Slice of Happiness

It has become a tradition for me to make apple pie for my dad for Father’s Day. It’s the only time out of the year, except for some birthdays, that I whip out the big guns. I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to do it this year.

I recently bought “Surprise! It’s Gluten-Free” by Jennifer Fisher. It’s my first official gluten-free cookbook. It has a wide range of recipes, including pies and fruity desserts. The pie crust recipe was simple enough. It called for all purpose gluten-free flour, xanthum gum, sugar, COLD salted butter, and some ice-cold water. I excluded the xanthum gum because the flour already had it in it. Always check the ingredients before you do any cooking. Some flours will already have the binder in them, such as the xanthum gum. You don’t really need to add extra. I followed the directions, wrapped the dough in plastic wrap, and let it sit in the fridge all day while I was at work. One thing I have learned from watching videos is that you need to let your gluten-free dough rest. It’s harder for the oil and wet ingredients to penetrate the flour. If it doesn’t get enough time to hydrate, then you bake, that’s when you get that grainy sandy texture that you’ll find with some gluten-free baked goods.

When I got home, I set the dough out to come to room temperature a bit, for about 15 mins. I split the dough into 2 equal-ish parts. The pie recipe calls for streusel topping, like a Dutch apply pie, but I always preferred the classic pie crust on top and bottom. The crust recipe in the book makes 2 9-inch crusts. I rolled the crusts out and put the back in the fridge to firm up again, don’t do this. It makes the crust brittle and harder to work. I placed one crust in the pie pan, set it in the freezer for 30 mins, preheated the oven, and set to work on the apples. I always use granny smiths for my baked apple recipes. They’re sturdy and tart, which allows you to add the necessary sweeteners without overpowering the apples. I sliced and then peeled the apples (wrong order, I know, but I got in a groove). I added the sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. I mixed it well with my hands to make sure every slice got covered. I took the pie crust out of the freezer and poured the apples in. I used a spoon to evenly distribute the slices. I placed the other crust on top and crimped the crusts together at the edges with a fork. I used a pairing knife to carve a special message for my dad into the crust.

The pie baked for 50 mins and I let it cool completely on the counter before wrapping it in plastic wrap to store in the fridge for the next day. You can store the pie in the fridge for up to 3 days, or wrap in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 4 months. The pie came out delicious! The crust was a little more dissolvable in the mouth, if that makes sense, not as flaky. The taste was no different than a normal pie crust. The apples were perfectly cooked and sweet. We paired the slices with a scoop of Bluebell Vanilla ice cream. It brought up the same warm memories and nostalgia as the regular apple pie. It was the perfect celebration for my dad. Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers out there!