Wendes Blue Ribbon Apple Pie With Candied Ginger Food

CANDIED APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Filling: Place apples, red hots, sugar and water in large saucepan. Bring apple mixture to a boil until red hots and sugar are dissolved (apples should not be completely cooked). Take off heat. Add almond extract and tapioca to mixture. Let cool till room temperature.
• Crust: Using food processor, pulse flour, pecans, salt, butter and sugar together. When you can't see large butter chunks, add water one tablespoon at a time. When dough forms, wrap in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 1/2 hour to 1 hour. Roll out on lightly floured board. Place bottom crust in buttered pie pan. Spoon room temperature apple mixture into bottom pie crust. Roll out remaining crust.
• Bake for 45 minutes.
• Serve with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or all by itself.

CANDIED GINGER APPLE PIE

Steps:

• For the crust: Put the flour, sugar and salt into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the pastry blade and pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse a few times until the mixture resembles fine gravel. Add 1/4 cup ice water a few tablespoons at a time until the dough comes together and forms a ball. Remove from the food processor, divide in two and form each piece into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until ready to use.
• For the filling: In a large bowl, combine the apples, sugar, cornstarch, crystallized ginger, cinnamon, lemon juice, vanilla bean paste and salt.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and remove one of the disks of dough from the refrigerator. If necessary, leave to soften for 10 minutes or so. On a floured surface, roll out the disk into a 12-inch round about 1/8-inch thick. Transfer to a 9-inch pie dish and gently press into place, eliminating any air pockets. Trim the dough overhang to 1/2 inch.
• On a floured surface, roll the second disk into a 12-inch round about 1/8-inch thick. Transfer the apple filling to the dough-lined dish. On top of the filling, add the second crust, allowing each to overhang by 1/2 inch. Fold the top crust edges over the overhang of the bottom crust and crimp the edges to seal. Cut six slits into the top crust.
• Beat the egg with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water. Using a pastry brush, lightly paint the crust with the egg. Using aluminum foil, make a "collar" around the edges of the pie to prevent it from browning too quickly.
• Bake 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, about 1 hour. (Remove the foil collar for the last 10 to 15 minutes.)
• Transfer the pie to a rack and cool completely.
• Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

BLUE RIBBON APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Coat apple slices with lemon juice.
• Combine sugar, spices, flour, cornstarch and salt in a large zip-loc bag.
• Add apples and shake bag until thoroughly coated.
• Immediately, put coated apples into prepared pie crust.
• Dot with butter.
• Cover with top crust.
• Crimp edges to seal and cut vent holes into crust.
• Brush with milk and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
• Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes, reduce temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

APPLE PIE WEDGES

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and apple butter. Add flour, cinnamon, apple pie spice, and vanilla. Beat at low speed until well blended.
• Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a 6-inch disc on waxed paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Invert one disc of dough into ungreased 9-inch round pie plate. Press dough into plate with lightly floured hands, covering plate completely. Flute edges using the handle of a wooden spoon. Deeply score into 8 wedges. Prick surface using tines of fork. Repeat steps with remaining disc of dough and another pie plate.
• Bake 35 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove to wire rack. Cool completely and cut into wedges.

BLUE-RIBBON APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. On a lightly floured surface, roll half of dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim crust even with rim., In a small bowl, mix walnut layer ingredients until blended. Spread onto bottom of crust. Refrigerate while preparing filling., For filling, in a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice and vanilla. In a small bowl, mix sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; add to apple mixture and toss to coat., Pour filling over walnut layer; dot with butter. Roll remaining dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle. Place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edge. Brush top with milk; sprinkle with sugar. Cut slits in crust., Place pie on a baking sheet. Bake 55-65 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cover edge loosely with foil during the last 10 minutes if needed to prevent overbrowning. Remove foil. Cool on a wire rack.