Fried Apple Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream
Once this fall, promise yourself to exercise extra the next day, then give yourself permission to make these and enjoy them without a lick of guilt. They are actually worth all the guilt, though, even if you don't hit the gym.
Makes about 10 pies
Ingredients:
For the crust:
2 3/4 cup (385 grams) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), chilled and cubed
1 large egg, whisked with enough ice-cold water to make 1/2 cup
For the filling:
1 1/4 pounds apples
2 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon instant tapioca
2 teaspoons bourbon
3/4 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cardamom
Vegetable oil, for frying
Cinnamon sugar (1/4 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon), for sprinkling
Instructions:
1. In a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar and salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture forms pea-size crumbs. Pulse in egg mixture a tablespoon at a time, until dough just comes together (you may not need all the egg mixture). Divide dough into 10 equal pieces. Flatten into disks with your palm, wrap in plastic and chill for at least 45 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, make filling: Using a paring knife, peel apples; slice 1/4-inch thick. Transfer apples to a large skillet. Stir in sugar, tapioca, bourbon, lemon juice, cinnamon and cardamom. Let sit for 10 minutes, then bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until sugar dissolves, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer mixture to a bowl, preferably metal, and freeze for at least 20 minutes to cool, stirring once or twice.
3. Fill a medium pot with 4 inches of oil and heat to 375 degrees. On a floured surface, roll out dough into 6-inch rounds. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling in center of each round. Using a pastry brush, lightly moisten edges of each circle with water. Fold dough
over filling, making a semicircle, and pinch edges to seal.
4. Fry pies in batches until dark golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Sprinkle immediately with cinnamon sugar, and serve with vanilla ice cream.
Variation: For baked apple turnovers, prepare dough without egg, using all water instead. Shape and fill pies as instructed. Arrange on two greased baking sheets. Prick each pie with a fork; brush tops lightly with milk or cream and dust with cinnamon sugar. Bake in a 375-degree oven until dark golden and bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes.
Vanilla Ice Cream
If you are feeling Laura Ingalls-Wildery, you should make this recipe of vanilla ice cream...or use store-bought, I don't care. If we are being honest with ourselves, store-bought ice cream probably tastes just as good, if not better than homemade. But sometimes it's just fun and romantic and wholesome to DIY, and this is a solid recipe, I promise):
Makes about 1 Quart
Vanilla paste gives the taste of vanilla beans with the convenience of vanilla extract; however either one can be substituted if necessary. An instant-read thermometer is critical for the best results. Using a pre-chilled metal baking pan and working quickly in step 4 will help prevent melting and refreezing of the ice cream and will speed the hardening process. If using a canister-style ice-cream machine, be sure to freeze the empty canister at least 24 hours and preferably 48 hours before churning. For self-refrigerating ice-cream machines, pre-chill the canister by running the machine for 5 to 10 minutes before pouring in the custard.
Ingredients:
· 2 teaspoons vanilla paste
· 1 3/4 cups heavy cream
· 1 1/4 cups whole milk
· 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
· 1/3 cup light corn syrup
· 1/4 teaspoon salt
· 6 large egg yolks
Instructions:
Place 8- or 9-inch-square metal baking pan in freezer. Combine vanilla paste, cream, milk, 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, corn syrup, and salt in medium saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is steaming steadily and registers 175 degrees, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat.
While cream mixture heats, whisk yolks and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in bowl until smooth, about 30 seconds. Slowly whisk 1 cup heated cream mixture into egg yolk mixture. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and registers 180 degrees, 7 to 14 minutes. Immediately pour custard into large bowl and let cool until no longer steaming, 10 to 20 minutes. Transfer 1 cup custard to small bowl. Cover both bowls with plastic wrap. Place large bowl in refrigerator and small bowl in freezer and cool completely, at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours. (Small bowl of custard will freeze solid.)
Remove custards from refrigerator and freezer. Scrape frozen custard from small bowl into large bowl of custard. Stir occasionally until frozen custard has fully dissolved. Strain custard through fine-mesh strainer and transfer to ice-cream machine. Churn until mixture resembles thick soft-serve ice cream and registers about 21 degrees, 15 to 25 minutes. Transfer ice cream to frozen baking pan and press plastic wrap on surface. Return to freezer until firm around edges, about 1 hour.
Transfer ice cream to airtight container, pressing firmly to remove any air pockets, and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours. (Ice cream can be stored for up to 5 days.)
