Secret Apple Pie
Apple Pie is probably my favorite desserts. It's a classic that every cook & chef should have in the arsenal. It is something that you can perfect over time, but there are a few tricks that you can have waiting up your sleeve that will take your pie high above the rest.
Former host of America's Test Kitchen and Cook's Illustrated publisher, Chris Kimball, brought the science game knowledge with a great recipe for a Foolproof Pie Dough that included vodka. Odd right? While the alcohol provided the needed moisture for the flour to come together as dough, it did not contribute to the gluten formation. The alcohol burns off in the oven and you're left with a very flakey, addictive crust. Today, we're using rum which works well with our apple flavor profile.
The second secret is in the spice. Cinnamon and nutmeg go a long way but let's be honest, spice blends really take control of your palette. Garam masala is one such blend that is perfect for apple pie. This delicious Indian spice blend incorporates coriander, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaf, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom and more. The light yet complex anise flavors are perfect in small doses and really help to coax out the sweet subtleties of a variety of apples. It's that special something something that your friends will spend hours trying to figure out. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE PIE CRUST
12oz all purpose flour about 2 1/2 cups
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cubed and frozen
1/4 cup cold rum
4 TBSP cold water
FOR THE APPLE FILLING
10 cups mixture of sliced apples, peeled/cored (6-8 large apples) Fuji/Granny Smith
Zest from 1 lemon
Juice from ½ lemon
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp + ⅛ tsp garam masala
½ tsp cinnamon
Small pinch Kosher salt
3 TBSP cornstarch
2 TBSP butter
1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp water for egg wash
Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Add in the unsalted butter and pulse in 1-2 second intervals until you have a coarse mixture with pea sized specks. Pulse in the cold rum and water until the mixture just comes together and starts to barely clump. Pour the mixture out onto a surface and pat into 2 equal sized discs. Do not overwork. Wrap each disc with plastic wrap and let them rest in the refrigerator for 45 minutes.
Peel, core, and slice up a mixture of apples. Add 10 cups of sliced apples to a bowl along with the zest of 1 lemon, the juice from ½ a lemon, and the sugar. Toss in the cinnamon, kosher salt, and cornstarch and mix to fully combine.
Let the apples sit for 30 minutes to draw out water. Pour the excess liquid into a sauce pan and bring it to the simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and continue to stir until the mixture has reduced and the cornstarch has thickened into a sticky paste.
Roll out each pie crust disc to just about about an inch larger than your pie dish. Mix in the thickened paste from the apples, and place the second crust on top. Roll over the sides and crimp the crust edges. Make air vent slits using a sharp knife to allow steam to escape. Paint the top with egg wash and sprinkle on a light dusting of white sugar. Bake for 1 hour at 375F or until the inside is tender and the crust is golden brown.
