It really is as “easy as pie” – once you learn not to fuss over a pie it becomes so easy.
Pie Crust
Ingredients for a 9 inch 2 crust pie:
- 2 1/2 cups flour (plus extra to coat the area you will be rolling the dough)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup shortening
- 6-7 tablespoons ice cold water ( I add ice cubes to a glass of water)
Utensils: mixing bowl, measuring cups (liquid and dry), measuring spoons, rolling pin,pastry blender or fork, cutting board (for rolling dough – you can use your counter top), pastry wheel, pie pan
Blend flour and salt, cut the shortening into the flour until it’s slightly mealy in texture. You can use a fork, a pastry blender or your fingers. Add half of the water and lightly blend, continue adding a small amount of ice water until the dough forms a ball. Divide the mixture in half in a ball. Lightly flour the surface you’ll use to roll the dough. Place one ball of dough on cutting board, flatten with your hand or the rolling pin. Use the rolling pin to make a thin round layer of pastry crust – to keep crust flaky – don’t over roll the dough. Fold the dough in half then half again. Place this into your pie pan and unfold it – if you try to pick up the sheet of pastry crust without folding it will tear. Roll out other ball of dough and fold it until needed to cover pie.
Maple Apple Pie Filling
- 1 jar (5 ounces) of Hi Vue Cinnamon Maple Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (optional – or try cardamom)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
- 6- 8 large firm tart apples (you want to round the apples up in the center and fill the pie pan)
- 2 tablespoons butter
Preheat oven to 425*F
In a large bowl mix cinnamon maple sugar, salt, nutmeg (or cardamom if using) and flour.
Peel, core and slice apples (uniform size is best for more even cooking). Toss apples with sugar mixture, coating thoroughly.
Pour apples into pie crust and dot with butter.
Drape the 2nd pie crust over the top or try a lattice top! Use a sharp knife to trim any excess pie crust, leaving enough to crimp the 2 layers together, I dip my fingers in the ice water before I crimp the edges. Cut vents in the top crust. I use a mini cookie cutters for the apple and maple leaf cutouts. You can use a simple knife cut to create the vent, a mini cookie cutter or try the lattice top. You can use a knife to create the strips – but after many years I bought a pastry cutter and loved it!
LATTICE TOP
Roll out the second ball of dough and cut it into strips about 3/4 to 1 inch wide with a pastry wheel. Lay half the strips across the filled pie, spaced about an inch apart. Fold back every other strip, lay one strip across the pie the other way, then fold the strips back down over it. Keep folding back alternate strips and adding cross strips until the lattice is woven across the whole pie. Trim the strips even with the edge of the pan and crimp them into the bottom crust to seal.
Bake at 425* for 10 minutes then reduce heat to 350* and bake 30-40 minutes or until apples are tender when pierced.
Maple Whipped Cream
Slice of maple apple pie with maple whipped cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons maple sugar
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
Use an electric blender to whip the cream – add the maple sugar and maple syrup – continue whipping until soft peaks form. Keep refrigerated until you serve your Maple Apple Pie! Enjoy!
Or serve it the Classic Vermont Way – with a slice of sharp Vermont cheddar cheese alongside. The cheddar is the perfect complement to the pie and maple.
