Perfect Apple Pie
Ingredients:
For the Pie Crust:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
- 6-8 tablespoons ice water
For the Apple Filling:
- 6-7 cups peeled, cored, and thinly sliced apples (a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp works well)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
For Assembly:
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (for sprinkling on top)
Instructions:
1. Make the Pie Crust:
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, and sugar. Add the cold butter cubes and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Gradually add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing just until the dough starts to come together.
- Divide the dough into two equal portions, shape each into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
2. Prepare the Apple Filling:
- In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with lemon juice.
- In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, flour, and cornstarch.
- Sprinkle the sugar-spice mixture over the apples and toss to coat evenly.
3. Assemble the Pie:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough into a 12-inch circle and fit it into a 9-inch pie dish, allowing the excess dough to hang over the edges.
- Fill the crust with the apple mixture, mounding it slightly in the center. Dot with the small pieces of butter.
- Roll out the second disk of dough into a 12-inch circle. Place it over the apples. Trim the excess dough to about 1 inch beyond the edge of the pie dish.
- Fold the overhanging dough under itself and crimp the edges to seal. Cut a few slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
- Brush the top crust with the beaten egg and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
4. Bake the Pie:
- Bake the pie in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking for 40-45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
- If the edges of the crust start to brown too quickly, cover them with foil to prevent burning.
5. Cool and Serve:
- Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. This allows the filling to set properly.
- Serve your perfect apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
Enjoy your homemade Perfect Apple Pie, a classic dessert that’s sure to impress!
