Apple Pie Stacks Food

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 STACKS

Steps:

• PIE CIRCLES: Preheat oven to 450. Roll out crust and cut into 12 - 3" circles. Place on parchment lined baking sheet. Prick each circle several times wtih the tines of a fork. Mix cinnamon and sugar together and sprinkle on each pastry circle Bake for 5 minutes until golden. Remove to cooling rack. Careful, they are delicate.
• Filling: SPICED DRIED APPLE FILLING: Chop dried apples and place into a microwaveable owl with 2 cups water and 1/2 cup apple juice concentrate. Cover bowl and microwave steam for 10 minutes. Scoop apple mixture and juice into a sauce pan and cook over medium heat. Gradually add the remaining cup of water as liquids reduce and the apples absorb the water. Cook until apples are soft and the liquid has cooked down considerably (about 40 minutes) Sift together the spices and sugar and stir into the cooked apples. (you can add more or less according to your taste) Stir and cook about 10 minutes more until liquid has reduced to a small amount of syrup. Remove from heat and set aside.
• FRESH APPLE PIE FILLING: Prep apples put into pot. Add water and cook apples, "simmer" until soft. Add sugar and spices. (You can add more or less according to your taste). Continue to cook over low heat until sugar is dissolved and liquid is thick. Remove from heat and set aside.
• ASSEMBLE PIE STACKS: On each serving plate(I used ramekins) place one of the rounds of pastry and spoon some hot apple filling onto each round. Top each with another round of pastry. Spoon on more apple filling. Top with the third pastry round. Add a small dollop of whip cream or a scoop of ice cream and garnish as desired.
• The pie circles and filling can be made ahead of time and then just reheat the filling, stack and serve. I had extra apple filling left over, so I put in a zip lock and froze for later use.

SKILLET APPLE PIE STACKS

Steps:

• Process:.
• Break apart sugar cookie dough and place in a bowl with the oats and pecans. Using your hands, incorporate the oats and nuts into the cookie dough.
• Make sugar cookie crunch topping by crumbling the cookie dough mixture onto a 9 X 12 cake pan and place in the oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Stir around cookie dough with spatula after 20 minutes, them return to oven to complete baking. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan.
• Cut 24 3" circles from your pie crust using a glass or cookie cutter.
• Make Cinnamon Sugar mixture by combining 2 T. sugar with 1/2 t. cinnamon. Sprinkle ¼ t. mixture on each circle.
• Place pie crust on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven at 450 degrees for 7 minutes. Remove pie crusts from cooking sheet immediately.
• Add apples, pie filling, butter, brown sugar and cinnamon to a skillet. Cook on high until bubbly, then reduce and cook on low for 5 minutes or until the fresh apples begin to soften.
• Place a pie crust disk on a plate and top with 2 T. pie filling, then 1/2 cup of ice cream, another pie disk, 2 T. pie filling, 1/4 cup of sugar cookie crunch topping. Garnish with whip cream.
• This can be served warm or cold. Left over sugar cookie crunch is a tasty snack.

APPLE STACK CAKE

Steps:

• Place apples and water in a 6-qt. stockpot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 40-45 minutes or until apples are softened, stirring occasionally. Mash into a chunky sauce. Stir in brown sugar and pie spice; simmer, uncovered, 10-15 minutes longer or until liquid is absorbed and sauce is thickened. Cool completely., Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition., Divide dough into 8 portions; shape each into a disk. Cut out eight 9-in. circles of parchment. With a floured rolling pin, roll out a dough disk to fit each parchment circle. Transfer to baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely., Place1 layer on a serving plate; spread with 2/3 cup filling. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cake layer, wrap tightly in plastic wrap; refrigerate 1-2 days or until layers soften. If desired, sprinkle cake with confectioner's sugar.

APPLE PIE BY GRANDMA OPLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.
• Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.
• Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.