Apple pie - lattice top

just last week (during the lonely CNY) i finally have the mood to bake...mmm i'm sorry for letting this blog go idle for a long time, but i was kindda busy...or more accurately in a vaca mode ^_^
i went to Bandung with my parents and sister and her fiance...she wanted to look for her wedding invitation card coz apparently our printers can't print less than 3 weeks their estimation time was 4-6 weeks! due to CNY holiday bla bla...and my sister's wedding is set in April! then we heard that Indonesian can handle fast printings minimum of 3 working days...how great is that? so without thinking we all book ourselves tickets to Indonesia...for me, i was there just to have a shopping frenzy...and the result is that i'm broke now...i can literally see my card puffed with smoke =p...hubby wasn't that happy too and that's my dear is why i'm baking stuff ...you may say that this is my rather pathetic attempt to cheer him up hehehehe~ which by the way worked like a charm!!! (then again he always smiles whenever i put effort-ful (is there such word?) homemade food on the table)

anyway... this apple pie is one of my attempt to put back smiles in his face....coz i know that hubby loves apple pie especially when topped with vanilla ice cream!

Apple pie fillings:

5 medium sized granny smith green apples - peeled and cut into wedges
1/2tsp cinnamon
1/2tsp nutmeg
1/2cup brown sugar
1tbsp lemon juice
3tbsp flour or custard powder
30ml water (plus minus this will depend on how loose you want your filling be)

1. combine all ingredients and cook until the apples are almost tender. adding water gradually controlling consistency to your liking. then remove from fire let it cool.
2. it is important that you don't over cook your apples or it'll loose its flavor.
   

Flaky Pie Crust Recipe

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1/2cup cold unsalted butter cut into chunks
  
• 1tsp salt
• 1tsp sugar (this is optional)
  
• 3/4 cup ice water
  

How To Make a Perfect Flaky Pie Crust

1st Step:

• Measure flour and salt into a large bowl making a well in the middle. Put shortening and butter into the well.
• This is an important step. Do not let the heat of your hands melt the shortening. The least amount of contact with the shortening the better. i use pastry cutter for this step. you need to work on it coating and cutting the butter and shortening with flour until...
  
• It should look like a small peas, with the butter and shortening being totally incorporated into the flour.

2nd Step:

• Pour water bit by bit, until it comes together in a soft dough. You may need more or less water depending on the humidity. Do NOT knead the dough as in bread making though as this will encourage the formation of gluten which we don't need.
  
• Work the dough and form in a ball and flatten it to a disk. this is to ensure an even chill.
• Cover the dough and refrigerate. let it rest for at least 10 minutes.
• you may keep longer than 10 minutes. i usually make a large batch and keep the balance for future use. the dough keeps well in a zip lock bag up to a month.
  

3rd Step:

• Take a handful of flour and throw/sprinkle it down on a counter top. Put the dough in the middle of the flour.
• Coat your rolling pin with flour. Start rolling the dough with the pin, turning the dough to get a round shape. This may take several passes over the dough, turning this way and that. Flip the dough over carefully, adding flour to your surface as needed. Finish rolling on this side to make a circle that is 4" bigger than your pan.
• Fold the dough in half, place it in the pan unfolding to fit. Trim if necessary, but not too much. You want to have enough to fold the edges under.
• Fold the edges under, turning the pan and pressing the edge as you go.
• You now have a choice as to how you want to finish the crust. If you are making an open pie as in pumpkin or pecan, press the edges down with a fork to seal the edge and give it a nice pattern.
• Or, you can crimp the edges using your thumb and forefinger of your left hand and the forefinger of your right hand, and go around the edge of the pie making a v-shaped pattern, all the while keeping the edge slightly higher than the pie pan.
• or in my case i just let it hang a little, then i start working on my lattice top then will i trim the edge for a clean finish.
• at this point you may have some extra dough, roll it and stamp it with you fave cookie cutter and make decorations on top of your pie...
• use 1 egg yolk + 1tbsp of water and a drop of egg yolk coloring for glazing.
• bake at 180c for 30-45minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.
  

if you want to learn on how to make this elegant dessert click here for a step by step instruction.

happy baking guys!

p/s: happy Chinese New year to all my fellow Chinese friends