Mels Apple Pie Recipes

Steps:

• Make pie crust by cutting in shortening and butter into flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon until crumbly. Then add water a little at a time until the dough will hold together in a ball. Roll out 1/2 the dough on a lightly floured surface for the bottom crust, place in pie pan. Place remaining dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed. Peel and cut the apples as desired, mix well with other filling ingredients. Then place in pie shell. Mound apples high as needed. Roll out top crust. Moisten finger and run around bottom edge of pie crust then place top crust on pie. Add slits for vents and crimp edges as desired. Mix the topping ingredients together, it is easier to place on top when the butter has reached a past like consistency. Smear and spread all over the pie. Check that slits are still open. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes, then reduce oven temp to 350 until it bubbles over and apples are soft. This can be anywhere from 45 minutes or so to an hour or more.

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large skillet set over medium-high heat and add apples to the pan. Stir to coat with butter and cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter is evenly distributed, about 1 minute.
• In a small bowl, whisk together sugars, spices and salt. Sprinkle over the apples and toss to combine.
• Lower heat to medium and cook until apples have softened completely but still hold their shape, about 17 to 25 minutes. (Some varieties cook more quickly than others.)
• Sprinkle cornstarch evenly over the apples and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the apple mixture comes to a simmer and thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and stir in lemon juice and zest. Allow apples to cool completely (spreading them onto a rimmed baking sheet speeds this up). Apples can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the pie dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer dough to a 9- or 10-inch metal pie plate, trimming it to leave a 1/2-inch overhang. Place crust in the freezer for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
• When ready to bake, place a rimmed baking sheet on the middle oven rack and heat oven to 425 degrees.
• Roll out the remaining dough on a lightly floured surface to a 10- to 11-inch circle. Remove pie crust from freezer and add the cooled filling in an even layer. Cover apples with remaining dough. Press the edges together, trim the excess dough, and crimp the edges with your fingers or a press down with the tines of a fork. (Using a fork might be easier if the bottom crust is too cold to crimp.) Brush the top of the pie with cream, milk, or some beaten egg, then sprinkle lightly with sugar if you like. Using a sharp knife, cut some steam vents in the top of the crust.
• Place pie on the hot sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake for another 30 to 40 minutes, until the filling bubbles in the steam vents, and the crust is golden brown. Transfer pie to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool for at least 2 hours before serving. The pie can be baked up to 24 hours ahead of serving; do not refrigerate before serving.