BLUE RIBBON APPLE PIE FROM "THE PERFECT RECIPE", BY PAM ANDERSON

BLUE RIBBON APPLE PIE FROM

Categories Dessert Bake Thanksgiving Apple Fall

Number Of Ingredients 21

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Ingredients

Pie Dough:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsps sugar
11 tbsps (1 stick + 3 tbsps) unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces and frozen
7 tbsps vegetable shortening, frozen
Apple Filling:
4 tbsps (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
3 1/2 lbs apples that hold their shape during baking*, peeled, quartered, cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick.
1/2 lb apples that soften during baking**, peeled, quartered, cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsps cognac, brandy or applejack
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg white
1 tbsp sugar
*Apples that hold their shape include Braeburn, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Jonagold, Rome Beauty, and Winesap.
**Apples that soften include Cortland, Empire, Macoun and McIntosh.
*** Apples not recommended for pie baking are Fuji and Red Delicious.
Pie Dough: Mix flour, salt and sugar in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture, tossing to coat butter with a little flour. Cut butter into flour with five 1-second pulses. Add shortening and continue pulsing until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter bits no larger than small peas, about 4 more 1-second pulses. turn mixture into a medium bowl.
Sprinkle 5 tablespoons ice water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use a folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together, adding up to 1 tablespoon more ice water if necessary.

Steps:

3. Divide dough into 2 balls, one slightly larger than other. Flatten each into 4-inch-wide disk. Dust lightly with flour, wrap in plastic and refigerate for at least 30 minutes. (Dough can be refigerated overnight.) 4. Apple Filling: Meanwhile, heat butter in a large (11-to-12 inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Add apple slices, sugar and cinnamon, and when they start to sizzle and steam, reduce heat to low. Cover pan and simmer until apples soften and release their juices, about 8 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, until softer apples start to fall apart and juices thicken to thin syrup consistency, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer apples to a jelly roll pan; refrigerate or set in a cool place until apples cool to room temperature. Stir in cognac, brandy or applejack and vanilla extract. 5. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Remove larger dough disk from refrigerator. (Let stand to soften slightly if refrigerated for longer than 30 minutes.) Roll disk out on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick. Transfer and fit dough into a 9-inch ovenproof glass pie pan, leaving any overhanging dough in place. Turn cooled apples into pie shell. 6. Roll smaller dough disk out on a lightly floured surface into a 10-inch circle. Lay it over fruit. Trim top and bottom edges to 1/2 inch beyond pan lip. Tuck this rim underneath itself so that folded edge is flush with pan lip. Flute dough or press with fork tines to seal. Cut 4 vents at right angles on top of dough to allow steam to escape. Brush pie top with egg white and sprinkle with sugar. Freeze pie for 15 minutes. 7. Place pie on a baking sheet and bake until top crust is golden, about 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking until crust is golden brown and juices bubble, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; cool slightly. Serve warm.