the almost perfect apple pie

Since taking a new baking class at the French cooking school this summer, I have been practicing my pie making technique. I used the "pate sucree" many times with success for la tarte aux fraises or tarte au citron meringue, but I had never really mastered the traditional pie crust.

Well this is true no more! After my original peach pie from l' academie de cuisine, I baked a few more and they all turned out really well, so proud of myself! The difference: using 1/2 butter, 1/2 shortening, instead of all butter. I was originally against it but really it is totally worth trying. The dough is perfect, easy to work with and  more importantly tastes good.

I make the dough the night before, divide it into 2, let it rest overnight in the fridge (in plastic wrap), roll it out one at a time (the other still in the fridge), and put the uncooked pie back in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking it.

Ingredient: 13.5 oz AP flour 3 tablespoon sugar 4 oz butter 1/2 cup shortening 1/3 cup ice water (in the kitchen aid, not the food processor so there is no change of getting warm!) The last trick: no cutting the pie until it is totally cooled down, now that part is totally torture, but it is the way to go if you want filling in the pie.... it can be reheated if you like it warm without "danger" of an empty crust!

Happy Pie!