I baked an Apple Pie this morning using a new method that I’ve been using for the last 5 Apple Pies I’ve baked. What’s new is Make Ahead Apple Pie Filling. It makes the most perfect Apple Pie ever and is really easy. Yes it is two steps, but you can make the filling the day of, the day before or keep a batch in the freezer. The apple slices retain their shape and flavor and the finished pie doesn’t have that hollow top that often happens when baking an Apple Pie with raw apples. And it cuts and serves beautifully! No collapsing of the slice of pie all over the plate or apples running out into the pie pan.
I also make my pie crust now with oil, rather than shortening or butter and it always comes out perfect. Plus its so much easier and less mess.
Make Ahead Apple Pie Filling.
3lbs Granny Smith Apples (or apples of your choice) peeled, cored and sliced
2 tbs. butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Mix the sugar, flour and cinnamon together with a fork in a small bowl thoroughly so there are no lumps of flour
In a 12” frying pan or a 6 qt. dutch oven melt the butter over med high heat, add the sliced apples and stir with a wooden spoon over med high heat for about 5-7 mins or until crips tender. Now add the sugar mixture, turn off the heat and stir together gently until thoroughly incorporated. At this point if making the pie that day let the filling cool to room temperature. Or refrigerate for use in the next day or two or freeze for use latter on.
Oil Pie Crust for a 9” 2 crust Pie.
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp sugar
2/3 cups vegetable oil (not Olive Oil, the flavor is too strong)
6 tbs. ice water.
Measure the flour salt and sugar into a med size bowl and stir together with a fork. Measure the the oil into a 1 cup pyrex measuring cup and add the ice water, stir together briskly with a fork and add all at once to the flour and stir together with the same fork until it forms a dough. Divide the dough in half.
Moisten the work surface with a damp cloth and place a sheet of wax paper down ( the water will keep the wax paper from moving). Put 1/2 of the dough onto the bottom sheet of wax paper and cover with another sheet of wax paper. Roll out into a 12” circle, remove the top sheet of wax paper and place a 9” pie pan face down in the center of the pie crust, place your hand carefully under the wax paper and carefully turn the crust and pan over together, center the crust and carefully peel off the wax paper. Now add the filling, roll out the top crust the same way, peel off the top sheet of wax paper and lift the dough and wax paper together placing it dough side down over the filling. Turn under the edges of the crust seal and crimp. Cut a small hole in the center and about 6 slits around the pie for steam to escape. I like to sprinkle a little sugar on top of the pie before baking.
Place either strips of foil or a piecrust edge protector around the edge of the pie, place the pie on a baking sheet and bake for 45 mins.in a preheated 425 F oven.
After trial and error I’ve found that using a silicone pastry mat for rolling out the dough is best if you have one. The wax paper stays firmly in place and the clean up is easier, or better yet place the wax paper onto a un moistened silicone pastry mat if you have one. Also, using light weight metal pie pans are easier to transfer the dough into and result in a nicer crust edge. Pyrex pans are heavier, so its more difficult to transfer the bottom crust into the pan without tearing it also, since pyrex retains heat there is more of a chance for the crust edge to over brown. This dough is very forgiving and easily patched if it does tear by just pressing in together, no moistening with water is necessary,
I know, I know, this all sounds very complicated. But really its not. I just tried to give detailed instructions to avoid any pitfalls. I’ve been baking pies for over 50 years and have always been known for making great pies. I always thought that precooking apples for a pie would result in a mushy filling. On the contrary, the apples are actually better this way. And the oil pie crust just simply tastes great, is tender and flaky and Is healthier than using Crisco or butter, not that you’re making a health food when you bake a pie, but it doesn’t hurt to use less saturated fat,
I hope that you will give it a try.
Happy New Year Everyone!
Eddie[this post was last edited: 1/1/2021-17:38]
I also make my pie crust now with oil, rather than shortening or butter and it always comes out perfect. Plus its so much easier and less mess.
Make Ahead Apple Pie Filling.
3lbs Granny Smith Apples (or apples of your choice) peeled, cored and sliced
2 tbs. butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Mix the sugar, flour and cinnamon together with a fork in a small bowl thoroughly so there are no lumps of flour
In a 12” frying pan or a 6 qt. dutch oven melt the butter over med high heat, add the sliced apples and stir with a wooden spoon over med high heat for about 5-7 mins or until crips tender. Now add the sugar mixture, turn off the heat and stir together gently until thoroughly incorporated. At this point if making the pie that day let the filling cool to room temperature. Or refrigerate for use in the next day or two or freeze for use latter on.
Oil Pie Crust for a 9” 2 crust Pie.
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp sugar
2/3 cups vegetable oil (not Olive Oil, the flavor is too strong)
6 tbs. ice water.
Measure the flour salt and sugar into a med size bowl and stir together with a fork. Measure the the oil into a 1 cup pyrex measuring cup and add the ice water, stir together briskly with a fork and add all at once to the flour and stir together with the same fork until it forms a dough. Divide the dough in half.
Moisten the work surface with a damp cloth and place a sheet of wax paper down ( the water will keep the wax paper from moving). Put 1/2 of the dough onto the bottom sheet of wax paper and cover with another sheet of wax paper. Roll out into a 12” circle, remove the top sheet of wax paper and place a 9” pie pan face down in the center of the pie crust, place your hand carefully under the wax paper and carefully turn the crust and pan over together, center the crust and carefully peel off the wax paper. Now add the filling, roll out the top crust the same way, peel off the top sheet of wax paper and lift the dough and wax paper together placing it dough side down over the filling. Turn under the edges of the crust seal and crimp. Cut a small hole in the center and about 6 slits around the pie for steam to escape. I like to sprinkle a little sugar on top of the pie before baking.
Place either strips of foil or a piecrust edge protector around the edge of the pie, place the pie on a baking sheet and bake for 45 mins.in a preheated 425 F oven.
After trial and error I’ve found that using a silicone pastry mat for rolling out the dough is best if you have one. The wax paper stays firmly in place and the clean up is easier, or better yet place the wax paper onto a un moistened silicone pastry mat if you have one. Also, using light weight metal pie pans are easier to transfer the dough into and result in a nicer crust edge. Pyrex pans are heavier, so its more difficult to transfer the bottom crust into the pan without tearing it also, since pyrex retains heat there is more of a chance for the crust edge to over brown. This dough is very forgiving and easily patched if it does tear by just pressing in together, no moistening with water is necessary,
I know, I know, this all sounds very complicated. But really its not. I just tried to give detailed instructions to avoid any pitfalls. I’ve been baking pies for over 50 years and have always been known for making great pies. I always thought that precooking apples for a pie would result in a mushy filling. On the contrary, the apples are actually better this way. And the oil pie crust just simply tastes great, is tender and flaky and Is healthier than using Crisco or butter, not that you’re making a health food when you bake a pie, but it doesn’t hurt to use less saturated fat,
I hope that you will give it a try.
Happy New Year Everyone!
Eddie[this post was last edited: 1/1/2021-17:38]
