Share Alike Cooking: Apple Pie Filling: "Amazing"

Dare I say that my apple pie filling recipe tastes even more AMAZING than even the Lion House Restaurants. It just may be true. I have it on good authority, during a blind test, with an employee who worked for the Lion House Pantry for a couple of decades. She also happens to be my sister-in-law. [Giggle]

Anyway, I took one of my homemade apple pies to a family Thanksgiving Dinner, one year and set it on the buffet table.

After dinner, my sister-in-law sat down next to me and leaned over to say... "You absolutely wanna GO GET a piece of this APPLE PIE before it's all gone, it's truly AMAZING!"

APPLE PIE FILLING: "Amazing"
Yield: 1 (10-inch) pie | Makes: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS
8 med Granny Smith apples (cored, peeled & sliced)
1 quart (ice cold) water
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup warm water
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar,
(or granular Whey Low)

3 granular Instant ClearJel® powder (but NOT cornstarch)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated (w/ Microplane zester/grater)
8 tsp salted butter

Fill with:
Any double-crust pastry recipe

Soak Apples: In a large pot, combine the sliced apples, ice cold water, and lemon juice. Set aside for 10 minutes. Drain the water off from the apples from the pot, replacing with 1/2 cup warm water.

To Thicken: In a small bowl, combine the sugar (or Whey Low), ICJ® powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir the sugar mixture into the apples. Cook the filling over medium heat to thicken. Reduce heat to LOW, simmer until the apples are just tender.

The Pastry: Chill before transferring to a pastry lined 10-inch pie dish. Cover with 2nd crust, moisten and crimp or flute. At this point, the pie can be frozen, unbaked for up to 3 months.

To Bake: Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake a fresh pie for about 60 minutes on the lower rack. Test for doneness by giving the pan a brief shake. If the crust shifts slightly from the bottom, it's done, if it doesn't, bake it a little longer. Bake unthawed, frozen pies for 90 minutes total, 30 minutes w/pie shield (or foil) to covering the crust.

VARIATIONS

Raisins: Reduce sugar; add a handful of raisins.

Pan-Fried Apples: Melt some bacon drippings, layered apples in a skillet; sprinkle with 1-tsp lemon juice, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, grated fresh nutmeg. Simmer for 15 minutes, covered. Serve with pancakes.

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HELPFUL NOTES

Instant ClearJel®: ICJ is a fabulous thickener for freezing unbaked pies and baking up to 3-months later, but please note ICJ is (UNSAFE) for canning. It can get too thick, so there's no guaranty the heat will penetrate to the center of the jar. Without any refrigeration, spoilage will occur in no time.

Ultra Gel®: Thickener: I have the Ultra Gel COOKBOOK and it has an Apple Pie Filling recipe, this product IS safe for canning, but I have not tried it myself, though.

Reg ClearJel Cook-Type: This canning apple pie recipe is by the folks at Washington State University, Skagit County Extension Service. Sorry, I've not tried it either, as of yet.

The downside, in my experience, Reg Clearjel is its short shelf-life. I still prefer to use it for canning my Apricot & Pineapple Jam recipe, because it tastes ahh, (incredible) and we eat it just sooo fast. It's almost a crime!!!

I have these lovely "do-ahead" HOLIDAY RECIPES, which I share a fun (digital mini-cookbook format). ENJOY; it's - fun... it's free!