Monday was Pi Day – 3.14 – heh heh. I’m a little late sharing my celebration of the day. To be honest I really didn’t know it was a thing until I got on Facebook. But who really needs an excuse to bake a pie, right? I had a bunch of apples and I’d been wanting to try a new apple pie recipe so I figured why not on Pi Day?
I have a favorite pie crust recipe but I wanted to play with it a little as I wanted to play with my filling a bit. I’ve been really enamored with the flavor of bourbon and apples lately so I thought that complementing those flavors with a bit of cornmeal in the crust would be interesting.
It was….
Apple Pie – with a Twist
Please note I have the crust ingredients listed twice. I’ve tried doubling this recipe but it doesn’t work. It needs to be made one batch at a time.
For Bottom Crust:
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
3 TBS granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
6 TBS cold butter
1/4 cup shortening
1 TBS apple cider vinegar
4 – 5 TBS ice water
For Top Crust:
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
3 TBS granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
6 TBS cold butter
1/4 cup shortening
1 TBS apple cider vinegar
4 – 5 TBS ice water
For the Pie Filling:
8 apples, peeled cored and sliced
1 cup brown sugar
3 TBS bourbon
juice of half a lemon
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp cinnamon
2 TBS butter
1 egg mixed with a bit of water
sugar in the raw optional
Mix the flour, cornmeal, sugar and salt in medium bowl. Cut the cold butter into chunks and add it and the shortening to the flour. Cut it in with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles small crumbs.
Add the cider vinegar and 3 TBS of ice water. Stir the mixture with a fork. If it seems dry add another tablespoon of water. Gather the dough together and place it on a lightly floured surface. Knead it a few times until it comes together. Form it into a disc, wrap in plastic or wax paper and refrigerate for an hour.
Repeat for top crust.
Preheat oven to 400°
Cut the apples into slices and add to a bowl.
Add the brown sugar, lemon juice, bourbon, cinnamon and flour. Mix well.
Take one disc of dough from the refrigerator and roll it out for a 9″ pie pan. trim.
Add the apples to the prepared pie pan.
Take the second disc from the refrigerator and roll it out to cover.
Dot the top of the apples with the 2 TBS of butter.
Cover with the top crust. Seal with the edge of your choice.
Cut some slits for steam to escape.
Brush with the egg wash.
Sprinkle with sugar in the raw if you choose.
Cover the edge of the pie to prevent over browning for the first half hour of cooking.
Bake at 400° for 15 minutes then lower the temperature to 350° and bake for 45 – 50 more minutes or until the juices are bubbly and the crust is nicely browned.
Cool on a wire rack.
This was a tasty pie! The filling was very good – I used four different apples and I always find that helps to make for a delicious pie. The brown sugar and bourbon added delightful depth of flavor and the cornmeal in the crust added a wonderful crunch.
PrintApple Pie Recipe – with a Twist
- Category: Dessert
Ingredients
- For Bottom Crust:
- 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornmeal
- 3 TBS granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 6 TBS cold butter
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 1 TBS apple cider vinegar
- 4 – 5 TBS ice water
- For Top Crust:
- 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornmeal
- 3 TBS granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 6 TBS cold butter
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 1 TBS apple cider vinegar
- 4 – 5 TBS ice water
- For the Pie Filling:
- 8 apples, peeled cored and sliced
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 TBS bourbon
- juice of half a lemon
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 TBS butter
- 1 egg mixed with a bit of water
- sugar in the raw optional
Instructions
- Mix the flour, cornmeal, sugar and salt in medium bowl. Cut the cold butter into chunks and add it and the shortening to the flour. Cut it in with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles small crumbs.
- Add the cider vinegar and 3 TBS of ice water. Stir the mixture with a fork. If it seems dry add another tablespoon of water. Gather the dough together and place it on a lightly floured surface. Knead it a few times until it comes together. Form it into a disc, wrap in plastic or wax paper and refrigerate for an hour.
- Repeat for top crust.
- Preheat oven to 400°
- Cut the apples into slices and add to a bowl.
- Add the brown sugar, lemon juice, bourbon, cinnamon and flour. Mix well.
- Take one disc of dough from the refrigerator and roll it out for a 9″ pie pan. trim.
- Add the apples to the prepared pie pan.
- Take the second disc from the refrigerator and roll it out to cover.
- Dot the top of the apples with the 2 TBS of butter.
- Cover with the top crust. Seal with the edge of your choice.
- Cut some slits for steam to escape.
- Brush with the egg wash.
- Sprinkle with sugar in the raw if you choose.
- Cover the edge of the pie to prevent over browning for the first half hour of cooking.
- Bake at 400° for 15 minutes then lower the temperature to 350° and bake for 45 – 50 more minutes or until the juices are bubbly and the crust is nicely browned.
- Cool on a wire rack.
