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flour butter lard sugar salt vodka water mixed apples sugar lemon juice unsalted butter all-purpose ground cinnamon heavy cream salt
Viewed: 7 - Published at: 8 years agoIngredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
- 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1/3 cup lard or vegetable shortening
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/4 cup vodka
- 3 to 4 tablespoons ice-cold water
- 4 pounds mixed apples, such as Granny Smith, Golden Delicious and McIntosh
- 3/4 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Method
- Special equipment: a deep 9 1/2-inch pie pan
- For the pie dough: Pulse the flour, 4 tablespoons of the butter, the lard, sugar and salt in a food processor until the mixture has the consistency of a fine meal.
- Add the remaining 8 tablespoons butter, and pulse until you have pea-sized pieces.
- Sprinkle the vodka and water over the mixture, and pulse until the dough just comes together.
- Evenly divide the dough between 2 pieces of plastic wrap, and gently press or pat into rounds.
- Wrap tightly, and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour up to overnight.
- (The dough can be frozen for up to 2 months.)
- For the filling: Peel and core the apples, then cut them into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
- Toss with the sugar and lemon juice in a large bowl.
- Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the apples, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the firmer apples soften but hold their shape, 15 to 18 minutes.
- (The softer apples, like McIntosh, will get very soft and saucy.)
- Add the flour, cinnamon, cream and salt, and stir until the juices thicken, about 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, and let cool completely.
- (The filling can be refrigerated, covered, up to 2 days ahead.)
- To assemble: Roll out 1 disk of dough into a 13-inch round on a lightly floured surface or between 2 pieces of floured parchment or wax paper.
- (If the dough gets too warm, refrigerate it to firm it up.)
- Ease it into a deep 9 1/2-inch pie pan.
- Mound the cooled filling slightly in the center of the dough, and dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
- Roll out the remaining disk of dough into a 12-inch round.
- Place it over the filling, and press the 2 crusts together around the edge.
- Fold the overhanging dough under itself, and crimp as desired.
- Brush the top and edges with heavy cream, and sprinkle generously with sugar.
- Pierce the top with a knife a few times (or make decorative cutouts) to let steam escape.
- Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
- To bake: Position an oven rack in the bottom slot of the oven, set a baking sheet on it and preheat to 425 degrees F for at least 30 minutes.
- Place the pie on the hot baking sheet, and lower the heat to 375 degrees F. Bake until the pie is golden and the filling is bubbly, 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes, rotating as needed.
- (Cover the edge of the crust with foil if it browns too quickly.)
- Transfer to a rack, and let cool until set, 3 hours.
- Serve the cooled pie, or wrap it tightly in foil, label and date, and freeze for up to 2 weeks.
- Warm it in a 350-degree-F oven for 20 minutes before serving.
