TRADITIONAL AMERICAN RECIPE: If you really think that making an apple pie is as simple as picking apples from the supermarket langer, chopping it up, tossing it with some sugar, cinnamon, perhaps a bit of cornstarch or flour to thicken up its juices and baking it, well, you are wrong. So wrong.
Some apples just don't make good pies. They're too sweet, too mealy, too tart. They disintegrate when you cook them, they release too much liquid, they just taste funny.
What you needfrom your Apple Pie filling is first and foremost apples that are completely tender, yet stay in distinct chunks with just a bit of al dente bite to them. You want those apples to be bound together with just a bare hint of a shiny glaze, not a torrent of juice that soaks the bottom crust or a sauce so thick that it become gloppy (if you want that, you can get it at McDonald's, two for $1). It should be sweet but never cloying with a bare hint of cinnamon. This is an apple pie, after all, not a cinnamon pie. Finally, it should taste overwhelmingly of fresh apples with a bright, clean flavor.
Getting a golden color on a pie crust usually doesn’t have to do with the crust itself - it’s what you brush on top. From milk to egg yolks, the sugars and proteins in the glaze will caramelize before the crust itself, giving the pie extra color and a burnished look.
Here’s what the various glazes will give you:
- Milk or Cream - An even reddish-brown color with a fairly matte finish.
- Whole Egg, Beaten - Intense yellow-golden color with a shiny finish.
- Egg Yolk, Beaten - Deep golden-brown color with a highly glossy finish.
- Egg White - No color, but a very shiny finish. We use egg whites when we’re planning on sprinkling the crust with sugar. It helps the sugar stick and makes the pie look sparkly.
For any of these glazes, you want to apply a fairly thin coating with no puddles. A pastry brush with very soft bristles works best for this job. If you’re using any of the egg washes, whisking in a teaspoon or two of water will help thin it out if the glaze feels too thick to brush on.
Which glaze you like best is really a personal choice.
Skill Level:  |
Time: 6 Hours |
Price:  |
Makes: 1 Cake |
Ingredients:
| Conversions |
Directions:
For the Dough:
01 - Combine Flour, Butter, Sugar, and Salt in the bowl of a food processor.
02 - Mix to incorporate.
03 - Transfer dough to a large bowl.
04 - By hands, fold and press dough until it comes together into a ball.
05 - Divide ball in half. Form each half into a ( about ) 12cm / 5in disk.
06 - Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before rolling and baking.
07 - Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and place a heavy rimmed baking sheet on it. Preheat the oven to 210C / 425F.
08 - Peel cored the apples and slice them into 0.5cm / 0.25in slices.
09 - Place the Apple slices in a large bowl and pour boiling Water ( or cider ) directly over top.
10 - Cover and set aside for ten minutes.
11 - Move the Apples in a colander for about 10 minute or until completely dry.
12 - Transfer them to a large bowl and add the Sugar, Cinnamon, Salt, and Cornstarch, and toss until the Apples are evenly coated.
13 - Roll one disk of pie dough into a circle roughly 30cm / 12in in diameter.
14 - Transfer to a 22cm / 9in pie plate.
15 - Add filling.
16 - Roll remaining disk of pie dough into a circle roughly 30cm / 12in in diameter and use it to top the pie.
17 - Fold edges of both pie crusts down together, tucking them in between the bottom crust and the pie plate, and cut 5 slits in the top with a sharp knife for ventilation.
18 - Use a pastry brush to brush an even coat of lightly beaten egg white all over the top surface of the pie.
19 - Sprinkle evenly with a tablespoon of Sugar.
20 - Transfer the pie to a sheet tray in the oven and bake until light golden brown, about 20 minutes.
21 - Reduce the heat to 190C / 375F and continue baking until deep golden brown ( an extra 25 minutes ).
22 - Remove from oven and let it cool at least 2 hours before serving.
            |
| Written by: Uncut Recipes | Disclaimer |
| YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: |
| LATEST RECIPES: |
