If you're like me, your holiday table has an assortment of pies, and I especially love it if they are freshly baked and still warm when served. My family loves my Make-Ahead Deep-Dish Apple Pie. I fill the flaky pastry with the most delicious mixture of apples, cinnamon, and even a dash of rum for the perfect filling. The filling is precooked, cooled, and then piled into the crusts. I store the unbaked pie in the freezer and bake when I'm ready for pie. All I do is pop it in the oven, and my house smells heavenly as it bakes. This pie is soo delicious and the only apple pie recipe you will need. A big slice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is irresistible.
Ingredients for Make-Ahead Deep-Dish Apple Pie:
5 pounds honey crisp apples
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon dark rum
*1 package frozen pastry crust, I used Pillsbury
Spices:
Combine-
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
Glaze:
1 large egg white, beaten (save the yoke for scrambled eggs)
1 tablespoon sugar
You will also need a 9-10 pie plate; a deep one will work best.
Time-Saving Tip: Prepare the pie 2-3 weeks in advance, cover tightly with plastic wrap, freeze, and then foil. Bake the pie while still frozen in a 375-degree oven.
* Feel free to use your favorite pastry crust recipe.
Let's see what we need.
We're ready to bake.
Peel, core, and quarter the apples. Slice each quarter into thirds. Toss the slices with lemon juice.
Melt the butter in a roasting pan or large pot. Add the apples and stir to coat with the butter. Continue cooking while occasionally stirring until the apples start to soften but are barely tender. This process will take 5-7 minutes.
Toss in the sugar and cook for another 1-2 minutes; stir in the rum.
Let cool and stir in the flour, cornstarch, and spices.
Roll out the pastry crust so the bottom crust edges hang 1/2" or more over the rim. Place 1crust in the pie plate. Don't worry if the crust is uneven because you can trim it after putting the top crust on the apples.
Fill the bottom crust with the cooled apple mixture and top with the second crust. Trim the ends to neaten but be sure to keep 1/2" overhang.
Press the edges of the two crusts together to seal them. I like to fold the edges under and using my fingers shape the edges of the crust.
If you want to freeze the pie, this is the time. Place the pie in the freezer uncovered for a few hours until frozen. Remove from the freezer, wrap it up well with plastic wrap, and then again with foil and transfer to the freezer.
When ready to bake, brush the top of the pie with the beaten egg white and sprinkle the tablespoon of sugar on top.
Place the pie on a parchment-lined sheet pan and transfer it to a preheated 375-degree oven and bake until golden. If the edges of the crust start to brown too quickly, gently cover the edges with pieces of foil until the top of the pie and edges are the same color, then discard the foil. It will take about 40 - 50 minutes for a room temperature pie to bake and 60-75 minutes for frozen pie. Let rest an hour before serving.
It's ready! Make-Ahead Deep-Dish Apple Pie is so delicious, and it has the perfect sweetness and has become a favorite in my house. My husband and sons love some freshly whipped cream on the side, but I like my straight up.
Enjoy!
Make-Ahead Deep-Dish Apple Pie:
5 pounds honey crisp apples
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon dark rum
*1 package frozen pastry crust, I used Pillsbury
Spices:
Combine-
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
Glaze:
1 large egg white, beaten (save the yoke for scrambled eggs)
1 tablespoon sugar
You will also need a 9-10 pie plate; a deep one will work best.
Peel, core, and quarter the apples. Slice each quarter into thirds. Toss the slices with lemon juice.
Melt the butter in a roasting pan or large pot. Add the apples and stir to coat with the butter. Continue cooking while occasionally stirring until the apples start to soften but are barely tender. This process will take 5-7 minutes.
Toss in the sugar and cook for another 1-2 minutes; stir in the rum.
Let cool and stir in the flour, cornstarch, and spices.
Roll out the pastry crust so the bottom crust edges hang 1/2" or more over the rim. Place 1crust in the pie plate. Don't worry if the crust is uneven because you can trim it after putting the top crust on the apples.
Fill the bottom crust with the cooled apple mixture and top with the second crust. Trim the ends to neaten but be sure to keep 1/2" overhang.
Press the edges of the two crusts together to seal them. I like to fold the edges under and using my fingers shape the edges of the crust.
If you want to freeze the pie, this is the time. Place the pie in the freezer uncovered for a few hours until frozen. Remove from the freezer, wrap it up well with plastic wrap, and then again with foil and transfer to the freezer.
When ready to bake, brush the top of the pie with the beaten egg white and sprinkle the tablespoon of sugar on top.
Place the pie on a parchment-lined sheet pan and transfer it to a preheated 375-degree oven and bake until golden. If the edges of the crust start to brown too quickly, gently cover the edges with pieces of foil until the top of the pie and edges are the same color, then discard the foil. It will take about 40 - 50 minutes for a room temperature pie to bake and 60-75 minutes for frozen pie. Let rest an hour before serving.
Time-Saving Tip: Prepare the pie 2-3 weeks in advance, cover tightly with plastic wrap, freeze, and then foil. Bake the pie while still frozen in a 375-degree oven.
* Feel free to use your favorite pastry crust recipe.
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