Make-Ahead Apple Pie – Recipe!

Pie on Thanksgiving is like cake on your birthday, very necessary.  Creating crusts and fillings, while your trying to roast a turkey, and cook up some fabulous side dishes almost seems impossible in one kitchen.  However, preparing a pie in advance and then freezing it, until Thanksgiving day to bake off before you put your bird in the oven is genius.  Just think about it, you’ll have a freshly baked pie prepared on the same day as your dinner.

Apple pie is absolutely a treat on Thanksgiving, and after pumpkin, it’s probably the most popular on the table.  I make my crust with all-butter, so it turns out tender and flaky, perfect every time.  The filling of sliced apples with cinnamon, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice is pretty standard, but this year I decided to roll the top crust out and cut it into strands to twist together, and place on top for a fun new look.  If you’re not up for the challenge, simply roll out the top crust like the bottom, except make it a little larger, so it covers up all those apples.

The entire pie is frozen in its pan for a couple hours, and then wrapped in plastic and then in foil, for a secure cover.  You can uncover the pie, right before baking and bake it frozen until the crust is a deep golden brown, and the apples are barely bubbly underneath.  So, go ahead and make this stress free pie, you’ll be the most thankful person on Thanksgiving.

Ingredients

Crust

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons butter, diced and cold

Filling

10 apples, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

juice of 1 lemon

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

(Makes 1 Pie)

To Prepare:

1. In a stand mixer or large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt.  Add butter and mix on low until coarse crumbs.  Add 1 cup ice water to bowl, and mix on low until dough just begins to come together.  Remove and split into two pieces.  Wrap each ball into a disc and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight.
2. Add all Filling ingredients to a bowl and toss.  set aside.
3. Remove dough and place on a floured surface.  Roll dough out using a rolling pin until about 1/4 inch thick.  Roll dough up onto pin, while brushing flour off as you roll (see pic).  Roll out into pan.
4. Roll second dough out in similar fashion as above.  Then, cut into 1/2 inch strips (if doing the twisted top).  Twist two strips together and place on top of pie.  Trim edges of twisted ropes to meet edge of crust bottom.  Tuck dough inward together, pinching with your fingers.  Then, crimp edges with fingers around pie.
5. Place pie in freezer for 2 hours, then remove and wrap in plastic wrap, then foil.  When ready to bake, remove plastic and foil, after oven is preheated to 400 degrees.  Place on a sheet pan and bake for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 and continue baking an additional 30-40 minutes, or until deep golden brown.  If top is getting too brown, tent with a piece of foil.  Enjoy!