To DIE for Apple Pie

Coming up with ideas for dessert for our Sunday family dinner can be tough.  I try not to make two cakes in a row or two cookies in a row because I want to have variety.  I don't want to ever hear anyone say, "oh cake again, darn."  OK, let's get serious, like that has or would ever happen in the entire existence of dessert.  Especially in my family.  Laughable.

Anywho, it's almost Halloween so my husband and I went to Tuttle's Orchard yesterday to get pumpkins for carving and apples for baking/eating: http://www.tuttleorchards.com/.  Per his request for dessert last weekend, I chose a Fall staple that is sure to make every tummy smile, apple pie.
  
WARNING: upon completion, this giant pie will LITERALLY make eyes pop out of heads.

This is a full crust pie, because well, who doesn't LOVE crust, but you could make a lattice top if you so desire. 

For the crust:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cold and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 1/2 cups white flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons white sugar
6-8 tablespoons ice water

For the filling:
2 1/2 lbs baking apples, peeled, cored and sliced thin (I used King David and Empire apples from Tuttle's Orchard)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup water

For the egg wash:
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy cream

1. Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor; pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse 6 to 8 times, until mixture resembles coarse meal, with pea size pieces of butter. Add ice water 1 Tbsp at a time, pulsing until mixture just begins to clump together. If you pinch some of the crumbly dough and it holds together, it's ready. If the dough doesn't hold together, add a little more water and pulse again. Too much water will make the crust tough.

2. Remove dough from machine and place in a mound on a clean surface. Gently shape the dough mixture into two disks. Work the dough just enough to form the disks, do not over-knead. You should be able to see little bits of butter in the dough. These little chunks of heaven, I mean butter, are what will allow the resulting crust to be flaky. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour, and up to 2 days.

3. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.  Remove one crust disk from the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes in order to soften just enough to make rolling out a bit easier. Roll out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch circle; about 1/8 of an inch thick. If necessary, add a little flour under the dough to keep the dough from sticking. Carefully place onto a 9-inch pie plate. Gently press the pie dough down so that it lines the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Trim the dough to within 1/2 inch of the edge of the pie dish.

4. Fill the pie with apples, mounded slightly. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the apples.

5. Roll out second disk of dough (same as step 3). Gently place onto the top of the filling in the pie. Pinch top and bottom of dough rounds firmly together. Trim excess dough, leaving a 3/4 inch overhang. Fold the edge of the top piece of dough over and under the edge of the bottom piece of dough, pressing together. Flute edges using thumb and forefinger or press with a fork.

6. Whisk the egg yolk and heavy cream together.  Brush the top and edges of pie with egg wash.  Score the top of the pie with at least four 2-inch long cuts, so that steam from the cooking pie can escape.

7. Bake 15 minutes in the pre-heated oven.  Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking for 50 minutes.  If the edges look like they are getting too brown at any point, tent the edges with tin foil to keep from over cooking.

8. Let the pie cool.  Stuff your face with a large piece of pie once it is no longer boiling lava hot.  Serve with vanilla ice cream of your choice and whipped cream if you're feeling fancy.  NOTE: 100% forgot to get a picture after the pie was cut....and then it was gone, like the wind.