For the double crust:

Place flour, sugar and salt in a food processor. Blend ingredients. Add in cold butter. Once blended, slowly pour in ice water. Blend until dough is gathered in a ball. The dough should be wet but not sticky.

Remove dough from processor and dump onto the counter. Using a knife, cut dough in equal halves. Press and shape dough into 2 disks and wrap each with plastic food wrap. Place in the refrigerator for at least an hour before rolling.

Once dough is chilled, roll dough on a clean, flat surface until you get a sheet large enough to cover the bottom and sides of a standard pie pan. Place flat sheet in pie pan.** Work to cover the bottom of the pan with the dough and leave an overhang on the sides, rolling the dough under all the way around the pan. Use the knuckle of your index finger to crimp the dough all around the rim of the pan. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Roll out disk number two into an equal size to the first. Cut strips with a knife to use for a lattice or leave whole to place the dough on top for more of a dome look. Refrigerate in wax or parchment paper until ready to use.

For the pie:

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Use an apple peeler to peel, core and slice your apples. If you don’t have one, peel the apples with a vegetable peeler and slice the apples into ½-inch-thick slices.

Place apple slices in large bowl. Coat with lemon juice and toss.

Add remaining ingredients except butter to the bowl and stir to combine.

Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat then add in apple mixture. Stir mixture while cooking for approximately 5 minutes, or until apples are tender but not soggy. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Once cooled, pour mixture into prepared pie pan. Smooth apples evenly over the crust. Place top dough over the top of the apple mixture, centered to the pan. Meld the top dough with the bottom by rolling the dough inward all the way around the pan to seal the edges. Use your index finger to crimp around the rim of the pan. Cut small slits in the top dough for venting.

Place the whole pie in the freezer for about 10 minutes to bring all ingredients to the same temperature.

Prepare large sheet pan with foil. Place pie on pan and loosely tent the top of the pie with foil. Place pan in the oven on the bottom rack.

Bake 40 minutes, then remove foil. If crust around the edge is getting too dark, shield the rim of the crust with strips of folded foil or pie shields. Continue baking for another 5—15 minutes. Crust will be golden brown and filling will bubble when ready. Use a toothpick to check for doneness. Just poke an apple slice and if the toothpick goes through easily the pie is ready.

Let pie cool completely on rack, for 2—3 hours.

Top with vanilla ice cream or homemade maple whipped cream.

Chef Notes:

* It is a good idea to keep the butter already cubed in the freezer until ready to use it.

** I like to roll the dough up with my rolling pin and unroll across the empty pie pan.