Sour apple pie recipe

Combine the fresh apple slices, slow-cooked apples, brown sugar, sour cream, flour, and salt in a large bowl. Toss to combine, taste for sweetness, and adjust if necessary; set aside.

Remove the dough from the fridge and remove the plastic from each piece. If your dough has been chilled overnight, it will need to sit at room temperature a bit before rolling—this will take 10 to 15 minutes.

Lightly flour your work surface. Once pliable, roll the disc of dough out into a 12-inch circle. Use flour throughout the rolling process as needed to prevent sticking. Transfer the rolled dough to a 9½-inch pie dish. Trim so that 1 inch of dough hangs over the edge of the dish.

On the same floured surface, roll the rectangle of dough out into a 10 x 11-inch rectangle. Cut into ten 1-inch strips.

Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Place a parchment-lined baking sheet on the lower rack to catch any juice drippings.

Pour the apple filling into the crust and gently press the fruit so that the apples lie flat across the surface. Pour any of the juices that may have collected in the bottom of the bowl over the apples.

Lay 5 strips of dough evenly over the filling. Gently fold the second and fourth strips back halfway. Lay a new strip of dough perpendicular to the other strips across the center of the pie. Unfold the 2 folded strips so they lie flat on top of the perpendicular strip. Fold back the first, third, and fifth strips. Lay a new strip of dough ½ inch away from the last one. Unfold the 3 folded strips. Fold back the second and fourth strips. Lay a new strip of dough ½ inch from the last one and unfold the 2 strips.

Repeat on the other side with the 2 remaining strips: fold back alternating strips, then lay a strip of dough on top and unfold. Alternating the strips creates a woven effect.

Trim the strips so that they leave a ½-inch overhang. Press the ends of the lattice flush with the bottom crust. Fold the edge of the crust under and press gently into the dish while you crimp or pinch the edge of the crust all the way around. Everyone crimps differently; my general method is to pinch a section of the dough with the thumb and forefinger of my left hand while simultaneously pushing an indentation into the center of the pinched area with the tip of my right forefinger. Just writing that made me a little dizzy, but crimping is decorative and can be customized to whatever feels right for the pie maker. A simple edge of fork indentations is also very lovely. Brush the lattice generously with the heavy cream. Sprinkle the strips of the lattice with the granulated sugar.

Place the whole pie in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Place the pie on the center rack of the oven and reduce the heat to 375°F. Bake for 1 hour, or until the crust is a deep golden brown and the juices from the pie are bubbling. Check the bottom crust to make sure it has cooked through by carefully lifting the pie up with pot holders so that you can get a peek at the crust underneath. If the bottom crust has not turned golden brown, return the pie to the oven and continue baking until you see color appear. If the top is done cooking well before the bottom, loosely cover the top with foil until the bottom catches up.

Cool the pie for 2 hours on a wire rack before serving. Store the pie covered at room temperature for 1 day and up to 1 week in the fridge.

Combine the sugar and ¼ cup (59 ml) water in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the sugar has melted, about 2 minutes. Add the apples and stir to coat in the sugar syrup. Cook, stirring often, until the apples are softened and translucent, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely before using. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

In a measuring cup, combine the brown sugar, vinegar, and salt with ¾ cup (107 ml) of hot water. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Chill the liquid in the freezer until it is very cold (this should take about 20 minutes) and leave it in the fridge until you are ready to start the rest of the dough.

Combine the flour and half of the butter in a large mixing bowl. Pinch and smear the butter between your fingers. Processing the butter like this creates small leaves of butter that layer in the dough, resulting in flakes later. Once all the butter chunks have been pinched, grab small handfuls of flour and butter and rub the two together between the palms of your hands until the mixture resembles uneven pebbles on a sandy beach.

Dump the crumbly mixture out onto a lightly floured work surface. Scatter the remaining half of the cold butter over the dough. Use the palm of your hand to smear the butter as if you were sliding a secret message across a table. Use a bench scraper to gather the shaggy dough and repeat the smearing process until you have a pile of striated rubble. The larger pieces of butter will create a marbled dough and will melt during baking, causing the water in the butter to evaporate (this will result in flaky pastry pockets).

Gather the buttery mixture up in a mound and form a well in the center. Remove the cold liquid from the fridge and pour half of it into the well. Using your fingertips, slowly bring the flour and butter into the center and combine it with the liquid until the liquid has been incorporated. Gather the moistened dough into a pile.

Slowly pour the remaining liquid onto the shaggy mess. Lift the dough from the bottom and squeeze just until it comes together into one mass. Divide the ball in half and shape each half into a disc. Wrap each in plastic and chill for 2 hours before using.