Anna's Mile High Apple Pie Recipe

Here is the recipe to my Mile High Apple Pie! I added a few extra ingredients and comments to the recipe and I think it is even better! Remember to Make someone smile bake something delicous for someone you love!!!!

Mile High Apple PieAdapted from the Williams-Sonoma Seasonal Celebration Series, Autumn, by Joanne Weir (Time Life Books, 1997)

Ingredients:

Pastry:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. sugar
10 Tbs. (1 ¼ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
10 Tbs. cold vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
7 Tbs. ice water
1 tsp. distilled white vinegar

You may want to double this crust recipe to have a generous amount for the top crust. You can freeze any remaining dough for a few weeks.


Filling:

2 ½ lb. baking apples such as granny smith and or golden delicious, peeled cored, quartered and cut lengthwise into ¼ inch thick slices
½ cup sugar or brown sugar, plus more as needed to suit your taste
½ tsp. freshly ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of allspice
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp cornstarch or flour

Glaze for top crust:
1 egg yolk
1 Tbs. heavy cream or milk

Directions:

To make the pastry, in a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center, add the butter and shortening and, using your fingertips, rub them into the flour mixture until small, flat pieces form. In a cup or small bowl, combine the water and vinegar. Using a fork, gently mix just enough of the liquid into the flour mixture so it comes together in a rough ball; do not overwork. Discard the remaining liquid. Divide the dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

To make the filling, in a bowl, toss together the apples, the 1/2 cup sugar (add more if the apples are tart), cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice and cornstarch or flour.

Preheat an oven to 400°F.

Roll out half the dough on a lightly floured surface (leave the other half refrigerated) into a 12-inch round about 1/8 inch thick. Fold the dough in half and then into quarters and transfer it to a 9-inch pie dish. I prefer glass or ceramic pie pans. The crust seems to bake up crisp and not soggy. Unfold and gently press into the bottom and sides of the dish. Trim the edges even with the rim of the pie pan. Roll out the remaining dough into a 10-inch round about 1/8 inch thick.

Add the apples into the pastry-lined pan, mounding them slightly in the center. Dot evenly with the butter. Brush the edges of the dough with water. Fold the dough round into quarters and unfold over the apples. Press together the top and bottom crusts to seal, then trim the edges flush with the rim of the dish and crimp to form an attractive edge. Beat together the egg yolk and cream in a small bowl and brush over the pastry. Make a few slits near the center to allow the steam to escape. I would suggest you put a sheet pan under your pie while baking to catch any filling that bubbles over.

Bake the pie for 25 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue to bake until the apples are tender (and the top is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes more. Let pie pie cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before serving.