The ultimate apple pie

THE ULTIMATE APPLE PIE

A buttery, easy-to-make pastry is piled deep with apples and baked up in all its golden glory—as apple pie should be. The combination of tart and sweet apples does add depth of apple flavour. My personal favourite (after many combo tests) is 2 Northern Spy, 2 Ida

Red and 2 Fuji or Ambrosia. If you prefer a tart-flavoured filling, use all tart apples or decrease the sugar to 1/2 cup (125 mL). If you prefer a firmer texture in your apples and/or a lighter coloured pastry, bake for the lower end of the time range (though the bottom may not be as crisp). When testing for doneness, keep in mind the apples will continue to soften slightly as the pie cools. The apples will collapse on cooling so don’t be alarmed. Preheat the oven well to get the best kick-start for flaky well-cooked pastry.

PASTRY

3/4 cup (175 mL) cold unsalted butter

1/4 cup (60 mL) cold shortening

2 1/4 cups (560 mL) all-purpose flour (measured by spoon and sweep method) plus extra for flouring

1 tbsp (15 mL) granulated sugar

1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt

1/2 cup (125 mL) ice water (approx.)

FILLING

2/3 cup (150 mL) granulated sugar

3 tbsp (45 mL) all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) salt

2 tbsp (30 mL) fresh lemon juice

2 lbs (905 g) tart cooking apples, about 4 large (see page 123)

12 oz (340 g) sweet apples, about 2 medium (see page 123)

TOPPING

2 tsp (10 mL) cream (any type) or milk Granulated sugar (optional)

Ground cinnamon (optional)

Place butter and shortening on a freezersafe plate and freeze for at least 30 minutes, until firm, or for up to 1 day.

Combine flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Grate frozen shortening on large holes of a cheese grater, then toss with a fork to coat fat pieces in flour. Repeat with half the butter, tossing to coat, then grate in remaining butter. Work gently into flour with fingers, just until pieces of fat are coated in flour and they start to look like dry large-flake oats (see TIP 1).

3 Drizzle in ice water while stirring with a fork. The dough should start to clump together. If it looks dry, stir in more water, about 1 tsp (5 mL) at a time, just until you can squeeze dough together with your hands.

4 Gather dough together with hands into a rough ball (do not squeeze or work too much). Divide dough in half. Shape and press each half into a thick disc. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until chilled, or for up to 3 days.

5 Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) with the rack in the lowest position. Place a rimmed baking sheet on the lowest rack to preheat (this helps crisp the bottom crust and catches drips).

6 Lightly flour a rolling mat or a large sheet of parchment paper and lightly flour a rolling pin. Roll out 1 disc of pastry, lifting and lightly flouring underneath, as necessary to prevent sticking, to a 14-inch (35-cm) circle. Transfer to a 9 1/2-inch (24-cm) deep-dish glass pie plate (see TIP 2), gently but neatly fitting into the bottom edge of plate and letting excess overhang edge of pie plate. Trim edge with a sharp paring knife or scissors, leaving 1-inch (2.5-cm) overhang beyond the inside edge of the pie plate. Refrigerate while preparing filling.

7 For the filling, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl.

8 Place lemon juice in an extra-large bowl. Peel tart apples and cut into quarters. Trim out cores, then cut into thin slices, just under 1/4 inch (5 mm) thick. Add to the lemon juice, tossing gently to coat. Repeat with the sweet apples. Sprinkle sugar mixture over apples, gently tossing with a spatula to evenly coat.

9 About one-third at a time, pour apples into bottom pastry crust, then use your hand to gently pack the apples so they’re even and compact and slightly mounded in the pie plate. Set aside.

10 Roll out second disc of pastry to a 14-inch (35-cm) circle. If desired, cut out a decorative shape, such as an apple, from the centre of the circle, making sure it is no larger than 2 inches (5 cm). Reserve the cut-out shape. Brush edge of bottom crust with water. Roll up the circle of pastry around the rolling pin, then carefully unroll to drape over filled pie, centring the pastry over the filling.

11 Trim edge of top crust so that it extends about 1/4 inch (5 mm) beyond the edge of bottom crust. Reserve scraps for decorative shapes (or make a jam turnover for snacking on while the pie cools). To seal crusts, lift a small portion of both edges so they are almost vertical and fold the top crust over the bottom crust making about a 3/4-inch (2-cm) fold, pinching together to seal and pressing to thin slightly, lifting to make a raised rim. Repeat all the way around the pie.

12 Use the forefinger and thumb of one hand to gently press the raised rim of pastry from the inside toward the outside, while bracing the rim with the other thumb (on the other side of the pastry) to create a fluted edge. Keep the fluted edge angled up and just inside the edge of the pie plate to reduce any spillover during baking.

13 For the topping, brush the top crust with cream or milk, leaving the fluted edge bare

(so it doesn’t get too brown too quickly). Place any decorative cut-outs on top crust and brush them with cream. With the tip of a paring knife, cut several small vents around top crust. Sprinkle with sugar and/or cinnamon, if desired. (You can leave the top crust plain, if you prefer.)

14 Place the pie on the preheated baking sheet on lowest rack and bake for 25 minutes. Reduce oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 40 to 55 minutes longer or until apples are desired tenderness, filling is bubbling and thickened, and pastry is browned and crisp. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 4 hours until room temperature and set.

Serves 8

TIP 1 If you prefer, instead of grating the frozen fat, you can cut butter and shortening into cubes and freeze for 10 minutes, then cut into flour mixture using a pastry blender, or use a food processor, pulsing or cutting until largest pieces of butter are the size of small peas.

TIP 2 If using a dark metal pie plate, be sure it is at least 1 1/2 inches (3.5 cm) deep. The baking time will be in the lower range. A deep ceramic pie plate will bake in the upper end of the time range and may take a few minutes longer.

MAPLE TOFFEE DRIZZLE

This sweet, creamy syrup is reminiscent of the tire sur la neige enjoyed at a cabane à sucre in early spring and is a decadent garnish for autumn baking. Drizzle it warm over a slice of The Ultimate Apple Pie, a gingerbread cake or a bowl of ice cream.

3/4 cup (175 mL) pure maple syrup 1/4 cup (60 mL) whipping cream 1 tbsp (15 mL) butter

1 Pour syrup into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat enough to maintain a steady boil and boil, stirring occasionally to knock down bubbles, for

about 5 minutes or until bubbles start to turn foamy and syrup is slightly thickened when you drizzle it from a spoon (watch carefully as it will bubble up).

2 Carefully pour in whipping cream, while stirring. Return to a boil. Boil, stirring, for 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted. Transfer to a heatproof measuring cup or bowl, place plastic wrap directly on the surface and let cool until just warm and thick. Do not stir while it cools as that can cause it to crystalize. (Syrup can be cooled and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Warm in a saucepan over medium-low heat just until fluid before serving.). Drizzle over each slice of pie.

Makes about 3/4 cup (175 mL)

LACY CHEDDAR CRISPS

It’s quite amazing that a garnish with just one ingredient can add such drama to a slice of pie. Use an extra-old, one- or two-year-old cheddar for the best texture and taste. Lessaged cheese can be oily and doesn’t crisp up quite enough. Keep the cheese in the fridge until you’re ready to grate and bake it so it doesn’t soften.

2 oz (55 g) extra-old or older cheddar cheese, cold

1 Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2 Shred cheese on the fine shredding (not grating) side of a box cheese grater. You should have about 2/3 cup (150 mL) unpacked.

3 Gently sprinkle onto prepared baking sheet in a 9-inch (23-cm) square, ensuring it is even with no large clumps of cheese and no large spaces between the cheese.

4 Bake for 5 to 8 minutes, watching carefully, until evenly golden and starting to firm up. Remove from oven and let cool for 20 seconds.

5 Immediately use a large sharp knife and a firm downwards pressure to cut the square in half, then cut each half into 4 triangles. Do not attempt to move the cheese. Let cool completely on baking sheet on a wire rack. Once cool and crisp, gently cut again, if necessary, to separate the triangles. (The crisps can be stored in a cookie tin at room temperature for up to 3 days.)

6 Perch a crisp on each slice of pie, or arrange decoratively on whole pie.

Makes 8 crisps