Apple Pie

I made this pie a few days ago using my favorite apple pie recipe.  I’ve made this recipe several times before, but it was even more fun making it this time because I had two little helpers in the kitchen with me.  My twins are now 6 months old, and they had so much fun sitting in their high chairs watching me chop the apples and prepare the filling.

The method for making this pie is a little unusual because you pre-cook the apple filling in a Dutch oven before baking it.  There is nothing better than the smell of apples, cinnamon, and sugar simmering away on the stove!  This pie is delicious served warm with some vanilla ice cream, or you can eat it cold for breakfast like we sometimes do. :)   Enjoy!

Apple Pie

(print recipe)

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. granulated sugar
• 16 Tbs. (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 3 to 4 Tbs. ice water

For the filling:

• 2 lb. Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into slices ¼ inch
  thick
• 2 lb. Pink Lady apples, peeled, cored and cut into slices ¼ inch thick
• ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 4 tsp. cornstarch
• 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbs. cold unsalted butter, cut into half-inch pieces
• 1 egg white, beaten with 1 tsp. water
• 2 tsp. granulated sugar

Directions

1. To make the dough, in a food processor, pulse the flour, salt, and granulated sugar together until combined, about 5 pulses.  Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 pulses.  Add 3 Tbs. of the ice water and pulse 2 or 3 times.  The dough should hold together when squeezed with your fingers but should not be sticky.  If it is crumbly, add more water 1 tsp. at a time, pulsing twice after each addition.  Turn the dough out onto a work surface, divide in half and shape each half into a disk.  Wrap the disks separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
2. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out half of the dough into a 12-inch round about 1/8 inch thick.  Fold the dough in half and then into quarters and transfer it to a 9-inch deep-dish pie dish.  Unfold and gently press the dough into the bottom and sides of the dish. Trim the edges flush with the rim of the dish.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. On a large sheet of lightly floured parchment paper, roll out the remaining dough disk into a 12-inch round about 1/8 inch thick.  Using a small cookie cutter (I used a heart), make cut outs of the dough and place them on the parchment paper.   Reroll the dough scraps to make more cutouts.  Refrigerate the cutouts for 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, make the filling: In a large Dutch oven, stir together the apples, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and cornstarch.  Set over medium heat, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are just tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes.  Uncover and cook until the liquid has thickened and become glossy, 5 to 7 minutes more.  Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
5. Position a rack in the lower third of an oven, place a baking sheet on the rack and preheat the oven to 400°F.
6. Let the pie shell and heart cutouts stand at room temperature for 5 minutes.  Transfer the apple filling to the pie shell and scatter the butter pieces on top.   Assemble the heart cutouts onto the pie filling, slightly layering them until the entire pie is covered.  Trim the edges flush with the rim of the dish and press the top and bottom crusts together to seal.  Brush the entire top crust with egg wash and sprinkle with the granulated sugar.
7. Place the pie dish on the preheated baking sheet.  Bake until the crust is crisp and golden brown, about 1 hour, covering the edges with aluminum foil if they become too dark. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool for at least 1 1/2 hours before serving.

Serves: 8

Source: Williams Sonoma

Apple Pocket Pies

My sister and I both like to bake, and lately we’ve been trying to meet up once or twice a month to try out a new recipe together.  It’s always fun to bake with a friend, and it’s nice to have an extra set of hands to help out (and take pictures)!  First we made caramel sauce together, and most recently we made these apple pocket pies.  Before choosing this recipe, we tossed several ideas back and forth.  There are so many good recipes to choose from- sometimes it’s hard to decide what to make first!  Ultimately though, we went with these because they looked cute, yummy, and portable – a requirement for me, so that I could bring some home to my hubby :)  Lately I’ve been seeing a lot of recipes for hand pies both on the internet and in cooking magazines.  You can make them free-form (see photo of the triangle-shaped pie below), but I think it’s easier to use a hand pie mold.  My heart-shaped mold is from Williams Sonoma, and they come in a few other fun shapes too.

These little pies turned out very well!  The crust was flaky and buttery, and the apple-cinnamon filling was delicious!  They are also fun to eat because you can pick them up with your hand – no fork required.  They are a great thing to enjoy any time of day (dessert, a snack, breakfast…).  Served a la mode with some vanilla ice cream, they would make for an elegant dessert.  And the best thing is, they can be made ahead and stored in the freezer until you are ready to bake them (perfect for a party!)   Enjoy!

To read Kristine’s recap of this recipe, click here.

Apple Pocket Pies

Dough:

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest (optional)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 6-8 Tablespoons cold milk (cold water can be substituted)
• Apple Pie Filling (recipe below)
• Egg wash (recipe below)

Directions

1. In a food processor, pulse together the flour, salt, and sugar until combined, about 5 pulses.  Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 pulses.
2. Add 6 Tbsp. cold milk (or ice water) and pulse twice.  The dough should hold together when squeezed with your fingers but should not be sticky.  If it is crumbly, add more milk (or water), 1 teaspoon at a time, pulsing twice after each addition.
3. Divide the dough in half, wrap with plastic wrap, and press each into a disk.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
4. Let the dough stand at room temperature for 5 minutes.
5. On a floured surface, roll out 1 dough disk into a round 1/16 to 1/8 inch (2-3 cm) thick.  Brush off the excess flour. 

a. If using the pocket pie mold:  Cut out 4 of each shape (4 with decorative cutout & 4 without cutout- the cutout will serve as a steam vent during baking).  Re-roll the dough scraps if necessary, and cut out more shapes.  Repeat with the remaining dough disk.  Next, place a solid dough shape in the bottom half of the pocket pie mold and gently press the dough into the mold.  Fill the center with 1-2 Tbsp. pie filling and brush the edges of the dough with the egg wash.  Top with the decorative cutout shape.  Press the top half of the cutter down to seal and crimp the edges of the pie.  Remove the pie from the mold.  Repeat with the remaining dough.

Or:

b. To make triangle shaped pies: Cut the dough into 6 inch squares.  Re-roll the dough scraps, and cut out more squares until all the dough has been used.  Place 2 Tbsp. pie filling in the center of each square and brush the 2 edges (the corner edges) of the dough with the egg wash.  Fold the dry edges over to make a triangle.  Press the edges of the dough together and crimp the edges with the tines of a fork.  Using a small knife, make a couple ½-inch slits in the top of the dough so that steam can escape.

Place the shaped pies on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Freeze the pies for 30 minutes.
6. To Bake: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Brush the pies with the egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.  Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is gently bubbling, 15-20 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Source: adapted from Williams Sonoma
Apple Pie Filling:

Ingredients

• 2 large baking apples (such as Granny Smith)
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

1. Peel and chop the apples into small pieces.  Combine all of the ingredients together in a bowl and stir to mix.

Topping:

• Egg wash: 1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon of water
• Turbinado sugar (this is optional, but it gave the pies a nice sweet crunch)

Source: This is an adaptation of an unknown source

Yield: 8 pies (Recipe can be doubled)

 

Use the pie mold to cut out a heart of dough (this will be the bottom side of the pie).

 

 

Using the pie mold with the heart cutout, cut out another piece of dough (this will be the top side of the pie).

 

 

Place the heart-shaped piece of dough without the cutout in the pie mold. Then add 1-2 Tbsp. of apple filling.

 

 

 

Brush the edge of the dough with the egg wash.

 

 

Place the piece of dough with the heart cutout on top of the filling.

 

 

Press the cutter down to seal and crimp the edges of the pie. Then you are ready to chill the pies, brush them with the egg wash, and bake them!

 

 

The finished product

 

 

If you don’t have a pie mold, you can make the pies in the shape of a triangle (see directions above).

 

 

Sweet Cherry Pie

A few weeks ago, I posted my favorite pie crust recipe.  Here is a recipe for a yummy cherry pie filling to go with it.  I made this pie over the 4^th of July weekend.  Eric and I always spend the 4^th of July at the lake with his family.  Whenever I think of summers at the lake I think of BBQs and pies.  This year, we had this cherry pie, as well as a blueberry pie.  The red and blue colors were very fitting for the occasion!

The filling for this pie was really tasty.  It is filled with lots of sweet plump cherries, and it was juicy, but as you can see from the picture, it still held together nicely when it was cut.  The addition of two plums to the filling helps to counterbalance the sweetness of the cherries.  According to the recipe, frozen sweet cherries can be used instead of fresh ones, so this recipe can be made year round, even when cherries aren’t in season.  I hope you enjoy this pie as much as we did!

Sweet Cherry Pie

Ingredients

• 1 recipe double crust pie dough, rolled out into two 12-inch rounds
• 2 red plums, halved and pitted
• 6 cups pitted sweet cherries, halved (6 cups halved, pitted & thawed  frozen cherries can be substituted)
• ½ cup sugar
• 1/8 tsp. table salt
• 1 Tbsp. juice from 1 lemon
• 2 Tbsp. instant tapioca, ground (measure first, then grind in a coffee grinder or food processor for 30 seconds)
• 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon (optional)
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch pieces
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tsp. water

Directions

1. Transfer one of the 12-inch pie dough rounds to a 9-inch pie plate (to do this, roll the dough loosely around a rolling pin and then carefully unroll it into the pie plate, leaving at least a 1-inch overhang).  Pat the dough into the bottom and sides of the pan, and refrigerate the dough-lined pie plate while you make the pie filling.
2. Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position and place a baking sheet on the oven rack.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
3. To make the filling, process the plums and 1 cup of the halved cherries in a food processor until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary.  Strain the puree through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl, pressing on the solids to extract excess liquid; discard the solids.  Stir the remaining halved cherries, sugar, salt, lemon juice, tapioca, and cinnamon (if using) into the puree; let stand for 15 minutes.
4. Transfer the cherry mixture, including all of the juices, to the dough-lined pie plate.  Scatter the butter pieces over the fruit.
5. Take the second rolled out pie dough round out of the refrigerator.  Roll the dough loosely around a rolling pin and then unroll it over the pie, leaving at least a 1/2-inch overhang.  Flute the edges of the pie dough to seal.
6. Brush the top of the pie with the egg + water mixture.  With a sharp knife, make 8 evenly spaced 1-inch long vents in the top of the crust.  Place the pie in the freezer for 20 minutes.
7. Place the pie on the preheated baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.  Then reduce the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees and continue to bake until the juices bubble around the edges and the crust is deep golden brown, 30-40 minutes longer.
8. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature, 2-3 hours (This allows the juices to thicken). Cut the pie into wedges and serve.

Source: Cook’s Illustrated Magazine, July & August 2010 issue (Pg. 23)

Mississippi Mud Pie

A few weeks ago when I was shopping for 2 mini cake pans, I also picked up a 7-inch pie pan.  While I’m a huge advocate of eating leftover pie for dessert and breakfast, sometimes I think it’s just better if I don’t have the temptation of a whole 9-inch pie sitting in my fridge (most standard pie pans are 9-9.5 inches in diameter).  After getting the smaller sized pie pan, I waited for the perfect recipe to come along so that I could make another pie.  I was also keeping my eye out for something to make with the rest of the giant box of Oreo cookies that were leftover from when I baked Oreo Cookie Cupcakes.  So when I saw this recipe for Mud Pie with an Oreo cookie crumb crust, I just knew it was meant to be!

The crust for this pie was incredibly delicious, yet so simple to make.  It consisted of a mixture of Oreo cookie crumbs, sugar, and a little butter to bind the mixture together.  After baking for 5 minutes, the crust was ready to go – it doesn’t get much simpler than that!  I loved the sweet taste of the cookie crumbs and the crust had the perfect amount of crunch to it.

The filling for this pie consists of two layers of chocolate ganache with coffee ice cream sandwiched between the ganache, as well as a sprinkle of crunchy candy.  My favorite kind of coffee ice cream has always been Starbucks’ Java chip, but my grocery store was out of it, so I got Haagen Dazs’ Java Chip instead.  It turned out to be equally as good, and it also happened to be on sale-score!   Instead of using toffee bits like the recipe suggested, I used Reese’s pieces, which is one of my absolute favorite kinds of candy.  The hint of peanut butter and crunch from the Reese’s went really well with the coffee ice cream and Oreo crumb crust – it was such a delicious flavor combination!

This is definitely a recipe that you can play around with and switch up to suit your taste and mood.  I can’t wait to make another ice cream pie using the same cookie crust and ganache, plus vanilla ice cream, Reese’s peanut butter cups, and caramel sauce…  I’m getting hungry just thinking about it!  :)  Enjoy!

Mississippi Mud Pie

Ingredients
For the crust:

• 1¼ cups chocolate cookie crumbs, such as Oreo (I used my food processor to make the cookie crumbs)
• 5 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tbsp. sugar

For the ganache:

• 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• ½ cup plus 1 tbsp. heavy cream
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the filling and garnish:

• ½ cup toffee bits or other crunchy candy such as Reese’s pieces, divided (if you use Reese’s pieces, chop them up into smaller bits)
• 3-4 cups coffee ice cream, softened

Directions

1. To make the crust, preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  In a small bowl, combine the chocolate cookie crumbs, melted butter and sugar.  Toss with a fork until well combined and all the crumbs are moistened.  Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan.  Bake for 5 minutes.  Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool while you make the ganache.
2. To make the ganache, transfer the chopped chocolate to a small heatproof bowl.  In a small saucepan set over medium heat, bring the cream to a simmer.  Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let stand 1 minute.  Whisk the mixture in small circular motions until the ganache forms.  Whisk in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time until completely incorporated.
3. Spread a thin layer of ganache over the bottom of the pie crust, just enough to cover it completely (about 1/3 cup).  Sprinkle half of the toffee  bits over the ganache.  Transfer the pie plate to the freezer and chill for about 30-60 minutes, until the ganache is set.  Leave the remaining ganache at room temperature, whisking occasionally.
4. Stir the ice cream with a spoon or spatula to be sure it is evenly softened and spreadable.  Mound the ice cream into the pie shell and use an offset spatula to smooth the top.  Return to the freezer and chill until the ice cream is set, at least two hours.
5. If the ganache has firmed up while the pie was chilling, soften it again by heating in a double boiler or microwaving in 20-second intervals, just until it is spreadable but not hot.  Using a spatula, spread a thin layer of ganache over the ice cream.  Sprinkle the remaining toffee bits on top.  (Work efficiently, as the ganache will harden quickly after making contact with the ice cream.) Return to the freezer and chill at least 1-2 hours.  Reserve any remaining ganache and let cool until thickened.  Transfer to a pastry bag and pipe on decorative swirls, if desired.  Chill until set.
6. Let the pie stand at room temperature for several minutes before slicing.  Use a warm, dry knife to slice and serve.

Yield: One 9-inch pie; To make a 7-inch pie, halve the recipe

Source: slightly adapted from Annie’s Eats; originally adapted from Williams Sonoma

Partially assembled Mud Pie

This photo shows a standard 9.5-inch pie pan on the left, and a 7-inch one on the right.

Flaky Pastry Dough

Flaky Pastry Dough

This is my new favorite pie crust recipe.  The dough is so easy to make (no food processor needed!), it’s easy to roll out, and it’s flaky, buttery, and delicious.  I actually like it better than my other pie crust recipe.  It’s much easier and quicker to make and I like that it is an all-butter crust (no Crisco).  The addition of vodka to the other pie crust was an interesting concept, and fun to try, but I don’t think it made a very noticeable difference in the texture of the crust.  You can’t go wrong with this recipe!  Enjoy!

Flaky Pastry Dough

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 8 Tbsp. (=1 stick= ½ cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch cubes
• 3 Tbsp. very cold water, plus more if needed

Directions

1. To make the dough in a stand mixer, fit the mixer with the paddle attachment.  In the bowl of the mixer, combine the flour, sugar and salt and mix on low speed to stir the ingredients together.
2. Add the butter and toss with a fork to coat with the flour mixture.  Mix on medium-low speed until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with the butter pieces no larger than small peas.
3. Add the 3 Tbsp. water and mix on low speed just until the dough pulls together.  (Note: If the dough is still dry, mix in more water 1 Tbsp. at a time)
4. Transfer the dough to a work surface, pat into a ball and flatten into a disk. (Although many dough recipes call for chilling the dough at this point, this dough should be rolled out immediately for the best results.) Lightly flour the work surface, then flatten the disk with 6 to 8 gentle taps of the rolling pin.  Lift the dough and give it a quarter turn.  Lightly dust the top of the dough or the rolling pin with flour as needed, then roll out into a round at least 12 inches in diameter and about 1/8 inch thick.

Yield: One 9-inch single crust pie

To make a double-crust pie: Double the recipe, cut the dough in half and pat each half into a round, flat disk. Roll out one disk into a 12-inch round as directed and line the pan or dish. Press any scraps trimmed from the first round into the bottom of the second disk. Roll out the second dough disk into a round at least 12 inches in diameter and about 1/8 inch thick and refrigerate until ready to use.

To make a lattice top: Double the recipe, cut the dough in half and pat one half into a round, flat disk.  Roll out the disk into a 12-inch round as directed and line the pan or dish. Trim the edge of the dough, leaving a ½-inch overhang.  Press any scraps trimmed from the first round into the bottom of the remaining dough half.  Pat the dough into a rectangle and roll out into a rectangular shape about 1/8 inch thick.  Trim to cut out a 14-by-11-inch rectangle and refrigerate until ready to use.

Make-Ahead Tip: Pie dough may be made ahead and frozen for up to 2 months.  To freeze, pat the dough into a disk and wrap well with plastic wrap.

Source: The Williams Sonoma Baking Cookbook (Pg. 373)

Deep-Dish Apple Pie with Foolproof Double-Crust Pie Dough

Deep-Dish Apple Pie with Foolproof Double-Crust Pie Dough

Not only was this pie delicious, I learned a lot while making it.  And that is thanks to Cook’s Illustrated and all the information they include in their cookbooks.  Cook’s Illustrated cookbooks are not just full of yummy recipes.  They also have chapters of information that explain the science behind the cooking techniques and ingredients, as well as equipment and ingredient reviews.  My bachelor’s degree is in Biology, so all of this Food Science stuff is very interesting to me!

Here’s  a quick summary of what I learned from reading about pie crusts and apple pie in the book More Best Recipes:

• A pie crust consists of dry ingredients (flour, salt, sugar), fat (butter or vegetable shortening), and liquid (usually water, but in this case, vodka + water)
• The combination of shortening and butter gives the crust a nice flavor and flaky texture.
• Gluten is the protein matrix that provides structure to baked goods. Gluten forms when water combines with flour.  If a pie crust has too much water in the dough, too much gluten will form, which will cause the dough to be tough (as opposed to tender).  However, if you don’t add enough water to the dry ingredients, the pie dough will be difficult to roll out and shape.  The addition of vodka to the pie dough adds no flavor (the alcohol will vaporize while the pie is baking in the oven), but improves the texture of the dough, resulting in a flaky and tender pie crust.  This is because vodka contains only 60% water, so it doesn’t contribute to gluten formation (gluten will not form in alcohol), and thus, the resulting dough is soft, tender, and pliable.
• Pre-cooking the apples in a Dutch oven before assembling the pie extracts excess juice and prevents the pie from becoming too soggy while it bakes.
• The combination of tart and sweet apples gives the pie a nice balanced flavor.

Enjoy!

Foolproof Double-Crust Pie Dough

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups (12 ½ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼- inch pieces
• ½ cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces
• ¼ cup cold vodka
• ¼ cup cold water

Directions

1. Process 1 ½ cups flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about 2 pulses.  Add the butter and shortening and process until a homogeneous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds (the dough will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour).  Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula and redistribute the dough evenly around processor blade.  Add the remaining 1 cup of flour and pulse until the mixture is evenly distributed around the bowl and the mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 pulses.  Empty the mixture into a medium bowl.
2. Sprinkle the vodka and water over the mixture.  With a rubber spatula, use a folding motion to mix, pressing down on the dough until the dough is slightly tacky and sticks together.  Divide the dough into two even balls and flatten each into a 4-inch disk.  Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

Yield: one 9-inch double-crust pie

Deep Dish Apple Pie

Ingredients

• 1 recipe 9-inch double-crust pie dough
• ½ cup granulated sugar, plus 1 teaspoon
• ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
• ¼ teaspoon table salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest, grated
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 ½ lbs tart apples (such as Granny Smith), about 5 medium, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼ inch-thick slices
• 2 ½ lbs sweet apples (such as Golden Delicious or Braeburn), about 5 medium, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
• 1 egg white, beaten lightly

Directions

1. Mix ½ cup of the granulated sugar, the brown sugar, salt, zest, and cinnamon in a large bowl; then add apples and toss to combine.  Transfer the apples to a Dutch oven (do not wash the bowl that they were in) and cook, covered, over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the apples are tender when poked with a fork but still hold their shape, 15 to 20 minutes.  (Note: The apples and juices should gently simmer during cooking.)  Transfer the apples and juices to a rimmed baking sheet and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.  While the apples cool, adjust the oven rack to the lowest position, place a foil lined baking sheet on the rack, and heat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Remove 1 disk of dough from the refrigerator and roll out on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick.  Transfer the rolled out dough to a 9-inch pie plate, leaving at least a 1-inch overhang.  Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, roll the second disk of dough out on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick.  Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
4. Set a large colander over the now-empty bowl that the apples were mixed in.  Then transfer the cooled apples to the colander.  Shake the colander to drain off as much juice as possible (the cooked apples should measure about 8 cups).  Discard the juice.  Transfer the apples to the dough-lined pie plate and sprinkle with lemon juice.
5. Place the second round of rolled out dough on top of the apple filling.  Pinch the edges of the top and bottom dough rounds firmly together.  Trim, seal, and crimp the edges of the dough.  Then cut four 2-inch slits in the top of the dough.  Brush the surface with the beaten egg white and sprinkle evenly with the remaining teaspoon of sugar.
6. Place the pie on the preheated baking sheet and bake until the crust is dark golden brown, 45 to 55 minutes, rotating halfway through.  Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool at least 1 ½ hours.  Cut the pie into wedges and serve.

Source: More Best Recipes Cookbook, Cook’s Illustrated (Pgs. 668 & 675)