apple pie of my eye

Ohhh, pie. How I love your taste, and how much I loathe to make you. I guess my biggest problem with pie is pie crust. I have yet to perfect the technique of pinching the dough into that classic knuckled pattern around the edges, so my crusts always end up looking rather...err, rustic like. Or, bluntly put, messy. :) And then there's the problem of sticky dough. And how no matter how much flour you sprinkle, that dough stubbornly sticks to the counter like a piece of gum to your shoe. So annoying...which is why I refuse to bake pies that require double crusts. Solution, you ask? Crumble topping!

However, I am proud to report that the pie crust recipe for this mass of deliciousness was a success, taste-wise. Though I still need help with the attractiveness factor, taste is all that really what matters when you get down to it, right? :) Oh, and who did this pie crust recipe come from but none other than the infamous Betty Crocker! Basically, she is amazing. And yes, I do realize that she is a fictional character...but still amazing, just the same.

So I made this pie for Kevin since he is fan of pie. And yes, he knows of my love-hate relationship with this devilish dessert...haha. But anyway, good guys deserve good pie, right? So pie I baked.

This pie came out pretty delicious. However, the only sketchy thing that occured was the huge pool of apple juice that spilled out as slices were cut. Sooo much juice! Why why why? Now, it is a fact that apples are 85% water, so it would only make sense that juices would seep out when they've been cooked. However, I believe that I failed to mix in enough flour to thicken the filling. :\ Or maybe cornstarch would be a better thickener for next time. Oh well...this pie was yummy despite swimming through apple juice.

Oh, and as a side note...did you know that apple pie tastes delicious when substituted for cereal? Try it sometime. :)


Humble Crumbled Apple Pie
Taken from Betty Crocker

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup shortening
2 tbsp. ice water

3/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
6-7 cups sliced apples

1 1/2 sticks butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare crust. Mix together flour and salt. With pastry blender, cut in shortening. Sprinkle with water until soft dough forms. Gather dough together and press firmly into a ball. Roll out into a circle, and place into pie pan.

Prepare filling. Mix together sugar and cinnamon. Combine with sliced apples and lightly mix. Pour filling into pastry-lined pan.

Prepare crumble. With pastry cutter, cut brown sugar, oatmeal, and flour into butter until crumbles form. Sprinkle over filling. Bake pie for 50-60 minutes.