Apple Pie (Serves 8)

(adapted from the Pillsbury apple pie recipe)

For one of our parties, my wife wanted to make an apple pie. We had just bought Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts and she couldn't wait to get started. We followed the recipe from the Pillsbury website to the dot. The first attempt turned out to be nice, and everyone enjoyed it.

I felt that we should make some changes to the recipe and experiment a bit and see the result the next time around. I was very happy with the results. I made some changes to their recipe and the cooking process as well. As I started writing this, she said why don't make a pie as you write. Sure! :-)

Crust - Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts (2), softened as directed on box

6 cups thinly sliced, peeled apples (medium sized apples - 3 granny smith, 3 golden delicious)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground fennel seeds
1/4 tsp ground cloves and cardamom (3 cloves and one cardamom pod)

1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tbsp frozen butter chopped into small pieces

Pre heat the oven to 450 degrees. Place 1 pie crust in an ungreased 9-inch pie plate and press firmly against side and bottom. In large bowl, mix the apples with the sugar, spices and other dry ingredients. Fill this into the crust lined pie, and sprinkle the butter on top of the apples . Cover with the second crust in an alternate criss cross pattern (our experience with the crust which we tried to roll out wasn't that great with the crust sticking and not rolling out properly. Not to worry. Just form the crust into a dough ball and roll out into a thin crust again and continue).

Place on the lowest rack in the oven and bake for 10 minutes at 450 degrees. Lowering the oven temperature to 350 degrees, bake until the crust is golden brown (30 - 35 minutes). You have to watch this part as the time will vary according to the oven being used. Cool for around 2 hours before serving. See here for more tips on baking pies

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and candied nuts, or drizzle caramel and chocolate, any which way you love it. Perfecto!

Health Rating: Medium