Space Needle Apple Pie 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.)

MINI APPLE PIES WITH PILLSBURY® CRUST

Steps:

• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until no lumps remain. Add apples, apple juice, sugar, brown sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Trim 4 circles from the pie crust; allow enough dough to fit the tin and be able to crimp and seal top and bottom crusts. Press 1 dough circle into the bottom of each of 2 mini pie tins. Add filling. Drape top crusts over filling. Wrap excess top crusts under bottom crusts edges, pressing edges together to seal. Flute the edges and cut slits in the top crusts.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Cover edges of crusts with strips of aluminum foil to prevent burning. Continue baking until apples are tender and crusts are golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes more.
• Cool pies on rack at least 2 hours before serving.

SPACE NEEDLE APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F and place pastry into pie pans.
• Beat butter in a small bowl until fluffy; add dry ingredients and mix gently until well combined.
• Peel, core and slice apples into 1/4" slices (about 6 cups total).
• Sprinkle with lemon juice and vanilla; mix well.
• Add dry ingredients to apples, toss well and spoon evenly into pie shells.
• Sprinkle each with half of streusel topping.
• Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until topping is deep golden brown.
• Cut each pie into six pieces and serve on individual plates.

APPLE RING PIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Microwave the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in a medium microwave-safe bowl until melted, about 1 minute.
• Cut the apples, crosswise, into slices between 1/4-and-1/2-inch thick, using only full size slices from the center of the apple. You should get 4 slices from each apple, each about 2 inches in diameter. Remove the cores from the apples with a small round cutter or apple corer to make rings. Add the apples to the butter mixture and turn to coat well, taking care not to break the slices.
• Unroll the pie crusts and roll each on a floured surface into 13-inch rounds. Use a 4 inch round cutter to cut 8 rounds from each piece of dough (gathering the scraps and rerolling the dough as needed). (See Cook's Note.) Arrange half of the rounds on the prepared baking sheets and brush all over with the egg. Center an apple slice on each round and spoon any juices left in the bowl in the center of the slice. Place a caramel piece in the center of each slice.
• Lay the remaining dough rounds over each apple slice and press the edges gently to seal, then crimp the edges with a fork. Cut small slits in the dough for air vents. Brush the tops with beaten egg and sprinkle generously with granulated sugar.
• Bake, rotating the trays from top to bottom halfway through baking time, until the crust is golden brown and crisp,18 to 20 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet at least 15 minutes before serving.

SPACE NEEDLE APPLE CINNAMON CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine apple juice and apples in a medium saucepan; cook over high heat about 20 minutes or until reduced and the consistency of syrup, stirring occasionally.
• Remove saucepan from heat; slowly beat in small amounts of butter until all has been incorporated.
• Beat in cinnamon.
• This mixture is sensitive to heat -- avoid excessive cold or hot temperatures.