Mile High Apple Pie Food

MILE-HIGH APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the smaller piece of pate brisee into a 15-inch round about 1/8-inch thick, dusting surface with flour to prevent sticking, as needed. Brush off excess flour. Roll dough around rolling pin, and place over a deep-dish 9-inch pie plate. Line plate with dough, pressing it into the corners. Trim dough to within 1 inch of the pie plate. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate.
• Roll out remaining piece of dough into an 18-inch round. Transfer round to a baking sheet; cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.
• Peel and core apples, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place slices in a large bowl; sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent discoloration. In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar, and cinnamon; toss with apple slices.
• Remove remaining dough from refrigerator; place apple mixture into prepared pie plate, mounding it in a tall pile. Dot filling with butter. Place dough round over the apples. Tuck edge of top dough between edge of bottom dough and rim of pan. Using your fingers, gently press both layers of dough along the edge to seal, and crimp as desired.
• Using a paring knife, cut several vents in top of dough to allow steam to escape. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk with 2 tablespoons water to make a glaze. Brush surface with egg glaze; sprinkle with sugar. Place on a baking sheet, this will catch any juices that may overflow during baking. Bake until crust is golden, about 15 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool completely before serving.

MILE-HIGH APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Position an oven rack in the lower part of the oven and place a baking stone on it.
• Place the apples into a large mixing bowl, and toss with the lemon juice.
• Stir the potato starch, 3/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a bowl.
• Roll out half of the pie crust pastry on a lightly floured surface and fit it into a 10 inch pie plate. Pile half the apples into the crust, and dot with half the butter pieces. Sprinkle half of the potato starch-cinnamon sugar mixture over the apples. Pile the remaining apples into the pie plate. Sprinkle with the remaining butter pieces and sugar mixture. Roll out the remaining pie crust pastry, and place carefully over the apples. Pinch and crimp the edges to seal the crusts. Use a fork to poke holes in the top crust in a few places. Brush the top crust with milk, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.
• Place the pie in the preheated oven on the baking stone. Immediately lower the heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake until the crust is golden brown, about 60 minutes. Check half way through the baking time, and cover the edges with aluminum foil for the last 30 minutes if necessary to prevent over-browning. Cool 3 hours on a wire rack before serving.

MILE-HIGH APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Prepare pastry: In large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut vegetable shortening and butter into flour mixture until coarsely blended. Slowly add water, mixing, until dough binds. Form dough into two balls, one slightly larger than the other; wrap and refrigerate.
• Make apple filling: Cook apple slices in a large pot over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until barely tender-about 10 minutes. Watch so they don't burn! Drain apple slices completely. Transfer to large bowl and add sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla; stir to blend. Set aside.
• Prepare Pecan Crumb Topping: In medium-sized bowl, combine flour, brown sugar and salt. Cut butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles cornmeal. Add pecans and mix.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out out both pieces of dough. Place the smaller round in bottom of dish. Carefully fill pie dish with apple filling. (It will be quite full!) Roll our larger piece of dough to a 12-inch round and cover top of pie. Trim and pinch together edges of bottom and top crusts.
• Brush top crust lightly with water. Top with crumb topping and carefully press into crust. Make several slits in top pie crust.
• Put a tray beneath the pie to catch any overflow during baking. Bake 45-50 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Cool at least 25 minutes, sift confectioners' sugar over top, and serve.

MILE-HIGH LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Pulse the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor. Add the shortening and pulse a few times until combined. Add the butter and pulse just until coarse crumbs form. Add the vinegar and 3 tablespoons ice water; pulse until the dough comes together but is slightly crumbly. Pinch the dough - if it's too crumbly, pulse in more ice water 1 teaspoon at a time. Turn out the dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap the dough, then flatten into a disk. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 13-inch round. Ease into a 9-inch pie plate. Fold the overhanging dough under itself, then crimp the edges. Refrigerate the crust until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork, line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Place the crust on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown around the edges, about 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights and continue baking until the crust is a deep golden brown on the bottom, 20 to 30 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool while preparing the filling but leave the oven on.
• Make the filling: Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl until smooth; set aside. Whisk the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan to combine. Whisk in the water and lemon juice and turn the heat to medium. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, whisking, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Slowly whisk about one-quarter of the sugar mixture into the egg yolks. Whisk in another one-quarter of the sugar mixture until smooth, then pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Continue cooking, whisking constantly to keep the egg yolks from scrambling, about 1 more minute. Stir in the butter and lemon zest until the butter melts; remove from the heat.
• Immediately make the meringue while the filling is still hot: Combine the egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Very slowly beat in the sugar; continue beating until firm glossy peaks form, about 4 minutes more (do not overbeat). Give the lemon filling a quick stir, then pour into the crust. Immediately spread the meringue on top of the hot filling, spreading it all the way to the crust; use the back of a spoon to make swoops and peaks. Bake until the meringue is golden brown in spots, 5 to 7 minutes; do not overbake to avoid weeping.
• Remove the pie to a rack and let cool 1 hour, then refrigerate until completely cooled before slicing, about 4 hours.

MILE-HIGH APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the quartered apples into 1/2-inch slices and mix with the lemon juice in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples, toss to coat and cook, 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle the sugars, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and allspice over the apples and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture to thicken, and then let cool completely. Roll out one of the Perfect Pie Dough discs on a floured surface. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate, giving yourself a 1/2-inch overhang. Roll the marzipan between 2 pieces of parchment paper into a 9-by-1/8-inch-thick circle. Place the marzipan over the bottom crust. Dock the bottom crust, using a fork, and fill the pie with the apple mixture. Roll out the second pie dough disc to fit on top of the apples. Place on top of the pie and trim the edges to about 1/2-inch overhang. Pinch the top crust to the bottom, fluting the edge or pressing to seal with the tines of a fork. Vent the pie by cutting 4 slits in the top, and brush with the egg wash. Transfer the pie to a sheet tray and bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes before serving.
• Mix the flour and salt together in a food processer. Add the butter into the flour mixture and pulse until you have large pea-size chunks scattered throughout. Add 8 to 10 tablespoons ice water slowly, while stirring with a fork, just until combined. Transfer to a floured surface, divide in half, shape into 2 discs and wrap separately in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

MILE-HIGH APPLE PIE WITH BROWN SUGAR STREUSEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Prepare filling: toss apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt together in a bowl; set aside.
• Prepare crust: put flour, 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening, and salt in a bowl. Work it with a pastry blender until shortening is the size of small peas. Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, working it in with the pastry blender.
• Gather up the dough and form it into a flat disc. Turn it out onto a lightly floured board and roll it into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie pan and flute the edges. Spoon the apple filling into the crust.
• Prepare topping: gather flour, brown sugar, and butter in a bowl. Work with a pastry blender until butter is the size of large peas. Sprinkle topping generously on top of the pie.
• Place the pie on top of a foil-covered cookie sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and bake until topping is golden and filling is bubbly, about 45 minutes more.
• Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool before serving, about 30 minutes.

MILE-HIGH CARAMEL APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 475°F.
• In very large bowl combine butter and cinnamon; add apples and toss gently to coat.
• Spread apples evenly in a parchment paper- or foil-lined, large roasting pan or two 15x10x1-inch baking pans.
• Roast (one pan at a time if using baking pans) 4 to 5 inches from heat for 7 to 10 minutes or until apples start to brown on edges, turning once halfway through.
• Cool apples in pan(s). Reduce heat to 375°F.
• Prepare pastry or let refrigerated pastry stand at room temperature according to package directions.
• Line 9-inch pie plate with half of pastry (a deep one).
• In very large bowl stir together brown sugar, flour, and salt.
• Add apple slices and any juices; stir to coat.
• Transfer to pastry-lined pie plate.
• Trim top crust to edge of pie plate.
• Fold top pastry edge under bottom pastry; crimp edge.
• Brush top with mixture of beaten egg and water.
• Cover edge of pie with foil to prevent overbrowning.
• Place on middle shelf in oven; place foil-lined baking sheet on lower rack beneath pie.
• Bake 30 minutes; remove foil from pie. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes more or until top is golden and filling is bubbly.
• Remove to a wire rack.
• While warm, drizzle with some of the caramel topping.
• Cool completely.
• Serve with remaining topping.