Sunday, April 25, 2010

Gluten Free Apple Pie


This is my Gluten Free Apple Pie Recipe.  It turned out awesome!  Generally, I don't care for apple pie and usually don't eat it......but.....  This pie was delicious and didn't last long in our house.  I have made 5 apple pies since coming up with this recipe, and every one of them vanished way too fast.

First you need to make the dough (the toughest part of gluten free cooking).  Here is the dough recipe and a step by step description of how I make it.

Ingredients:  
1/4 cup potato flour
1/2 cup soy flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp white sugar
3 tsp baking powder
5 eggs
1/4 cup Crisco vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
Potato Starch for rolling out dough

I start by putting all the dry ingredients into my Sunbeam 2348 Mixmaster Stand mixer with dough hooks attached.  Let run on a low speed until thoroughly mixed (I usually turn the mixture with a spatula a few times.)

Meanwhile I crack open the eggs into a separate bowl and remove any shells and the little white chicken embryos. (those just gross me out).

Once the dry ingredients are thoroughly blended together, shut the mixer off and tilt the mixer out of the bowl. Make a well in the flour, not touching the bottom of the bowl but deep enough to hold the liquid ingredients and eggs.  My mixer, the Sunbeam 2348 Mixmaster Stand mixer has adjustable bowl settings so I set it to center of the bowl to start.  Dump into the well, the eggs and the 1/4 cup oil.  Start the mixer on slow and allow it to mix for a bit.  Keep an eye on it and slowly change the bowl settings, gradually allowing the dough hooks to pull in small amounts of flour from the sides of the well. (this takes awhile).  Watch it closely. When it has become clear to you that the dough hooks have stopped mixing in the dry ingredients (it will become crumbly) begin slowly adding the water, about a tablespoon at a time, until the dough forms back into a ball , you may not need all of the water.  Continue to run your mixer kneading the dough while you prepare your workspace.

I sprinkle out a pile of potato starch in the center of my counter.  Take half the dough ball from the mixer and smash it down with the palm of your hand into the pile of potato starch.  Flip it over and do it again.  Now the dough should be less sticky to your hands.  Flip it over again and begin rolling out the dough to a proper pie crust thickness. ( If it rips, or separates do not worry, a wet finger can fix anything on a pie crust.)

Place this bottom crust into the pie pan and form and cut it to size.  Repeat for the top crust.  I place the top crust in saran wrap and set aside while I get  the filling ready.

Filling:
6 Golden Delicious Apples (cored, peeled, and diced)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp melted butter

Mix all these ingredients in a separate bowl. Spoon the filling into the pie pan heaping it towards the center.  Unwrap the top crust and place it over the filling.  With a cup of water handy, continually wet and seal the edges of the pie crusts using a wet finger and pressing the edges together.  Trim any excess off with a sharp knife, then using the tines of a fork, crimp the edges by pressing the fork into the dough around the circumference of the pie.  Use a knife to cut slits or vents into the crust top. Shawn likes the "bird feet" patterns I cut into mine, but use your own creative styling.  Brush the top and edges of the pie crust with egg whites for the look of the one at the top of this article.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes.  Keep a close eye on it, a burnt crust can be a dreadful experience.

This picture the crust was brushed with butter instead of egg whites.




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