Aunt Ange's Apple Pie

Where did the heat come from today? Could this be the last day this year where temperatures will be in the 80s? This weekend looks like perfect apple picking weather, partly sunny in the 70's. Come pick some NY apples and use this recipe to make the best apple pie you ever tasted. A mixture of fresh picked tart and sweet apples is ideal. This weekend at Hurds Family Farm, the top apples for pie are: Jonagold, Empire, & Macoun. Grab a few of each and you're ready to make the perfect apple pie, YUM!

Ever wonder why grandma's pie crust was so flaky and golden brown? Well, Aunt Ange has all the secrets! This recipe is sure to impress your loved ones. For those of you who are vegan or trying to limit your sugar intake, Aunt Ange has some tips for you as well.

Total Time around 90 minutes

Prep 45 min - 1 hour

Bake 45 min

Makes 8 servings

Crust Ingredients (Makes a Double Crust)

• 2 cups Flour and some more for rolling

• 1/4 tsp Salt

• 3/4 cup Crisco

• 1/4 cup Water

• milk or milk substitute ( to brush on pie crust )

• cinnamon sugar ( to sprinkle on pie crust )

Filling Ingredients

• 8 - 10 cups pealed & sliced Apples ( 6 - 8 Apples )

• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice

• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon

• 1/8 tsp Salt

• 1/4 cup White Sugar

• 1/4 cup Brown Sugar

Double Pie Crust Directions

Combine flour, salt, and crisco in a large mixing bowl. Use pastry cutter to blend crisco into flour until tiny crumbs form, about the size of orzo.

Add water, stir and press with wooden spoon, until bigger crumbs form.

Use hands to gently mix the dough into one giant dough ball and split into 2 even sized balls.

Sprinkle flour on cutting board and gently flatten out one dough ball.

Use rolling pin to flatten the dough into a 12" circle. This is the bottom crust.

Roll it over your rolling pin to transfer it to a 9" pie dish.

Roll out second dough ball, the same way, and set aside. This is the top crust.

Pie Filling Directions

Preheat Oven to 400. Peel apples and cut into slices. Place in a large mixing bowl and squeeze lemon juice onto sliced apples, stir.

Then add nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, white sugar, and brown sugar to the apples. Mix until apples are evenly coated with sugar and spices.

Dump apples into the pie crust. Once again use the rolling pin to transfer the other pie crust over top of the apples, for the lid.

Crimp the edges of the top and bottom crusts, and poke holes on the top with a knife.

Paint the entire lid of the crust with milk.

Then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Bake the pie at 400 degrees on the middle rack for 15 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 350, and use a crust guard for the remaining 30 minutes bake time.

Place on wire rack to cool, or an upside down cookie sheet will work as well.

Share with those you love!

Helpful Tips

What Apples to Use?

A variety of fresh apples will make the best apple pie, hands down. You want a variety of apples, some tart, some sweet, some green, some red, even some yellow. Try to avoid using all of the same kind, some apples tend to make mushy pies if used on their own. Choose two of each kind, use three or four different kinds for a total of 6 - 8 apples. Fill the pie up with apples, it always tastes better with more apples and this recipe has a large double crust that can fit up to 8 apples.

Sugar Substitutes for a Lower Sugar Apple Pie

This pie tastes amazing with Erythritol for the white sugar, and Coconut Sugar for the Brown Sugar. You can even just use one or the other and it still tastes amazing.

How to get a flaky pie crust?

1 word = Crisco, it is the only way. If I was allergic to soy, I would try palm oil shortening. But shortening is the only way to make a flaky pie crust.

How to get a golden brown pie crust?

You must brush the top of the pie with milk and cover with cinnamon sugar. This will give a nice golden brown look to any pie crust. If you are vegan, just use any milk substitute of your choice. If you are limiting your sugar intake, just make your cinnamon sugar with coconut sugar and cinnamon (or Erythritol and cinnamon).

What to do if I don't have a crust shield?

Don't worry, you can just make one out of tin foil. Rip a piece of tin foil, fold in in quarters, cut a 1/4 circle where the folds meet and fashion it into a ring, use this to prevent your crust from burning.

Come to Hurds Family Farm this weekend, so you can get the apples I used to make this apple pie. Just follow my easy step by step recipe, so you and your loved ones can have the best homemade all-American desert! Share your pie pics with us #hurdsfamilyfarm