Apple Pie + Crust Love

Thanksgiving is next week. And pie is kind of a must. (Apple for me!) So now that we’ve got the pie basics covered, it’s time to kick it up a notch, and show that crust some love. Sure you can throw another rolled out crust on top and call it a day, as seen here. Or you can impress your guests with a fancy crust. If you choose option B, don’t fear. Perfection is not the name of the game with these two techniques. Perfectly imperfect, aka rustic, is more like it. People will think you slaved away all day on the pie. Go ahead, let them think what they want.

Lattice Technique
On a well floured surface, roll out pie crust. Using a pastry wheel or a knife, cut 12 strips of dough, about 3/4? wide (thinner for mini pies). Place 6 strips across, using the longer strips in the middle and the shorter strips on the end. Think back to your childhood craft days, and create a lattice with the dough placing 6 more strips in the opposite direction. Weave strips over, under, over, under… Trim extra dough and seal edges with a crimp or press with a fork. Apply egg wash to achieve those golden hues, and sprinkle with turbinado. Lattice technique also used here.

Circular Technique
On a well floured surface, roll out pie crust. Using a round biscuit or cookie cutter, cut out enough circles to cover the pie, about 1.5″ in diameter (smaller for mini pies). Begin placing circles at the outer edge of the pie, slightly overlapping, working your way around until reaching the top. Apply egg wash to achieve those golden hues, and sprinkle with turbinado.

Come join Love the Pie with TidyMom sponsored by Cherokee USA, Le Creuset, Wilton,Bags by Bloom and  Harvard Common Press.