Apple Pie From Scratch

Ingredients:
For a double crust:
2 1/2 c flour (I suggest White Lilly)
1/3 c shortening
1/3 c cold butter cubed
1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
4 or 5 tbsp cool water

Filling:
2-3 lb baking apples; washed
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/3 c granulated sugar
1/3 c packed brown sugar (light or dark, your preference)
1/4 c butter
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Assembly:
1 egg
2 tbsp water
a little sugar for sprinkling on top

Directions:
Crust:
1. Mix flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl.
2. Cut the butter and shortening into the flour with forks or a pastry blade.
2. Add in a few tbsp of water at a time and mix but pushing a pulling the dough gently, not stirring, because you want the butter and shortening to stay in little pockets of the dough because this is what makes the pastry flaky.
3. Roll into a ball and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, though you can make this a day ahead and refrigerate over night.
4. Then cut the dough in half and roll it out until it is about an 11 or 12 inch circle.
5. Place dough in a greased 9 or 10 inch pie pan.
6. Then roll out the other half until it is about the same size, and then you can either use the whole circle to cover the top of your pie or cut it into strips to create a lattice.

Filling:
1. Core and cut apples into thin slices and put in a large bowl and toss with lemon juice to slow the apples from browning.
2. Add in the sugars and toss until the apples are coated evenly.
3. Then in a large skillet or heave pot melt butter over medium-high heat.
4. Once the butter has melted, add in the apples, and cook for about 2 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved.
5. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low.
6. After about 3 minutes add in the cornstarch and stir well. Cover and allow it to cook for another 4-6 minutes or until thickened.
7. Then pour back into the bowl and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before transferring the apples to the pie pan.

Assembly:
1. After adding in the apples, in a small bowl beat an egg with 2 tbsp of water.
2. Then lay the top pie crust over the top, whether you are using a full sheet or the lattice.
3. Once it is the way you want it to look, go back with a pastry brush or your finger and brush anywhere you want the pie dough to adhere to other pie dough and use the egg mixture as a glue.
4. Then brush the entire top of the pie with the egg wash and sprinkle with so granulated sugar.
5. If you used the entire sheet to cover the top of the pic make sure to cut a few vents in the middle of the pie to allow steam to release as the pie bakes.
6. Then bake the pie for about 50 minutes at 350* degrees.
7. Then allow the pie to cool for at least 30 minutes on a cooling rack before consuming.


Directions with pictures and more explanation: 

 Mix flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Add in butter and shortening.

 Cut the butter and shortening into the flour with forks or a pastry blade. I use forks and pull them through the flour in opposite directions. "'Cutting in" means incorporating shortening or butter into the flour in such a way that little lumps of the raw fat remain whole within the flour mixture. When the dough is baked, these little lumps create separation in the structure of the produce, which is what gives it that flaky consistency."  - http://culinaryarts.about.com/od/bakingdesserts/ss/pastrycut.htm

 This is about what you are looking for when the cutter has been cut in. The mixture will be like little clumps, crumbs, or peas, whatever you prefer. Though there shouldn't be any clumps of butter or shortening; the clumps are created by the fat and flour clumping together.

 Add in a few tbsp of water to the dough. I like to put a few ice cube in my water to insure that it is cold and then using a tablespoon, scoop the water out. You want cold water to make sure the fat stays cold and in it's little pockets.

 Pushing a pulling the dough gently, not stirring, because you want the butter and shortening to stay in little pockets of the dough because this is what makes the pastry flaky.

Roll the dough into a disk and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, though you can make this a day ahead and refrigerate over night.

 Then cut the dough in half and roll it out until it is about an 11 or 12 inch circle. Make sure to keep your counter and rolling pin well floured so that the dough does not stick.

 Place dough in a greased 9 or 10 inch pie pan.

 Core and cut apples into thin slices and put in a large bowl and toss with lemon juice to slow the apples from browning. Add in the sugars and toss until the apples are coated evenly.

 Then in a large skillet or heave pot melt butter over medium-high heat.

 Once the butter has melted, add in the apples, and cook for about 2 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved.

Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. After about 3 minutes add in the cornstarch and stir well. Cover and allow it to cook for another 4-6 minutes or until thickened. Then pour back into the bowl and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before transferring the apples to the pie pan.

Once the apples have cooled a little you can gently pour them into your pie pan. In a small bowl beat an egg with 2 tbsp of water.

 Then roll out the other half until it is about the same size, and then you can either use the whole circle to cover the top of your pie or cut it into strips to create a lattice. Then lay the top pie crust over the top, whether you are using a full sheet or the lattice. Once it is the way you want it to look, go back with a pastry brush or your finger and brush anywhere you want the pie dough to adhere to other pie dough and use the egg mixture as a glue. At this point is where I trim off the extra dough from around the pie pan. You can also then decide to make some sort of decorative edge to you pie by using a fork to press down,  using your fingers to create a scallop, or cutting out a design like I did with squares. If you are adding on dough like I did, you will wont to brush the back of each piece with the egg wash before adding them to your pie.

Then brush the entire top of the pie with the egg wash and sprinkle with so granulated sugar. If you used the entire sheet to cover the top of the pic make sure to cut a few vents in the middle of the pie to allow steam to release as the pie bakes.Then bake the pie for about 50 minutes at 350* degrees.

 Then allow the pie to cool for at least 30 minutes on a cooling rack before consuming. I will say that a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream goes will with a warm slice of apple pie.

Enjoy!