Doublecrust Apple Pie
Submitted by myvassarboys
Double crust apple pie pre-cooks the apple filling on the stovetop before baking. This smart technique prevents soggy bottom crust and delivers tender, perfectly shaped apple slices under a flaky sour cream dough.
YIELD
1 piePREP
25 minCOOK
40 minREADY
70 minThe doublecrust apple pie trick that separates bakery pies from sad home pies: pre-cooking the filling. Sauteing the apple slices in butter with lemon juice and sugar before they ever hit the pastry does two things at once. It drives off excess water, and it partially softens the apples so the filling doesn’t shrink away from the top crust during baking.
That shrinkage is why most homemade pies have an awkward air gap between the filling and the top. Not this one. The slices hold their shape but settle properly, and the crust sits flush on top where it belongs.
The sour cream dough bakes up tender and tangy, and an egg wash with a sprinkle of sugar on top gives the pie that bakery-window finish. Cinnamon added after cooking keeps the flavor bright, not dulled.
Pro Tips
- Use tart, firm apples like Granny Smith or Braeburn. Soft apples like Red Delicious turn to mush no matter what you do.
- Cool the filling completely before putting it in the crust. Warm filling melts the butter in the pastry and turns the bottom greasy.
- Cut generous slashes in the top crust. Tiny steam vents clog and the crust puffs up like a balloon.
- Start the pie on the lower rack, then move up if the top needs more color at the end. This keeps the bottom crust baked through.
Variations
- Add a quarter teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg or a pinch of cloves for more complex fall spice.
- Toss a handful of golden raisins or dried cranberries into the filling for extra texture and tart bursts.
- Use a mix of apple varieties. Some Granny Smith for tartness, some Honeycrisp for sweetness, for a more interesting filling.
Ingredients
Directions
Peel, halve and core the apples.
Cut each half into 5 or 6 wedges.
Melt the butter in a wide, shallow, slopingsided pan over medium heat.
When the butter begins to sizzle, add the sliced apples and cook, tossing or gently stirring, until they begin to sizzle about a minute.
Add the lemon juice and sugar and continue to toss or gently stir often until the apples are tender, but still fairly firm about 5 minutes longer.
If the appleshave exuded a large quantity of juice, they will reabsorb it as they cool.
Pour the filling out into a nonreactive pan, or a pan lined with plastic wrap, on which the apple slices will fit in a single layer.
Sprinkle with the cinnamon and let cool.
Set a rack at the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 400℉ (200℃).
Roll out the bottom crust and arrange in pan.
Pour the cooled filling into the bottom crust.
Roll out the top crust for double crust pie.
Cut several slashes in the top crust and carefully brush with egg wash.
Be careful not to leave puddles of liquid on the crust.
If you wish, sprinkle the top crust with sugar.
Place the pie in the oven on the lower rack and lower the temperature to 375℉ (190℃).
Bake the pie for about 40 minutes, until the crust is baked through and a deep golden brown and the filling is gently bubbling.
If the top crust has not colored sufficiently after 30 minutes, move the pie to the upper rack of the oven for the last 10 minutes.
Cool the pie on a rack.
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