Awesome Apple Pie

Apple Pie Filling

3½ c. blanched, fresh apples in ¼’” slices
¾ c. sugar
½ t. cinnamon
1/8 t. nutmeg (opt.)
3 T. cornstarch OR 3 T. ThickGel®
½ c. cold water
½ c. apple juice
2 T. bottled lemon juice dough for one double crust pie

Peel, core and slice apples into medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Shake bowl to stir apple slices and microwave until apples are tender. Combine dry ingredients in medium saucepan. Add water, apple juice, and lemon juice and cook on medium heat until thick and bubbly.

Fold in drained apple slices. Turn into unbaked pie crust. Cover with top crust and seal edges well. Prick and decorate as desired. Brush lightly with milk, avoiding crimped edges, and sprinkle lightly with coarse sugar. Bake at 400 F for 20 minutes, reduce heat to 350 F and bake 30- 40 minutes until crust in golden brown. Yield: One double crust pie

Crumb Topping

1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Dash nutmeg
1/4 c. butter

Cut in the butter until crumbly. Sprinkle mixture atop apples during last 10 minutes of baking.


TIPS:

• Thick Gel makes a no-seep filling.
• Crisco produces the best results in the pie crust, I like to use the butter flavored in pies and cookies.
• I use the juice from the apples or apple cider for the best flavor filling – I do not add water.
• Glass (Pyrex) pie pans cook the pie crust more evenly than metal pans. They heat up slowly and retain the heat well during baking.
• Chilling the pie during after each step results in a flakier crust.
• When the recipe calls for cold water, use ICE water.

No Fail Pie Crust

This dough actually rolls out llike bread dough, but is light and flaky when baked.

5 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. salt
2 c. shortening - chilled
1 egg
1 T. vinegar plus ICE water to equal 1 cup

Combine flour and salt in large bowl. Cut in shortening until mixture is crumbly with lumps the size of peas. Combine egg and water-vinegar mixture. Gradually add to flour mixture, adding just enough to form workable dough. Divide dough into six balls and flatten slightly. Wrap each flattened disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Remove one disk from refrigerator at a time and roll between floured squares of waxed paper or on lightly floured board to W' thickness and diameter _ about 1" larger than pie pan.

To bake blind (single crust, no filling), preheat oven to 400 F. Fold dough in quarters and transfer to pie pan. Trim and finish edge as desired and prick entire surface with tines of fork. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Method 1: Remove from refrigerator and line prepared crust with waxed paper. Fill about halfway with pie weights, dried beans, rice, etc. Bake for about 10 minutes then remove waxed paper and weights and cook an additional 5 minutes or until golden brown. If necessary, shield the edges with foil if they are browning too fast. Method 2: Remove from refrigerator and bake for 10-12 minutes. If the crust begins to bubble in the oven, prick lightly to release. Cool completely before adding desired filling. Yield: 12 single crust pie shells.

Mary's Key Lime Pie

8 oz. cool whip
1 can sweet and condenced milk
1/2 c. lime juice (4 limes)Green food coloring

Pour in Gram cracker crust
Refriderate

Posted by-Angie