Apple Pie

Well the only way to do justice to the fun we had picking apples was to make an apple pie.  So we charged ahead that afternoon and made it.  I’ve never done anything more complicated than cookies with Charlie’s “help,”  so this was an adventure.  It was very, very fun.  

Here’s Charlie introducing you to our pie making afternoon.  (As an aside, I love the videos in this post, but they are not short and pithy.  Rather they take a toddler’s slow and meandering way to get to the point.  A little bit of “real time” captured on film as best I could while fending off what was left of the fast disappearing pie from Charlie’s mouth.  Watch according to your own desire! ) 

We used this recipe for the pie.  It starts with making a cinnamon caramel sauce that you pour over the apples instead of sugar.  This turned out to be a very very good idea!  Next I peeled the apples and Charlie was supposed to be helping by putting the peels in the trash bag….but he was much more concerned about making sure apples were good enough for pie making!   (Good thing all those germs were about to be baked)  Next, Mama sliced while Charlie put the slices in the bowl….but you know how well that approach went with the peels…. It turns out that this toddler’s definition of “helping” is eating! And who can really blame him?  I took one look at that caramel sauce pouring in and wanted to stop everything to just dig in with a spoon!Well, we set that bowl of temptation aside and turned my mom’s trusty oil pastry recipe for the crust.  This is a great recipe when you need a quick, easy and toddler friendly (i.e. fool proof) pie crust.  It always turns out.  The key is to handle it as little as possible, and just think “good enough” all the time.  Doesn’t that sound perfect for something you are doing with “help?”

Oil Pastry (for 2  9” crusts)

Blend 2 and 3/4 cups flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Measure 1/2 cup each of oil and milk into another measuring cup.  Pour liquids into the flour without stirring first.  Mix with a fork just until balls/clumps form.    Roll out each half of the dough between two sheets of wax paper.  (Dampen table top with a few drops of water to prevent it slipping around.) 

When you are finished it should be a little bigger than your pie plate.  I make it as big as I can without going beyond the wax paper edge.  And as a bonus, there is no mess on your counter to clean up!Remove top sheet of wax paper, flip it  and fit the crust into the pan.  After the crust is in place, remove second sheet of wax paper.   That sounds way to easy, doesn’t it?  Here is Charlie showing you just how easy yummy it really is!  The bottom crust:

The top crust:  (Notice how sticky his mouth has become? And how hard it is to fend him off those apples?)

The finished pie, before baking—including the fluted edge that Charlie’s finger helped make and the large holes where he poked the crust on top.  He was just making sure there was enough ventilation…and I’m sure it will taste even better for it!(Bake at 350 for one long hour.)  Waiting, waiting, waiting while it smells too good to be in the oven and not in our tummies yet! Success!  Oh, that all my experiments with this toddler ended so happily and yummily!  (Now that there is only a slice or two left in the pan, I can say from experience that I absolutely recommend this recipe.   I’m never making any other kind of apple pie again! )  I charge you:  Go make this apple pie!  You won’t regret it.  Not a single slice of it!  And if you can, bring along a side kick to “help.”