Apple Pie and Grandmas go together like cake and ice cream. Of course, both are great on their own. However, together they are magical. Grandmothers are also known by many names. Gran, granny, grams, gammy, gran gran, maw maw, ma, you name it. Whatever you call yours, even she will approve of this Apple Pie.

When I think of Apple Pie, I think of my Gran. I think everyone thinks of grandmothers when they think of Apple Pie. There is just something about Apple Pie that screams ‘Grandma’.

I remember when I made Apple Pie for the first time, I really didn’t have very high expectations. It had been a very long time since I even had a slice of Apple Pie and I am not the biggest fan of Apples on their own. I learned two things that day. I don’t like Granny Smith apples in a pie and the crust is everything. Many pies later, I have an Apple pie recipe that I know gran would be proud of.

Crust

Of course, it all starts with a great crust. A great crust for an Apple pie soaks up all the gooey goodness on the inside and stays deliciously flakey on the outside.

: After pulsing flour, salt and sugar add cubed butter to your processor

: Pulse until you have small bits of butter throughout

: Whisk water with your egg and pour it Ito your food processor as you pulse

: Dough is ready once it all comes together

My grandma really loved to make a crumble top for her Apple Pie, but I have yet to master that. It was quite the disaster the first time I tried and I haven’t revisited it so for now, let’s go with a lattice top. Before we do, let’s talk about the filling. So I am sure, like me, you have been told to use Granny Smith apples for your pies. I really don’t understand why. First of all, they are just way too tart. Seems like it would call for a sweeter apple. I prefer mixing other varieties that are on the sweeter side so for this recipe I am using Gala and Red Delicious. Also, I like my Apples to be pretty soft in my pie so these are perfect. Of course, feel free to use whatever you like.

Filling

Now, we are going to need a gooey filling. First, it starts with flour, butter and sugar and then ends with a caramel like sauce that would be good all on its own.

: After mixing butter and flour, add granulated sugar…

: and brown sugar

: Add water and whisk until smooth.

: Cook for 5 minutes. Have your Apples ready as this filling thicks and hardens a bit as it cools

Rather than putting the apples in the crust and pouring the sauce on, we are going to toss the apples with the sauce.

Finally after tossing the Apples in the sauce, dump it all in your prepared crust.

It’s perfectly fine if your filling is not evenly distributed and you have more sauce on one side. It will all marry as it bakes. Trust me.

Lattice Crust

: Roll your top piece into a circle and cut half inch strips

: Lay four strips across the top of your pie

: Working with every other strip, pull two back and lay one across

: Replace those two strips and pull the other two back and repeat until finished.

TA DA!

Because I want to make sure my apples are soft by the end of baking I am going to bake the pie covered loosely with foil for the first 25 minutes and then uncovered for the remaining time. As a result, we will end up with a pie perfectly browned on the outside and soft and gooey on the inside.

Grandma Approved Apple Pie

Ingredients

Crust

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter cubed
1 egg
1/4 cup cold water

Filling

1/2 cup butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup water
8 apples - peeled cored and sliced

Instructions

For the crust

In your food processor, blend together the flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, and salt. Pulse in cubed butter until a crumbly mixture forms. Mix your egg with the cold water and pulse in until the dough comes together. You may or may not need an extra drop or two of water.
Melt butter in a skillet or sauce pan. Whisk in flour until combined. Add sugars and then add water and whisk; bring to a boil and then let simmer for about 5 minutes.
Place the bottom crust in your pie pan. Mix the apples with the sauce and then fill the crust with the Apples. Cover with the lattice top. (I like to scrape the hardened sauce from the pan with a wooden spook. You can add the bits of hardened sauce to the top if you like)
Bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees with loosely covered foil. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned and Apples are to your liking as far as softness goes. Enjoy!