Ringing In 2011 With Pure Pie Goodness
It may not have been the prettiest of pies, but it was a humdinger. Apple-Currant with a light, crisp crust and a shower of demerara sugar crystals, it was a sweet good-bye to 2010 and a happy welcome to 2011. Generous scoops of homemade Creme Fraiche Gelato made each slice even more delectable.
The recipe for this wintry fruit pie is below, in case you feel like starting the new year with something freshly baked and altogether yummy.
Apple-Currant Pie
Crust:
3 cups flour
1 TBSP sugar
1 tsp salt
2 sticks butter (very cold)
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (aka Crisco)
1/2 cup plus 1 TBSP ice water
1 egg
1 TBSP demerara sugar
Combine flour, sugar and salt in food processor. Add butter, cut into small cubes, and shortening. Pulse until mixture resembles small peas. With processor running, add 1/2 cup cold water and process until it forms a ball. (You can add a bit more water - a spoonful at a time - if it is too dry.) Shape dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap, placing in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Once chilled, cut in half and roll out into two large disks.
Filling:
8 Granny Smith apples (peeled, cored and thickly sliced)
1/4 cup dried currants
1/2 cup water
1 TBSP lemon zest
1 TBSP orange zest
2 TBSP lemon juice
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp allspice
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Heat 1/2 cup water and add to dried currants in a small bowl. Allow to sit for 30 minutes and then drain currants. Add currants to apples along with all the other filling ingredients in a large bowl. Mix to allow for all the spices, sugars, flour, etc. to coat each apple slice.
Place one of the pastry disks at the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan. Spoon filling into the crust. Top with the second pastry disk, folding excess under the bottom crust and using a fork to seal the edges.
Whisk egg with 1 TBSP water. Brush on top of pie. Sprinkle with demerara sugar. Cut three slits into the top crust to allow for steam to be released during baking. Place pie pan on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven for an hour or until crust is golden brown and juices are beginning to bubble down the edge a bit.