CONTEST DESSERT: Brown Sugar Apple Pie

BROWN SUGAR APPLE PIE
Adapted by BumbleBeeBoogie

Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups butter-flavored or plain solid vegetable shortening
5 tablespoons water, chilled with ice

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour and salt. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender until flour and shortening are blended into pea-size chunks. Sprinkle with ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Toss lightly with a fork until the dough forms a ball. Chill the dough (in plastic wrap) in the refrigerator while making the filling.

Filling:

1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter

Combine the ingredients in a large bowl and thoroughly mix to coat the apple slices.

Preheat the oven at 400 degrees F. Place the oven rack on the lowest shelf. You may wish to line the bottom of the oven with aluminum foil to catch any juice overflow spills.

Assembly:

Divide the chilled pie crust dough into two parts. On a lightly-floured board, roll 1/2 the dough into a ten-inch circle. Don't roll the dough too much or it will be tough; turn it only once, lightly flouring to prevent sticking to the board and rolling pin. Line a 9-inch pie pan with the dough. Pour the filling into the pastry-lined pie pan; top the filling with scattered bits of the butter.

Prepare the top layer of the pie crust using the same method, except roll into a 9-inch circle. Transfer the top crust to cover the pie filling; trim and flute the crust edges to seal. With a sharp knife, cut several slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Toward the end of the baking period, check to see if the crust edge is browning too much. If so, cover the fluted edges with aluminum foil.