Buzz
While store-bought pies can satisfy your craving for rich sweetness, nothing beats a homemade pie made from basic ingredients. Baking a pie is easier than you might think, saves money, and ensures the freshest results. Homemade pies are also healthier. Simply prepare the crust, dice apples for the filling, add spices, and cover with the remaining dough. Follow these steps, and you'll find making a delicious apple pie as easy as pie.
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 1/2 liter or 2 cups of white flour
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 3/4 stick (90 g) of lard or animal fat for flakiness
- 5 tablespoons of cold water
- 1 egg (for brushing to achieve a golden crust)
- Milk (for brushing the crust)
Filling
- 80 ml or 1/3 cup of white sugar
- 80 ml or 1/3 cup of brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg powder
- 3 tablespoons of flour
- 6-8 medium-sized apples (Granny Smith apples are ideal for baking)
- 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
Steps
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Ensure the kitchen counter is clean and spacious for kneading and rolling the dough.
Combine flour, salt, and animal fat in a large bowl. Use a pastry cutter or fork to break the fat into small pieces until it mixes with the flour. Gradually pour in water.
Dust your hands with flour and knead the dough until it forms a large dough ball. Divide the dough into two portions, wrap one in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it.
- Alternatively, wrap both portions and chill them for about 30 minutes before proceeding.
Lightly flour the countertop and roll the dough into a circle 5 cm larger than your pie dish. Some prefer covering the dough with plastic wrap to prevent it from sticking to the rolling pin. [citation needed]
Carefully lift the rolled dough using the rolling pin.
Gently place the dough into the pie dish, ensuring it doesn’t tear. Press the dough evenly into the dish, fitting it snugly.
Trim the excess dough hanging over the edge of the dish. Leave about 0.6 cm of dough overhanging the rim.
Place the crust in the refrigerator.
Prepare the filling. Peel and slice the apples into 0.3 cm thick pieces or 1.3 cm cubes. Place them in a large bowl and mix with brown sugar, white sugar, salt, lemon juice, flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Let the apples release their juices for about 20 minutes, then heat the juices with 3 pieces of animal fat in the microwave until reduced by two-thirds and thickened (avoid making the crust soggy).
Roll out the remaining dough on a floured surface, as done earlier.
- Ventilated top crust. Gently fold the dough in half and make 4-5 slits, each 1.3 cm long, along the fold and 4 slits in the center. This allows the filling to expand without breaking the crust. Unfold the dough and set it aside.
- Lattice top crust. Cut the rolled dough into 2.5 cm wide strips, as the dough will expand during baking.
Remove the crust and filling from the refrigerator.
Pour the filling into the crust, using the back of a spoon to spread it evenly. Ensure the filling is enough to fill the dish completely and rises at least 2.5 cm above the center of the rim.
Brush beaten egg around the edges of the crust.
Place the top crust over the filling.
- Ventilated top crust. Lay the slitted crust over the filling. Use a butter knife to trim excess edges. Press your thumbs together around the rim to seal the edges.
- Lattice top crust.
- Arrange dough strips diagonally over the apple filling, then weave them to form a lattice pattern.
- Trim excess dough from the rim and press the edges onto the dish as described above.
Sprinkle milk or brush egg wash over the lattice. This step helps the crust brown. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar on top as a finishing touch.
Bake at 200°C for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 190°C and bake for an additional 45 minutes.
- Remove the pie when the top crust turns golden brown.
Allow the pie to cool for 45 minutes to 1 hour until it reaches room temperature before serving.
Finished.
Tips
- Lard creates a flakier crust, while animal fat adds more flavor. Use lard for the top crust and animal fat for the bottom crust.
- Adding a bit of cornstarch can help the filling set better.
- For a tastier crust, mix 2 teaspoons of cinnamon into the flour and replace 5 tablespoons of water with 5 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.
- If the pie isn’t sweet enough, add an extra 1/2 cup of sugar.
- Use solid coconut oil for a vegetarian-friendly pie.
- If you don’t have a rolling pin, a plastic soda bottle can work as a substitute.
- Using a mix of apple varieties (e.g., 3 types, 2 apples each) enhances the flavor compared to using just one type.
- For the best results, freeze the animal fat or lard before cutting it into the flour.
- Place aluminum foil under the pie dish to catch any spills during baking. [citation needed]
- Avoid overworking the dough to ensure a flaky crust. [citation needed]
What You Need
- 2 large bowls
- Pie dish
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoon
- Pastry cutter or fork
- Apple peeler or knife
- Rolling pin
- Butter knife
