Double Pie Crust Ingredients

2½ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces or ½ cup (1 stick) butter plus ½ cup shortening or lard

6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

Preparation

1. To make crust, combine flour and salt in a medium-sized bowl and mix well. Toss in butter until coated with flour. Use your hands or a pastry blender to rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarsely ground cornmeal. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of the ice water over the dough and stir gently with a fork. The dough should begin holding together. If the mixture is still dry and crumbly, add the remaining water, one tablespoon at a time, until it holds together easily. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and press with your hands to form a mound. Divide dough in half. Press each half into a round flat disk and wrap each tightly in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days before rolling.

2. Preheat oven on Convection Bake to 375°. Roll one of the dough disks between two sheets of waxed paper into a 12-inch round about ¼-inch thick. Carefully peel off one sheet of the waxed paper and ease the exposed side of the dough into a 9-inch pie pan. Peel off the remaining sheet of waxed paper. Trim away all but ½-inch of the overhanging dough. Refrigerate. Roll the other dough disk, which will be used for the top crust, between two sheets of waxed paper to the same size and refrigerate.

Apple Filling Ingredients

6 medium apples, about 2½ pounds (Try all Cortland or a combination of Granny Smith and McIntosh)

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Cream or milk and granulated sugar for coating the top crust

Preparation

1. To prepare filling, peel, core and slice the apples ¼-inch thick and transfer to a large bowl. Add the granulated and brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Toss well to combine. Transfer the filling to the dough-lined pie pan and spread the apples out evenly. Dot with butter.

2. Peel off one sheet of waxed paper from the top crust and invert the crust over the apples. Carefully remove the remaining waxed paper. Tuck the edge of the top crust over the bottom crust. Seal the edge by crimping all the way around. Using a small, sharp knife, cut several slashes in the top crust. Brush with cream or milk and sprinkle with a small amount of sugar.

3. Bake the pie for 15 minutes; then turn down the oven to 350° and continue baking until the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden, about 45 minutes. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.