Nothing captures the delicious flavors of the holiday season more than homemade apple pie enjoyed with a glass of Essensia! Laurel Quady shares her apple pie recipe adapted from a Time-Life American cookbook, a favorite in the Quady family home this time of year.
Makes one 9-inch pie
Crust
2½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. chilled vegetable shortening or lard
6 tbsp. ice water
4 tbsp. chilled butter, cut in ¼ Inch pieces
1 tbsp. melted and cooled butter
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, vegetable shortening or lard, butter, and salt. Working quickly, use your fingertips (or hand pastry blender) to rub the flour and shortening together until they look like flakes of coarse meal. (Laurel’s tip: Alternatively, you can use an electric mixer with a flat blade, being careful to not over mix.) You want small bits of fat pockets for a flaky crust effect. Pour the ice water over the mixture, toss together, and press gently with your hands until the dough can be gathered into a compact ball. Dust very lightly with flour, wrap in wax paper and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Lightly butter a 9-inch pie plate and divide the ball of dough in half. On a floured surface, roll out one half of the ball into a circle about 1/8 inch thick and 13 to 14 inches in diameter. Lift it up on the rolling pin and unroll it over the pie plate. (Laurel’s tip: Alternatively, roll the dough out between 2 lightly floured pieces of wax paper or parchment paper or use a pie crust bag. This makes it easier to get the pie dough into the pie pan.)
Be sure to leave enough slack in the middle of the pastry to enable you to line the plate without pulling or stretching the dough. Trim the excess pastry with a sharp knife, so that the pastry is even with the outer rim of the pie plate. Preheat the oven to 375 °F.
Filling
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. allspice
¼ tsp. nutmeg or less
¼ tsp. cardamon
1 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. lemon juice or Essensia Orange Muscat
2 Tbsp. butter, cut in small pieces
6 cups of peeled, cored, and sliced green apples, about 1/8 inch thick (1¾ to 2 lbs.)
For the filling, combine the sugar, spices, and flour in a large mixing bowl. Add the apples and lemon juice or Essensia and toss together gently but thoroughly. Fill the pie shell with the apple mixture, mounding it somewhat higher in the center. Note: Although the apple filling may appear quite high, it will shrink considerably during the baking process. Dot the top of the filling with the 2 tablespoons of butter.
For the upper crust, roll out the remaining half of the dough into a circle the same size and thickness as the bottom crust. Lift it up on the rolling pin and drape it gently over the filing. Using scissors, trim the top crust to within ¼ inch of the pie plate. Tuck the overhanging ¼ inch under the edge of the bottom crust all around the rim and then press down with the tines of a fork to seal the two crusts securely. Brush the pastry evenly with the melted butter and cut two small gashes in the center of the top crust to allow the steam to escape. Bake the pie in the middle of the oven for 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. If the rim starts to brown too much, fashion a cover of tin foil just around the rim to protect it. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream – and a glass of Essensia!
Did you try Laurel’s apple pie recipe and enjoy it? Looking for more holiday pairings and recipes? Try Allie Quady’s Banana Cream Pie recipe and our Triple Chocolate Port Wine Cake recipe! What are you making with Quady wines this holiday season? Make sure to share with us on social by tagging us @quadywinery!