Bourbon Apple Pie

May 20, 2020 🔪 Intermediate

I’m pretty sure the adage “an apple a day keeps the doctors away” applies to apple pies as well! 🍎🍏

Grandma’s Pie Crust

5 cups (600 grams) of unbleached, all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons sugar

1/2 lb shortening, chilled (…or lard if we could get our hands on it!)

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 egg

3 Tablespoons vinegar

Icy cold water

In the bowl of a food processor, mix flour and sugar together. Scoop shortening or lard on top of the flour mixture, close lid of food processor and pulse mixture until it resembles course sand; about five1-second pulses.
Move flour/shortening mixture to a large bowl and scatter cold butter pieces on top. Using two knives cutting in opposite direction or a pastry cutter, cut butter into flour until the butter pieces are no larger than small peas.
In a liquid measuring cup, beat one egg with 3 Tbsp vinegar. Top egg mixture with icy cold water until it reaches 3/4 Cup.
Create a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour egg mixture inside. Lightly mix with knives, your hands or wooden spoon until it comes together. Form into three disks, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes while you prepare the fruit.
Roll out a disk on floured surface and gently place in pie plate. Add the filling… recipe below!
Lattice the top crust, crimp edges and then freeze pie for 30 minutes.
Bake as directed below.

Every pie looks better with a lattice top. Check out this short video on how to do just that!

4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced into 1/2” wedges

4 McIntosh apples, peeled, cored and sliced into 1/2” wedges

2 Tablespoon bourbon

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 Tablespoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 Tablespoons arrowroot or AP flour, dissolved in a little water

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Mix it all together and load the pie shell.
Roll out second disk of crust and cut 1/2” or 1” wide strips. Create lattice top by alternating the ribbons from both sides.
Using a fork dipped in water or your thumb pressed against two fingers on your other hand, crimp the entire circumference of the crust.
Freeze entire pie for 30 minutes and then place in the 425 degree oven. Be sure to place a cookie sheet lined with foil on the lower rack to catch the drips (drips are good!).
After 15 minutes, lower oven to 375 degrees and bake for another 30 minutes.
At 45 minutes, brush surface of pie carefully and quickly with an egg wash (equal parts egg white and water whipped together) sprinkle with raw sugar. I like to have a partner in this step (one to brush, one to sprinkle) because the egg wash dries up quickly and you need it “wet” for the sugar to stick.
Bake another 15 minutes until insides are bubbling! Note: If your crust edges become too dark, cover with foil.
Remove from oven and cool for 1 hour before serving.

So there you have it: how to make your own restaurant quality pie, in your own kitchen!