I didn't grow up eating pie so baking pie is a new experience for me. I have been obsessed with making the perfect apple pie recipe.
The challenge I learned with making a fruit pie is finding the right balance between the wet and dry ingredients. I always thought making a pie was very easy because all you have to do is mix a few ingredients together however, it is definitely more labor-intensive. The time and energy you put into making a pie are so worth it because it comes out tasting spectacular. I would highly recommend using apples that are more on the tart side like a granny smith apple. The tarter the apple the better the pie comes out because you already add a lot of sugar. You need a balance of sweetness and tartness.
I have been experimenting with different designs for pies. Below I have shown how to make a lattice design for your pie. This design comes out looking so beautiful however if you want to go for the easier option you can lay the top layer of the rolled-out pie dough on top and make two slits. The pie will come out tasting just as good!
Check out this video to see how to make pie crust!
Pie Dough Making Process. You only need four ingredients to make homemade pie crust!
You can mix by hand or use a pie cutter to break up the butter. I like to do a little bit of both. I am big believer you don't need to buy extra kitchen products to make a recipe. So if you don't have a pie cutter you don't need it!
Assembly Process and Lattice Fold:
Lay strips of evenly sliced pie dough on top of the pie:
Fold back every other strip at halfway point:
Add another strip to the pie running perpendicular to the folder strips:
Fold back the strips over the perpendicular strip. You will start to see the weave forming:
Repeat the fold of strips and laying slices perpendicular until you complete the pie:
You can pinch the edges to create a more finished look:
Perfect Apple Pie
Serving Size: 1 pie
Total Time: 1 hour
Pie Crust
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and diced
1/2 cup ice-cold water
Filing:
5-7 medium apples, peeled and sliced (preferably granny smith or tart variety apple)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
a pinch of cloves
Step 1: Make the pie crust: In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the diced butter and mix with your hands until pea-sized pieces of dough form. You can do this in a food processor or using a pie cutter for faster results. Drizzle the water over the dry mixture and work it together with your hands. Knead briefly then form into a large ball form, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Step 2: Make the filling: Add peeled sliced apples into a bowl. Add lemon juice.
Step 3: Mix in the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, flour, sugar, salt. If the mixture is too wet add in extra flour.
Step 4: Prepare the pie. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the pie dough from the fridge and split it in half. Cover 1/2 of the dough to be used for later. Roll out the dough until it forms a wide circle to cover your pie dish. The dough needs to be large enough that it folds over the pie dish.
Step 5: Add the filling into the pie dish. Only add the fruit don't add extra juices to the pie dish because it will come out too wet.
Step 6: Use the other half of the pie dough and roll it out to be large enough to cover the pie. You can either cover the whole pie and add two slits or you can make a lattice shape. See instructions above. Bake pie for 30-45 minutes until the top of the pie is golden brown. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream! Enjoy!
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