Mile High Apple Pie (MS)

By LDenvir

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
• 2 Pate Brisee
• 5 1/2 pounds firm, tart apples (about 14), such as empire or Granny Smith
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg yolk
• Fine sanding sugar

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one piece of pate brisee into large round, about 1/8 inch thick, dusting surface with flour to prevent sticking, as needed. Brush off excess flour. Roll dough around rolling pin, and place over a deep-dish 9-inch pie plate. Line plate with dough, pressing it into the corners. Trim dough to within 1 inch of the pie plate (reserving scraps for decorative leaves). Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate.

Roll out remaining piece of dough into an 18-inch round. Transfer round to a baking sheet; cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

Peel and core apples, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place slices in a large bowl; sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent discoloration. In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar, and cinnamon; toss with apple slices.

Remove remaining dough from refrigerator; place apple mixture into prepared pie plate, mounding it in a tall pile. Dot filling with butter. Place dough round over the apples. Tuck edge of top dough between edge of bottom dough and rim of pan. Using your fingers, gently press both layers of dough along the edge to seal, and crimp as desired.

Using a paring knife, cut several vents in top of dough to allow steam to escape. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk with 2 tablespoons water to make a glaze. Brush surface with egg glaze (if desired, embellish top crust with decorative leaves, and brush leaf tops with egg glaze), and sprinkle with sanding sugar.

Place on a baking sheet; this will catch any juices that may overflow during baking. Bake until crust is golden, about 15 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling, 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 35 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool completely before serving.