Holiday Dessert: Four-Story Apple Pie

Nov 9, 2011
Mike Brandolino

Apple Pie - It's All About the Layers - Mike Brandolino

Apple Pie is an American tradition for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners and for all other holiday celebrations and events too!

A big apple pie on the table after dinner screams with love and joy. Can you think of a better way to end a traditional Thanksgiving dinner than with a fresh, hot, home-made apple pie?

OK, it is a three-way tie with apple, pumpkin, and cherry pies!

Here is a recipe that was bestowed upon me by a good friend. I modified it a bit to my liking. Such as the use of white AND brown sugar, and orange juice. Also, the apple ring method, instead of chunks. I even gave it a name too!

Four-Story Apple Pie

Ingredients

About 3-4 lbs of apples (mixed varieties), peeled, cored, and sliced in rings w/ mandoline slicer
1 pack pre-made pie crust (2 pieces) at room temperature
1 stick Butter...NOT margarine!!!
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
Juice from 1 lemon and zest, separated
1/4 c orange juice
One egg, beaten

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 F
Prepare apples (as described above) put in a LARGE bowl and coat with lemon and orange juice to prevent discoloration.
Grease a large glass pie plate with butter.
Place one pie crust in plate and poke some holes in the crust with a fork.
Mix white and brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a bowl.
Prepare a layer of apple rings in the plate, starting from the outer edge, working towards the center. Overlap the rings to cover the hole of the slice below. You can use the broken pieces to fill the center.
Add some of the sugar/spice mixture on top of the apple rings.
Prepare another layer of apple rings, in the OPPOSITE direction. Add some sugar / spice mix.
Repeat #7 and #8 to make 4 layers (stories) of apple rings. You can pile the broken bits in the center. Reserve some of the mix.
Cut about 3/4 stick of butter into small pieces and scatter on top of the apple rings (or distribute the butter on each layer of apple rings).
Add almost all the remaining sugar/spice mix, and lemon zest on top the apples.... Do NOT use the whole cup of mix (use a bit less than a full cup for the whole pie)....too much sugar and the pie will leak a LOT!!!
Cover pie with the other crust and seal the edges of both crusts together. The pie will be very high in the center.
Make a lot of holes in the top crust with a fork
Brush the beaten egg on the top crust. The more, the better for a shiny brown crust.
Cover the edges of the pie with foil to prevent burning.
Place the pie on a cookie sheet covered with foil. The pie will leak some liquid.
Place pie in oven..... at 30 minutes, remove foil from edges..... bake for another 30-40 minutes or until crust is brown.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 3 hrs before slicing.... overnight is better to allow the pie to hold together much better.