal. The corer I use all the time too.
I could eat this for the crust alone, yours looks fantastic 😀
Lovely apple pie for sure!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thank you,yes that crust is really good.
There’s always something romantic about apple pie. Maybe it’s the weather, maybe it’s the look, maybe it’s the smell, I’m not sure.. but I’m always in love with it!
Apple pie is a beautiful thing, romantic definitely, comforting and delicious, I am with apples like you with pumpkin, They make me happy!! Thanks Pamela.
Many people love apple pies, and I’m not an exception! 🙂 Crust looks perfect! Also I’ve seen such peeler in a store, but thought that hand one is more useful; do you peel any other fruits or veggies?
Thank you so much, I love apple pie too! I only have used the peeler for apples, I never even thought of using it for anything else. It would have to depend on the shape of the item because it’s geared towards peeling something apple shaped. If you peel a lot of apples its a very useful tool.
I’m hungry now, this pie looks delicious and reminds me of the nights drawing in. Yum!
Thank you so much, apple pie is the best and my favorite dessert!
Mmmmm, I love Apple Pie!! This looks amazing!
Thank you so much. Glad to know Apple Pie is popular outside of the US.I don’t know anyone who dislikes apple pie.
My family is crazy for apple pie. My Gran is the queen of apple pie and it is a treat whenever she makes it for us.
Growing up I never had a traditional homemade apple pie, Mom made blackberry or lemon meringue or peach but never apple.I wonder why? I had it in restaurants and they were not very good. It wasn’t until I started cooking that I made one and fell in love, They really are the best. Thanks Louie.
it’s rainin’ in my mouth – total yummy… ❤ any time, babe! thanx in advance! 🙂
Thanks Melanie!!!
you can never go wrong with an apple pie 🙂
looks delicious!
Thank you so much, totally agree, Apple pie is the best!!