Pie Recipes

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

1. 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).
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Position rack in lowest part of oven. Have ready a 9-inch pie plate.
7. 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.
8. Spoon filling into pie shell, mounding it high in the center.
9. 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.
10. Place pie on a cookie sheet to catch drips. Bake for 25 minutes.
11. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
12. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes longer until crust is golden brown, apples are tender when pierced through a slit and juices bubble.
13. Remove to wire rack.
14. Serve warm or cool completely.

Attribution

Photo credit: jeffreyww / CC BY