Hello my readers, it has been a moment since I’ve touched based with all you lovely’s but things have been so crazy at work and just trying to get my time down to a science. I am trying not to give up but sometimes I feel like this is a young persons game but I really do enjoy cooking and sharing the food I like, especially now that I’ve found this awesome book that has me wanting to try everything. So hang in there with me guys we will get this together.

Now it’s that time of year were apples are in full season and that means now is the perfect time to make apple pie, which is the next listing of foods you have to try.

Let’s talk a little about apple pie, as far as I’ve ever heard is the old saying “as American as Apple Pie” but come to find out that apple pie really got started in England back in the 14th century and those pies were not only filled with not only apples but also spices, figs, raisins and pears this is a far cry from what we call apple pie now. To be honest it sounds pretty interesting and I may have to try and find a recipe for this one, ok getting back on track for todays apple pie.

This is the first time that I’ve ever made any type of dough for a pie, usually I just get a frozen pie dough and make a deep dish apple pie without having to crimp a crust. Now I’ve learned how to make a crust and it’s so cool. I’ve made this pie twice and I still need to perfect my finished product but it tastes amazing, especially this cheddar cheese crust.

I did add a few things because the first time I baked the pie it was so watery it was like my apples were swimming in syrup, so doing a bit of research I found that adding a little corn starch will help with that. I also did it by hand because I don’t have food processer and boy you gotta have the hand strength to crumble that dough just right.

I will be making this pie again until I get the crimping right and I get the apples right so I hope my friends and family are ready for apple pie.

Apple Pie with Cheddar Cheese Crust adapted by Mimi Sheraton 
Makes one double-crust, 9-inch pie; serves 6

For the pastry:
1 cup grated sharp white aged Cheddar cheese
1 stick cold, unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups shifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
5 to 6 tablespoons ice water

For the filling:
5 large apples (I used pink ladies)
2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 tablespoon butter cut into tiny pieces

Make the pastry:
Measure out 1 2/3 cup of shifted flour with the salt and nutmeg. M
Add the grated cheese and butter to the flour mixture.
Cut the butter and cheese into the flour with a pastry blender till
combined into a course texture.
Slow trickle in the ice water, 2 tablespoons at a time, stirring between
each addition, until the leaves the side of the bowl.
Place the dough on a lightly floured board and divide it in half.
Form each half into a ball and lightly knead each ball with the the palm
of your hand. Reshape each half into a ball and wrap each with plastic
wrap and chill for at least 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 425 degree

Remove dough from the refrigerator and let the dough warm up a bit. 
Roll out each dough ball on a floured surface to a 1/4 thickness.
Fit one half of the rolled out dough into the bottom of an ungreased
9-inch pie pan, leave the extra hanging over. Roll out the second half
and put it over the lined pie pan and wrap with plastic wrap and
refrigerate until the apples have been prepared.

Make the filling:
Peel and core the apples and slice them vertically to about 1/4-inch
thickness. Place in a large bowl, sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent
discoloration.
Toss the apples with the sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and
the corn starch.

Preparing the pie:
After taking the refrigerated pie dough, place a layer of apples on the
bottom of the pie crust, place the rest of the apples on top and level 
them out. Dot evenly with pieces of butter.
Fit the top of the pie crust and crimp to the bottom crust.

Bake the pie for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake until 
the top crust turns a light brown for another 25 minutes. 

Beat the egg yolk with the milk and brush the mixture all over the top
crust, sprinkle the top liberally with sugar and return the pie to the
oven and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve warm or cold

Enjoy the pie and let me know if you guys make it and what you think of this cheddar cheese crust.