It’s March 14, commonly known as Pi(e) Day here in the US, so I baked a pie…. just a standard old lattice top apple pie, but it is delicious. I found this new variety of apples called “Sugar Bee”, and they turned out to be a great baking apple; I definitely recommend seeking them out.
Ingredients
for the pastry dough and lattice
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 cup chilled solid vegetable shortening, diced
6 tablespoons (or more) ice water
for the filling
3 pounds “Sugar Bee” Apples*
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup whiskey
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, with a tablespoon of water for egg wash
Granulated sugar, for sprinkling
Directions
Blend flour, sugar and salt in processor. Add butter and shortening and cut in using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 6 tablespoons ice water and process until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather into ball, then divide and flatten into two disks. Wrap in plastic and chill 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 425F.
Peel, core, and slice the apples into 1/2-inch pieces (or slices, if you like). Place apples into a large bowl and toss with lemon juice to prevent browning. Add the honey and bourbon and toss again. In a medium bowl, whisk together the spices, flour, and salt. Toss over the apples until they are evenly coated.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the dough disks to a 12-inch circle. Place in pie plate and crimp edges. Dock the pastry with a fork a few times, all the way to the edges. Spoon the apples onto the pie plate. Roll out the other dough disk to a long sheet and cut bands. Create a lattice top over the pie and anchor to the crust. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg with a tablespoon of water. Brush over the pie dough. Sprinkle with granulated sugar, if desired. Chill pie for at least 1/2 hour before baking, particularly if the dough has softened.
Bake pie for 25 minutes before lowering oven temperature to 375F. Bake for an additional 25-35 minutes, or until golden brown. If the edges begin to darken too quickly, cover with aluminum foil to prevent additional browning.
Cool pie for at least 3 hours before slicing and serving.
*I found this new variety of apples called “Sugar Bee”, and they turned out to be a great baking apple. If you can’t find Sugar Bees, then you can use honey crisp, pink lady or golden delicious.
