IT'S PIE SEASON!!!
If you are looking for a pie crust recipe that is tender, flaky and easy to work with, I’ve got you!
Years ago, I was determined to master pie dough. I researched extensively and practiced repeatedly until I felt confident and satisfied with the results. I owe high praise to Erin McDowell, the pie queen herself, Erin Clarkson from @cloudykitchen on Instagram, and Sally’s Baking Addiction for her pie dough recipe that gave me my first excellent pie crust. I purchased Erin McDowell’s The Book on Pie and studied it as if I were preparing for an exam. I learned so much from her and highly recommend this book if, like me, you want an in-depth exploration of pie baking.
One of the techniques I adopted from her is folding the dough to create extra flaky layers. However, while she uses all-butter pie dough recipes, I haven’t had as much success with them. The recipe I cherish most comes from Sally’s Baking Addiction; it uses both butter and shortening— butter for flavor and shortening for tenderness and structure. Sally’s original recipe doesn’t include the folding technique, so I combined my acquired knowledge with her base recipe to create what I believe is the best pie dough for any occasion. I use it for fruit pies, chicken pot pie, and even homemade toaster strudels.
Video for How to Make Pie Dough
CARDAMON APPLE PIE
If you’re looking for the most delicious apple pie, with perfectly cooked apples enveloped in a luscious caramel sauce enhanced by warming spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and nutmeg… HI! I’ve got you covered.
Some things about the pie…
I use the double pie dough recipe linked above for both the top and bottom crust. For the top crust, creating a basket weave is optional but adds a beautiful touch. I also baked this pie in a tart pan for extra clean edges and a stunning presentation, as it allows you to easily pop the pie out of the pan.
This apple pie recipe is adapted from Erin McDowell’s The Book on Pie. I swapped out the ginger for cardamom to suit my preference. Erin’s techniques for making the filling truly set this apple pie apart from the rest.
Techniques for the Perfect Apple Pie Filling
- Draw out the natural juices – Mix the sliced apples with lemon juice and brown sugar and let them sit for 30-45 minutes.
- You will be AMAZED at the amount of liquid that gets drawn out from the apples in that amount of time.
- Cook the apples – To all of those juices along with the apples we’re going to add flour, sugar and the spices and cook for 5-7 minutes until the liquid thickens.
- Use that liquid to create an apple-y delicious caramel sauce!
- Add more flavor and richness – Add in some butter, vanilla and a boiled cider
- Boiled cider is apple cider that is reduced down to concentrate the flavor.
- To make boiled cider – reduce 3/4 cup apple cider to 2 tbsp over medium-low heat.
- Boiled cider is apple cider that is reduced down to concentrate the flavor.
- Cool filling to room temperature before adding it to the pie to bake.
- You want to keep your pie dough as cold as possible before it goes into the oven, so do not ruin it by adding hot filling to it.
