Basic Piecrust for a
-Double-Crust Pie
1 c Packed light brown sugar
1/4 c Half-and-half
5 tb Unsalted butter
1 ts Vanilla extract
7 md Granny Smith apples; peeled,
-cored, and
; cut into 1/4-inch
; wedges
1 tb Fresh lemon juice
3 tb Cornstarch
Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
Grated zest of 1/4 orange;
-optional
1/2 ts Ground cinnamon
1 3/8 ts Ground allspice
1/4 ts Ground nutmeg
1 ts All-purpose flour
BASIC PIECRUST
1 1/2 c All-purpose flour
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 c Butter-flavored vegetable
-shortening; chilled
1/3 c Iced water
1.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a small saucepan, stir 3/4 cup of the brown sugar and the
half-and-half over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from
the heat and add the butter and the vanilla. Stir until the butter
melts. Set the butterscotch mixture aside to cool completely.
3. In a medium bowl, toss the apples with the lemon juice. Add the
remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, the cornstarch, lemon zest, and the
orange zest (if using), cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg.
4. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the larger disk of
dough into a 13-inch round about 1/8 inch thick. Fold the dough in
half. Transfer to a 9-inch pie pan, and gently unfold the dough to
fit into the pan. Sprinkle the bottom of the dough with the flour.
Fill the pie pan with the apple mixture. Pour the cooled butterscotch
mixture over the apples.
5. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the remaining pie
dough into a 10- to 11-inch round about 1/8 inch thick. Fold the
dough in half, and gently unfold over the apples to cover the
filling. Using scissors or a sharp knife, trim the edges of the 2
piecrusts to a 1-inch overhang.
6. Pinching the 2 crusts together, fold the dough under itself so the
edge of the fold is flush with the edge of the pie pan. Flute the
crust around the edges of the pan. Cut a few slits in the top crust
so the steam can escape.
7. Bake until golden brown and the juices are bubbling (look into the
slits to check), about 45 minutes. Cool completely on a wire cake
rack.
Makes 8 servings.
Basic Piecrust:
1.Sift the flour and salt into a medium bowl. Add the shortening.
Using a fork or a pastry blender, cut the shortening into the flour
until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized bits.
2.Stirring with the fork, gradually add enough of the water until the
mixture clumps together (you may need more or less water). Gather up
the dough and press into a thick disk. If desired, wrap the dough in
wax paper and refrigerate for up to 1 hour.
Makes one 9-inch piecrust
Yields
1 servings
