Homemade Apple Pie

Apple Pie

A simple and delicious apple pie recipe to make at home.

Pie Crust Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter chilled and cut into chunks 3/4 cup vegetable shortening chilled 1/2 cup ice water heart shaped cookie cutter

Filling Ingredients

6 cups peeled, thinly sliced tart apples (about 6-8 medium apples) ¾ cup organic cane sugar 2 tablespoons all-purpose unbleached flour 1 tablespoon lemon juice ¾ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon nutmeg ¼ teaspoon salt

Pie Crust Method

Add flour, salt to a large mixing bowl. Add chilled shortening and butter and use a pastry blender or fork to cut them into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add a tablespoon of water at a time until the dough begins to clump together. Do not over mix and only use what you need. Gently mold the dough into a ball, then divide it into 2 pieces. Press each piece gently with your hands into a flat disc. Cover each disk with wax paper and refrigerate the dough for two hours. Dampen a large towel or cloth and lay it flat on your countertop. Place a large piece of parchment paper over it. Lightly flour both sides of the pie dough disc and set it on the parchment paper. Use your rolling pin, gently press the pie dough out into a large circle. Always start at the center of the crust, and work outwards. Roll out the dough to a circle ½ inch larger then the diameter of your pie dish to hang over the sides. Gently turn the dough into your pie dish and remove the parchment paper backing. Settle it smoothly into the bottom and sides of the dish. Trim and crimp the edges using scissors or a knife or the crust amd keep chilled until ready to fill. Cold pastry will yield an even flakier crust. Roll out the second ball following the same directions and use heart cutter to make multiple hearts and keep chilled until ready to seal filling in.

Filling Method

Preheat oven to 425° F. In a large bowl, toss together all of the filling ingredients. Fill chilled pie crust with mixed ingredients and then lay pre cut pastry hearts over top. Overlap and lay pastry right to the edges of pie dish, leaving some gaps for steam to escape while baking. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown. Cool pie on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing and serving.

Serve with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.