Perfect Pie Crust Apple Pie

This Thanksgiving I was assigned to make an apple pie. I've made one apple pie in my life, two years ago, and it was the recipe on the Splenda bag for Michael's diabetic grandpa. (Does that even really count?) Well, either way, I am a legit apple pie baker now! I even made my very own pie crust--a first for me. And the dish was such a hit, I was handing out the recipe left and right before the night's end! If you are looking for a new apple pie recipe, look no further. You won't be disappointed!

Here's what you'll need:
3/4 cup sugar
1 T all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Dash salt
3 1/2 cups peeled, chopped cooking apples
1 (16-ounce) jar applesauce
1 T lemon juice
2 T butter, chopped into small pieces

Crunch Topping:
3 T all-purpose flour
1 T sugar
Dash salt
1 T butter, at room temperature

Pie Crust:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp fine salt
3 T granulated white sugar
1/4 cup vegetable shortening, cold
12 T butter, (1 1/2 sticks) cold and cubed
1/4 cup to 1⁄2 cup ice water

For the crust:
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt and sugar. Add the shortening and break it up with your hands as you start to coat it all up with the flour. Add the cold butter cubes and work it into the flour with your hands or a pastry cutter. Work it quickly, so the butter doesn't get too soft, until the mixture is crumbly, like very coarse cornmeal. Add the ice water, a little at a time, until the mixture comes together forming a dough. Bring the dough together into a ball. When it comes together stop working it, otherwise the dough will get over-worked and tough. Divide the dough in half and flatten it slightly to form a disk shape. Wrap each disk in plastic and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

On a floured surface roll each disk out into a 10 to 11-inch circle to make a 9-inch pie.

Line a 9-inch pie pan with half of dough. Combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Stir in the apples, applesauce, and lemon juice. Spoon the apple mixture into pie pan and dot with butter. Cut remaining crust into strips; arrange in a lattice design over top of pie. (my lattice top needs a little work, that's for sure, but the crunch topping is very forgiving)

For crunch topping: Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Using a fork, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over top of crust. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F and continue to bake for about 45 minutes, or until crust and topping are golden brown.

Enjoy!