Apples

Taken from Bee Creative

I have been reading quite a few blogs lately that have expounded on the delights and usage of apples in various recipes.  Naturally, I feel compelled to add my own two cents on the subject! 

The best apples I've ever tasted were from a small village in the mountains of Lebanon.  They were golden apples.  Gentle, crunchy, tartly-sweet apples.  Apples that made you sit back and think of climbing trees, mud pies, and jumping into piles of multicoloured leaves.  Apples that tasted of sunshine, rain and mountain air. 

I never used them in a recipe.  They never had a chance.  They were gone before I could think of cooking or baking.  I imagine I would have used them in a baking escapade though.  Something simple where they were the main character.  It wouldn't do any other way.  Something like a tart, or pie might work.  Somehow though, I suspect that will never happen: it'll be the Granny Smith's for the pies and these beauties as-is for my tummy.

This is a recipe for apple pie that I made last Thanksgiving.  It is the best pie I've ever tasted to-date.  It was also the first pie I ever attempted.  It turned out a golden, buttery-tasting and (let's not forget the apples) tartly-sweet confection.  I've since shared it with my family and friends on demand.  I can't imagine where I got this recipe from, but I will try to find it again to give credit where credit is, most emphatically due.


TO DIE FOR APPLE PIE

Pie Crust:
2 cups flour
1 cups butter, salted
1/2 cup water (or 5 Tbsp water... basically add slowly!)

Apple Filling:
1/2 cup butter
3 Tbsp flour
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
8 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped

In a large bowl, place flour and cut in butter until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir in water until it forms a ball.  Do not knead!  Divide dough in half and shape into balls.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 4 hours, or overnight. 

Preheat oven to 425 F.  Melt butter in saucepan.  Stir in flour to form paste.  Add water and sugars and bring to boil.  Reduce temperature and let simmer a few minutes. 

Roll out each ball of dough on floured counter.  DON'T OVERWORK!  Place bottom crust in the bottom of a pie pan.  Fill with apple mixture, mounded slightly.  Gently pour liquid over apples.  Cover top with crust and join with the edges of the bottom.  (Can brush the top with leftover liquid if desired.)  Make several cuts in the top to allow steam to escape. 

Bake for 15 minutes at 425 F.  Reduce temperature to 350 F and bake for another 35-45 minutes until apples are soft.  Let cool slightly before serving.