Every cookout needs a dessert and there is nothing more delicious, or American, then apple pie. But our editors are picky about the perfect pie.
Their favorite pie is deep dish, has a flaky crust, some sharp Vermont cheddar for balance and is of course served with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Classic American Deep Dish Apple Pie
Makes 8 servings and takes 4 hours.
Ingredients
- Pie Filling
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 pounds Granny Smith apples, sliced 1/2-inch thick
- 2 pounds Macintosh Apples, sliced 1/2-inch thick
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Pinch ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup pecan pieces
- 1 recipe Pie Dough, recipe follows
- 1 egg, beaten
- 4 ounces Wisconsin Sharp Cheddar, grated
- 8 scoops vanilla ice creamPie Dough
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 11 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
- 5 tablespoons ice water
Directions
- Pie Filling
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large saute pan, melt the butter. Add the apples and saute for 2 minutes. Add the sugars, lemon juice and flour. Continue to saute for 2 minutes.
- Season the apples with nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Mix thoroughly and remove from the heat. Mix in the pecans. Cool the mixture.
- Lightly dust a surface with flour. Cut the dough in half(ounce made – direction below).
- Roll out each half to 12 inches in diameter and about 1/8-inch thick.
- Fold 1 circle of dough in fourths. Carefully lift the dough and place in a 10-inch deep-dish pie pan. Unfold the pie dough and spoon the apples into the pie shell.
- Place the second round of dough over the apples. Using a sharp knife cut away the excess dough.
- Using your fingers, crimp the edges of the pie firmly to seal the dough completely. With the same sharp knife, make 3 slits, about 4 inches long and 2 inches apart, across the pie dough. Brush with the beaten egg, place the pie in the oven, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Remove the pie from the oven and sprinkle the cheese over the top. Return the pie to the oven and continue to cook for 8 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. Let cool to room temperature before slicing, about 1 hour. Serve with vanilla ice cream.Pie Dough
- Sift the flour, sugar, and salt into a large bowl. Using your fingers, work in the butter and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add 4 tablespoons of ice water and work with your fingers until the water is incorporated and the dough comes together.
- Add more water as needed just until the dough comes together, being careful not to over mix. Form the dough into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.
