A modified version of Cafe Azul's Pastry Dough makes a terrific pie crust. This recipe will yield enough dough for two 9-inch double crusts or four single crusts. Yes, it is a lot of dough so make a few pies or freeze the extra. Use four sticks of butter as the original recipe states for an insanely rich - think puff pastry - pie crust. Or knock the butter down like I did to two and half or three sticks (this is my only change to the crust recipe). Divide the dough into four mounds and wrap them individually before putting them into the refrigerator. Let it rest for at least 1+1/2 hours. Be prepared to be amazed with how easy it is to roll out beautiful pie crust that is flaky, tender and buttery. Click below for the dough recipe:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cafe-Azuls-Pastry-Dough-107241

Now let's turn to the main part of the apple pie recipe (i.e. filling, baking times, etc.). I followed Rose Levy Beranbaum's recipe from the Joyofbaking.com except that I substituted her pate brisee (short crust pastry) for a modified version of Cafe Azul's Pastry Dough. Click below for the apple pie recipe: 

http://www.joyofbaking.com/ApplePie.html

To briefly sum it up (click on above link for the entire recipe), Rose's way is to first, let the seasoned apple slices sit in their juices. Next, drain them and keep the juice, cooking it down with butter. Finally, mix it all in with the slices and pour the filling into the pie shell. After you top it with the other half of the crust, crimp the edges. *Here's a variation I made to the recipe: brush the top crust with a lightly beaten egg (egg wash) and give it a sprinkling of raw sugar (e.g. Washed Raw, Turbinado or Demerara). Place the pie in the refrigerator for about twenty minutes before baking it in the pre-heated oven (425°F) for 45-55 minutes - baking time will depend upon your oven's temperature and any hot spots. Good tip from Rose: bake the pie using a pizza or bread stone on the bottom rack of the oven. Place a baking pan/sheet between the pie and the stone to guard against filling overflow. The stone ensures that the bottom crust is baked through – crispy and golden! *If you are using a glass or ceramic pie pan, and you are worried about it cracking or breaking after placing it on the hot stone, make sure the baking pan/sheet is at room temperature before placing it underneath the pie pan, or you can just forego chilling the pie altogether. Keep a foil ring handy in case the pie edges brown too quickly. 

As for apple varieties, I used a mixture of Fuji and Granny Smith apples. The filling was a tad runnier than I cared for (even after the pie rested) but made up for it with lots of nice concentrated apple and caramel flavors. Next time around I will use a greater assortment of apples in the pie. I will try cooking the apple slices and then cooling the mixture before adding it to the pie shell. 

Here's to a bountiful autumn harvest and more apple pies on the table!

Next post: Pain de mie

Hello dear friends....really i missed you all ...here I am..sharing with you my latest bakes...Eid al fitr will be tomorrow..I was preparing for it one week ago may be more I had a lot of work...I baked 55 kilos of these goodies for some customers, for friends, and of course for us at home....It was too hard for me i am tired, ill, and need really a long vacation...but the most thing made me feel better that the people really loved it called me back to thank me and told me that they never tasted such great cookies before. Mmmmm but i think that i will not be able to continue , I am working in a my house in a very small kitchen. It was too hard really.

Here you are the pics...

Here's one of those quick bread recipes that pops out of my folder when I see burstingly fresh zucchini at the produce stand. It's adapted from a recipe that's been passed around in my family as 'Doris Fenton's Zucchini Bread' for donkey's years and so, when I lightened up the oil and tweaked the quantities to suit, it only seemed fair to carry on the name.

Makes 2 loaves 

3 large eggs

2 cups sugar

½ cup canola oil

½ cup apple juice

1½ teaspoons vanilla

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (see note)

1½ teaspoons cinnamon

2 ¼ teaspoons baking soda

1½ teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoons baking powder

3 cups grated fresh zucchini, loosely packed, about 1 pound (see note)

Note: If the zucchini is not fresh - either days old in the fridge or store bought - decrease the flour to 2 ½  cups.  Zucchini fresh off the vine has more moisture. To grate zucchini cut in thirds and put through the cheese grater of your food processor. 

1. Set rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 375º.
2. Using a flat beater, beat eggs until frothy.  Beat in the sugar. Add oil, apple juice and vanilla and beat until thick and lemon colored.
3. Mix together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and baking powder in a bowl.  Add along with the zucchini to the egg and oil mixture and beat until blended.
4. Pour evenly into 2 buttered and lightly floured glass loaf pans.
5. Bake for 10 minutes at 375º. Lower heat to 350º degrees and bake for 1 hour longer.  The loaves should have a dark skin with splits along the top, and a toothpick inserted into one of the splits should be nearly clean, with no batter buildup.
6. Cool in pans on rack for 15 minutes.  Gently remove from pans, using a sharp knife if necessary, and then cool for an hour or more before serving.

Freezing note: Make this zucchini bread now, when the zucchini is at its most flavorful, and freeze some for later. Wrap half loaves tightly in plastic, label and freeze in loaf bag. It's great months later when thawed for a feast!

For original blog, please go to www.wsoodfiredkitchen.com or search for 'Sortachef'

Copyright 2010 by Don Hogeland