Old English Spiced And Fruited Sugar For Apple Pies Etc Recipes

OLD ENGLISH SPICED AND FRUITED SUGAR FOR APPLE PIES ETC!

Steps:

• If you have no dried citrus zest, first make your dried orange & lemon zest by placing into a warm oven (just after it has been turned off) and leaving it to dry over night; or, if it is summer, cover and leave outside. (Place zest on a tray lined with greaseproof paper.).
• When you are ready to make the spiced sugar, simply mix all the spices in with the sugar - mixing well.
• Add the dried citrus zest, pour into a clean jar or airtight container and keep in a dark, cool and dry place for up to 3-4 months.
• You can make this with fresh citrus zest if you do not intend to keep it for longer than a week or two.
• Use in: Apple and all types if Fruit Pies, Crumbles, Sprinkles for Cakes and Bakes, Baked Desserts, Mulled wine & hot Beverages, Fruit salads, Trifles, Compotes and Purees.

OLD FASHIONED APPLE CIDER PIE

Steps:

• Divide the pastry almost in half and roll out the larger half on a lightly floured surface to a 13-inch circle.
• Line a 9-inch pie tin with the pastry.
• Trim the edge to 1/2-inch beyond the rim of the pie tin.
• Combine the apples, 1 cup of apple cider and the sugar in a 3-quart saucepan and cook, over high heat, until the mixture comes to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 8 minutes or until the apples are tender.
• Drain the apples, reserving the syrup.
• Add enough additional apple cider to the syrup to make 1 1/3 cups.
• Return the syrup and apples to the saucepan.
• Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and stir until well blended.
• Stir the cornstarch mixture and the cinnamon into the apple mixture.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, then pour the mixture into the pastry lined pie tin.
• Roll out the remaining pastry to an 11-inch circle.
• Fold the pastry gently, so as not to tear it, into quarters and cut slits in the folds.
• Gently unfold the pastry on to the top of the filling and trim the edge to 1-inch beyond the rim of the pie tin.
• Fold the top crust under the lower crust and form a ridge by fluting the edge of the pie.
• Bake in a 400 degree F. oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool on a wire rack until slightly warm before cutting and serving.
• NOTE:
• This is the perfect pie to serve with the rich cheddar sauce in this file.

ENGLISH APPLE PIE

Steps:

• 1. In medium-size bowl, beat butter and brown sugar with wooden spoon or electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Stir in flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, and the water until smooth and thick (use more water if necessary). Stir in pecans.
• 2. Mound apples in 9 inch pie plate. Mix granulated sugar with remaining 1 tsp cinnamon; sprinkle over apples.
• 3. Spoon pecan topping over apples in dollops. Bake on lowest rack of preheated 375 degree oven, 45 to 50 minutes until apples are tender when pierced with a skewer. Serve in bowls with cream. Makes 8 servings.

BA'S BEST DEEP-DISH APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in food processor to combine. Add butter and process until largest pieces of butter are pea-size. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Combine vinegar and 1/2 cup ice water in a small bowl and drizzle over flour mixture, mixing with a fork to combine. Mix until shaggy pieces form, then knead in bowl a couple of times with your hands to bring together into a shaggy dough (it will look quite dry). Transfer large clumps of dough to work surface, drizzle 1 Tbsp. ice water over remaining flour mixture in bowl and knead again to bring it together. Add to dough on work surface. Working with half of the dough, press into a single mass, incorporating dry bits, then pat down to make a 3/4"-thick square. Using a bench scraper or knife, divide dough into 4 pieces. Stack pieces on top of one another, placing any unincorporated dry bits in between layers, and press down to combine. Form dough into a 3/4"-thick disk and wrap tightly in plastic. Repeat with remaining dough. Chill at least 2 hours.
• Toss apples with brown sugar, granulated sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, salt, allspice, and cardamom in a large bowl to coat. Let apples sit until they start to release their juices, at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.
• Let dough sit at room temperature 5 minutes to soften. Working one at a time, roll out disks of dough on a lightly floured surface 1/8" thick. Place each on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill while you prepare the filling.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Place apple cider in a medium saucepan and scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add pod. Bring to a boil and cook, whisking occasionally, until reduced by two-thirds. Pour off juices that have accumulated in bowl of apples and add to apple cider. Return to a boil and cook until reduced to about 1/2 cup; remove vanilla pod. Stir cornstarch into 3 Tbsp. water in a small bowl to dissolve, then whisk into apple cider. Cook, whisking constantly, until cider mixture is very thick and bubbling, about 1 minute. Let cool slightly, then scrape over apples; toss to coat.
• Carefully transfer dough round to pie dish. Lift up edges and allow dough to slump down into dish (if too cold to be pliable, let it warm up slightly first). Trim, leaving about 1" overhang. Beat egg with 1 tsp. water in a small bowl and brush over edges of dough. Scrape in apple filling, creating a mound in the center; dot filling with butter. Place remaining dough round over filling. Trim edges of top round, leaving a 1/2" overhang. Fold edge of bottom round up and over; press together to seal. Crimp edge and brush top with remaining egg wash. Sprinkle with demerara sugar and cut a few vents in top. Place pie on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and chill in freezer 10 minutes.
• Bake pie until crust is deep golden brown and juices are thick and bubbling, 1 1/2-2 hours (yes: 2 hours!). Transfer pie to a wire rack and let cool at least 4 hours before serving.
• Do Ahead
• Dough can be made 5 days ahead. Keep chilled, or freeze up to 1 month. Pie can be made 1 day ahead. Let cool; store covered with foil at room temperature.