Lenes Bester Apfelkuchen Lenes Best Apple Pie Food

LENE'S BESTER APFELKUCHEN (LENE'S BEST APPLE PIE)

Steps:

• For the filling: In a large pan bring the apples to a simmer, you have to add a little amount (about 2 tbsp) of water, just to stop them from burning at the beginning.
• Stirring occasionally continue to simmer until they start to fall apart, approx 10 minutes. You want to keep most of the chunks and not cook them so long that you have applesauce.
• Take of the heat and allow to cool completely.
• Stir in all other ingredients, adding more or less sugar to your liking. The mix should still be a little tart, as the sweetness of the crust and the sweetness of the whipped cream will make up for it.
• For the crust: In a large bowl mix the butter and sugar, using in electric mixer, until well combined and creamy.
• Add the egg and continue to mix until you have a soft, fluffy mix.
• Using the dough hooks on your mixer, beat in the flour and baking powder bit by bit until well incorporated.
• You might need to chill the dough a little to be able to roll it out.
• On a floured surface roll out the dough with a floured rolling pin quite thin, about 2-3mm.
• Take a 10 1/4 inch spring form and cut out two circles, one to fit the bottom and another one that will eventually cover the top.
• Place one of the dough circles on the bottom of your greased spring form and prick in an couple of places with a fork.
• Bake in a preheated oven (200°C/400°F) for 10 minutes.
• Remove from oven and using the left-over bits of dough cover the sides of the pan, all the way up.
• Carefully place the filling inside and spread evenly to fill the pan. If it doesn't fill most of it, just chop another apple or two and spread them over the top, they'll cook in the oven.
• Now comes the most tricky bit and I always ask somebody to lend me another pair of hands if I can. Carefully lift the other circle of dough you cut out earlier and place it over the top. If you do this on your own it's quite difficult to get it on without ripping, but with four hands it's a lot easier. Otherwise try loosely rolling it and the un-rolling it on top of the filling.
• Using a small knife just loosen the top of the sides and fold over onto the 'lid' crimping it shut. Don't worry if you haven't got much dough to fold and crimp, there shouldn't be a lot.
• Return the cake to the oven an bake for approx 50-60 minutes.
• After 35-45 minutes of the total baking time, when the top is starting to become golden, briefly take the cake out of the oven and top with little knobs of butter and sprinkle with sugar.
• Quickly return to the oven and bake for the remaining 15 minutes, the cake should be a rich golden colour but not brown.
• Remove from oven. Carefully cut around the outside of the pie with a long thin knife and allow to cool before removing the ring of the spring form. Otherwise the hot weight of the apples will cause the crust to tear around the side.
• When completely cool, cut into wedges and serve with a generous helping of whipped cream.

SUNNY'S EASY APFELKUCHEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• For the apples: Add the lemon juice and 2 cups of water to a large bowl and stir. Add the apple wedges. Set aside.
• For the batter: Add the cake mix to a large bowl. Whisk together the cider, sour cream and eggs in a separate bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the cake mix and stir until combined.
• For the streusel: Add the brown sugar, flour and cinnamon sugar to a large bowl. Stir to combine. Using a box grater, shred the chilled butter into the bowl. Use a pastry cutter or fork to mix and toss the mixture until crumbly. Place back in the refrigerator if needed while preparing to bake.
• To assemble: Spray the bottoms and sides of a 9-inch springform cake pan with cooking spray. Place a circle of parchment paper on the bottom and spray again. Pour half of the cake batter in the pan. Sprinkle the top with half of the streusel mixture, then add half of the apple slices in a circular fanning pattern. Repeat the layers and dust the top with cinnamon sugar.
• Bake until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes. Cool on a rack for 30 minutes before releasing the spring form.
• For serving: Serve the cake slices with Sunny's Bourbon Whipped Cream.
• In a large bowl, whisk the heavy cream until light and soft. Add the bourbon and granulated sugar and continue to whisk until soft, lazy peaks form when the whisk is removed from the bowl. Refrigerate and serve cold.

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.)

CLASSIC APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Peel and core the apples; slice 1/4 inch thick. Transfer to a bowl and toss with the granulated sugar and lemon juice. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the flour, cinnamon and salt and stir until the juices thicken, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. (The filling can be made up to 2 days ahead; cover and refrigerate.)
• Roll out 1 disk of dough into a 12-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Ease into a 9-inch pie plate. Add the cooled filling and dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
• Roll out the remaining disk of dough into a 12-inch round. Lay the dough over the filling and press the two crusts together around the edges. Fold the overhanging dough under itself and crimp with your fingers. Brush the top crust with the beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Cut a few slits in the top crust to let steam escape. Chill 1 hour.
• Put a baking sheet on the bottom oven rack and preheat to 425 degrees F for at least 30 minutes. Put the pie directly on the hot baking sheet and reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F; bake until the pie is golden and the filling is bubbly, 1 hour to 1 hour, 10 minutes, rotating the pie as needed. (Cover the edges with foil if they are browning too quickly.) Transfer to a rack and let cool until the filling is set, about 3 hours.
• Pulse the flour, shortening, sugar, vinegar and salt in a food processor until it looks like fine meal. Add the butter and pulse until it is in pea-size pieces. Sprinkle in 1/4 cup ice water and pulse until the dough begins to come together. Pinch the dough with your fingers; if it doesn't hold together, add up to 4 more tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse again.
• Divide the dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pat each into a disk. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or preferably overnight, or freeze up to 2 months.

OMA'S APFELKUCHEN (GRANDMA'S APPLE CAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Let egg yolks stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Starting 1/2 in. from 1 end, cut apple halves lengthwise into 1/4-in. slices, leaving them attached at the top so they fan out slightly. Set aside., Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, sift flour, cornstarch, cream of tartar, baking powder and salt twice. Gradually beat into creamed mixture. Add milk; mix well (batter will be thick)., Spread batter into a greased 9-in. springform pan wrapped in a sheet of heavy-duty foil. Gently press apples, round side up, into batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs, 45-55 minutes. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Loosen sides from pan with a knife; remove foil. Cool 1 hour longer. Remove rim from pan. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

APFELKUCHEN

Steps:

• Place pie shell in a round cake pan (not a pie pan). Toss apples with cinnamon and place in pie shell. Cream 2 tablespoons butter, sugar, and eggs together. Add salt, vanilla, and cream cheese. Blend until just smooth and pour over apples. Combine brown sugar, flour, and 2 tablespoons butter, add pecans. Crumble this mixture on top of pie. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue to bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool and serve.

GRANDMA GELDNER'S APFEL KUCHEN (APPLE KUCHEN)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Mix 1 1/4 cup flour, baking powder, 2 tsp sugar, and salt and sift once.
• Cut 1/2 cup butter into dry mix with a pastry blender to pea size.
• In a small bowl, beat egg with 2 T milk and add to dry mix.
• Mix thoroughly and pat dough into a greased or oiled 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Pare and core apples.
• Cut into thin wedge slices and place on dough in rows until covered. We would cover the thin end of one apple with the thick end of the other.
• Dot apples with 2 T butter and mix 3/4 cup sugar, 1 1/2 Tbs flour and cinnamon together.
• Spread dry topping over dotted apples, and bake in oven for 30-45 minutes, until golden brown.