Apple Pie Help...

[amcardon]

Okay, I am pretty new at making pies (always hated making my own crusts till somebody told me to try it in a food processor, brilliant!) and I have some really good recipes and my favorite is just a simple apple-cinnamon pie with a lattice crust. So, I always follow the recipe and pile on the apples, make the lattice crust, cook it as instructed and the crust looks great, and the apples fall like 3" below the crust... So, I have this roof of crust and the apples are way below it! Can you keep the apples from falling? Can you do something so the crust stays with the filling? It's really annoying to have a great looking pie that has a crust that floats 3 inches above the filling...

 

[licia]

Are you using the right amount or the right kind of apples? Some apples are much better than others for pie - they stay together and don't fall apart. I've noticed on some shows they use what seems like an inordinate amount of apples, piling it very high, but the pie looks delicious when finished. Perhaps, use a firmer apple, or add more apples to your recipe. Just mho.

 

[jkath]

Remember, apples get smaller and softer when they cook!

I always use Granny Smith apples in my pies, however, my favorite apple pie to make is apple cream pie, which doesn't have a top crust.

 

[Andy M.]

I've seen some pie recipes calling for cooking the apple mixture before putting it into the crust for final baking. If you tried that, the pre-cooking would shrink the apples so when you put the lattice crust on top it wouldn't shrink away from the lattice.

 

[jkath]

Brilliant, Andy!




Have some pie!

 

[corazon]

I'd say, use more apples! As far as I'm concerned, you can't have enough! When I make apple pie, I really pile them high. The last apple pie I made, I used 5lbs of apples! It was delicious!

 

[Alix]

I don't know about lattice tops, I usually do the whole crust approach myself. What I do that works is settle all the apples into the bottom crust, put the top crust on, and gently press it down onto the apples. That way, when the apples start to mush and settle more the crust seems to follow them. Does that make sense? The other thing I do is I don't slice the apples thinly with a mandolin, I cut them in chunks. Seems to hold the crust better.

 

[amcardon]

Depending on my crust, I'll use up to 5 lbs of granny smiths in a pie. If I'm doing a lattice top I will only use around 3.5-4lbs, if I'm doing a solid top I'll use 5lbs. I've heard of the pre-cooking, but never tried it out. I grew up on an orchard in Oregon (mostly pears and apples) and my Dad is a horticulturist who knows more about fruit trees than anybody I've ever met (and I know a lot of experts who would say the same...) so I've had my share of working with fruit and getting to try just about every kind of apple out there. I do feel a little spoiled in that area and can't wait till I move back to Oregon (hopefully in 4 years) where I can have apple trees again!

Anyway, thanks for everybody's responses, I think my next pie will be my tester for cooking the filling first, we'll see how that works!

And by the way Alix, I hope you guys up in Edmonton are happy! Beating the Avs in the season opener.....

 

[Alix]

It was a full house in Rexall Place. Sold out show. If they HADN'T won there might have been a lynching. LOL. I didn't watch it (not a big hockey fan) but Ken did and there were some loud cheers from that direction so I would have to say that Edmonton is a happy place today.

 

[Constance]

I always nuke my apples with the sugar and spices for about 8-10 minutes (in pasta bowl with waxed paper over the top) before I put them in my pie. By doing it that way, I am able to prepare the filling the day before and put it all together the day of my dinner. I also don't like crunchy apples in my pie!
Years ago, I always used Jonathon apples for cooking, but now I like the Granny Smith best. They are nice and tart, and have a great shelf life.
One hint about your apple pie, or any fruit pie, for that matter. After you dump the filling in your bottom crust, dot the top with bits of butter before you put the top crust on. It really makes a difference.