This is probably one of the yummiest and prettiest times of the year for me. With the leaves turning vibrant shades of red, gold, and orange; the farmer’s markets full with their bounty; fields of pumpkins; and row upon row of delicious ripe apples. I’m in a happy place! And if that wasn’t good enough, Nelson made my favourite pie–apple.
This apple pie was so good (past tense, because yes, we ate it already). We had some friends over for dinner last night and we polished it off (except for one piece which our big guy polished off after breakfast–claiming it was a serving of fruit. Sure kid!
This pie was so full of fruit and goodness. It looked and smelled so inviting. I pictured a farmhouse with it’s kitchen window open and grandma’s fresh baked apple pie sitting on the window’s ledge–the scent of warm apples and cinnamon calling us in. Yup… it’s like that.
We feel we have so much to be thankful for in our lives. Whether or not it’s thanksgiving where you are today, we wish you happiness and a full tummy.
Eat well, friends!
- Pastry for double crust (see our recipe here)
- 3 lbs Cortland apples, cored, peeled and cut into small wedges (or any other baking apple like Granny Smith)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar + ½ tsp (for sprinkling on top)
- 3 Tbs all purpose flour
- 2 tsp pure maple flakes (optional: this is hard to find, but adds a very nice flavour if you can get it)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1½ Tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 egg white
- ½ egg yolk
- 2 Tbs unsalted butter cut in thin slices
- Position a rack on the bottom third level of the oven.
- Preheat to 400°F.
- In a large bowl, toss together the apples, sugar (both sugars accept ½ tsp granulated sugar), flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and lemon juice.
- Roll out the first pie dough into a circle approximately 12 inches in diameter and ⅛ inch thick. (This does not have to be a perfect circle).
- Place the first pie dough in a 9 inch pie dish.
- Use your fingers to fit the dough into the sides and bottom.
- Use scissors to cut around the overhanging dough, leaving roughly ½ inch of the dough hanging all around the pie dish.
- Using a fork, poke holes evenly across the bottom of the dough.
- Pour apple mixture into the middle of the pie dish and spread it around, leaving the mixture piled higher in the middle.
- Spread the slices of butter evenly over the top of the apple mixture.
- Roll the second pie dough into the same dimensions as the first.
- Place the second dough centred over the apple mixture.
- Using scissors, cut around the second dough to match the first dough.
- Press/lightly pinch the overhanging top and bottom edges of dough together all around to attach them.
- Fold the overhanging dough under the bottom edge of the bottom dough all around the pie dish to create a rounded edge.
- Flute the edge or use a fork to mark the edges all around to make it pretty.
- Beat egg white and ½ yolk. Brush all over the dough and edges.
- Sprinkle ½ tsp of sugar over the brushed egg evenly over entire dough.
- Place the pie dish on a baking sheet (to catch any splatters while baking).
- Cover edge of the dough lightly with aluminum foil all around the pie.
- Place in oven and bake 15 minutes.
- Reduce the temperature to 350°F, remove the aluminum foil and keep baking for 50 minutes or until the pie crust is a beautiful golden colour. The filling should be bubbly.
- Place the pie dish on a cooling rack for at least 20 minutes.
- Serve warm with your favourite ice cream.
Leave a Reply