This evening will be all baking, all the time for me. Well, not quite, but I do have 4 pies to make by Wednesday night. Two Pumkin Pies and two Apple Pies. I LOVE to bake. I mean seriously. It’s theraputic for me. I think I also really like the results 
I am the family baker. Every time there is an occassion, I am the one bringing dessert. It all started about 4 years ago when I made my Dad a lemon meringue pie for his birthday. It came out so well, that I was requested to make the next birthday dessert. In the begining, I would use boxed cake mix and spice it up with my own special additions. About a year ago however, I decided to make a cake from scratch, and I have never looked back. I have even thought of starting a small business doing childrens birthday cakes and whatnot.
But anyway, this year I am making two pies for my family, and two to bring to my mother-in-law’s house. This is the first time that I have ever spent thanksgiving away from my family, so I thought that I could make it up to them by at least baking my famous pies!
I thought I would share with you my Apple Pie Recipe:
1 unbaked 9 inch double pie crust
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 egg white
8 apples * – peeled, cored and sliced
Cinnamon, Nutmeg, All Spice, Cloves
First of all, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
In a small saucepan melt the butter. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water and both types of sugar, bring to a boil. Once its boiling, reduce the temperature and let it simmer.
Place 1 of the crusts into your pie plate ** Brush the crust with beaten egg white (this keeps the crust from getting soggy)
Take your apples, and put them into a really big bowl. Pour about 1/2 to 3/4 of the syrupy mixture over the apples along with cinnamon, nutmeg all spice and cloves (you can use all, none or just some of those spices) and toss to coat. The best way to judge the amount of spice to add is through smell. When it smells like a yummy apple pie, you have added enough But, you can always taste too…
Fill the pie crust with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice, you know, the pretty criss cross crust thing. Take the remaining syrupy mixture, and gently pour it over the crust. Place the pie on something like aluminum foil or a thin baking sheet, because the liquid has a tendency to bubble up and over the sides of the dish, which causes a big mess in the oven.
Place on BOTTOM rack of oven and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes. Apples will be soft when its cooked throughly.
For an added treat, about 10 minutes before the pie is done, brush the lattice work with milk, and then sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
Enjoy the lovely smell of warm apple pie in your house…its better then one of those Yankee Candles!
*For apple pie, people have varying opinions on which apples to use. Personally, I chose 3-4 different types of apples. I believe this is what makes my pie so good. It allows for more depth of flavor. For instance, I might use 3 granny smith, 2 macintosh, 2 cortland and 1 liberty. I mostly go with whatever I can find in the grocery store that day so its not an exact science, but you get the idea.
** An easy way to transfer your crust from where you rolled it out to the pie plate is this: When you are rolling the dough, do so between two sheets of wax paper. When you are done rolling, remove the top piece of paper. Fold the whole thing in half, creating a semi-circle. Peel the wax paper back so that the wax paper is flat, and only attached to half of the dough. Now fold the whole thing in half again, so now your dough is just a liitle wedge. Remove the paper entirely and place the wedge into the pie plate with the point in the center. Unfold and Viola! Fix any cracks by smooshing it back together with you finger. You can always use the trimmed edges for filling in thin spots too.
So, I hope that you enjoy my recipe. I swear, once you taste this pie, you will be hooked. Its the best pie ever!
