Apple Cider Pie
Ingredients
Crust
- 1/4 cup cold water
- 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup cold butter or regular stick butter, cut into small pieces
- 1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening or regular stick butter
Filling
- 3 cups apple cider
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground mace or nutmeg
- 5 large Granny smith or Braeburn apples (about 2 1/2 pounds)
- 3 large Golden Delicious or Cortland apples (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- Boil apple cider in heavy saucepan about 20 minutes or until reduced to 1/2 cup. Cool for about 20 minutes (can be prepared up to 3 days ahead, covered and refrigerated).
- To make crust in food processor, mix water and vinegar in a 1 cup measure. Process flour, butter and shortening with on/off turns until coarse crumbs form. With motor running, add water mixture. Process until dough just leaves sides of bowl.
- To make crust by hand, mix water and vinegar in a 1 cup measure. Put flour in a medium size bowl. Cut in butter and shortening with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water mixture with fork until crumbs clump together into a dough.
- Gather dough into a ball, divide in half, flatten each half into a disk and wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate 45 minutes or until firm enough to roll.
- Meanwhile, prepare filling. Mix sugar, flour, cinnamon and mace/nutmeg in a large bowl. Halve, core and peel apples. Cut each half into 1/2 inch thick wedges, then cut wedges in half crosswise. Add to sugar mixture along with the reduced apple cider. Toss until evenly coated.
- Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Position rack in lowest part of oven. Have ready a 9-inch pie plate.
- On lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out half the dough to a 12-inch circle. Fit circle into pie plate.
- Spoon filling into pie shell, mounding it high in the center.
- Roll remaining dough into a 12-inch circle. Place over filling. Press edges together and roll up to form an even rim. Flute or crimp decoratively. Brush top with water, then sprinkle with the 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar. Cut slits in top for steam to escape.
- Place pie on a cookie sheet to catch drips. Bake for 25 minutes.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes longer until crust is golden brown, apples are tender when pierced through a slit and juices bubble.
- Remove to wire rack.
- Serve warm or cool completely.
Attribution
