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Ingredients
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Apple Pie
Vanilla Gelato
Method
Apple Pie
- 1
Make the pie dough
Combine 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Cut in 1 cup cold unsalted butter (cubed) with a pastry cutter or two forks until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces. Sprinkle ice water (about 6 tablespoons) over the mixture a tablespoon at a time, tossing lightly, until dough just comes together when pressed. Do not overwork. Divide dough into two discs, wrap in plastic, and chill at least 1 hour.
- 2
Prepare the filling
In a large bowl combine 3 cups thinly sliced Granny Smith apples and 3 cups thinly sliced Honeycrisp (or Fuji) apples. Add 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Toss gently to coat. Let sit 10 minutes to macerate and draw out juices; the cornstarch will start to thicken the juices.
- 3
Assemble the pie
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). On a lightly floured surface roll one dough disc into a 12-inch circle to fit a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan, leaving a slight overhang. Transfer dough to pan and press to fit. Spoon the apple filling into the crust and dot with 2 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small pieces. Roll the second disc to about 11-12 inches and either place whole as a top crust and cut vents, or cut into strips for a lattice. Trim overhang to 1/2 inch and crimp edges to seal. Beat 1 large egg with 1 teaspoon water and brush over crust; sprinkle 1 tablespoon coarse sugar over the top.
- 4
Bake
Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake an additional 35-45 minutes until crust is deep golden and filling is bubbling. If edges brown too quickly, shield with foil or a pie shield after 25 minutes. Total baking time ~55-65 minutes.
- 5
Cool
Remove pie from oven and let cool on a rack at least 2 hours so filling sets before slicing. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature with vanilla gelato.
Vanilla Gelato
- 6
Infuse milk and cream
In a medium saucepan combine 2 cups whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, and the scraped seeds and pod of 1 vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract). Warm over medium heat just until small bubbles form around edges and mixture is hot but not boiling, about 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep 15 minutes if using vanilla bean; remove pod before proceeding.
- 7
Make custard base
Whisk 4 large egg yolks with 3/4 cup granulated sugar until pale and slightly thickened. Gradually temper the hot milk mixture into the yolks: add a ladle of hot milk to the yolks while whisking, repeat 2–3 times, then pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon (170–175°F / 77–80°C), about 5–8 minutes. Do not boil or it will curdle. Stir in 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt.
- 8
Chill and churn
Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked bits. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, then cover and refrigerate until fully chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight. Once chilled, churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions until soft-set (usually 20–30 minutes). Transfer gelato to a container and freeze 2–4 hours to firm up.
- 9
Serve
Scoop the vanilla gelato and serve alongside warm slices of Pie Snob Apple Pie. For a restaurant-style presentation, place a generous scoop of gelato on top of each slice so it gently melts over the apples.