Q: Why didn’t Noah like apples?
A: Because he preferred pears.

Today’s recipe is another fabulous pie that I made last month at a class given by Joy The Baker. You can read all about the class and get her recipe for Pumpkin Pie With Pecan Praline Topping here.

As apple pies go, this is a solid, traditional version. The apple filling is bright with spice and the buttermilk double crust light and flaky. Make one today for those you love.

Double Crust Apple Pie

Ingredients:

Buttermilk Pie Crust (recipe follows)
2 1/2 lbs baking apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick (Joy uses a combination of Granny Smith, Fuji and Pink Ladies)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 egg, beaten
Sugar, to sprinkle over top crust, optional
Vanilla ice cream, to serve

Directions:

1. Remove the dough for the bottom crust from the refrigerator. If necessary, allow dough to sit for 10 minutes or until soft enough to roll.

2. On a well floured surface, roll the bottom crust 1/8 inch thick and 12 inches in diameter. Transfer to a pie pan. Trim the dough until almost even with the edge of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes and a maximum of 3 hours.

3. In a large bowl, combine the apples, lemon juice, sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and toss to mix. Cover apples and allow to develop flavor and release juices, at room temperature, for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours.

4. Transfer the apples and their juices to a colander suspended over a bowl to capture the liquid. The mixture will release at least 1/2 cup of liquid.

5. In a small saucepan over medium high heat, boil down the apple liquid along with the butter, until reduced to about 1/3 cup or until syrupy and lightly caramelized. Swirl the liquid but do not stir it.

6. Meanwhile, transfer the apples to a bowl and toss them with the cornstarch.

7. Pour the reduced apple liquid over the apples, tossing gently (The liquid may harden on contact with the apples, but will dissolve during baking.)

8. Roll out the top crust large enough to cut a 12-inch circle.

9. Transfer apple mixture to the pie shell.

10. Moisten the border of the bottom crust by brushing it lightly with egg and place the top crust over the fruit. Trim excess dough from the top crust so that there is only 1/2-inch of overhang. Tuck the top crust overhang under the bottom crust edge and press down all around to seal it. Crimp the border with a fork or your fingers. Make about 5 evenly spaced 2-inch slashes starting about 1 inch from the center of the pie and radiating toward the edge. Cover pie loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour before baking to chill and relax the pastry, preventing shrinking.

11. Preheat oven to 425℉. Set oven rack at the lowest level. Place a large piece of foil on top of a baking sheet to catch any overflowing juices.

12. Brush the top crust with egg and sprinkle with sugar, if you like.

13. Set the pie on foil lined baking sheet and bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until the juices bubble through the slashes and the apples are tender when poked with a tester. Check pie after 30 minutes of baking and protect the edges from overbrowning with a foil ring, if necessary.

14. Cool the pie on a rack at least 4 hours before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.

Serves 6 to 8

Buttermilk Pie Crust

Ingredients:

8 ounces cold unsalted butter, cubed
2 1/2 cups (12 ounces) flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk

Directions:

1. Mix together the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl.

2. Add butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter pieces about the size of small peas.

3. Make a well in center of butter mixture and pour in the buttermilk. Mix with a fork just until the dough pulls together.

4. Dump the dough mixture out onto a floured work area. To bring the moist and shaggy bits together use the outer sides of your hands (the palms create too much heat). Form the dough into two disks and wrap each in cling film. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

5. With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a circle about 1/8 inch thick and 12 inches in diameter. Transfer to a pie pan. Trim any overhang, fold edges under and crimp with your fingers. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Recipes from Joy The Baker

“Let Go” is the new single from Bristol-based Coasts’ forthcoming EP ‘A Rush Of Blood’. It’s the perfect Friday tune with its energetic, indie doing the stadium thing. Grab your sweetie pie and get dancing.

Check out Coasts on the band’s Website, where you can learn of upcoming UK tour dates and buy their music.

Cheers!