Apple Pi-Day

We are launching MMN Recipe Exchange on Pi Day! We made the perfect homemade Apple Pie using our own recipe to share with our community. Nutrition doesn't have to be boring!

Pi day celebrates the math constant Pi, π, which is 3.14 corresponding to the date March 14.

Ingredients

2 x homemade or store bought butter pie crusts

1x egg , lightly whisked

2 tsp cane sugar for topping

1/2 tsp Almond Extract

1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/4 cup Apple Sauce if needed

Pie filling: 4 lbs Granny Smith apples, cored, peeled, halved, cut into thick slices

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

3/4 tsp salt

1 tsp unsalted butter

Steps

Prep Pie crust:

1. Butter Pie Crust: Follow instructions for your two pie crusts.

2. Line Pie Tin: Roll out one dough just large enough to fit a 9" pie tin. You want the base relatively thick so it's sturdy. Prick the base a few times with a fork (don't pierce).

3. Chill: Cover with cling wrap and chill for a couple hours.

4. While crust is chilling, make apple filling.

5. Preheat oven to 400°F.

6. Blind bake: Remove both pie crusts from refrigerator and set one aside. Place one of the pie crusts into the pie tin. Place a large sheet of baking/parchment paper over the pie crust, then fill with rice or baking beads. Bake a few minutes until lightly browned.

7. Egg wash: Remove from oven and remove rice or baking beads from pie crust. Brush base and sides lightly with whisked egg. Return crust to oven for 5 minutes.

8. Cool: Crust should be light golden and look fully cooked. Cool at least 15 minutes before filling.

Pie Crust Lattice: Roll out the next dough just large enough to fit a 9" pie tin. Cut into 1" strips.

Apple Pie Filling:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Spice mix: Mix the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt in a bowl.

3. In a large bowl, sprinkle spice mix over apple slices. Blend well with hands, separating pieces that are stuck together.

4. Bake: Spread about 3/4 of the slices evenly across a baking sheet. Bake until soft, about 15 to 20 min. Set aside the rest of the slices for later.

5. Drain off juices: Remove baking sheet from oven. Drain off juices into a saucepan.

6. Leave apple slices to cool on the tray, about 15 minutes.

7. Apple syrup: Add butter, almond extract and vanilla extract to apple juice saucepan. If there wasn't enough apple juice from the cooked apples, add the apple sauce. Simmer on low heat until it reduces becoming syrupy. Remove from stove and let cool.

Assemble and bake:

1. Turn oven up to 400°F.

2. Mix cooked and uncooked apples together.

3. Fill the pie crust with the mix of apples, gently pressing out air pockets.

4. Pour apple syrup over the slices and any residual juices from the baking trays.

5. Pie Crust Lattice Create a lattice using the strips on top of the apples in the pie tin. Press the excess overhanging strips into the rim of the pie tin to form an even edge.

6. Brush lattice with egg wash.

7. Sprinkle top of pie with cane sugar.

8. Bake 25 minutes or until the pie is golden.

9. Serving fresh: Cool before serving

Please comment and share how your Apple Pie came out and what you did for Pi Day!