American · United States
Apple Pie
American apple pie — flaky, lard-and-butter double crust, spiced apple filling, deep golden, baked until the juices bubble through the steam vents — is the country's defining dessert. The crust must shatter at the first touch of a fork; the filling must be set but not gluey; the apples must be present as pieces, not mush. Served warm with vanilla ice cream (the only correct accompaniment). The expression 'as American as apple pie' exists for a reason.
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I
The Market List
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280g
all-purpose flour
Your own market
140g
cold unsalted butter
cubed
Your own market
7g
kosher salt
Your own market
15ml
ice water
Your own market
30g
sugar
Your own market
1
large egg yolk
Your own market
900g
30g
50g
sugar
Your own market
15g
cornstarch
Origin · ChinaWismettac · Vancouver →
5ml
fresh lemon juice
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
2g
ground cinnamon
Your own market
0.5g
nutmeg
Your own market
0.5g
allspice
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
1
large egg
beaten with 15ml water
Your own market
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II
The Method
1
Cut butter into flour and salt until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs; add ice water until dough just comes together.
2
Form dough into disk, wrap in plastic, and chill 60 minutes.
3
Toss apples with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice; macerate 15 minutes.
4
Roll dough to 3mm thickness; line 23cm pie tin, trim overhang to 2cm.
5
Fill with apple mixture; roll second dough portion, cut into 2cm strips, and weave lattice pattern.
6
Brush lattice with egg wash; chill 15 minutes.
7
Bake at 200°C for 50 minutes until crust is deep golden brown.
IV
Sensory Tests
◇Where it lives or dies. The moment where apple pie lives or dies is the bottom crust — it is the most prone to sogginess. Blind-bake the bottom crust for 15 minutes (lined with parchment and weighted) before adding the filling. This sets the bottom crust before the wet apple filling can soften it. Alternatively, place the pie on the lowest rack of the oven so the bottom crust has direct heat throughout — the bottom should be audibly sizzling.
Pillars V — VII
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