Shaker apple pies

Happy Friday!  I was thinking that if you’re picking apples this weekend, and you liked my last posting featuring really good pie crusts, then you may want to try this wonderful time-honored apple pie recipe that originated from the Shakers at the Hancock Shaker Village in Hancock, Massachusetts.  I found the first recipe over 20 years ago, and we fell in love with the flavor (I think it’s because there is a hint of lemon), but also the fact that it’s an heirloom recipe.  And I think that the heirloom idea of it makes it taste that much better.  Then last Thanksgiving I found another Shaker apple pie recipe that had the added bonus of cranberries – just a tad more tartness – but equally delicious!

Oh, just one more thing –  in the recipes, please note the letters “A” and “C” that the Shakers cut into the tops of their pies – such a simple and practical way of letting the steam out and easily telling what the pies are filled with!  Love it.

Shaker Apple Pie  (Hancock Shaker Village)

2  9-inch piecrusts

1 dozen medium apples

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated or maple sugar

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 tablespoon grated lemon rind

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 egg white for glaze (optional)

Wash, core, peel, and cut apples into slices or quarter-sized chunks. Mix dry ingredients, sprinkle over apples, and give it all a gentle toss.  Pour butter onto mixture.  Pour entire mixture into pie shell.  Finish off with top pie crust, lightly wetting the bottom crust’s rim and crimping them together for a good seal- brush top with egg white, and with a sharp knife point cut in a letter “A” into the top to let the steam out.  Bake in 375 degree oven for 30 minutes, then drop temp down to 325 for another 30 minutes.  Enjoy!

Shaker Apple-Cranberry Pie  (Hancock Shaker Village)

2 9-inch pie crusts

4 large tart apples

1 1/2 cups cranberries

1 cup of maple sugar or 1 cup granulated sugar with 2 tablespoons maple syrup

3 tablespoons butter.

1 egg white for glaze (optional)

Wash, core, peel and cut apples into slices or quarter-sized chunks.  Mix the cranberries and sugar together and let them sit to draw out the cranberry juice, and then gently mash them just a little bit. Add cranberry mixture to the apples, and pour the whole thing into the bottom pie crust.  Dot with the butter. Finish off with top pie crust, lightly wetting the bottom crust’s rim and crimping them together for a good seal – brush with egg white, and with a sharp knife point cut the letters “A” and “C” into the top to let out steam.  Bake in a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes, then drop temp down to 375 degrees for 30 minutes.  Enjoy!