Pie Filling

1. First, prepare the filling. Fill a large bowl with water and squeeze in half of your lemon. Peal your apples and place them in the water so they don’t brown.
2. Once they’re all pealed, go back and slice them into 1/8 inch apple slices. Place them in a colander nested inside a large bowl and toss with the 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and the juice of half a lemon.
3. Let the apples macerate in the refrigerator while you prep and allow the pie dough to chill (a total of about 2.5 hours*). It should produce 1/4 worth of apple juice in the bowl. Toss them halfway through to make sure all of the apples have a chance to release their juices. When ready, reserve your 1/4 of apple juice for the filling then let the apples continue to macerate in the refrigerator.

Pie Dough

1. Mix your flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
2. Add the cold and cubed butter and shortening and cut them into the flour using a pastry cutter or two forks. Press them in until you’re left with pea-sized lumps of butter.
3. Mix in the ice water. I recommend filling a measuring glass with ice water and grab your 1/3 from there, avoiding the ice. Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to combine.
4. The dough should be fairly crumbling upon first look but if you squeeze a small piece of the dough in your hand, it should hold together. If it’s still too dry, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until you reach the right consistency. Alternatively, if it’s too wet add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time.
5. Use your hands to bring the dough together, still keeping it inside the bowl.
6. Split the dough in half and scoop each half onto two sheets of plastic wrap. Form both of them into disks, wrap in the plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight*.

Pie Filling

1. Roll out your pie dough on a well-floured surface. For a 9 inch pie pan, roll it out to about 12 inches in diameter. Place it in your pie dish and allow the excess dough to hang over the edges, leaving them untouched for the time being.
2. Brush the inside of the pie dough with an egg white, covering the bottom and sides. Place in the freezer and then roll out the top half of your pie dough. Slice it into strips, transfer to a cookie sheet, and place them back in the refrigerator to chill.
3. Now work on the filling. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Then mix in the flour and whisk for about 3 minutes. Add the apple juices, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla and whisk together. Bring to a boil for about 1 minute and then simmer for another minute. It should reach a thin caramel consistency (see picture in post for reference).
4. Remove from heat and take the apples out of the refrigerator. Transfer them to a large bowl thoroughly toss with the warm sauce. Careful as the sauce will be hot but the cold apples will help to cool it down.
5. Remove your pie from the freezer and start to fill it. Don’t dump in the apples all at once. Work with about 1 cup at a time and tightly stack them into the pie so they’re nice and snug with very few gaps. You should have a slight mound of apples that’s taller than the pie dish. Pour over any remaining sauce.
6. Apply a lattice top and fold the bottom crust excess over top the lattice excess, molding them together to help create a smooth crimped edge all around the outside of the pie. Place your completed pie in the freezer while you preheat the oven to 425F.
7. Once preheated, take the pie out of the freezer and brush the top with an egg wash (one whole egg mixed with 1 tbsp water). Generously sprinkle with raw sugar, sanding sugar, or regular granulated sugar (about 2 tbsp). Place a large rimmed baking sheet on the lower oven rack to catch any juices that may pour out while the pie bakes.
8. Bake on the middle rack for 15 minutes at 425F then drop to 350F and bake for 50-60 minutes. Check it every so often to make sure the top doesn’t brown too quickly. If it does, cover it with foil.
9. It’s ready when the edges are bubbling and the crust is a deep golden brown. Let it rest at room temperature for about an hour then transfer to the fridge for at least another hour to set.
10. Serve at room temperature or warm it up in a 300F oven for 15 minutes. Top with ice cream and enjoy!