It’s finally time to come to terms with the weather getting colder. I can no longer deny the late rising of the sun or the chilly night air. Although I can’t say I’m excited for the increasing amount of homework or the college essays I have to finish, I am excited for what this fall has to offer: Halloween, football games, apple picking and, more importantly, apple pie.

Baking and cooking seasonally makes food much better. Why? Because you can use ingredients that are fresh and high quality, which will give you the best results in your cooking. Cooking with the seasons will also keep things exciting. Find inspiration for new recipes and look forward to new seasons with the dishes they have to offer.

So what do I look forward to in the fall? Apple pie of course. There is nothing better than sitting on the couch wrapped up in a blanket with a piece of steaming hot apple pie (à la mode) and admiring the bright new colors on the leaves. All it takes to create this perfect scene is a blanket, a scoop of ice cream and one great recipe.

I have tried many apple pie recipes, but I always go back to the same one. It is my variation of a recipe from The Joy Of Cooking. If you stick to it, I promise it won’t fail you. I know some people are scared off by apple pie or pie in general; it can be complicated, but if you use the right ingredients and find a trustworthy recipe, then there is nothing to worry about. So here it is, my favorite recipe for apple pie.

Tip: Always start with a clean kitchen and empty dishwasher. This way you will have plenty of room to work, and you can put things in the dishwasher as you go. It will make cooking less stressful and more enjoyable.

-Preheat oven to 450 degrees
-Grease 1 9-inch pie dish

Crust

(for a double-crust, 9-inch pie)

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup chilled shortening
2 tablespoons chilled butter
4-5 tablespoons water (this may vary slightly)

Sift together flour and salt in a large bowl. Measure and combine shortening and butter.

Use two knives in a crossing motion to combine the butter and shortening into the flour mixture. Continue to do so until the butter and shortening are around the size of peas. Then add water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough starts to come together. It is important to use cold butter, shortening and water because the steam released while these ingredients bake will make a flakier crust. Once the dough has come together, mold it into a ball. Divide the ball in half and make two flat disks. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Filling

Ingredients:

5 cups peeled and sliced apples*
2/3 cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1-1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch (depending on how juicy your apples are)
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 ½ tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon cream

*I recommend using Granny Smith apples. The texture of the apple will hold up in the oven, and the tartness will prevent your pie from being too sweet.

Start by preparing the apples in a large bowl. Add increments of lemon juice with the cut apples. Add brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg. Stir gently. Add one tablespoon of cornstarch. Only add more if the mixture seems very runny.

Remove the pie dough from the fridge and lay one disk on a floured surface. Sprinkle flour on top of the dough and rolling pin, and roll out until it is slightly larger than the size of your pie dish. Place dough in pie dish by rolling it around your rolling pin. Roll out second disk.

Add filling to pie dish. Dot with butter. Place second pie dough over apples. Use a knife to make several air vents in the pie dough to let steam escape. Crimp edges together and brush top and edges of the pie with cream.

If you want your pie to have a lattice top, cut even 1-inch strips of your rolled out pie dough. Place one strip at a time over filling, alternating across and vertically, and weaving strips over and under each other.

Put aluminum foil around the crust of your pie. Bake in oven at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until pie is golden brown. Remove aluminum foil for the last 15 minutes of cooking.

Let me know what you think. I hope you enjoy it!