Recipe: Apple Spice Pie

Excerpted from our Making Dough cookbook from Russell van Kraayenburg.

YIELD: 1 (9-inch) closed pie  |  PREP TIME: 30 minutes  |  BAKE TIME: 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 pounds prepared Pie Dough (double the recipe on page 50)

2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature

6 pounds Pink Lady apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 8 wedges each

3 ounces granulated sugar

3 ounces brown sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon salt

1 ounce (¼ cup) cornstarch

1 egg, beaten (egg wash)

Directions

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 400°F. Divide prepared pie dough into 2 (1-inch-thick) disks, wrap tightly in parchment paper, and refrigerate. Heat butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add apples and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add sugars, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and salt. Stir until evenly mixed. Cook for another 10 minutes, until apples are soft and juices begin to thicken.

2. Mix 1/2 cup water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Stir into apple mixture. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, until filling comes to a boil and thickens. Cook, stirring constantly, for another 30 seconds. Set aside.

3. Place one dough disk on a lightly floured surface. Roll into a circle about 14 inches in diameter. Transfer dough to a 9-inch pie dish and press into the bottom of the dish, taking care not to let dough stretch. Lightly press dough down around the edges of the dish and cut off any excess. Pour in filling, creating a mound in the center. Set aside.

4. Place second disk of dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll into a circle about 14 inches in diameter and place on top of pie dish. Press edges to seal pie shut. Cut 4 tear-drop holes in the center of the pie to let steam escape during cooking. Cut excess dough from edges. Create a rope edge (see page 54). Lightly brush dough with egg wash. Bake for about 30 minutes, until crust is golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack before serving.