Is there anything more American than a fresh slice of apple pie and a cold scoop of vanilla ice cream? I don’t think so. Apple Pie is a staple dessert in America and is enjoyed year-round. There really is never a bad time to enjoy a slice of apple pie. So maybe during Memorial Day you can consider partaking in a beloved American tradition.

The History of Apple Pie

While apple pie is not an American invention, it has definitely been adopted by Americans as a beloved staple. Apple pie was first invented in England and then English settlers introduced the dessert to colonists. The dessert’s popularity rose throughout the 18th and 19th century as many cookbooks at the time featured apple pie in a written form. However, it was not until the 20th century that the apple pie was seen as a patriotic symbol as soldiers in war and even presidents favored the dessert. This prompted advertising companies to coin the phrase “As American as Apple Pie.” The dessert embodied American ideals of wholesome, hearty, and pure. Regardless of its origin, apple pie has become a pinnacle representation of national pride.

Key Tips When Making Apple Pie

A Flaky Pie Crust

In my opinion, the most important part to any pie is a stable and flavorful pie dough. In order to achieve a tender and flaky crust, you should use an all-butter recipe and use high quality butter. A higher quality of butter is one with a higher fat to water ratio in the butter (most European butters are high quality). Additionally, in order to make a flaky crust, you want to use as little water to find the dough as possible. I recommend adding a few tablespoons of water at a time and then combine the dough as much as possible. You do not want to over-hydrate the dough because that will cause excess gluten formation which will result in a chewier and more gummy crust instead of a flaky, tender crust. Also, even if the dough seems a little dry at first, when you refrigerate the dough, the flour will absorb more of the water and make it into a more workable texture.

A Juicy Yet Sliceable Filling

One of the reasons apples are so delicious is because the water inside the fruit makes it juicy. However, this water content inside apples can become problematic inside a pie as it will make the filling too runny. In order to still have the juicy flavor of apples without the filling becoming unstable, I like to cook my apple filling slightly in order to soften the apples and draw out some of the apple’s liquid. Then I add a cornstarch-water mixture in order to thicken the juice that has escaped from the apples. This allows for the flavor to still exist as the juice has not fully evaporated and will make the pie easier to slice.

My Recipe for Apple Pie

Ingredients:

2 cups of all-purpose flour

2 teaspoon of kosher salt

1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, finely cubed and chilled (plus an extra 2 tablespoons for later)

5 tablespoons of ice cold water

3-4 Granny Smith apples (peeled, cored, and sliced to 1/8 inch)

3-4 Red Delicious apples (peeled, cored, and sliced to 1/8 inch)

3/4 cup of granulated sugar

2 tablespoons of cornstarch

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

1 beaten egg

Directions:

In a large bowl add flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, and butter. Combine the butter into the flour by pressing the butter with your hands or a fork until the butter becomes pea-sized and is evenly dispersed with the flour. Then start adding in the ice water. Start with the given amount of 5 tablespoons and then mix. Then you will judge if you need to add more water- you want the consistency to have the ability to form into a ball, but still slightly dry to the touch. After the dough is combined, divide it in half and form each dough piece into a 4- inch round disk. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

Now combine the apples, sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, and cinnamon in a large pot. Cook over medium heat until the juices of the apples begin to bubble, stirring occasionally. Then add a cornstarch slurry combined with 4 tablespoons of water and stir the apple mixture for 1 minute until it begins to thicken. Take the mixture off of the heat and let it cool, add the lemon juice, then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Next, roll out one disk of the chilled pie dough on a floured surface until the dough is a 12-inch circle. Transfer the rolled-out dough to a 9-inch pie dish and let the sides hang over the edge. Add the apple filling to the pie dish and add 2 tablespoons of cubed butter over the top of the filling. Then roll out the second disk of dough to a 12-inch circle and lay over top the apple filling. With the excess dough on the sides of the pie dish, trim the dough until there is only a 1/2-inch overhang. Then fold the edge dough over itself making a lip where the two doughs meet, and crimp the dough with either your hands or by pressing the dough down with a fork. I recommend watching a video for the assembly part if you are new to pie making.

Then, brush a beaten egg over the top pie crust and bake the pie in a 400-degree oven for close to 55 minutes or until the top crust is golden brown. I recommend checking the pie periodically to ensure it does not over bake.

Let the pie cool completely, and then enjoy with a nice scoop of ice cream or whipped cream.

Farewell

Just like how apple pie is a great symbol for patriotism, The Roundup is a great symbol to show the Jesuit mission of “men for others.” This is my last article as Managing Editor, and The Roundup has shown me how to serve the community by documenting the history of our school, learning things I would never would have known otherwise. I have been able to advocate and celebrate my Jesuit brothers by writing about our school’s success and accomplishments. I am beyond happy to have led the Roundup this past year and I encourage underclassmen to grow in their intellectual curiosity. As we celebrate a successful year of publications, hopefully you can enjoy a celebratory slice of apple pie, like I will be doing. Thank you.