Can’t believe fall is already here ! I love fall, I love the colours and all the tasty goodies…..apple pies, apple cider, pumpkin pies, pumpkin spice latte, squash soup, etc.   And of course the Halloween candies !  Hey, candies are not just for kids,  for adults too……OK, Let’s get back to the pie first !  

Makes two 4+1/2 inch pies

For the crust

• 1+1/2 cup (225g) pastry flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 100 g unsalted butter, diced and chilled
• 110-120 mL cold water

1. Mix flour and salt 
2. Using a pastry cutter or 2 forks, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, butter chunks should be about the size of a pea
3. Add cold water, mix gently
4. Transfer onto a floured work surface and press dough together to form a ball (Do not knead, dough should contain lumps of butter)
5. Cut dough in half, wrap each one tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight

In order to make a flaky pie crust, your butter and water has to be cold, very cold. This will prevent the butter from melting when you are working with the dough. When the pie is baked, the butter will melt, water inside the butter will evaporate giving its flaky texture.  I used all butter because I love the flavour.  You can use half butter, half shortening to make the pie more tender but shortening doesn’t have any flavour.  So, it’s your choice.   

For the fillings

• 2 apples
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 + 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• pinch of nutmeg
• pinch of lemon zest

1. Wash, peel and core apples. Cut into slices or chunks
2. Mix apples with all other ingredients

To make the pie

1. Preheat oven to 380 ºF
2. On a floured work surface, roll and flatten 2/3 of one dough to fit pie tin
3. Fill with apple fillings
4. Brush rims with water
5. Roll the other 1/3 of the dough to make top of pie, trim and decorate, leaving at least one hole on top to vent
6. Brush top with melted butter
7. Bake for about 45 minutes

This is a modified recipe from the one I learned at my pastry course.  Original recipe by Chef Marco at Pastry Training Centre of Vancouver