Easy As…
I take my kids apple picking every year for several reasons: We love the activities at the apple orchards (especially the hayrides), I want to savor every day of nice weather left in the year (I know October is signaling the end of warm days), and we need apples for several tasty fall recipes.
I’ve been to numerous Minnesota apple orchards and have a few favorites, including Pine Tree Orchard in White Bear Lake and Minnesota Harvest Orchard (formerly Sponsel’s). They are both within one hour of my house in Minneapolis (my requirement for a day trip), have friendly and helpful staff, and have lots of fun activities.
When picking apples, eat plenty when you are in the orchard, but be sure to bring some home for baking. I asked the staff at Minnesota Harvest Orchard what the best baking apples are and they said Macintosh and Haralson. Some apple varieties are called unique names at each orchard, like Scarlet O’Haralson at Minnesota Harvest Orchard, so be sure to ask the staff if you are unsure.
When baking with young chefs, make the dough first, then make the apple mixture while the dough is chilling. Older kids can peel and slice the apples while the younger ones squeeze the lemon and orange. Combine the apple mixture in a giant bowl so the younger crew can “stir like crazy” without spilling.
Once the apple mixture is complete, the kids can help roll out the dough. Put a little flour on a clean table or counter and give them a rolling pin (lightly dust with flour). Ask them to roll it out into a circle, as big as they can make it. If the dough starts to get too soft, put it back in the refrigerator for a few minutes. My kids usually get bored making the pie crust and want to play with the dough. I roll it out and give them the scraps to make their own creations while the pie bakes.
Deep-dish apple pie
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa
Family Style
4 pounds apples, peeled, quartered, and cored (Macintosh, Haralson, or Granny Smith)
zest of 1 lemon
zest of 1 orange
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup sugar, plus 1 teaspoon to sprinkle on top
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Perfect pie crust (recipe follows)
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
NOTE: You can use a microplane for zesting the fruit and grating the cinnamon and nutmeg. Be sure to remove only the very top orange and yellow layer of the fruit, leaving the bitter, white pith behind.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Cut each apple quarter in thirds crosswise and combine in a bowl with the zests, juices, 1/2 cup sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Roll out half the pie dough (see below) and drape it over a 9- or 10-inch pie pan to extend about 1/2-inch over the rim. Don’t stretch the dough; if it’s too small, just put it back on the board and re-roll it.
Fill the pie with the apple mixture. Brush the edge of the bottom pie crust with the egg wash so the top crust will adhere. Top with the second crust and trim the edges to about 1 inch over the rim. Tuck the edge of the top crust under the edge of the bottom crust and crimp the two together with your fingers or a fork. Brush the entire top crust with the egg wash, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar, and cut four or five slits.
Place the pie on a sheet pan and bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, or until the crust is browned and the juices begin to bubble out. Serve warm with vanilla, caramel or cinnamon ice cream.
Perfect pie crust
Tip – make sure the butter, shortening, and water are very cold
Yield: 2 (10-inch) crusts
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) very cold unsalted butter (Hope Creamery recommended)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup very cold vegetable shortening
6 to 8 tablespoons (about 1/2 cup) ice water
Dice the butter and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and shortening. Pulse eight to 12 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. Dump out on a floured board and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Cut the dough in half. Roll each piece on a well-floured board into a circle, rolling from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough to make sure it doesn’t stick to the board. Fold the dough in half, place in a pie pan, and unfold to fit the pan. Repeat with the top crust.
Pine Tree Orchard
Minnesota Harvest Orchard
