The Golden Standard
At Rice Fruit Company, we pride ourselves on our Pennsylvania Golden Delicious. Our golds are a little, “cheeky,” with a hint of red blush and an outstanding flavor that makes it one of the most versatile varieties we grow. There’s nothing like a freshly picked Golden Delicious right out of the orchard to eat out of hand, or adding it to a spring salad, and it has been rumored that they make the very best apple pie.
So we decided to make a version of Muriel Rice’s traditional Rice Family Apple Pie.
Crust: Ingredients for 2
2 cups flour + more for rolling
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
5 Tbsp. ice water
Filling:
10 Golden Delicious Apples- peeled, cored and sliced
Sugar- 1 cup (these are a sweet apples, so feel free to adjust accordingly)
Nutmeg- a dash or more, as this is a specific and preferential spice
Cinnamon- 1 tsp., or more depending on your preference
Lemon Juice- just a splash
Butter- 4 pats (about 1 Tbsp. each)
Let’s Bake!
For the crust, mix the flour and salt together in a bowl. Next, cut in the shortening, and then add the ice water. With your hands, draw it up into a ball, then cut in half and roll out on a well-floured surface.*
Lay the first crust on the bottom of your pie dish.
For the filling, place the apple slices in a large bowl, then sprinkle the cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar over the top. Add your splash of lemon juice and mix well.
Place the apple mixture in the pie dish, add the butter throughout, then add the top layer crust. If you have crust left over, feel free to add shapes or be creative with your top layer.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour, or until golden brown.
Serve with your choice of topping! We love whipped cream.
*If you are an inexperienced “dough handler,” we would suggest refrigerating the dough for about 1 hour prior to rolling it out.