We cook so much, you’d think we’d post more about that. But it’s kind of a pain to stop in the middle of cooking and pose/take pictures. Because you need to document the whole process so it looks like we put effort into it.
Anyway, fall is in full effect around here and while that means many things to people like; Leaves, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Pumpkins, Turkeys, etc…one of the things it means to me is Apples.
Yes. Apples. I love them. And during the cold months, it’s prime apple season. Apple pie, applesauce, apple stack cake, fried apple pies, apple juice, apple cider…I could go on.
Nevertheless, EarthFare’s e-coupon this month was a free 3# bag of Honeycrisp apples with a $5 purchase. (Score!) So, I saddled up and headed on over there and returned with lots o’ apples. Which my wife decides to turn into an apple pie! (Okay, so I strongly suggested it)
Anyway, before we could get started, we needed to finish roasting the pumpkin seeds we triedto roast over the campfire the night before. Success. Now we have something to munch on whilst we prepare…
So, I’ve never really included a recipe, but I suppose there’s no harm in it.
For the pie dough:
Since the French pretty much own the rest of the world when it comes to baking…nothing other than a pure, classic, flaky pie dough will do. Stick with a good ole fashioned Pate Brisee or a Pate Brisee Sucree if you want something a lil’ sweeter. Where to find a recipe? Julia, Julia, Julia. Her pate brisee is a classic, traditional crust and it will make you cry tears of tasty joy. There’s a reason why Julia Child is an icon. Because she truly did make Classic French cooking accessible to American households.
For the filling:
2 1/2 to 3 lbs of a good, crisp apple (such as granny smith or in this case, honeycrisp)
Peel them, core them, and slice them thin. Toss them in a splash of lemon juice to keep them from browning.
3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp dark brown sugar
2-3 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves (opt.)
1/4 tsp allspice
Pinch of salt
Zest of 1 lemon
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
2-3 tbsp cold butter, cubed.
Toss all the above (except the butter), pour into pie dough, top with cubed butter. Cover with 2nd pie crust. Cut a few slits for ventilation. Brush top with heavy cream or an egg wash.
Chill for 20-30 min.
Bake @ 450 for 15 minutes, then reduce temp. to 350 and bake an additional 25-40 minutes until gooey stuff is bubbling out the vents.
Be sure you’ve got some vanilla ice cream handy…
>Awesome post. You guys should share your cooking exploits more often. I'm newly inspired to not only visit an apple orchard, but to actually try your recipe!