From my Friend Cooking School in Santa Monica CA

Apple Pie Recipe from Santa Monica

The Gourmandise School   of Sweets and Savories    Santa Monica CA.

Rich Pie Crust  This pie crust has a higher ratio of butter than average and produces a rich and flaky vessel for the filling! 3 cups flour                                                  1 tsp salt sugar  1/3 to a half  cup water, very cold           12 oz (3 sticks) butter, very cold and cut into small squares  1) Place the dry ingredients in a food processor and pulse 4 or 5 times.  2) Add the butter and pulse just until small pebbles form.  3) Add the ice water and pulse just until a crumbly dough comes together.  If needed, add 1 tbsps of water at a time until the dough forms.  4) Remove from the food processor (carefully) ! and form a flat disc.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour (or 20 minutes in the freezer).  5) Roll your dough in a shape 2" larger than your pie pan.  Using the rolling pin, pick up and gently lay the dough into the pan.  Cut, crimp or use the tines of a fork to create a decorative edge.  6)Bake blind (with pie weights or rice over a layer of parchment paper) at 350º until golden on the edges, or fill according to your favorite recipe and follow its instructions.  Browned Butter Apple Pie  Bake your pie crust with pie weights until the edges are just golden.  Remove parchment paper and pie weight.  Tarts also need to be par-baked but require only a light prick of the fork in place of pie weights.  Fill and top with:     Filling ½ stick (2 ounces) butter  ½ cup sugar  1 egg      2 Tbsps unbleached flour  1 tsp vanilla      4 large, sliced apples, unpeeled and sauteed if desired    1) Brown the butter in a saucepan or small skillet and set aside.  2) In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg, and vanilla until flully. Stir in the flour until just combined.  Fold in the apples and let sit for 20 minutes. 3) Place the apple mixture into the pre-baked shell and top with crumble:     Topping:  ½ cup unbleached flour    ½ cup sugar ¼ cup brown sugar       1 tsp cinnamon  ½ stick (2 ounces) butter, cold    pinch of salt     1) Whisk together the flour, sugars, cinnamon and salt.  2) Sand the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or knife until you get a crumbly texture.  3) Sprinkle over apples and baked for 1 hour at 350.  If you notice that the crumble is browning too much, top it with parchment paper or foil to finish baking.   Wishing you a delicious day, Clémence and Hadley