Apple Pies

I would confess I never baked apple pies until I came to Korea. I guess apples are just too expensive or sometimes too scarce in the Philippines. But here in Janghowon (where we are based), there are an abundance of apples especially when they're in season. Apples would cost about US$5 per bag containing about 5-6 apples. Sometimes, it would cost the same amount for a single apple. I usually wait until the price goes down to about $3 per bag. I am glad that we get Granny Smith here, which are perfect for apple pie.

The first time I baked apple pie, I just cut up the apples and tossed them in cinnamon and sugar. Then, I poured everything in a pie shell and baked it. It didn't really cooked the apples and everything was a bit tart. So I found another recipe that called for cooking the apples with sugar and cinnamon in a pan until the apples were half cooked. Baking it in the pie shell would finish the cooking.

There are also so many ways to top the apple pie. You can go with a simple pie top shell with slits on top of it. Or with a fancy lattice-top like my apple pie above. Or if you don't have to even cover the crust, just top it with crumbly mixture of butter, sugar and flour (and a dash of cinnamon). Hubby loves this topping so much.


Here's my recipe for Apple Pie:

For the crust
Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 cup flour, all purpose
5 tbsp. butter
5 tbsp. lard
1/4 salt
3 tbsp. water iced, or more if needed

1. Place the flour in the bowl and add the butter, lard and salt. Hold a table knife in each hand and cut the butter in, moving hands in opposite directions, to cut the butter to the size of peas. Or just break up the butter and lard with your fingers.

2. Add the water and mix until the dough comes together. If all the dough is not absorbed, add a bit more water. Cover and rest the dough for a while.

4. Flour a board and roll the dough out 1/8th inch thick. Prick with a fork to prevent blistering (I usually bake it with beans on top of it) and bake on a cookie tin at 425F for about 15 minutes until lightly brown.

5. Pour filling and bake as desired.

For the apple filling
6 apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges
1/2 cup of white granulated sugar
1/2 tbsp. cinnamon powder
2 tbsp lemon juice

1. Add everything in a large, heavy bottom pan and let cook for 15 to 20 minutes over medium heat.

2. When the apples are half-cooked, turn off the heat and let cool before putting into the pie shell.

Putting together the pie:
Take the apple filling and pour into the baked pie shell. You may opt to not pre-bake your pie shell (I sometimes do when I don't have the time). Add the pie shell cover and crimp the edges to seal it. Brush on egg whites [or milk] to give it a glossy finish. Don't forget to cut slits (if your pie top is un-latticed) to let the steam out.

*Oh another tip: sometimes the filling bubbles over when you bake it. So, I usually put something under the pie plate like a cookie sheet to catch the overflow.