Cheddar Double Pie Crust Recipes

CHEDDAR PIE DOUGH

Steps:

• Pulse flour and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. Drizzle 1/4 cup water evenly over mixture. Pulse until mixture just begins to hold together (dough should not be wet or sticky). If dough is too dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse. Add cheese; pulse until combined.
• Shape dough into 2 disks, and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes or up to overnight. Dough can be frozen up to 1 month; thaw before using.

APPLE PIE WITH CHEDDAR CHEESE CRUST

Steps:

• For the pie crust: Combine the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of the food processor and give it a quick pulse to blend the ingredients. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like crumbly sand. Add the cheese and pulse again until combined and cheese is worked into the mixture and cut into small chunks. Turn the mixture out into a bowl, drizzle in 6 tablespoons cold water, and mix in with a rubber spatula until the flour is moistened. Add another tablespoon of water, only if needed. Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a ball and flatten to a disc. Rest the dough to relax the gluten, 30 minutes.
• For the filling: Combine the Granny Smith apples, Braeburn apples, sugar, flour, light brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl and toss to combine.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Adjust the baking racks to the center of the oven.
• Roll out 1 disc of the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch round. Transfer to a 9-inch pie dish. Add the apples in an even layer and dot with the butter. Lightly brush the edges with egg wash. Roll out the next dough round, slightly smaller than the first. Cover the top of the apples with the second pie dough, pressing the edges to seal the crust. Trim the crust so you are left with a 1-inch overhang. Tuck the crust underneath itself so it's flush with the edge of the pie plate. Crimp the edges decoratively. Brush the pie with the egg wash and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Make 5 air slits in the center of the pie. Place the pie on baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes.
• Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for 45 minutes longer. Cool to room temperature, at least 3 hours, before slicing.

PERFECT PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Cut each stick of butter into 8 pieces, and refrigerate until needed. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl, and mix to combine.
• Add the chilled butter. Using a pastry blender, incorporate the butter into the flour mixture; the mixture should resemble coarse meal with small pieces of butter, the size of small peas, remaining visible.
• Drizzle 2 tablespoons ice water over the flour-butter mixture, and blend. Repeat with an additional 2 tablespoons water. At this point, you may have to add more water: When a handful of dough squeezed together just holds its shape, you've added enough; if the dough crumbles, continue incorporating water, 1 tablespoon at a time, checking the consistency after each additional tablespoon.
• Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Divide into two equal pieces, and place on two separate sheets of plastic wrap. Flatten, and form two disks. Wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Lightly dust a clean, dry work surface with flour. Place the chilled dough in the center of the work surface, and dust the dough as well as the rolling pin with flour. Position the rolling pin on the center of the disk, and begin rolling the dough away from you. Give the disk a quarter turn, and roll again. Continue turning and rolling until you have an even 1/8-inch thickness. Turning the dough as you roll will prevent it from sticking to the work surface. A dry pastry brush is handy to remove any excess flour during and after the rolling process.
• Lightly butter the pie plate. To minimize stretching when moving the dough, roll it around the pin, lift up, and unroll over the buttered pie plate. Using your fingers, gently pat the dough into place. Trim any excess dough with a paring knife or kitchen shears, leaving a 1-inch overhang; then fold dough under to reinforce the edge.

CHEDDAR CRUST APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Make dough: In workbowl of a food processor fitted with metal blade combine flours and salt. Cut butter and lard into small pieces, add to workbowl and process 5 seconds. Add cheese and pulse on-off 2 times to mix. With motor running, pour in enough vinegar mixture in a slow steady stream for dough to form a ball; process 10 to 15 seconds. Turn dough out onto work surface. If dough appears too dry, work in 1 to 2 more teaspoons water. Specks of butter and cheese will be visible in dough. Shape dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours or overnight before using.
• Make filling: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. As you slice apples, toss them gently with lemon juice. Whisk together sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt, add to apple slices and toss gently to coat evenly.
• Divide dough into 2 unequal pieces, making piece for top crust slightly larger. On a lightly-floured work surface roll smaller piece into an 11-inch round. Line pie plate with bottom crust and fill with apples. Using your hands shape them into a firmly-packed mound slightly higher in center than at sides; dot with butter. Trim edges of bottom crust to a 3-inch overhang. Roll out remaining dough to an 11-inch round and arrange over filling. Trim edges of top crust to a :-inch overhang, fold top crust under edge of bottom crust and flute edges decoratively, pressing together with your thumb and forefinger. Cut 3 1 3/4-inch slashes in center of top crust.
• Bake pie 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F and continue to bake 30 to 40 minutes more, until pastry is golden brown and juices are bubbling. Ten minutes before end of baking, brush top with egg glaze and sprinkle with sugar. Cool on a wire rack before serving slightly warm or at room temperature.

CHEDDAR-CRUSTED APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with rack in lowest position. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the smaller disk of dough just under 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface and fit into a 9-inch glass pie plate. Roll remaining disk to just under 1/4 inch thick and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet for top crust; refrigerate along with pie plate.
• Place lemon juice in a large bowl. Peel, quarter, and core apples; thinly slice crosswise, tossing with lemon juice as you work. Add sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt to bowl; toss to combine.
• Fill bottom crust with apple mixture; lightly brush edge of crust with water. Using a paring knife, cut out either a circle or small slits in center of top crust. Place top crust over filling; press all around edge to seal with bottom crust. Using kitchen shears, trim to a 1-inch overhang; fold dough under itself to form a rim, and press to seal. Using thumb and forefinger, crimp as desired.
• Place pie plate on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Combine lightly beaten egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush crust with egg wash. Bake 20 minutes; reduce heat to 375 degrees, and bake until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling, about 80 minutes more. Let cool completely on a wire rack, at least 4 hours (or up to overnight) before serving.

PASTRY FOR DOUBLE PIE-CRUST

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in shortening until crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Divide dough in half so one ball is slightly larger than the other., Roll out the larger ball to fit a 9-in. or 10-in. pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate. Trim pastry with even with edge of plate. Pour desired filling into crust. , Roll out second ball; cut slits in pastry. Position over filling. Trim pastry to 1 in. beyond edge of pie plate. Fold top crust over bottom crust. Flute edges. Bake according to recipe directions.