Apple Pie

Wow, was this a hit. Deeeelicious. :D Not really my recipes, though... I used the Cook's Illustrated recipe for the filling (making one slight modification for gluten-freedom), and scaled up (and slightly modified) a recipe from Gluten-Free Girl for the crust. It turned out well. Really well. Aromatic and appley, and the crust resembled a wheat crust in all ways. YAY!

APPLE PIE
For the crust (mostly courtesy of Gluten-Free Girl):
1 cup plus 2 tbsp white rice flour
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp potato starch
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup sweet rice flour
3 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
8 tbsp butter, chilled
4 tbsp non-hydrogenated shortening, chilled
1 large egg
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 - 1/3 cup ice water (or enough to make the dough just stick together)

For the pie filling (mostly courtesy Cook's Illustrated):
1 1/2 lb Granny Smith apples (about 3)
2 lbs ripe McIntosh apples (about 4)
1 tbsp juice and 1 tsp zest from 1 lemon
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp sweet rice flour
1/4 tsp freshly grated (or ground) nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 tbsp sugar

Crust:
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Cut butter and shortening into dry ingredients using a fork, pastry cutter, or food processor. Crumble together until butter is the size of large peas (or lima beans, even).

2. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add egg and vinegar, and incorporate gently. If using a fork, stir from the center outward.

3. Slowly add ice water, 2 tbsp at a time, into the crust mixture, stirring or processing until it begins to stick together. As soon as it forms a cohesive dough, stop adding water.

4. Divide the dough in two. Compress each into 4-inch disks and refrigerate in parchment paper overnight.

Pie Filling:
1. Take one half of your dough out of the fridge and set on the counter. Let it rest for twenty minutes while you prepare the pie. Place a rimmed baking sheet on the bottom rack in your oven, and preheat it to 500°F.

2. Peel and core your apples. Quarter them and cut each quarter into 1/4-inch slices (if they are too thick or thin, they will cook unevenly). Toss apples in a large bowl with the lemon juice and zest. If you have a microplane grater, use it. It makes zest like magic.

3. Take your second disk of dough out to rest for 20 minutes. Roll out your first disk to a 12-inch circle between two sheets of parchment. You may have to keep flipping it over, because the bottom side tends to get a little wrinkled. Carefully peel off the top layer (make sure there are no wrinkles, as this will make it difficult to get off cleanly). Center an upside-down 9" glass pie plate over the dough, and quickly invert. Use the parchment to help you press the dough into the corner of the pan, and peel off the parchment. Do any quick patchwork you need to before moving on.



4. In a medium bowl, combine sugar, flour, spices, and salt. Toss with the apples. Dump it all (including the juices) into the pie pan - don't be alarmed, it will make a HUGE heap - and arrange so that the pile is as compact and rounded as possible.

5. Roll out the second piece of dough to a 12-inch circle between parchment - same as before. Peel off the top and ever so carefully invert it on the giant mound of apples. Tuck the overhang from the top dough underneath the overhang from the bottom dough so that it sticks out a bit from the rim, and flute the edges however you like. If you don't know how, then google it. Not too hard!

6. Cut 4 slits in the top of the pie - if the dough is super soft, freeze it for a few minutes (no longer than 10, though, or the glass plate may break when it enters the oven). Brush the beaten egg white all over the top crust and sprinkle with sugar.

7. Place the pie on the baking sheet in the oven. Lower the temperature to 425°F and bake for 25 minutes (or until the crust is a nice golden color. Rotate it 180°, turn the temperature down once more to 375°F, and continue baking for another 30-35 minutes. The juices should be really bubbly and the crust a deep golden brown. Put pie on a cooling rack and cool to room temperature. If you CAN'T WAIT, just eat a piece. But it will be hot and it will fall apart. But sometimes that's not so bad.





PROS: Very fragrant, sweet and tart and spiced at the same time. The texture is wonderful - the Macs fall apart when they cook, and the Grannies stay al dente - the perfect combination. Go CI! It tastes of autumn and good times. Crust bakes up just like a standard wheat crust.
CONS: Crust is difficult to handle when rolling and transferring. Not *quite* as flaky as some (though nobody will complain), but with some tweaking I'm sure it could be.