Making a homemade pie can be intimidating, but if you won’t do it for your family at this time of year, when will you do it? This pie was a definite crowd pleaser and it looks way more difficult than it actually is. Plus, it’s very impressive to tell people you made something “from scratch.”
First, we’ll start with the crust. This apple pie recipe calls for two separate crusts, but it may also be reused for other pies, such as pumpkin or pecan.
The crust can be the most intimidating part to make because many see it as the most delicious and most important part of a pie. The recipe for each crust is as follows:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 10 tablespoons (1 ¼ stick) of unsalted butter cubed and chilled
- 2 egg yolks
- 6-8 tablespoons of ice-water
- A pinch of salt
For the pie crust, it’s important to keep everything as cold as possible. That’s why cold butter and ice water is key for this recipe.
Making the crust is actually rather simple, as it only requires to use two cups of flour, a pinch of salt and to rub the butter into it until it is completely and evenly incorporated.
After, take the beaten egg yolks combined with the six tablespoons of water and add it in slowly, mixing it with a fork. After all of the mixture has been incorporated, try to make a ball of dough in your hand.
The crust is the most important part of any pie. Samantha Bailey | The Montclarion
The dough will still be crumbly but if enough force and pressure is added, it should be able to form into a ball, no problem. If it will not form a solid ball, add one to two more tablespoons of water. Once you have it formed, double wrap it in saran wrap and chill for up to two hours.
Now, for the filling. Gala apples tend to cook well and become soft enough in the oven, so they make for a good filling. I used six thinly-sliced apples, but you can adjust it to your preference. Including the apples, the filling recipe is as follows:
- ¾ cup of sugar
- ½ cup of dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- â…› teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Once you coat the apples in all the sugary goodness, let them sit while you roll out your pie crust to â…› inch thickness. Then put it in your pie dish, add your filling and pack as many apples as you can in there!
Fill as many apples into the pie crust as possible to make a hearty pie. Samantha Bailey | The Montclarion
After covering the pie with the top crust, pinch the edges together and cut four lines in a cross shape in the middle of the pie to let moisture escape. Bake at 425 degrees for 40-45 minutes, or until the crust has begun to turn golden brown, and it should be finished! You’ve successfully made a from-scratch apple pie! Give yourself a pat on the back.
This pie recipe is a great Thanksgiving staple and it makes for a yummy dish for everyone (if you have room for dessert). Until the next bite.
