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23 heavenly pies

Stir It Up! has collected 23 pie recipes – wonderful in every way – for any occasion. 

Blue ribbon apple pie

The Pastry Chef's Baking
For fruit pies, only apple really does it. With ice cream. Not whipped cream but ice cream. And with apple pie, it can only be vanilla ice cream.

By Carol Ramos, The Pastry Chef's Baking

Flaky Pastry Dough

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, about 10 ounces
1/4 cup cake flour, about 1 ounce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 sticks unsalted butter, 8 ounces, cool
5 to 6 tablespoons ice water

1. Combine the all-purpose flour, cake flour, salt and baking powder; cut up and add the butter, and gently toss to coat. 

2. Rub in the butter until the mixture looks sandy. Sprinkle over 3 tablespoons of ice water; toss with a fork. Add another tablespoon of water if necessary.  Press the dough together. Wrap and chill.

Apple filling

5-7 tart apples (I used Granny Smith)
3/4 - 1 cup sugar (I used 3/4 cup)
2 tablespoons flour
Dash of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons butter (for pie assembly)
Prepare apples and slice thin. Mix sugar, flour, spices – add to apples. 

1. Fill 9-inch pastry-lined pan. Adjust top crust. Crimp edges and cut slits in top crust to let steam escape. Dot with butter (note: it's a little unclear whether she means to dot the butter on top of the crust or underneath it.  I went with underneath the top crust and egg washed the top crust itself before putting it in the oven). Place pie pan on a cookie sheet to catch any drips. 

2. Bake in hot oven (400 degrees F.) for 50 minutes. If crust is browning too quickly, lower temperature to 375 degrees F.  If apples are not tart, add 1 tablespoon lemon juice or grated lemon peel, if desired.

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Mark Sappenfield
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