Paper Bag Apple Pie

PJ Hamel

From kingarthurbaking.com

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Ingredients

• Crust
  • 1 1/4 cups (141g) King Arthur Pastry Flour Blend or 1 1/4 cups (150g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • heaping 1/4 teaspoon table salt
  • 3 tablespoons (35g) vegetable shortening
  • 4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2" pieces
  • 4 to 5 tablespoons (57g to 71g) ice water
• Filling
  • 3 1/2 to 4 pounds (1588g to 1814g) apples, peeled, cored, and sliced; enough to make 8 cups sliced apples
  • 3/4 cup (159g) light brown sugar or dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon table salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons (28g) lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons (39g) boiled cider, optional but tasty
  • 3 tablespoons (21g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour or 1/4 cup (46g) King Arthur Pie Filling Enhancer
• Streusel topping
  • 1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (60g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • 8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into pats

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Instructions

Make the crust

Whisk together the flour and salt, then work in the shortening until everything is well combined. Work in the butter until the mixture is unevenly crumbly; some pieces of butter can be left a bit larger than the others. Add the water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing as you sprinkle the water onto the flour/fat. When the dough is moist enough to hold together when you squeeze it, transfer it to a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough three or four times to bring it together, then pat it into a thick disk. Roll the disk on its edge, like a wheel, to smooth out the edges. This step will ensure your dough will roll out evenly, without a lot of cracks and splits at the edges later. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes, while you make the filling.

Make the filling

Put the sliced apples in a big microwave-safe bowl, and stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, lemon juice, and boiled cider. Microwave the filling, uncovered, for 5 minutes. This softens the apples just a bit, and gets their juices flowing. Skip this step if you like; it's not critical, though we think it helps. Stir in the flour or Pie Filling Enhancer. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Remove the crust from the refrigerator. If it's been chilling longer than 30 minutes, give it 10 minutes or so to warm up a bit. Roll it into a 12 1/2" to 13" circle. Lightly grease a 9" pie pan, preferably one that's at least 1 1/2" deep, and lay the crust in the pan, settling it into place gently. Don't tug at it or stretch it; this could cause it to shrink as it bakes. Spoon the filling into the crust.

Make the topping

Combine the sugar, flour, and butter, working them together until crumbly. Don't over-mix; you don't want the streusel to turn into a solid mass. Spread the streusel atop the filling.

Assemble and bake

Place the pie in a brown paper grocery bag. If you're nervous about baking in a paper bag, see our tip about baking in parchment, above. Secure the bag closed; staples or uncoated paper clips work well for a paper bag. Place the pie in its bag on a baking sheet, which will make it easier to handle. Bake the pie for 1 hour. Remove the pie from the oven, and carefully open it, avoiding any steam. Remove the pie, and set it on a rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

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Tips from our Bakers

If you have ANY hesitation about baking in a paper bag, substitute parchment paper, stapling two pieces together to fashion a bag. Make sure to use a pie pan with a narrow rather than wide rim, so it fits in your parchment "bag."