Fall Leaf Apple Pie

Is there anything more perfect than apple pie in the fall?

It’s only better when you can pick the apples fresh from the tree.  It’s especially better if that tree resides in the backyard of your childhood home.  And if four generations can come together to pick those apples.

Yes, apple pie is fall at its best.

The beautiful pie was pinterest inspired.  But the recipe is from my mom.

Wouldn’t this be a beautiful addition to the Thanksgiving table?

Recipe Notes:

*You can mix the apples and sugar mixture together before adding them to the pie, but I add it as I go, because that’s the way my mom makes pie!

*You can skip the milk at the end, but it adds to the browning and overall look of the final product.

*Be sure to use vibrant food coloring – it will brown and fade a bit as it bakes.

Apple Pie

Crust

1 tsp salt

2 cups all purpose flour

¾ cup cold unsalted butter, cut in small pieces

4-6 tbsp cold water

Filling

8 cups apples, peeled and thinly sliced

1 cup sugar

1 heaping tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp flour

2 tbsp butter, cut in chunks

Details

Excess dough

Food coloring

1 tbsp lowfat milk

1-2 tbsp sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Whisk together the flour and salt in a medium sized bowl.

Using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut the butter pieces into the flour until it forms pea sized crumbles.

Beginning with 4 tablespoons of water, sprinkle the water over the flour and butter mixture and lightly mix until it forms a ball.  Add additional water as necessary.

Split the dough into two equal pieces.  Set one aside and cover with a damp kitchen towel.  Lightly flour a surface and roll the dough into a 12-inch round (this should fit a 9-inch pan).  

Gently fold the dough in half twice (into quarters) and place in the pie plate.  Gently unfold the crust and press onto the sizes of the pan.  Remove any dough that hangs over the edges of the pie plate.

Add a layer of apple slices to cover the bottom crust.  Whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, and flour.   Sprinkle the apples with a generous amount of the sugar mixture.  Add another layer of apples, followed by more sugar.  Continue alternating apples and sugar until the apples are gone (you may have some sugar left over – save it for toast!)

Next, roll out the other half of the dough into a large circle.  Carve a tree shape into the center, if desired, then place on top of the pie.  Remove any excess dough.  Fold over the crust and pinch edges tightly.  Crimp the edge with your fingers, if desired.

Divide the excess dough pieces and tint with gel food coloring.  Cut the dough into leaf shapes, adding leaf detail with the blunt edge of a knife.

Use a new paintbrush to brush milk onto the backs of the leaf shapes and place them around the tree cutout on the pie.  Once the leaves are placed, carefully brush the entire surface of the pie with milk and sprinkle with plain sugar.

Place the pie into the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes.  Then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and continue baking for another 40-50 minutes or until the crust is browned and the filling is cooked and bubbly.  Remove the pie from the oven and cool on a wire rack.  Cool completely before slicing and enjoying.

This recipe also fulfills another of my 30 recipes by 30 years challenge!  Don’t miss the other recipes here!