I could eat apple pie all day…! Breakfast, lunch, dinner…and for a snack in between. The apples in this recipe are half McIntosh and half Granny Smith for a delicious sweet-tart balance, which is further enhanced by the maple syrup and lemon juice. While the spices give it a warm holiday flavor, I bake this recipe year-round because I enjoy it anytime.
DOUGH for 9" or 10" double crust
2 ½ cups flour
1 cup butter (2 sticks), cold and cubed
½ teaspoon salt (1 teaspoon if using UNsalted butter)
6-8 tablespoons water, cold
FILLING
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3-5 pounds apples (6-8 apples; half McIntosh, half Granny Smith)
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
pinch ground cloves
¼ teaspoon salt (½ teaspoon if using UNsalted butter)
1 tablespoon butter, cubed
GLAZE
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon sugar
DOUGH
In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt and butter with your finger tips or a dough cutter until the mixture looks like soft bread crumbs.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of cold water at a time. Combine. Repeat until you can grab a fist full of the mixture and it keeps its shape. You may not need all of the water.
Form the dough into a ball then cut in half. Form each piece into a flat disc and wrap each in plastic.
Chill the dough in the fridge for at least a half hour. Remove 15 minutes before rolling out.
On a floured surface, roll out one piece of dough into a 12-13" circle. Lay it in the bottom of a 9" or 10" pie pan. Trim the edges of the bottom crust to be flush with the edges of the pie pan.
Place the pie pan in the fridge while preparing the filling.
FILLING
Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
Pour lemon juice into a large bowl.
Peel, core and thinly slice the apples. Add the sliced apples to the large bowl; toss with the lemon juice as you go.
Drizzle the maple syrup over the apples.
In small bowl, combine the flour, spices and salt. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the apples. Toss everything by hand until the apples are completely coated.
Remove the bottom crust from the fridge. Use your hands to place the apples in the bottom of the pie pan. The slices do not need to be neat, but by doing this in small batches by hand you can really stuff the pie.
Dot the butter on top of the apples.
Roll out the second piece of dough to make the top crust. Aim for a 12-13" circle. Lay on top of the apples. Trim the top crust to be a little wider than the bottom crust; then tuck the edges of the top crust under the bottom crust. Pinch and crimp the edges all around the pie.
In another small bowl, beat the egg. Brush on the top of the pie. Sprinkle with sugar.
Cut a few slits in the top crust to allow steam to release.
Place the pie pan on a baking sheet to catch possible drippings.
Bake for 60-75 minutes until the crust is golden brown.
Allow to cool slightly before slicing. Serve warm. Some folks enjoy apple pie with ice cream, whipped cream or a slice of melted cheddar.
