Apple Pie Revisited

Saturday the 15th was our 22nd anniversary and we spent the day with the couple that we with us on the hike when Den proposed. They drove so we ended up at Gays Mill, WI instead of a personal favorite of mine, Shihata. Since they hadn't picked Johnagolds yet Den and I purchased 2 pecks of Cortlands and a 1/2 bushel of Honey Crisp to share with a neighbor. Oh, we also picked up a gallon of cider and I will tell you why later, as well as a 1/2 gallon of Honey Crisp cider for Den's drinking pleasure. Cortland apples are a bit more tart than a Johnagold so Den isn't sure that he will be eating many of those out of hand. Yah right.

He is looking for an apple pie straight away. Midwest Living's last issue had some pretty interesting stuff on "Boiled Cider" or "Apple Molasses". I made some and wanted to try it in this pie that Den was hungering for.  I will say that I would cut the sugar down a bit in the future. But I am not one for really sweet treats, so consider that when you look at this recipe.

I really like the addition of the "Boiled Cider", wow on the apple taste.

So let's see this is how it went:

1 Pillsbury Refrig. Pie Crust (I make a double crusted pie)

spray the pie pan with Pam, I use a 9 1/2" glass pan, almost always have. Place one of the unroll pie crusts in the bottom of the pan and making sure it isn't over stretched and meets the rim as well as fits into the curve of the pie pan.

5 lrg Cortland Apples, pared, cored and sliced (we usually get Johnagolds but this other couple insisted on going to Gays Mills and theirs weren't picked yet) (I like a very full pie, hate it when they look like pop tarts, don't you)

1 tsp. Real Vanilla Extract

1 tsp. Vietnamese Cinnamon (Penzey's)

1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

dash of salt

2 tbls of corn starch

1 C. brown sugar (next time I would go with 1/2-3/4C. of the sugar)

3 tbsp boiled cider (this adds a more apply taste to it all)

little dab of butter, divided

Mix the apples and all but the butter in a large mixing bowl, spreading the spices all around. I heated the boiled cider in the microwave for about 30 seconds to make it more loose (boiled cider had to be refrig'd and get thick like molasses, in fact another name for it is "apple molasses")

Pour the apple mixture into the waiting bottom crust being careful to keep the apples inside the crust and off of the rim. Yes, this is a very full pie.

Put a couple of little bits of butter on top of the apples (the butter moves the flavors around)

Unroll the other crust and cut your venting designs. MOM always taught us to do a double wheat thing. Using a small bowl with cold water in it wet the edge of the bottom crust. I use my fingers for this but you can use a brush if you would rather not get you fingers messy. Wash your fingers

Gently fold the top crust in halve and place it over the apples, centering the fold. Once you have it where you want it unfold. Now gently bring the edges of the top crust down to meet the bottom crust. Gently but firmly press the two crust pieces together at the wetted edge. Now you flute your edge however MOM taught you, mine is a pinch against a thumb. Brush some butter over the top and sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar.

Place on a cookie sheet or oven saver ring (worth their weight in gold, by the way) with a pie saver ring or foil to protect that pretty fluting that you just did into a 425F oven (my oven registers on an oven thermometer at 425F, if your oven is running kind of hot I would bring it back to 400F. I bake mine for 45 minutes.

Look for the latest Midwest Living Mag. in the stores, it has the how to on the "Boiled Cider" and some pretty tasty recipes as well. This mag for me kind of goes hot an cold for recipes, Southern Living has the best, in my book but they didn't have an Apple thing so far.