Apple Pie

There are nearly as many variations on this traditional favorite as there are bakers, so here are a few ideas you might want to incorporate into your next apple pie.

For the crust, some recipes call for unsalted butter, which gives a flaky crust, while others use shortening, which makes the crust crumbly. Try combining these ingredients in a 50/50 mix for the best of both options. Most recipes use 2 to 2 1/2 cups of flour. Try substituting 1/2 cup of finely-ground blanched almonds or almond flour for a tasty alternative. Don't overwork the dough; little beads of butter should still be visible. Divide in half, wrap each half in plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

For the filling, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Rome, and Braeburn are year-round favorites. In the fall, using locally grown apples means fresher apples and it supports local farmers. Most recipes call for mixing the sliced apples with lemon juice, sugar, and spices and then piling them into the pie tin. Try macerating them for a few hours first. Letting them sit in these ingredients pulls the juices out of the apples so that when you bake them, shrinking doesn't leave a gap between the filling and the crust. Pour off the liquid, boil down to 1/3 the volume, and pour it over the apples in the pie tin to add a caramelized flavor to your pie.

Bake on the lowest rack in the oven on a baking stone or cookie sheet, with aluminum foil to catch drips. This will cook the bottom of the pie better. Slice a few 2 inch slits into the pie to allow steam to escape. Use tin foil to protect the crust edges from burning after 30 minutes.