Five Spice Apple Pie Recipes

Steps:

• For the filling: Cut the apples into 1/4-inch slices and place them in a large bowl. Toss with the lemon juice to keep them from browning. Add the brown sugar, cornstarch, Warm Spice Blend, kosher salt and cinnamon and toss to combine. Mix in the boiled cider syrup and vanilla. Cover the mixture and let it sit at room temperature while you make the pie dough.
• For the pie dough: Add the flour, granulated sugar and kosher salt to a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse to incorporate so that about three-quarters of the mixture is mealy and the rest has some slightly larger, pea-sized bits of butter. Combine the ice water and cider vinegar in a measuring cup. Drizzle the water and vinegar into the food processor and continue to pulse just until the mixture comes together to form a dough. If it seems dry or is having a hard time coming together, add a bit more water, a few drops at a time, until it comes together.
• Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and use your hands to press on any stray crumbs. Divide the dough in half, then divide one of the halves in half again so that you have 3 pieces of dough. Pat each piece into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until ready to roll out for the pie.
• For the assembly: Flour a work surface and roll out the largest disc of dough into a circle just larger than 12 inches. Place it in a 9-inch pie plate and refrigerate. Roll out the 2 remaining dough discs to about 10 inches each. Cut the dough into 2-inch-wide strips for making a lattice top. Set the strips aside.
• Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven (with a pizza stone if you have one) and preheat to 400 degrees F.
• Fill the pie crust with the apples (it will seem like a lot but they bake down!) and pour the juices over it. Distribute the butter over the top. Weave the dough strips together over and under to form a lattice crust over the top. Pinch the edges to seal, trim, fold the edges over and crimp. Give the edges a little hug to make sure they are sitting snugly on the rim of the pie plate; otherwise they could fall off in the oven. Freeze the pie for 15 minutes.
• Brush the lattice with the egg wash, then sprinkle with the turbinado sugar and flaky salt. Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake until the internal temperature reaches 195 degrees F, 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Serve the pie with large dollops of whipped cream.
• Layer the cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg in a medium glass jar and tighten the lid. Shake to combine. Keep on hand to add to your favorite desserts and beverages -- or just toast with butter!

Steps:

• Mix cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cardamom together in an airtight container.

Steps:

• For crust:
• Blend flour and salt in processor 5 seconds. Add butter; using on/off turns, cut in until coarse meal forms. Add 6 tablespoons ice water. Using on/off turns, blend until moist clumps form, adding more water by tablespoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball. Divide in half and shape into disks. Wrap each disk in plastic; chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• For filling:
• Combine first 5 ingredients in large pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until fruit is tender, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Transfer mixture to bowl. Mix in flour and spices. Cool. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before continuing.)
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out 1 dough disk on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Line 9-inch-diameter pie dish (not deep-dish) with dough. Spoon filling into crust; dot with butter. Roll out second dough disk on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Drape dough over filling. Roll up overhang of both crusts together to form edge and crimp. Cut hole in center of crust to allow steam to escape; brush top (not edge) with glaze.
• Bake pie 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Bake pie until crust is golden, about 55 minutes longer. Cool pie on rack 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream.
• *A blend of ground cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, star anise, and peppercorns, sold in the supermarket's spice section.

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the apples, pears, lemon zest, lemon juice, orange juice, and 1/2 cup sugar; set aside for 10 minutes.
• In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, and five-spice powder; stir mixture into the fruit.
• Transfer filling to the chilled pie shell; smooth filling with you hands to even it out.
• Place the pie on the center oven rack of a 400° oven; bake for 30 minutes.
• To make the topping: put the flour, cornmeal, brown sugar, and salt in the container of a food processor; pulse several times to mix.
• Scatter the butter over the mixture; pulse until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
• Empty crumbs into a bowl and rub them between your fingers to make large, buttery crumbs; refrigerate until ready to use.
• Take pie out of oven and lower oven temperature to 375°.
• Distribute crumbs evenly over top of pie; tamp them down lightly.
• Return pie to oven (rotate pie so that the part that faced the back of the oven now faces the front); place a foil-lined baking sheet onto the rack below to catch any spills.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until the juices bubble thickly around the edge.
• Transfer pie to a wire rack and let cool at least 1 hour before serving.