My husband and son have tried many different apple pie recipes before finally settling on this one. Layers of apples are sandwiched with acidic, sweet, soft, and juicy caramelized apple sauce. It's almost time for the fresh, cool air of autumn, and this is the perfect way to usher in the season.
Makes 1 9-inch double crust pie
Ingredients:
8 apples, peeled, cored, quartered and sliced 1/4-inch thick (I used Mcintosh apples)
1/4 cup heavy cream for brushing the top crust
1 tsp granulated sugar to sprinkle top of pie crust
For Macerating apples:
Zest of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 orange
2/3 light brown sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Apple Sauce:
1/2 to 2/3 cup of juice drained from macerated apples
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch (mixed with 2 tbsp of water to make a “slurry”)
2 tbsp unsalted butter
Let's make Apple Pie!
Take out the bigger cut pie crust dough out of the fridge. Roll bottom crust to 11 inch round (use the top part of your pie pan to determine the size of the dough, it should be at least 2 inches bigger than the rim of the pie pan). Line the bottom part of the pie pan with the bottom crust dough. Place in fridge while preparing the apples.
Add sliced apples, zests, sugar, lemon and orange juice, spices, flour and salt to a large bowl. Mix well to combine and let it sit to develop juices for 30 minutes.
Drain apples, with sieve placed over a bowl, allow them to drain for 5 minutes, you should have collected 1/2-2/3 cup of juice.
Place the apple juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch slurry in a small saucepan on medium high, mixing until sauce just thickens, around1 minute. Remove immediately from heat and add butter, whisking until melted. Allow to cool at room temperature or cool in fridge until no longer warm.
In a pie pan lined with a bottom crust, add the apples in concentric circles, in 3 batches, 1/3 apples, 1/2 applesauce, 1/3 apples, 1/2 applesauce, 1/3 apples. Ending with the last third of the apples.
Set the pie in the fridge to rest.
Take out small cut of the pie dough from the fridge. Roll out into 10 inch round.
Top the pie with top crust, then press down gently with your hands to adhere the top crust to the apple filling to prevent a crust gap later.
Trim overhang (for both bottom and top crusts) to 1/2 inch, press to seal them together, then fold the overhang under and add a decorative crimp. I used the pointy crimp by taking your index finger and your thumb on one hand and your index finger on the other hand to press and crimp while pinching.
Brush top crust with heavy cream, and cut air vents in the top with a paring knife and sprinkle with sugar.
Place pie in the freezer for 20-30 mins.
Preheat oven to 425F and place a baking sheet in the lower third of the oven
Place the pie on a preheated baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Turn oven down to 375F and bake for 35 to 45 more minutes until the crust is browned and the juices begin to bubble out.
Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool for four hours, or preferably overnight.
Serve warm. Enjoy!
*Also try Apple Cranberry Crumb Pie , Zucchini and Tomato Quiche , Buttermilk Pie , Chocolate Fudge Pie , Pumpkin Meringue Pie , Appleicious Apple Pie , Sweet Potato Pie
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