Thursday, January 7, 2010

What is the best apple pie recipe?

usually use a mixture of 75% brambly apples (a british cooking apple)and 25% normal eating apples (a braburn works well)





a good short crust pastry as the base blind baked then add the filling, top with more pastry and bake as normal.What is the best apple pie recipe?
Prep Time: 35 min


Total Time: 1hr 25min


Makes: 10 servings





What you need:


2-1/4 cups flour


1 tsp. salt


1 cup shortenings


5 to 7 Tbsp. ice cold water


6 cups thinly sliced peeled tart apples (about 4 large apples)


3/4 cup sugar


1 Tbsp. cornstarch


1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon


1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg


1 Tbsp. lemon juice (optional)





PREHEAT oven to 400掳F. Mix flour and salt in large bowl. Cut in shortening using a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.





ADD water, 1 Tbsp. at a time, mixing lightly with fork until flour mixture is evenly moistened and clings together when pressed into a ball. Divide dough in half; shape each half into 1/2-inch-thick round. Wrap each dough round in plastic wrap; refrigerate 15 min.





MEANWHILE, toss apples with sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice in large bowl; set aside. Place 1 dough round between two large sheets of plastic wrap; roll out dough with rolling pin to flatten slightly, working from center of dough to the edge. Turn over; continue rolling until dough round is about 2 inches larger than diameter of inverted 9-inch pie plate.





PEEL off top piece of plastic wrap; invert dough into pie plate. Peel off remaining piece of plastic wrap; press dough evenly onto bottom and up side of pie plate, being careful not to stretch the dough. Trim any dough hanging over edge of pie plate with sharp knife or kitchen shears; reserve trimmings.





FILL with apple mixture; set aside. Roll out remaining dough as directed; place over filling. Trim top crust about 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold edge of top crust under edge of bottom crust; pinch edges together to form a ridge. Flute edge (see Tip). Cut several slits near center of pie to allow steam to escape.





BAKE 45 to 50 min. or until juices form bubbles that burst slowly. Cool.


What is the best apple pie recipe?



BEST APPLE PIE





Crust for 2-crust pie


6 c. apples (Granny Smith are best)


1 c. sugar


2 tbsp. flour


1 tsp. cinnamon


6 tbsp. butter





Peel and core apples; then slice. Mix sugar, flour, and cinnamon together and then mix with apples. Slice 3 tablespoons butter into bottom crust and then top with apples. Top with slices of remaining butter, then top crust.





Bake in 425 degree oven for 1 hour or until apples are tender.
Pre-Baked Apple Pie


Crust


2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour


4 tsp. sugar


1/4 tsp. salt


14 Tbsp. (1 stick %26amp; 6 Tbsp.) cold butter, cubed


1 large egg, lightly beaten with 2 Tbsp. cold water


Filling


2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice


3 lbs baking apples


2/3 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling on top


1/4 cup unsalted butter


1/4 tsp. cinnamon


1/2 tsp. nutmeg


1 large egg, lightly beaten


The Crust


Make the dough by hand. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Using your fingers, work the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles yellow corn meal mixed with bean sized bits of butter. (If the flour/butter mixture gets warm, refrigerate it for 10 minutes before proceeding.) Add the egg and stir the dough together with a fork or by hand in the bowl. If the dough is dry, sprinkle up to a tablespoon more of cold water over the mixture.


Make the dough in a food processor. With the machine fitted with the metal blade, pulse the flour, sugar, and salt until combined. Add the butter and pulse until it resembles yellow corn meal mixed with bean size bits of butter, about 10 times. Add the egg and pulse 1 to 2 times; don't let the dough form into a ball in the machine. (If the dough is very dry add up to a tablespoon more of cold water.) Remove the bowl from the machine, remove the blade, and bring the dough together by hand.


Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 1 hour.


The Filling


Put the lemon juice in a medium bowl. Peel, halve, and core the apples. Cut each half into 4 wedges. Toss the apple with the lemon juice. Add the sugar and toss to combine evenly.


In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the apples, and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to simmer, about 2 minutes. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until the apples soften and release most of their juices, about 7 minutes.


Strain the apples in a colander over a medium bowl to catch all the juice. Shake the colander to get as much liquid as possible. Return the juices to the skillet, and simmer over medium heat until thickened and lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes.


In a medium bowl, toss the apples with the reduced juice and spices. Set aside to cool completely. (This filling can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated or frozen for up to 6 months.)


Cut the dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll each half of dough into a disc about 11 to 12 inches wide. Layer the dough between pieces of parchment or wax paper on a baking sheet, and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.


Place a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375藲 F.


Line the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan with one of the discs of dough, and trim it so it lays about 1/2 inch beyond the edge of the pan. Put the apple filling in the pan and mound it slightly in the center. Brush the top edges of the dough with the egg. Place the second disc of dough over the top. Fold the top layer of dough under the edge of the bottom layer and press the edges together to form a seal. Flute the edge as desired. Brush the surface of the dough with egg and then sprinkle with sugar. Pierce the top of the dough in several places to allow steam to escape while baking. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.


Bake the pie on a baking sheet until the crust is golden, about 50 minutes.

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