Trick or Treat

No Such Things as a Bad Apple, but there might be a bad apple pie...
You know how something looks like a good idea, but something inside you hesitates just a little. Listen to your instincts. Maybe you have seen the pictures swirling around with beautiful rings of apples which look like roses. Run. Or, at least read how not to burn them. Don't "wing it" like I did.  Now that I have sufficiently warned you, let me talk about pie. Apple pie.

This recipe is delicious. Seriously. I have made other apple pie recipes, but finally I got the nod of a approval from my husband last night. This is it. Forget some fancy topping. Apple pie is classic for a reason--it's simple. Maybe I'm just bitter; apple roses ain't for apple pie.

Alright, this crust could be used for any pie. It's just enough sweet and salty without being either. It's so simple too!
1.) Mix 1 1/2 cups flour with 1 tsp sugar.
2.) I used 1 stick of salted butter, so I skipped the salt in the dry ingredients.
3.) Not owning a pastry blender or food processor makes one do things old school. So, if you're like me, you can mix the butter and dry ingredients by hand for about 5 minutes.
4.) Add 4 TBSP of ice water, 5 if it's too dry. Mix until just combined
5.) Wrap in plastic wrap and place in freezer for 15 minutes or the fridge for up to a day.
6.) Do it again. Or, you could just do double the first time.

For the filling, peal, core, and cut 5 (green) apples. Once you're ready swear off baking for the rest of your life, look up, and before you will be all your apples in a bowl. Now, add 2TBSP flour, 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 1 tsp cinnamon. Mix it all up until evenly coated.

Take your pie crusts out of the freezer and--ON A FLOURED SURFACE WITH A FLOURED ROLLING PIN-- roll out half the dough. Sorry for raising my voice, but it's important. Transfer the first disk of dough to the pie pan and then pour in the pie filling. Roll out a second disk and cover the filling. Punch some holes with a fork to avoid pie-xplosion. You can choose to add decoration or not. Put the pie in the oven at 375 until it is golden on top. Do check the apples though. If they are not done, cover it with foil and put it back in the oven.

Like I mentioned, I spent a LONG time on these roses just to watch them burn. I removed them from the crust and kept baking until it was golden. That pie was in at 375 for a while... but it was worth it all. Tricked then treated?