Apple Pie

It is easy to appreciate that the low round pie shape of modern apple pie comes from the frugal Pilgrims settlers looking for a way to stretch ingredients and survive.  Pie is a delicious way to deliver cooked fruit or meat to the table. The idea of a bowl of cooked fruit is not as appealing as the balance of the fruit to crust ratio of a pie.  Yet, the frugal Pilgrims' version was too much for me as I have not always been a fan of cooked fruit encased in a delicious crust.  I remember not liking a fast food hot apple pie as a child or my grandmother’s frozen boxed pies served for dessert.  I remember my mom making apple pie just the way I like it, now, not too sweet and syrupy but sadly I don’t remember eating her apple pie except as a vehicle to eat whipped cream and crust with the sweet filling squeezed out.  Thank goodness things have changed, I love the smell, taste, and texture of, especially, apple pie. 

I always double this recipe (apples only).  I make an apple pie for the table and one to freeze for later.  In a foil and plastic wrap lined pie plate add in the apple mixture, wrap and freeze.  When ready to bake the frozen pie, prepare crust, add the frozen unwrapped pie in the crust, cover with second crust and proceed as below.  Bake for 10 – 15 minutes longer until done.  Do not thaw the apples.  This is a beautiful way to have a dessert on hand for nearly any occasion.

Apple Pie

makes 1 pie

7-8 tart apples such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Gala or a mix

¾ cup sugar

2 tablespoon flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Dash of nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

Pie pastry for 2 crusts (see below).

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Peel and slice apples thin. (I use a spiral apple peeler).

Place peeled apples in a large bowl of with lemon juice from a lemon squeezed into the water until all apples are peeled.

In a bowl toss the well-drained apples with the cinnamon, nutmeg, flour sugar, and salt.

Roll out crust and line a 9 inch pie plate.

Empty the filling into the crust lined pie plate and top with butter.

Roll out second crust and carefully place on top of pie.

Press edges together and trim edges to 1 inch.

Crimp edges with thumb and index finger of one hand, gently press dough against knuckle of other hand; continue around pie making deep indentations.

Chill pie for 30 minutes.

Place on a foil lined baking sheet.

Bake for 50 minutes until done.

If the edges began to darken, cover with foil.

Pie Crust Pastry

Makes top and bottom

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

8 ounces (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup ice water without cubes

In a food processor:

Pulse flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor until combined.

Add butter, and process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds.

With the machine running, add water in a slow, steady stream until mixture just begins to hold together.

Shape dough into 2 disks. Wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate 1 hour to 2 days (or freeze for up to 1 month; thaw in refrigerator before using).

Coconut Cream Pie

I have a coconut lover in the house.  Her passion for coconut may have started when we pried open a coconut on a trip to Hawaii or more likely influenced by all the paleo recipes and advice from the nutrition and exercise gurus on the internet expounding the benefit of the coconut.  A birthday request for a coconut cream pie was placed.  This was a delicious pie – rich and creamy and delicious. 

Coconut Cream Pie

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

¼ teaspoon salt

1½ cups unsweetened coconut milk (from a 13.75­ounce can)

1¼  cups whole milk

4 large egg yolks

¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

¾-1 cup shredded sweetened coconut, to your preference

Crust one recipe of pâte brisée

Pâte Brisée

Makes Single Crust

1¼  cups flour

2 teaspoons sugar

½  teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons of ice cold butter cut into 1 inch pieces

¼ cup ice water

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse flour, sugar and salt for 10 seconds.

Open lid and spread butter cubes over flour return lid and pulse for around 10 seconds until mixture looks like crumbs with some larger pieces of butter.

Add water through the feed tube until dough comes together when you gather up in your hand a squeeze.

This should take no more than 30 seconds (over processed dough equals a tough crust).

If too crumbly and it won't hold together, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time.

Flatten into a disk on a piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight or I pop mine into the freezer for 20-30 minutes

Remove the dough from the refrigerator. 

Roll dough on a lightly floured surface into a disk about 9 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch in thickness.

Place dough pie dish gently pushing dough into edges not stretching. 

Trim edges and refrigerate for 30 minutes or 15 minutes in the freezer.

Blind bake using foil or parchment to line the crust and fill with pie weights or dried beans.

Bake the crust at 375ºF for 25 minutes.

Remove the foil with the weights and bake the crust until the bottom is golden and dry about 10 more minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool

Coconut Filling

Combine granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan.

Whisk in coconut milk and whole milk.

Cook over medium­ high heat, stirring constantly, until bubbling and thick, about 7 minutes.

Whisk egg yolks in a medium bowl.

Add milk mixture to yolks in a slow, steady stream, whisking until completely incorporated.

Return to saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, until thickened.

Strain custard through a fine sieve into a bowl, and stir in vanilla and shredded coconut. Pour into piecrust, and smooth top.

Wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate until filling is completely set, about 4 hours, and up to 2 days.

Toasted Coconut

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Spread coconut amount of your choice evenly on a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Slow Whipped Smooth Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy cream

3-5 tablespoons granulated sugar (add more or less sugar to your preference)

¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

Chill your bowl and whisk of your stand mixer, in the freezer or refrigerator 15 minutes prior to mixing.

Add the cream to a mixer with the whisk attachment and set to a low speed*.

Add the sugar and vanilla to the mixture slowly.

Whisk for around 10 to 15 minutes, until the mixture begins to ripple.

Turn the mixer off and finish whisking by hand, until the mixture starts to stiffen and sticks to the whisk.

Be careful not to whisk too hard or the frosting will become clumpy.

*This method of mixing your whip cream produces a thick, smooth and stable whipped cream that will not breakdown and become runny.  The low speed forms small air bubbles that create a stable structure in the cream.  Whipping cream fast creates large unstable air bubbles that collapse and run.