Festive Fall Apple Pie

This pie is perfect to make when the air starts to get a little crisp and you can feel fall coming. The apples are at their peak of ripeness! It’s a show stopper. Also, you can buy an already prepared pie crust, but if you have the time and patience to make your own it’s so much better! Plus, if you have kids, they would love to punch out the pie crust leaves!!

For Pie Crust:

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), chilled and diced
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ cup ice water

Directions

In the food processor, combine the flour and salt, pulse to combine. Add the diced, chilled butter and pulse until small crumbles. Slowly add the water through the feeding tube on top until it is all combined and it forms a ball. You may need to add more or less water depending on how it looks.  Pour the dough out onto a flour surface and knead it a couple times to make sure it comes together. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Pull out of refrigerator and let sit to come to room temperature for 10 minutes. Cut the dough in half. Roll one out onto floured surface about ¼ inch thick and 10 inches across. Place into 9 inch pie plate.

For the other pastry dough ball, roll out onto floured surface again about ¼ inch thick and use a leaf stamp to cut the leaves out of the dough. Then set aside.

For the Apple Filling:

Ingredients

• 6 Granny Smith Apples, peeled & thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions

In a large bowl, toss together the apples with the cinnamon sugar until all apples are evenly coated. Starting from the outside working in, start placing apples around the outside of the pie crust, rounded side up and cut side down. Some of the apples can overlap a little, giving the effect of flower petals. Keep going around and around until you have reached the center of the ‘flower.’ Take one apple slice and roll it up to place into the center.

Once that is finished, brush a little of the egg wash along the edge of the crust and start placing the ‘leaves’ along the edge. Once all are on, brush the tops with a little more egg wash. Place on a cookie sheet for stability and cover the edges with tin foil. Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes. Take the tin foil off for the last 5 minutes or so just to brown up the ‘leaves.’  Serve immediately with a little ice cream or whipped cream.  Hope you enjoy!!