Apple Pie - don't laugh

I don't see why not. Bake the filling ahead, but under-do it a bit, as it will get cooked more when you add it to the crust.

But wait ....... Why does it need to be cooked twice? Why not make the filling and save it, make the crust (raw) and save it, then at last minute combine and bake?

Or stop at IHOP oin the way there, buy a pie, and remember to remove the pie from the IHOP box and put it in your own container. (Hey, before I learned to cook I learned to lie.)

My thought about not just combining the filling ingredients ahead of time and letting them sit has to do with the filling becoming too wet. My recipe (CI, 9/94) says to let the apples sit for no longer than 10-15 minutes before assembling and baking. And I was thinking that pre-cooking them would somehow change all that.

Filling recipe follows.

What do I know?

{ Exported from MasterCook Mac }

The Best Apple Pie

Recipe By: posted to rec.food.baking by Barb Schaller, 11-19-2007 Serving Size: 1 Preparation Time: 0:00 Categories: Desserts

2 1/2 # Granny Smith apples peeled, quartered, cored, and cut into 3/8² slices (5-6 cups) 3/4 cup sugar plus 2 teaspoons for sprinkling on dough top 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 Pinch salt

Pie Dough for a double crust 8- or 9-inch pie

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter cut into small pieces

Toss apples and next 4 ingredients in large bowl; let stand until apples soften and shrink a bit, no longer than 10 to 15 minutes. (this step is supposed to keep a gap from forming between the top crust and the apples. Adjust oven rack to low position and heat oven to 400°. (To keep the bottom crust crisp, author recommends using a glass pan and baking the pie near the bottom of the oven at a relatively hot temperature; this heats the bottom of the pie at a slightly faster rate than the rest, so it cooks through before the top burns. Roll larger dough disk on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle, about

1/8² thick. Transfer dough to 9-inch Pyrex pie pan, leaving dough that overhangs lip of pan in place. Turn apple mixture, including juices, into shell; scatter butter pieces over apples.

Roll smaller dough disk on a lightly floured surface into a 10-inch circle. Lay it over top of pie. Trim top and bottom dough edges to 1/4 inch beyond pan lip. Tuck this rim of dough underneath itself that that folder edge is flush with pan lip. Flute dough in your own fashion, or press with fork tines to seal. Cut 4 slits at right angles on dough top to allow steam to escape; sprinkle with remaining sugar.

Set pie on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until light brown, about 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking until crust is a rich golden brown and apples can be easily pierced with a knife, about 30 minutes longer. If pie browns before it bakes through, cover top with foil and continue baking. Transfer pie to a wire rack; cool for at least 1 hour before serving.

Pie is best when consumed within a few hours of baking, but can be stored at room temperature, covered by an inverted bowl, for a day or two. ????? Notes: Source: Page 8, Cook¹s Illustrated magazine, September/October

1994. Yikes!! I can¹t believe how fine this crust is!! I¹ve made 4 apple pies in the last 4 weeks just to practice the blinkin¹ crust! Mercy! My pies were made with McIntosh/Wealthy/Sweet Sixteen apples in varying degrees of combination. Oh, my!

Is that the food processor crust recipe with butter, Crisco & sugar in among the other ingredients?

Boron

Oh pshaw, on Mon 19 Nov 2007 10:16:31a, Melba's Jammin' meant to say...

FWIW, I would not pre-cook the filling. I would prepare the apples and treat them with Fruit Fresh, then seal in a bowl and refrigerate. Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and cover. Just before baking, combine all ingredients and put in pie shell to bake.

I have done this a couple of times...it works. I think it produces a pie that seems more like everything was prepared at just the last moment befire baking.

Oh pshaw, on Mon 19 Nov 2007 10:16:31a, Melba's Jammin' meant to say...

Might I also suggest adding 1/4 teaspoon of mace and 1/2 teaspoon of ground coriander to the cinnamon. An almost undefinable taste, but most people seem to love it.

I baked two apple pies like that yesterday, one for each next door neighbor. Have had compliments from both.

You can always suggest anything, Wayne!! LOL.

Yeah, that's looking like the way it will be done. Thanks.

-B

Ayup. They've since come up with a different Best apple pie and pie dough. :-() Gotta sell that magazine, donchaknow!

{Effortlessly Exported from MasterCook Mac }

The Best Pie Dough

Recipe By: Posted to rec.food.baking by Barb Schaller 11-19-2007

For 8- or 9-inch Single Crust

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1 Tbsp. sugar 6 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter cut into 1/4² pieces 4 Tbsp. chilled all-vegetable shortening (Crisco) 3 Tbsp. ice water (3 to 4)

For 10-inch regular or 9-inch deep dish single crust:

1 1/2 cups 1/2 tsp. salt 1 Tbsp. sugar 8 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter cut into 1/4² pieces 4 Tbsp. chilled all-vegetable shortening (Crisco) 3 Tbsp. ice water (3 to 4)

For 8- or 9-inch Double Crust

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. salt 2 Tbsp. sugar 11 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter cut into 1/4² pieces 7 Tbsp. chilled all-vegetable shortening (Crisco) 4 Tbsp. ice water (4 to 5)

For 10-inch Double Crust or 9-inch deep dish double crust

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. salt 2 Tbsp. sugar 13 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter cut into 1/4² pieces 7 Tbsp. chilled all-vegetable shortening (Crisco) 4 Tbsp. ice water (4 to 5)

Mix flour, salt and sugar in food processor fitted with steel blade. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture, tossing to coat butter with a little of flour. Cut butter into flour with five 1-second pulses. Add shortening and continue cutting in until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal with butter bits no larger than small peas, about four more 1-second pulses. Turn mixture into medium bowl.

Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of ice water over mixture. With blade of rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together, adding up to 1 tablespoon more ice water if dough will not come together. Shape dough into ball with your hands, then flatten into 4-inch-wide disc. Dust lightly with flour, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes before rolling.

For double crust pies, follow recipe appropriately, divide dough into 2 balls, one slightly larger than the other, before shaping into discs.

????? Notes: Source: Page 8, Cook¹s Illustrated magazine, September/October

1994. _____

I will leave this for all to see, as it is the easiest and best crust recipe I ever used. In fact, I have to make an extra batch of it for Thursday, as I do for every Turkeyday, then roll it out, sprinkle it with sugar & cinnamon, cut it up , bake it & the kids nibble on that as a memory lane treat. Crust cookies.

Boron

Speaking of good pie crusts, has anyone tried the Cream Cheese Pie Crust from Rose Levy Berenbaum? I have read it's so good, but am wondering whether any of our group has tried it.

Thanks for your help.

Doreen

Bor>>

I just picked up a copy of Cook's Illustrated Holiday Baking issue last week specifically because of a recipe and technique for a deep dish apple pie they featured.

The same technique they use for the deep dish could be used for your do-ahead filling problem. They recommend pre-cooking the apple slices and seasonings in a Dutch oven and drain the excess juice so the resulting pie won't be soggy. They cooked the apples over a medium heat for about 15-20 minutes.

I nice touch is their use of two different types of apples in the filling, one tart, one sweet for a combination of flavors.

I haven't tried it yet, but did buy two bags of apples for when the mood strikes. I just need to pick up a lemon since their recipe uses zest as well as juice.

Now please share your pie crust recipe!

HTH

Nyssa, who just made a lovely apple coffee cake

Thanks, Nyssa. I posted it here, this thread, at 8:44 p.m. last night.

Thanks, Barb! Found and saved same.

Nyssa, who now needs to do a pie since the coffee cake is gone