Baking/Desserts

[Twixmixy]

Is there a baking / desserts board? I couldn't find one.

I am looking to begin making apple pies. My grandparents owned an apple orchard for around 50 years. My grandpa continued to make pies after my grandma died over 10 years ago. However this year he just went to his final farmers market where he would sell his pies. He was actually featured on NPR's pie week if any of you tune into that.

ANYWAYS... I'm looking to carry on the legacy (my cousins and I are going to have apple pie baking competitions)

I am looking for tips and advice for baking apple pies. I also want to come up with some healthy alternative recipes.

Here is the Highland Orchard original recipe:
Highland Orchard Apple Pie Recipe - 9in pie pan - creates 4 pies

Dough Balls:
4 cups of flour
2 teaspoons of salt
1 tbs sugar
1/2 cup lard
1 tbs vinegar
2/3 cups water
1 egg

Roll into 5 1/2 oz dough balls - Each dough ball is one single crust (roughly 4 dough balls)

Filling:
2 tsp salt
4 cups of sugar
1 tbs cinnomen
8 tbs of flour
4 2lbs of apples in every pie

Bake: 1-1:15 min - temp 425

Any and all advice would be great!

 

[CharlieD]

I don't know, if they were selling pies for 50 years, they for sure had something done right. Don't fix it if it ain't broken. Just keep doing what they did. That's just how I feel.

 

[Twixmixy]

I don't know, if they were selling pies for 50 years, they for sure had something done right. Don't fix it if it ain't broken. Just keep doing what they did. That's just how I feel.

True true! I think I'm just looking for more clarification (above is all my grandpa gave me). I've never really baked before besides the occasional cake. I am more of a cooking person. So I'd love any advice when it comes to the little aspects of baking and what all of you have learned through your years of doing so.

 

[LPBeier]

Don't overwork your pastry. Knead it just until it comes together and refrigerate the dough balls (wrapped in plastic) for about an hour. Is this the recipe that your grandparents used? Or did they, as most people of that generation, just have it in their heads? Also, this makes 5 dough balls but you have four pies. Is the fifth one supposed to be the top crust on all four pies?

Use a mix of apples - granny smith, royal gala, spartan, etc. Peel and slice them fairly thin and mix well with the other filling ingredients. Don't pack the filling too much but instead let it mound and put the top crust over the mound. The filling with cook down and the crust will have room to shrink a bit. Always use a knife to cut some slits in the top before baking.

Hope that helps!

 

[Twixmixy]

That does help a lot! Thank you - I will be sure to refer to this when I get baking