German Apple Pie Recipe

Crust
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling
1 cup sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 medium Jonathan or McIntosh apples, peeled and sliced (about 4 cups)
2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced (about 2 cups)
1 cup heavy cream

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. To prepare the crust, combine the flour and the salt in a medium bowl. Using two knives or a pastry blender, cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle with the vanilla; mix well. Sprinkle with 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water; 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until the pastry holds together. Shape into a ball and place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Transfer to a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan. Trim and flute the edges.
3. To prepare the filling, combine the sugar, flour, and the cinnamon in a small bowl; mix well. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of the sugar mixture in the bottom of crust. Top with half of the apple slices. Sprinkle with half of the remaining sugar mixture. Top with the remaining apple slices and sugar mixture. Pour the cream evenly over all.
4. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, until the apples are tender and the crust is golden.

Serves 6 to 8.

Tips From Our Test Kitchen: You may need to cover the edges of pie crust with foil to prevent it from browning too much. To easily roll out the crust, place it between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper and roll to the desired thickness.