Apple Pie Apple Cider Food

APPLE CIDER PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Dice butter into cubes and put back in the refrigerator. Place flour and salt in a food processor and pulse until combined. Add butter and pulse until the butter is crumbly, just a few seconds. Add 3 tablespoons apple cider and run the food processor until the mixture starts to clump. Test the mixture with your fingers - is it crumbly or smooth? If it's too smooth to form one full ball in the food processor add 1 teaspoon more of apple cider (up to 1 full tablespoon more) until the mixture forms a ball when the processor is running. Be careful not to add too much liquid.
• Divide the dough into two balls. If the dough is too soft, chill for 30 minutes before rolling it out. If you can, roll out each ball separately on a lightly floured surface. (A silicone mat is very helpful for this step!) The diameter of the crust should be at least 1" larger than an inverted pie plate. Place one pie crust in a 9" pie plate. Place the other on a cookie sheet covered with parchment or wax paper. Chill both crusts until the filling is ready. (The chilling is important. They MUST be chilled before adding filling, topping, and baking for optimal results.)
• Place the apples and 1 1/2 cups of apple cider in a large skillet. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the apples are almost translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the apples and reserve the cooking liquid in the pan.
• Stir together granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and salt. Stir in 2 tablespoons of cold apple cider. Add the cornstarch mixture to the hot apple liquid in the pan. Cook over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Add the butter and stir until melted. Remove from heat and add the apples back to the hot liquid. Let cool for 5-10 minutes.
• Remove crusts from the refrigerator. Slice the flat crust into 1" slices using a knife or pizza cutter. Sprinkle the brown sugar, cinnamon and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch in the bottom of the pie crust in the pie plate. Place the slightly cooled apples into the pie plate. Top the pie with the strips of dough in a lattice pattern.
• To create the lattice pattern (see this post for image tutorial): choose every other strip and place them on the pie crust with 1" gaps between them. Then take each remaining strip, starting at one end of the pie, and weave the strips over and under the strips that are on the pie in an alternating pattern.
• Brush the top of the pie with a little heavy whipping cream and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Place the pie on a cookie sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Cool completely before cutting. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream and apple cider syrup.

THE BEST APPLE PIE

Steps:

• For the dough: Pulse the flour, granulated sugar and salt in a food processor to combine. Add the butter and process until the largest pieces of butter are pea-size. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Stir the vodka, vinegar and 1/4 cup ice water in a small bowl (or 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon ice water if you're not using vodka). Drizzle the wet ingredients over the dough, and then mix with a fork until shaggy pieces form. Knead the dough in the bowl with your hands a couple of times until it comes together (it will look quite dry, which is fine). Transfer the large clumps of dough to a work surface. Drizzle 1 tablespoon ice water over any remaining smaller bits of dough in the bowl and knead again to bring it together. If the remaining dough is still too dry to come together, add more ice water in 1 tablespoon increments. Add to the dough on the work surface and press together into a single mass, incorporating any dry bits. Then pat the dough into a 1-inch-thick block. Divide the block into 4 pieces with a bench scraper or knife. Stack the pieces on top of one another, tucking any unincorporated dry bits in between the layers. Flatten the dough into a 3/4-inch-thick block. Repeat this process (cutting, stacking and flattening) three more times; this creates layers of butter in the dough that produces a wonderful flaky, almost puff pastry-like crust.
• Divide the dough in half and form into 1-inch-thick discs; wrap each tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or preferably overnight. The dough can be made 3 days ahead. Keep it refrigerated or freeze it for up to 3 months.
• To fill and assemble: Peel, core and slice the apples into 1/2-inch wedges. Toss the apples, brown sugar, flour, butter, lemon juice, cinnamon, salt, allspice and nutmeg in a large bowl. Let the fruit sit for 30 minutes to extract the juices.
• Meanwhile, soften one dough disc at room temperature for 5 minutes. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly flour your work surface. Roll the dough out to 1/8-inch thick (about 16 inches in diameter). Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate. Soften the second disc at room temperature for 5 minutes. Then roll it out to the same thickness and diameter as the first disc.
• Carefully transfer the second disc to a 9-inch pie dish. Lift the edges so the dough slumps down into the dish. Press the dough firmly against the sides and bottom of the dish. Trim the edges, leaving about a 1-inch overhang. Refrigerate for 5 minutes to firm up. Remove the first disc from the refrigerator and let it soften for 5 minutes.
• Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Line another rimmed baking sheet with foil and place it on the center rack.
• Scrape the apple filling into the pie dish, creating a mound in the center. Beat the egg with 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl and brush the edges of the dough. Place the other disc over the filling. Trim the edges, leaving about a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold the bottom edge up and over the top edge; press together to seal. Crimp the edge and brush the top with egg wash. Sprinkle with the demerara sugar. Cut several vents in the top evenly spaced. Freeze the pie for 10 minutes.
• Put the pie dish on the preheated baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes, and then reduce the heat to 375 degrees F. Continue to bake for 45 minutes, and then loosely tent with foil. Continue baking until the crust is a deep golden brown and the juices are thick and vigorously bubbling, 35 to 45 minutes longer. The juices will start to bubble at around 75 minutes, but they will thicken and bubble faster in the last 15 minutes; don't be tempted to pull it out until the bubbles are really going. (If using a clear pie dish, check underneath to make sure the bottom crust is evenly browned.) Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let it cool at least 4 hours before serving. (Yes, it smells amazing, and yes, people love warm pie. But if you don't give it time to set up properly, the filling will be runny when you cut into it.)

APPLE-PIE SPICED CIDER

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, whisk together cider, sugar, spices, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Remove from heat; pour in brandy, if desired. Strain into a pitcher; discard solids. Serve in mugs, garnished with cinnamon sticks.

APPLE PIE CIDER

Steps:

• In a large pot, combine apple juice, apple cider, sugar and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and let cool completely.
• When juice mixture is cool, stir in the grain alcohol.

CIDER-CARAMEL APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Roll out one disk of dough and fit it into a 9-inch pie pan. Roll out the second disk as directed in Cook's Note and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill the crusts while you prepare the caramel and filling.
• Make the caramel: In a large wide pot, bring the cider to a boil over medium heat, then lower to medium-low heat and cook, without stirring, until the cider reduces to a sauce with the consistency of thin caramel, 45 to 60 minutes (the timing will depend on the size of your pot; check the progress every 15 minutes or so to start, and more frequently once it begins to thicken).
• Stir the butter, salt, and vanilla into the caramel, then pour the mixture into a heatproof bowl to cool slightly, about 15 minutes.
• Make the filling: Place the apples in a large bowl. In a small bowl, stir the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together. Add the mixture to the apples and toss to coat. Add the cooled caramel and toss well to combine.
• Arrange the filling in the chilled piecrust: If you place the apples in overlapping concentric circles, like a rosette, there will be fewer air pockets between the fruit, reducing the chance of the top crust collapsing after baking. Once you reach the upper edge of the pie pan, begin to make the circles smaller to mound the filling higher in the center to give the baked pie the domed look.
• Roll up the top crust onto the rolling pin and gently unfurl it over the filling. Press the edges of the top and bottom crusts gently together to seal, then trim the excess dough away using scissors, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Tuck the overhang under itself all the way around the pie.
• Crimp the edges of the crust as desired. I refrigerate the pie for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C), preferably with a baking stone on the bottom rack.
• Brush the top crust with the egg wash and sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar. Use a small sharp knife to cut a few small vents in the crust. Bake the pie on the stone or bottom rack until the crust is deeply golden and the filling is bubbling up through the vents, 40 to 50 minutes. If the crust begins to brown too quickly, reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and/or tent the crust or edges with foil. Cool the pie for at least 30 minutes before serving.
• To mix the dough by hand: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the butter cubes, tossing them through the flour until each piece is well coated. Cut the butter into the flour by pressing the pieces between your palms or your fingers, flattening the cubes into big shards and continuing to toss them through the flour, recoating the shingled pieces.
• For a flaky crust, continue cutting the butter into the flour just until the pieces of butter are about the size of walnut halves. Or, for a mealy crust, continue to work the mixture together until the pieces of butter are about the size of peas. To mix the dough in a food processor: See Pro Tip.
• Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add 3 tablespoons ice water for a single crust or 6 tablespoons for a double crust and mix to incorporate. Then add more ice water 1 tablespoon at a time and continue mixing just until the dough comes together. As it begins to come together, you can knead it a few times to make sure it's fully combined. It's important not to add too much water to the dough, which should never be sticky- it should hold together easily in a ball but still feel almost dry to the touch.
• Form the dough into an even disk if making a single crust; or divide in half and shape into 2 equal disks if making a double crust. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
• For a double-crust pie: Using one disk of dough, follow the instructions for a single-crust pie and chill the bottom crust in the pie pan. Roll out the second disk of dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thick and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Fill the bottom crust as directed in the recipe. Roll the top crust up onto the rolling pin, starting at the far edge of the dough. With the pie pan in front of you, start at the edge closest to you and gently unfurl the dough onto the filling. Trim the excess dough from the edges, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang all around. Use your fingers to press the edges of the bottom and top crusts together so they are lightly sealed. Chill the pie in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes or freeze for 5 minutes.
• Tuck the excess dough under at the edges, pressing lightly to help seal the dough to the rim of the pie pan. Return the dough to the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes or to the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes. Crimp the edges of the piecrust as desired. Bake as directed in the recipe.

SPARKLING APPLE PIE ON THE ROCKS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup cider, 1 cup caramel topping, cinnamon sticks and cinnamon to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until liquid is reduced to 1 cup, about 15 minutes. Cool slightly; discard cinnamon sticks., Place sprinkles and additional caramel topping in separate shallow bowls. Hold each glass upside down and dip rim in caramel topping, then dip in sprinkles., To serve, fill glasses with ice. Add 2 tablespoons cooled cinnamon syrup to each; top with remaining cider and champagne. If desired, garnish with apple slices and additional cinnamon sticks.

APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large saute pan set over medium-high heat and add apples to the pan. Stir to coat fruit with butter and cook, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, whisk together the spices, salt and 3/4 cup sugar, and sprinkle this over the pan, stirring to combine. Lower heat and cook until apples have started to soften, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle the flour and cornstarch over the apples and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, another 3 to 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat, add cider vinegar, stir and scrape fruit mixture into a bowl and allow to cool completely. (The fruit mixture will cool faster if spread out on a rimmed baking sheet.)
• Place a large baking sheet on the middle rack of oven and preheat to 425. Remove one disc of dough from the refrigerator and, using a pin, roll it out on a lightly floured surface until it is roughly 12 inches in diameter. Fit this crust into a 9-inch pie plate, trimming it to leave a .5-inch overhang. Place this plate, with the dough, in the freezer.
• Roll out the remaining dough on a lightly floured surface until it is roughly 10 or 11 inches in diameter.
• Remove pie crust from freezer and put the cooled pie filling into it. Cover with remaining dough. Press the edges together, trim the excess, then crimp the edges with the tines of a fork. Using a sharp knife, cut three or four steam vents in the top of the crust. Lightly brush the top of the pie with egg wash and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of sugar.
• Place pie in oven and bake on hot baking sheet for 20 minutes, then reduce temperature to 375. Continue to cook until the interior is bubbling and the crust is golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes more. Remove and allow to cool on a windowsill or kitchen rack, about two hours.

APPLE PIE APPLE CIDER

Steps:

• Boil half of a 1/2 gallon of apple cider.
• Add 4 tablespoons of honey, and some cinnamon (how much you prefer).
• put 1 tablespoon of honey on the bottom of each cup.
• Pour in the hot apple cider.
• Top with whip cream.
• Sprinkle cinnamon on top of whip cream.
• Enjoy!

APPLE PIE MADE WITH BOILED CIDER

Steps:

• For the pie crust whisk together the flour and salt.
• Add the shortening and mix until well combined.
• Add the butter and mix until just crumbly. (DO NOT mix until the butter is completely blended -- it will produce a better crust this way.).
• Gradually add the ice water until the dough is mixed so that it holds together in a ball and no longer feels crumbly or dry.
• Take the large ball and divide it into two pieces with one piece being slightly larger than the other. If you weigh your ingredients the larger piece should weigh approximately 11 oz and the smaller piece should weigh approx 9 oz.
• Form each piece into a disk and then gently roll the edges onto a floured area.
• Gently pat the disks until they are about one inch thick and then wrap each one separately in any brand of plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. However if you wish it can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
• Take the dough out of the refrigerator. Only if it has been chilled for more than 30 minutes will it need to be left to warm up a little bit- up to 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Roll out the larger piece of dough and on a floured surface to a 14-15 inch circle.
• Gently fold the large circle in half and then into a triangle by folding again. Place the triangle piece dough into the pie pan and gently open the folded pieces so that it will be nicely centered. DO NOT cut off excess dough which will hang over the edges of the pie pan.
• Roll out the smaller piece of dough and on a floured surface to a 11-12 inch circle. Fold it into a triangle like before and cover with plastic wrap until ready to put on the top of the filling after it is inserted into the pan.
• In a large bowl put the apples which have been sliced, sugar, lemon juice, spices, vanilla, boiled cider and salt. Don't be alarmed to see that the mixture becomes a little syrupy as you are stirring the filling.
• Add the butter and flour, blend well. Set aside.
• Fill the pan which is lined with the larger pie crust with the apple mixture.
• Top with the smaller pie crust, and add several slits with a sharp knife for the steam to escape and to try to avoid spill-overs while baking.
• Gently bring the unused portion of crust from the bottom layer up over the top of the upper layer and seal well, crimping as is your desire. (Crimping helps seal the crust against seepage -- you can press a fork into the edge all the way around if you desire or use any other method.)
• Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
• Remove from oven and gently cover the entire pie with a large sheet of aluminum foil.
• Bake at the same temperature for another 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let cool COMPLETELY before cutting. The pie sets up to a non-runny consistency when it is completely cool and not warm.
• It is recommended to make the day before and not cut or eaten until the next day. Not only does this make a firmer pie but also helps to develop and meld the flavors.

APPLE CIDER PIE

Steps:

• Pour pie filling into the crust. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the sour cream and cider mix until light and fluffy. Fold in whipped topping. Pour over pie filling. Chill until set. Just before serving, sprinkle with granola.