My Mom and Dad’s Brown Sugar Apple Pie
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A number of the region’s leading varieties make great apple pies, crisps, salads, and other holiday fare. Apple Pie Perfect by Ken Haedrich features 100 different recipes for America’s favorite pie. As the holidays are a traditional time for family gatherings, here is Haedrich’s recipe for “My Mom and Dad’s Brown Sugar Apple Pie.” Try it with a mix of New England apples.
Ingredients
- Crust:
- 3 c flour
- 2 T sugar
- 1/2 t salt
- 3/4 c (1-1/2 sticks) cold butter, in 1/4″ pieces
- 1/4 c cold shortening, in pieces
- 1/2 c cold water
- Filling:
- 8 Cortland and other New England apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
- 1/2 c brown sugar
- 1 T fresh lemon juice
- 1 t cinnamon
- 1/2 t nutmeg
- 2 T cold butter, cut into pieces
Instructions
- Combine flour, sugar, and salt in large mixing bowl. Scatter butter pieces over dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the flour until it is in small pieces. Add shortening and continue blending until it is the size of small peas. Sprinkle half the water in and toss well with a fork to dampen. Add remaining water, 1 Tablespoon at a time, and continue to toss and mix until pastry can be packed like a snowball; make two pastry balls, one slightly larger for the bottom crust. Knead each ball once or twice, then flatten into 3/4-inch thick disks and wrap each in plastic; refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Roll larger (bottom) pastry on floured waxed paper into 13-14″ circle. Invert pastry over 9″ pie plate. Center it, then peel off paper. Gently tuck pastry into the pan without stretching, and let it drape over the plate’s edge. Refrigerate. Make filling while crust chills.
- In large mixing bowl, combine filling ingredients except butter. Set aside. Roll out top pastry crust. Turn filling into chilled pie shell and dot with butter.
- Heat oven to 400°. Lightly moisten rim of pie shell with a wet pastry brush or finger. Invert the top pastry crust over the filling, and press top and bottom crusts together along dampened edge. Trim excess, leaving 1/2″ overhang. Sculpt overhang into upstanding ridge. Make several 2″ vents. Lightly brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and place on large baking sheet covered with aluminum foil. Reduce temperature to 375°. Continue baking 30 more minutes. When pie is done, juice should be bubbling up on crust. Cool before serving.