T is for Top Crust

This is Part 4 of 5 in the Apple Pie Service Project Series. If you haven’t read Part 1, Part 2, or Part 3, you might want to read those before you begin this part.

You should have your bottom crusts all done and standing by. If you’re freezing for a later day, you can stack these crusts on a tray with wax paper between them and then cover with a plastic bag before freezing. I’ll talk about the thawing process in Part 5. You won’t cut the vent holes until you’re ready to put them on as a top crust.

Before your roll your top crusts, you need to fix your apples for the filling. For each 9” pie, you’ll need about 5 medium sized apples, peeled, cored and sliced in a large bowl. You can do several pies’ worth at one time, but don’t do more than two or three, as you want the sugar/cornstarch to stick to the apples. If they sit too long, the sugar will draw the juice out of the apples, and it will wash the coating away.

For each pie you’re doing, take
1 cup sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix together thoroughly until there are no lumps of cornstarch or cinnamon.

Dump over apples and mix until all the dry ingredients are coating the apples.






Next, take one of your bottom crusts that you’ve already prepared and fill it, heaping, with apples.

Now, you’re ready to roll out that top crust. Remember the drill?
Mix the dough just as you did for bottom crusts.
Gather the dough into a hardball-sized ball, just as in bottom crusts.
Roll out on a floured pastry cloth to about the same size.




Cut vent holes in the pie crust.


I fold in half and cut along the fold line, but you can leave it flat and cut a design. Get creative. Here’s your chance to express yourself.





Moisten the bottom crust all around the edge.

Put the top crust on the pie.

I roll it loosely on my rolling pin, as I did the bottom crust

This next step is very important and will save you cleaning your oven later on.








Press down all the way around to seal those edges







.



Cut the top crust ½ inch from the edge of the pie tin.















Turn under both the bottom and top crusts.


This will help seal the edge so you won’t have juice boiling out as you bake the pie.









Crimp the edges all the way around










Sprinkle the top with sugar.

Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes or until nicely browned and the filling is bubbling inside.









For quality control, eat the first one to make sure it’s all right.

Next time, I’ll talk about getting kids organized for the project, assembling when you’re working with frozen crusts, baking masses of pies, and delivery.

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