What do you get when you add a buttery flaky crust, a classic apple pie and an old fashioned whiskey? Magic
The secret to any pie is a buttery flaky crust -handmade ofc. Before you think it’s time to bow out, I’m here to tell you that I have gone through all the trials and tribulations to bring you a whiskey apple pie that is foolproof. Please trust my blood, sweat, and tears; because we can do this!
The Perfect Whiskey Apple Pie Crust
Just So You Know
I went three weeks making pie crusts and faced shrinkage, sogginess, chewiness -all the things that a buttery flaky crust is not. Forgive me, the steps seem lengthy, but I made sure to include every single thing so that no one else suffers as I did! I want us charging into that kitchen with our rolling pins blazing!
Vinegar In Your Pie Crust
Most recipes for pie dough are the same, a mixture of water, fat, and flour. The flavor is reduced to your choice of filling. However, in some older recipes, pastry chefs swear by using vinegar in the liquids. The science is iffy but it is said that it inhibits gluten from forming and therefore creates a flakier pie crust. My reasoning is more simple, I like the flavor it imparts in the crust, and to emphasize it –I like to add a bit of brown sugar that also adds beautiful color to our Whiskey Apple Pie.
Whether you choose to use or skip the vinegar, the one thing that is non-negotiable: liquids must be ice-cold.
Chill Your Pie Dough
Most problems that you run into making pie crust can be fixed by chilling the dough. Not only does it make it easier to handle, but it also bakes up flakier. If in doubt, chill. Here are other times where you must chill the dough:
After Mixing: The butter has softened from mixing, and if it melts, you will have a chewier texture. Chilling will solidify the butter and when you start rolling it out, create those pockets of flaky crust.
Before Crimping: Chilling the dough after rolling it out onto the pie plate, will help it relax and reduce the chances of shrinking. It is especially helpful to have those pie edges firm up when you start crimping, and it will hold its shape better!
Before Baking: Chilling at this point is necessary again to firm up the fat in the crust. Chilling the dough will also help crimping stay sharp. The minimum chill is 15min, and max one hour.
Finally, let me emphasize chilling and NOT freezing. Freezing the dough can mess with the fat in the dough. If it is baked from frozen, the butter will take longer to melt and delay the flaky effect. It can also lead to butter melting out of the crust and make for a tough greasy whiskey apple pie.
Is Your Pie Dough Too Wet?
After making pie dough consistently, I found the correct ratio of water to flour for the pie crust –however sometimes what I thought was perfect, was then too sticky or dry when I tried to roll out. Here is how to fix it:
Too Sticky – You want to incorporate more flour to soak up the excess water in the dough. Start by dusting the disk with flour and using more on the surface while rolling. Once it is perfect, use as little flour as possible.
Too Dry – Flatten the dough with your hands to ½ inch. Wet your hands with ice-cold water and flick a few drops of water on top – fold in half, then in half again until the water is incorporated. Chill for at least 30 minutes before handling again.
How To Have An Extra Flaky Crust
There are two reasons why you should fold your pie dough, 1) it makes an extra flaky crust, and 2) it makes the dough smoother and easier to roll out and handle.
I kept having the most difficult time rolling out pie crust, either because I was too slow and the chunks of butter would begin to melt or because it was too scraggly for me to roll out effectively. I owe my entire pie confidence to lamination!
- After mixing and chilling the dough, roll the dough to about ¼ inch making a long rectangle. Fold in half, and then in half again. Chill for 3o minutes and repeat the process two more times. You will notice the dough is smoother! Pinch the corners to make a rounder shape after the last fold.
How To Crimp Your Pie Crust
Everyone’s crimping style is as unique as your signature – eventually, one style will feel more natural over another. But if you’re still experimenting, this is what I do:
Make the dough with me!
Recommended Baking Tools
Enhance your baking with these essential tools:
- Ceramic Pie Dish: This ceramic pie dish is perfect for even heat distribution and durability. Unlike glass or metal, ceramic retains heat longer, ensuring your pie stays warm and delicious.
- Ceramic Baking Beans: These ceramic baking beans are a must-have for blind baking. They are easy to clean, reusable, and provide consistent weight, preventing the crust from bubbling.
- Escali Primo Kitchen Scale: Known for its precision and user-friendly design, the Escali Primo scale is perfect for home and professional use. It offers accurate measurements in grams, ounces, and pounds, and its compact size makes it easy to store. The scale’s sealed buttons and large LED screen make it durable and easy to clean.
- Tuscany Rectangular Chopping Board from T&G! It’s made from gorgeous acacia wood and has handy finger grooves that make lifting a breeze. Plus, its natural antibacterial properties keep things hygienic!
The Perfect Pie Filling - Just So You Know
Fruit filling consistency can be difficult to get right. So many pies suffer when the filling is too wet, and then the crust becomes soggy. Check out my cheat sheet below to always get it right!
Reduce your fruit filling
When fruit is roasted and simmered, water begins to evaporate leaving a thickened syrup as it cooks.
When this mixture is cooled, it is exactly how the mixture will remain even after it is baked. Too wet? Continue cooking to reduce further. Too dry? Mash additional fresh fruit to make it juicy.
Using Thickeners in your fruit filling
Cornstarch, and flour can be added to a fruit filling before and during a bake. The only thing that matters, is that it is properly cooked so that it thickens and melts off the powdery flavor.
To avoid a runny bake, the fruit filling with the thickener must have come to a boil. Either you see it bubble on the stovetop or it will come to a boil when bake is especially long in the oven.
The Whole Fruit & Nothing but the Whole Fruit
Pureeing or mashing a fruit whole with seeds and peel intact is a great way of thickening a filling naturally.
How thick the filling is after a puree is dependent on the specific fruit’s fiber. If you find that it is not enough, then you may need to reduce or add a thickener.
Flaky Butter Pie Crust
Ingredients
Pie Elixir
- ¼ cup brown sugar (50g)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1½ tsp sea salt
- ¾ cup hot water
Dough
- 4 cups ap flour (500g)
- 3 sticks unsallted butter (339g)
Instructions
Magic Pie Elixir
- In a heatproof glass, combine the brown sugar, vinegar, and sea salt.
- Add hot water and stir until the sugars dissolve.
- Chill the elixir in the freezer until very cold.
Preparing the Dough
- Measure the Ingredients: Using a scale, weigh out the flour. In a metal or glass mixing bowl, add the flour.
- Prepare the Butter: Chop the butter into ½-inch cubes and add it to the bowl with the flour.
- Mix: Quickly fluff the mixture with your fingers to coat the butter in flour.
- Chill: Place the bowl in the fridge until the elixir is chilled and ready for the next step.
Incorporating the Elixir
- Pinch the Butter: Remove the bowl from the fridge. Pinch the butter between your fingers to smear the large chunks into the flour.
- Create a Well: Once all the butter is incorporated, make a well in the center of the flour mixture.
- Add the Elixir: Pour half of the chilled elixir into the well.
- Combine: Spread your fingers wide to gather and toss the flour with the liquid. Mix thoroughly before adding the remaining elixir to the shaggy dough.
- Knead: If it helps, dump the mixture onto the counter. Continue gathering and tossing until the elixir is well incorporated. Then, squeeze and press everything together until it forms a mass.
- Wrap and Chill: If you think you need more liquid, refer to my notes above. Wrap the dough well in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Folding the Dough
- Prepare Your Surface: Lightly flour your work surface and a rolling pin. Remove the dough for its first fold.
- Roll Out the Dough: Press down with even pressure and roll the dough lengthwise to about ¼ inch thick.
- Fold: Fold the dough in half, then in half again, creating quarters.
- Refrigerate: Place the dough back in the fridge for another 30 minutes. Repeat this folding process two more times.
- Shape the Dough: After the final fold, tuck the edges of the dough to form a round disk instead of a square. Chill for a minimum of 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Rolling & Crimping
- Divide the Dough: Take out the pie dough and divide it in half; keep one half in the fridge while you work on the other.
- Roll Out: Roll the pie dough until it is ⅛ inch thick. Don’t worry about the size; I’ve made sure to give you enough dough for any errors!
- Transfer to Pie Plate: Carefully lift the edges of the dough and let it gently fall into a ceramic pie plate. Without stretching or pulling, press the dough into the sides and bottom of the plate.
- Trim Excess: Use scissors to cut any excess dough, leaving about 2 inches of overhang.
- Chill: Cover the pie plate with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge while you prepare your filling.
Crimping the Edges
- Prepare for Crimping: Take out the pie plate and get the edges ready for crimping.
- Crimping Method: Instead of tucking the edges under, lift the edge and fold it so it stands on the pie plate. Use your thumb and index finger on your non-dominant hand to create a V-shape from inside the plate. Then, use your thumb on your dominant hand to push inward towards the V-shape. The size of the V will determine the size of the crimp.
- Double-Crust Pie: If you’re making a double-crust pie (a la my style), return the pie plate to the fridge and take out the remaining pie dough. You will likely only need half to create the top crust.
- If you’re making a double-crust pie, (a le my style) you will put your pie plate back in the fridge and take out the remaining pie dough. You will probably only need half to create the top.
- Roll Out the Top Crust: Roll out the disk until it is ⅛ inch thick. Using a metal or glass mixing bowl, cut out the dough to form a perfect circle—about 1-2 inches bigger than your pie plate. Chill the disk in the fridge until it firms up. You can fill your pie plate with your filling while you wait.
Top Crust
- Assemble the Pie: Place the disk on top of your pie. Fold the edges over and scrunch them to create wavy folds.
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and move the rack to the bottom third of the oven (this is crucial; don’t forget).
- Chill Again: Chill the pie while the oven preheats; it must be very cold and firm.
- Finish the Crust: Brush the crust with an egg wash (1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon of water), avoiding the crimping to prevent over-browning. Use a knife to create 2-3 small vents in the center.
- Bake: Bake your pie on a baking sheet to catch any drippings for 55 minutes.
- Cool: Set the pie on a cooling rack to cool completely before diving in.
Storing the Pie
- After Cooling: Once the pie has cooled completely, cover it loosely with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent it from drying out.
- Refrigeration: Store the pie in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: If you want to keep it longer, wrap the pie tightly in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
Notes
Whiskey Apple Pie
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter (56g)
- 6 medium apples, peeled & sliced (750g)
- 2 tbs lemon juice
- 1 cup dark brown sugar (212g)
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¾ tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract (10g)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (67g)
- ¼ cup ap flour (30g)
- 2 tbsp whiskey or bourbon (more to taste)
Instructions
Preparing the Filling
- Melt the Butter: In a medium pot, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add Apples and Seasonings: Add the peeled and sliced apples to the melted butter. Stir in the dark brown sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.
- Cook the Apples: Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking.
Thickening the Filling
- Prepare Thickener: In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and all-purpose flour.
- Add to Apples: Sprinkle this sugar-flour mixture over the apples and stir well.
- Cook Until Thickened: Continue cooking and stirring until the mixture thickens, about 2-3 minutes.
- Adjust if Needed: If the mixture hasn't thickened enough, add ½ tbsp of flour at a time until desired consistency is reached.
Finishing Touches
- Add Whiskey: Remove the pot from the heat and fold in the 2 tbsp of whiskey or bourbon.
- Cool the Filling: Spread the mixture over a baking sheet to cool evenly and completely before assembling the pie.
Storing the Filling
- Refrigeration: If not using immediately, store the cooled filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: For longer storage, place the cooled filling in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.
Affiliate Disclaimer
This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As a creator balancing a full-time job, I invest a significant amount of time and effort into developing quality content. Your support through these purchases means more to me than you can imagine and helps sustain my creative hobby. Thank you for being a part of this journey!
Looking for a different recipe?
Try this fluffy chiffon cake rolled in a pretty swirl of fresh cream. I took it a step further and made a coffee vanilla swiss roll with chiffon, coffee cream and covered in toasted almonds
Recent Comments