Rave Reviews and Recipies

One of my favorite desserts is homemade apple pie. It started as a little girl when my great grandmother "Gran" made apple pie's from the apples off her tree. The smell while she cooled them still lingers in my soul. I found this recipe on a neat website http://www.how2heroes.com/video_detail.cfm?videoID=15
Fall apples will soon be ready to harvest. Is there any better time of the year to eat. YUM!


World's Best Apple Pie
From: Bea

IngredientsCrust

2/3 cup shortening
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups flour plus extra for rolling dough
about 7 tbsp of cold water
2-3 strips of tin foil (about 1-1/2" wide)
about 2 tbsp of milk

Filling

5-6 apples (Granny Smith recommended)
1 cup of sugar plus an extra pinch to sprinkle on top of pie
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp butter
pinch of salt
How-toMake the Bottom Crust

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
In a bowl, blend shortening, butter, flour and salt with a fork
Add cold water, a little at a time, around the perimeter of the bowl. When you see that the dough is starting to come together, stop adding water
Form into a ball and refrigerate in a bowl 5-10 minutes, uncovered
Take dough out of the fridge
Wet your kitchen countertop with a sponge, lay down plastic wrap and flour it lightly You can work directly on the counter but this makes for easier clean-up
Take 1/2 of the dough, add a little flour and knead with hands
Roll out the dough. Add flour if rolling pin sticks to the dough. Roll from center out, then from center back towards you, NOT back and forth because that would toughen the dough and may create holes
Fold the dough in half and place it in the pie pan. Unfold and gently ease into the pan
Make the Filling

Peel and thinly slice apples right into the pie pan, spreading them out. When you're done there should be a heap of apples higher than the pan
Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the apples
Cut 2 tbsp of butter into even pieces (about 4-5) and place in different areas over the apples, cinnamon and sugar
Trim the bottom crust dough about 1/2" around the outside of the pan. (Save the extra dough to make yummy jam tarts)
Make the Top Crust

Roll out the remaining dough. Follow technique described above in the Bottom Crust instructions
Fold the dough in half and make 4 slits toward the center to release air while baking
Place dough on top of filling and gently unfold
Trim dough about 1" out from the edge of the pie pan
Fold the top crust over the bottom crust and then tuck under
Crimp the dough between thumb and finger. Best to watch the video to master Bea’s technique
The Love

Cut a heart out of a piece of leftover dough, moisten with milk, and place near the middle of the pie. Shows that you put just a little extra love in there
Brush milk lightly over the top crust with your fingers or a pastry brush to brown the crust. Not too much because it will burn
Sprinkle a little sugar on top
Bake the Pie
Cover the edges of the crust with tin foil to protect it from burning
Bake for 50 minutes in a preheated 425 degree oven
Remove foil from crust and bake a final 10 minutes
Let it cool a bit before cutting. Delicious as is or with ice cream. A great dessert to make earlier in the day or even a day ahead


JAM TARTS


As Bea says in her video, you can use the extra dough to make tasty jam tarts

How-To


Roll out your extra dough
Make small rounds with a cookie cutter or juice glass
Put 1 tsp of the jam of your choice in the middle
Top with a second round
Brush a little milk on top and add a sprinkling of sugar
Bake for about 10 minutes (or until lightly browned) at 350 degrees
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