Deep-Dish Apple Pie with Cider Glaze

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9 or 10-inch deep-dish pie plate
• •Rolling pin
• •Pastry brush
• •Rimmed baking sheet
• •Wire cooling rack

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the crust

   Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Add the cold butter cubes and toss to coat each piece with flour. Using your fingertips or a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour until you have a mix of pea-sized pieces and some larger, flattened shards. These irregular sizes create layers. Do not overwork. Your hands are warm; the butter is not.

   If your kitchen runs warm, freeze the cubed butter for fifteen minutes before starting. Cold butter is non-negotiable for flaky crust.
2. 2

   Add ice water

   Drizzle the ice water over the flour mixture, tossing with a fork as you go. Add water gradually until the dough just comes together when pressed. It will look shaggy and rough. Squeeze a handful: if it holds, stop. If it crumbles, add another tablespoon of water. Divide the dough in two, one portion slightly larger than the other. Shape into flat disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least one hour.

3. 3

   Start the cider glaze

   Pour two cups of fresh apple cider into a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and let it reduce until only about one third of a cup remains, thick enough to coat a spoon. This takes twenty to thirty minutes. The kitchen will smell of concentrated autumn. Set aside to cool while you prepare the filling.

4. 4

   Prepare the apples

   Peel, core, and slice the apples about a quarter inch thick. You want slices substantial enough to hold some shape, thin enough to cook through. Place in a large bowl. Add the sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and lemon juice. Toss gently with your hands until every slice is coated. Let sit while you roll the crust. The fruit will release some juice; this is good.

   Mix apple varieties for complexity. Firm ones like Granny Smith or Braeburn hold their shape. A few that soften, like McIntosh or Cortland, create sauce between the slices.
5. 5

   Roll and line the dish

   Remove the larger dough disk from the refrigerator. On a floured surface, roll it into a round about fourteen inches across and an eighth inch thick. Drape over a nine or ten inch deep-dish pie plate, pressing gently into the corners. Leave the overhang for now. Return to the refrigerator while you roll the top crust.

6. 6

   Roll the top crust

   Roll the smaller disk into a round about twelve inches across. You can leave it whole for a solid top or cut decorative vents. I prefer a simple lattice or a few slashes with a sharp knife. Transfer to a parchment-lined sheet and refrigerate until firm, about fifteen minutes.

7. 7

   Fill the pie

   Heap the seasoned apple slices into the chilled crust, mounding them higher in the center. The pile will seem enormous. Trust it. Dot the surface with the cold butter pieces. Pour any accumulated juices from the bowl over the apples.

8. 8

   Top and seal

   Drape the top crust over the apples. Trim the edges to leave about an inch of overhang. Fold the top crust under the bottom crust overhang and crimp firmly to seal. Use your fingers or a fork. The seal prevents juices from bubbling out the sides. Cut vents if you chose a solid top.

9. 9

   Apply egg wash

   Beat the egg with the cream until smooth. Brush this wash generously over the entire top crust and along the crimped edges. Sprinkle turbinado sugar over the surface. The sugar will sparkle and crunch when baked. Refrigerate the assembled pie for twenty minutes while the oven heats.

10. 10

    Bake the pie

    Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and place a foil-lined baking sheet on it to catch drips. Heat the oven to 425°F. Set the pie on the hot sheet and bake for twenty minutes. Reduce temperature to 375°F and continue baking until the crust is deeply golden and juices bubble thickly through the vents, another fifty to fifty-five minutes. If the edges brown too quickly, shield them with foil.

11. 11

    Glaze and cool

    Remove the pie from the oven and immediately brush the warm crust with the reduced cider glaze. Use a light hand; you want shine, not drips. Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least two hours before slicing. The filling needs time to set. Cutting too soon means a soupy mess, however tempting the aroma may be.

    If you have glaze left over, warm it gently and drizzle over vanilla ice cream alongside the pie.

Chef Tips

• •Buy apples at their peak, mid-September through November in most regions. The orchard will have varieties you cannot find anywhere else. Talk to the farmer about what bakes well.
• •Good butter is worth the cost. Look for European-style butter with higher fat content; it makes noticeably flakier crust.
• •The pie is even better the next day when the filling has fully set. Store loosely covered at room temperature.
• •Serve with barely sweetened whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The cold against the room-temperature filling is the right contrast.
• •If you cannot find fresh cider, look for unpasteurized or minimally processed versions. The flavor concentrates during reduction, so quality matters.

Advance Preparation

• •The dough can be made up to three days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.
• •The cider glaze can be reduced a day ahead and stored refrigerated. Warm gently before brushing on the hot crust.
• •The fully assembled, unbaked pie can be frozen for up to one month. Bake directly from frozen, adding fifteen to twenty minutes to the baking time.
• •Baked pie keeps at room temperature, loosely covered, for three days. The crust softens over time but the flavor remains.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 170g)