Apple Pie

“I consistently crave apple pie but every time that I have it, I’m reminded of two2 things: one, how much I miss Webb, and two, how superior Webb’s apple pies are compared to the astonishingly mediocre pies that I’ve been having to satisfy my cravings here,” said Alivia Du (‘21).  

Often paired with vanilla ice cream, the apple pie is an American holiday household favorite. At Webb, we often enjoy apple pie at community dinners, or apple cobbler, which is the rectangular pan version of apple pie, for casual dessert. The apple pie is a dessert that is not as straightforward as a cookie, as it requires many steps from making the filling to rolling the crust. With that, let’s get into the recipe.  

Ingredients 

Crust 

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 
• ½ teaspoon salt 
• ½ teaspoon sugar  
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick, 112 g) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch cubes 

• 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water  

Filling  

• 3 pounds (about 6-8) good cooking apples 
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar (to toss with the sliced apples so they don’t brown as you slice them) 
• ½ cup to 2/3 cup sugar (to taste)  

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour  
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon 
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice 
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

For the egg wash  

• 1 large egg yolk 
• 1 tablespoon cream 

Making the Crust  

First, pulse the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor until well combined. Add the butter, half at a time and pulse until you get a mixture that resembles coarse oatmeal. Then, add two tablespoons of ice water to the food processor and pulse several times. Continue to add more ice water, a teaspoon at a time, and pulse several times after each addition. If the crumbly dough holds together when you pinch it, it’s ready. If not, add a little more water and pulse again.  

Next place the crumbly mixture onto a clean surface and press on the mixture with the heel of your palm a few times. This is called “fraisage”, which is a French technique that makes your crust extra flaky. With your hands, form the dough into two disks, sprinkle with a little flour on all sides, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour. While your crust chills, let’s make the filling!   

Preparing the Apple Filling 

Start by peeling, coring and slicing the apples. Add the pieces into a large bowl and sprinkle with the lemon juice to keep them from turning brown. Then, in a separate bowl, combine the sugar, flour, and spices (allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon). Add the dry mixture to the apple slices and mix with your hands until the apples are well coated. Finally, sprinkle with vanilla extract and stir.  

Now, preheat the oven to 375 Fahrenheit and take your pie crust out of the refrigerator.   

Assembling the pie  

After taking your disks out of the fridge, let sit in room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Then, place the first disk on a lightly floured surface and roll out the pie dough into a 12-inch circle using a rolling pin. If the dough is sticking, gently lift it up and sprinkle more flour on your surface. Place your rolled out dough onto a 9-inch pie plate and press down to line the dish.  

Fill the disk with your apple slices and mound them in the center. Next, roll your second disk of dough to 12-inches and place over the apples. There should be a ¾ inch overhand from the edges of the pie pan, and fold the dough under itself so that the edge of the fold comes right to the edge of the pan. Press the top and the bottom dough rounds together with a fork.  

Stir together the egg yolk and the cream to make an egg wash and use a pastry brush to brush it over the top of the pie. Then, use a sharp knife to cut slits in the top of your pie crust for steam vents.  

Finally, place the pie in the middle rack of the oven, and place a baking sheet below it to catch drippings. Bake for around 20 minutes at 375 Fahrenheit until the crust begins to lightly brown. Then, reduce heat to 350 Fahrenheit and bake for an additional 45 minutes to an hour, until the crust is golden, and juices are bubbling. Transfer the apple pie to a rack to cool for at least an hour and enjoy with a side of vanilla ice cream!