The Lavender Apple

caramel

Want to make a pie that will delight and spook your guests this Halloween season? Well have we got a pie for you. Its a simple and delicious apple pie recipe, with just one extra step of cutting out a Jack Skellington face in the crust prior to baking. This pie is a great way to use all those delicious in season apples that are around, while adding a little fun unexpected flare to your desert.

PEGGYS PIE CRUST

2 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbs. sugar

2/3 cup shortening + 2 tbs.

8-10 Tbs. Cold water

In a bowl add flour, sugar and salt. Cut in Shortening. To cut in shortening a pastry blender works the best. If you don't have one a few pulses in a food processor will do the trick. Anyway the flour mixture should resemble smallpeas. Add cold water and barley stir. To much working with the dough causes a tough crust. Gather dough into a ball, and refrigerate for 20 minutes or so. Cut the dough in half. If not using the other half for your dough for the top crust. I always roll it out into a pie pan and freeze. Roll out dough on a boardusing a small amount of flour so dough does not stick. Line pie pan with dough leaving enough extra around the edges for a good crusty edge. If you are putting a top crust on make sure you cut some slits for the stream to escape. Happy pie Making

If your dough doesn't come out perfect, no big deal. Just patch it with extra dough. Once it's cooked no one will care or know.

THE PIE FILING:

6-7 large apples

1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar

1/2 of the juice of a lemon

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 tbs flour

Peel and cut apples into wedges. About 6-7 large apple. Toss the apples with sugar (depends of the tartness of the apples and how sweet you like things. I would say 1/2 -3/4 cups sugar). Now toss in a squeeze of lemon juice, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg and about 2 Tbs. flour. A little trick I do is sprinkle a little sugar onto the bottom of the pie before adding the apples. This keeps the crust crisp.

Now that your apples are in the shell. Sprinkle with a little more sugar and dot with butter. This means cutting little pieces of butter and putting them over apples, about 1/4 of a cube.

Role out one more layer of crust and cover the top of the pie. Cut out your skeleton face. Cook your pie at 350 until nice and brown. If the edges get too brown you can add strips of foil, or leave it be like we did for a spookier vibe.