Thursday, September 30, 2010

Apple Pie

slice of apple pie

I made the most perfect, flaky, delicious pie crust! How about a little cheer for me? Yayy! I'm really happy. While I have made good pie crusts before, they were never perfect, and certainly never this good! It was one of those pies where the crust is as good, or even better than filling. And mind you, that was some tasty filling it had!! I mean, just look at that slice!!


I didn't really follow a recipe with this one. While I follow recipes pretty religiously for cakes, cupcakes and the sort, pies are my creative outlet. I just do what feels right, and only measure so as to be able to provide a recipe to you! But you can trust it, I measure pretty precisely.


pie crust apple pie

Apple Pie

Recipe by Avanika


For the pastry


375 g flour
225 g [2 sticks/1 cup] butter
1 tsp salt
About a 1/2 of a cup of ice water - use as needed


For the apple filling - 

6 apples [3 pounds]

1/4 cup sugar - my apples weren't very sweet, adjust accordingly, but 1/4 cup will give you pretty good results either way.
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg


1 egg, optional, for the egg wash

Tools preferable - 
A pie plate 
Pastry blender 
Apple Magician - that's what I call it :P



Instructions - 


For the pastry - 
  1. Chop up your butter into cubes, and flash freeze the flour as well as the cubes. You want everything to be as cold as it can.
  2. Use a food processor /2 knives / a pastry blender / your hands, whatever way you like, and cut the butter into the flour + salt until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
  3. As soon as that is done, add in about a 1/4 cup of ice water, and gently mix it together with a fork, adding a tbsp more of water at a time until it just starts coming together.
  4. Divide and shape into two flattened discs, and refrigerate for atleast half an hour. Take one disc out, and roll it into a rough circle between two sheets of cling wrap, measuring against your pie plate, leaving about 2 inches more, for the sides and the overhang. Lay onto the pie plate and put it back into the fridge while you prepare the filling.
For the filling
  1. Peel, core and slice your apples - which is the most tedious part of making this pie, not, ofcourse, if you have those wonderful apple magicians! [hint to mom, I really want one!!].
  2. Toss them together with all remaining ingredients, and pile onto the prepared pastry. You can pile it quite high, because they will reduce once cooked.
Back to the pastry - 
  1. Take the other disc of pastry out of the refrigerator, and roll it out to an approximate similar size. Lay over the apples. With the inch of overhang from the top and bottom, create whatever edge you want, but make sure to press them together well to keep all the lovely apple juices contained. Cut off any excess once you're done. Make a few cuts in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Brush on the egg lightly.
  2. Bake in an oven preheated to 220 C [425 F] for about 30 - 35 minutes, until crust is golden brown.
  3. Marvel at the lovely flaky deliciousness!
apple pie top crust


26 comments:

  1. congrats on the pie crust...i still haven't made a good one :( i do love apple pie! i love the dutch apple crumb pie the best though!

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  2. Avanika, I'm so craving a piece of that pie right now! It's so perfectly buttery and flaky-looking. Congratulations! I'm still working on the perfect crust, maybe I should try yours. :D

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  3. Mmm it's definitely time for the first fall pie and this really starts things off right.

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  4. Apple and Cinnamon..in a pie--just too good...congrats on mastering the recipe.I am still getting pally with the pie crust!!

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  5. You can't beat a good apple pie and that apple pie looks good! The pie crust looks wonderfully golden and flaky - yum

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  6. Jaime - I just googled dutch apple crumb pie.. Oh my!!!

    Valerie - Lol try it, it should work perfectly. :)

    April - Thank you.

    Xiaolu - Oh it does. I'm craving some, and there's none left :(

    Divya Kudua - Thanks!! It's the classic combination, but it's soo yummy that I simply don't feel like tampering with it.

    Katie - I agree. Comfort food at its best.

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  7. We just went apple picking, so I just made apple pie too! It doesn't get more fall than this!

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  8. I love this..especially with a dollop of fresh cream...its heavenly! Your pie is now making me crave to make one right away!

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  9. Do you have a slice left? You know, I don't live that far, and with an apple pie that good.... ;-)

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  10. That pie look divine. It's hard for me to say, but I think apple pie is my favorite.

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  11. Oh that does look like the most perfect flaky pie crust! Thanks so much for measuring out for the rest of us who don't always have great luck 'winging it' in the kitchen :P

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  12. You are SO right--pie is such a "by feel" sort of thing, which is why even something so simple can be tricky. But you excelled, here, my friend--your crust is insanely gorgeous!

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  13. THAT is beautiful! Pie crust intimates me sooo much and yours is so lovely!

    Great blog; happy I found you!

    Mary xo
    Delightful Bitefuls

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  14. Great dessert to kick off the fall season!

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  15. Thanks so much for welcoming me back! Glad to be among friends again! And I have to say, this pie CANNOT look any flakier. Well done!

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  16. oh i am currently on a mission to seek the best pastry crust ever. i'm gonna try your recipe soon! your apple pie looks so delish i'm droooliiing~

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  17. That is one GOOD LOOKING Apple pie! I could smell it now...:-)

    Peace
    Missy
    http://throughanindielens.blogspot.com/

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  18. goodness girlie!
    that pie looks like perfection!
    I can almost taste it...and now my monitor has lick marks.

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  19. That looks rather good! Thanks for popping by my blog. Do let me know how my recipe for the choc tart goes when you try it. Would love to know!!

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  20. Aparna - Thank you!!

    Tracy - Apple picking! Ahh.. There's one thing I always envy you guys for.

    Deborah - Yayy thanks :D

    Parita - Hehe I'm craving some too, feel like making another :P

    Simran - Aww.. When we do FINALLY meet, I'll make one specially for you!

    Katrina - Thank you!!

    ovenhaven - Yeah, I usually can't wing it either, and I also wanted to have a reference if this mojo is lost the next time I try!

    Shauna - Exactly. It took god knows how many pies to finally get it right!

    Mary - Welcome to the blog :)

    Ellie - Oh yes, though now I want to make only apple desserts!!

    Irina - I'm soo happy you're back. Please don't go away again!! Praise coming from a maestro like you, I'm super flattered ;)

    Ardna - Do stop by and let me know!

    Missy - Thanks so much <3

    Noshings - Hehe only you would be capable of doing something like that.

    Dharm - Oh ofcourse!

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  21. Wow, this looks amazing! The crust looks perfectly flaky!

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  22. Ok, I'm hungry! Sounds perfect for dessert! I wish I had some apples :)

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  23. Woohoo! Congratulations to you ... pie crust can be daunting but once you master it, you're set! Delicious pie!

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