Classic Double-Crust Apple Pie

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the butter into the flour

   Whisk the flour, sugar and salt together in a wide bowl. Drop in the cold butter cubes and toss them through the flour, then flatten each one between your fingertips into a rough, floury shard. Stop when the largest pieces are about the size of a hazelnut and the rest look like coarse crumbs. Those flat shards are what turn into flaky layers, so resist working the mixture into a uniform sand.

2. 2

   Bring the dough together

   Drizzle in the ice water two tablespoons at a time, tossing with a fork after each addition. The dough is ready when a handful squeezed in your palm holds together without cracking apart; you may not need all the water, or you may need a tablespoon more. Divide it into two pieces, making one slightly larger than the other, press each into a flat disc, wrap well and chill at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

3. 3

   Season and pre-cook the apples

   In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with both sugars, the cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, lemon juice and vanilla until every slice is coated. Tip everything into a wide skillet or Dutch oven and cook over medium heat, stirring gently, for 5 to 7 minutes, just until the slices go from squeaky to barely bendable and a glossy syrup pools at the bottom. Pull it off the heat and let it cool to room temperature. This shrinks the apples before they go in the shell, so you don't end up with a hollow dome over a sunken filling.

4. 4

   Roll and line the pan

   Let the larger disc sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, then roll it on a lightly floured counter into a 13-inch round, turning it a quarter turn after every few passes to keep it even. Lay it into a 9-inch pie plate and ease it down into the corners without stretching it. Leave the overhang alone for now and refrigerate the lined pan. Roll the second disc into a 12-inch round, slide it onto a floured baking sheet and chill that too.

5. 5

   Heat the oven

   Set a rack in the lower third of the oven, place a rimmed baking sheet on it and heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Baking on a preheated sheet drives heat straight into the bottom crust and catches any drips.

6. 6

   Fill and seal

   Scrape the cooled apples and all their syrup into the chilled shell, mounding them slightly in the center and pressing out any large air gaps. Scatter the cubed butter over the top. Lay the second round of dough over the filling, trim both crusts to about a half inch beyond the rim, then fold the overhang under itself and crimp the edge firmly all the way around. Cut four or five vents in the lid so steam can escape.

7. 7

   Glaze and bake

   Beat the egg with the cream and brush a thin, even coat over the lid and crimped edge, then sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes, until the crust has set and taken on color. Reduce the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake another 40 to 50 minutes, until the top is deep golden and you can see thick juices bubbling slowly through the vents. Thin, fast-running juices mean the cornstarch hasn't activated yet; keep going.

8. 8

   Shield if needed

   If the crimped edge browns well ahead of the center, tent it with strips of foil or a pie shield and carry on baking. Color on the lid is a good thing, so aim for a genuinely bronzed crust rather than a pale one.

9. 9

   Cool completely

   Move the pie to a wire rack and leave it alone for at least 4 hours. The filling is still liquid when it comes out of the oven and only sets as it cools, so an early slice will flood the plate. Serve at room temperature, or warm individual slices for a few minutes before serving.

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Baker's Tips

• 1.

  Use at least two apple varieties: something tart and firm like Granny Smith for structure and acidity, plus a sweeter Honeycrisp, Braeburn or Jonagold for flavor. An all-one-variety pie tends to taste flat or collapse into sauce.

• 2.

  Slice the apples about 1/4 inch thick. Much thinner and they break down; much thicker and they stay crunchy in the middle while the crust overbakes.

• 3.

  If your kitchen is warm, chill the rolled-out dough for 15 minutes before assembling. Soft butter in the dough means a tough, greasy crust instead of flaky layers.

• 4.

  A glass or ceramic pie plate lets you check the bottom crust for color. Metal conducts better but you're baking blind.

• 5.

  For a dead-flat top, mound the apples toward the center and press gently before you lay on the lid.

• 6.

  Leftover scraps make good cook's treats: sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and bake alongside the pie for 12 to 15 minutes.

Equipment

• 9-inch pie plate
• Rolling pin
• Rimmed baking sheet
• Large wide skillet or Dutch oven
• Large mixing bowl
• Pastry brush
• Wire cooling rack

Storage