The holidays wouldn’t be complete without a homemade pie! This is my recipe, but it was inspired by my grandmother. I used to watch her make pies from scratch all the time–she NEVER used a recipe. Use fresh, tart apples for best results. Happy Holidays everyone!
For the Filling
Melt the butter and add the flour. Mix until well dissolved…kind of like a roux. Then, add remaining ingredients. Simmer for at least 5 minutes. You want to cook down some of the juice from the apples before you bake the pie. Once your crust is ready, pour this mixure into the pie crust. Place the second crust on top. Prick the surface a few times with a fork and brush with butter or milk (half and half works well too).
For the Crust
I use a food processor for my pie crusts even though I used to watch my grandmother do most everything by hand. Blend the butter, sugar, salt and flour until little beads form. Add the ice water in while still blending. The dough should start to form on the sides of the processor but still be crumbly in the middle of the processor…some of those ‘crumbles’ should be the size of peas. It will look unfinished.
This recipe makes two crusts, so knead the dough into a ball, then break into two even balls and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
When ready, roll the first crust onto a floured surface. I keep a bit of ice water on hand, and if the dough seems a bit dry I sprinkle water on the surface and keep rolling till I get the desired size of disc. I always lightly butter the pie pan before I put the crust in it. Once the crust is inside pan, mold edges to your liking. Add the filling and top with remaining crust. Bake at 350 for approx. 30 minutes. The crust should be golden brown. If your edges brown too fast, you can cover only the edges with foil to protect them.
For the Topping
Blend sugar and butter till creamy and light…just a couple of minutes. Add water and Bourbon and blend another minute. Taste and adjust Bourbon to your liking.
Let the pie cool for about an hour before you serve. Top with the delicious Bourbon glaze…serve with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream and WOW!
Perfect Apple Pie with Bourbon Sauce
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 6 cups fresh sliced apples
- 1/2 c butter
- 1 T flour
- 1 c sugar
- 1 T cinnamon
- 1/8 t fresh ground nutmeg
- 1/2 t vanilla
- 1/2 c toasted pecan pieces
- 1 t fresh lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
For the Crust
- 2½ c flour
- 1 t salt
- 1 t sugar
- 1 c cold butter cut into small pats
- 1/4 c ice water
For the Topping
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 Tablespoon VERY hot water
- 1 Tablespoon Bourbon