It's Time For Apple Pie

Apple season is upon us.Those crispy, refreshing, crunchy balls of juicy goodness will be lining the shelves of , and in Manchester and and in Town and Country. There are many varieties, each having characteristics best suited for different cooking methods—pie, tart, sauce and cider among them.

Some of the best for eating raw are the McIntosh and Honeycrisp varieties. Tangy and juicy McIntosh apples have a thin, tight skin and a fine, white flesh. Despite their superior flavor, McIntoshs cook down quickly and make for a mushy pie.

Honeycrisp apples, as the name implies, are quite sweet. Incredibly crisp and juicy, they make a great snack with peanut butter or on their own. Honeycrisps are a hybrid made from the Macoun and Honey Gold varieties, honeycrisp.org states. Macoun apples are similar to McIntosh apples—tangy and juicy with an enticing aroma. The Honeygold imparts a sweetness to the hybrid. Honeycrisps are also great for baking because of their snappy crispness and bold, sweet flavor.

The best baking apples have a firm texture that won't break down when you cook them, as well as a balance of sweet and tart flavors. Combining apple varieties to make your preferred combination for baking is a delicious undertaking.

Originally, Granny Smith apples were the standard for baking—firm, tart, lemony and mouthwatering. Adding enough sugar to these apples makes a structurally sound, flavorful pie. Granny Smiths are also great for salads and sauces. However, using a variety of apples for complexity and depth of flavor creates a superior pie. 

Golden Delicious varieties are sweeter and milder, with a thin skin that does not need peeling. The softer flesh makes a less structures, softer pie. Because of their sweet taste and soft texture, they make excellent apple butters and sauces.

Galas have subtle sweetness with a somewhat crisp bite. The crispness helps them retain their shape and avoid a mealy texture when cooked. Jonathans and Jonagolds are also popular varieties.

Jonathans are more tart and tangy than their counterpart—Jonagolds, a hybrid of the Jonathan and Golden Delicious. Their textures yield well to baking, but lose some of their sweetness in the process.

There are endless varieties and hybrids and personal preferences. It is ultimately a matter of personal taste, but here is a blueprint for your apple adventures. When choosing apples for the following recipe, see what your local farmers' market or grocer is offering. My personal favorite combination is three Honeycrisp, two Gala and one Granny Smith.

Pie Dough
Creates one double crust for a 9 to 10-inch pie

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Method

1. Combine flour, salt and sugar. Cut butter into the dry ingredients until it looks like coarse meal.
2. Add ice water in slowly, gently kneading until dough just holds together. Make sure to not overknead or add too much water—the dough should not be wet or sticky. The amount of ice water depends on the humidity of your kitchen. If you squeeze a little bit in your hands and it doesn't crumble, then it is ready. Overmixing creates a chewy dough.
3. Divide the dough into two balls. Flatten each ball into a disc and wrap separately in plastic or two zip-close bags. Chill in the refrigerator for about half an hour.

Egg Wash

Ingredients

1 tablespoon heavy cream, half and half or milk
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons sugar

Method

1. Beat egg yolk with cream, and brush on the surface of the pie with a pastry brush.
2. Sprinkle with sugar before baking.

Apple Pie

Ingredients

1 pie dough recipe (double crust)
3 pounds apples* (about 6 large), peeled, cored and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/4 cup  granulated white sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoons cornstarch
1 recipe egg wash

Method

1. Place one disc of chilled dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle. (To make a level circle of dough, roll from the center of the disc outward. To prevent it from sticking, lift and turn the dough a quarter turn as you roll) Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Roll the second disc of dough to a 12-inch circle. Leave in a flat circle and cover with plastic wrap, placing it in the refrigerator as well. 
2. Combine sliced apples, both sugars, lemon juice, cinnamon and cornstarch. Using a slotted spoon (in order to strain some of the liquid out), scoop apples into the chilled pie crust in the pie pan. Dot with the butter. Brush a little water on the edges of the crust and place the top crust over the apples. Pinch the edges of both crusts together. Crimp the edges using your fingers or a fork. Make some slits in the center of the pie to vent.
3. Chill the pie while preheating the oven to 350˚F.
4. Brush the top of the pie with egg wash and sprinkle with two teaspoons of sugar.
5. Bake for about 50 minutes or until the apples are tender when tested with a knife and juices begin to bubble. To prevent burning cover the edges of the pie with a foil ring* after about 25 minutes.
6. Cool and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

*Pie rings are sold at in Manchesterm or you can make your own with tin foil.