APPLE PIE RECIPE

Autumn may be apple season, but apple pie tastes good any day of the year. It is a great activity to do with children as there are a variety of steps and processes that keep it interesting. Mixing dough with fingers, peeling and slicing, measuring ingredients, making an apple pie with children is not only rewarding at the end, the whole process is full of opportunities for exploring and discovery. Read below for my apple pie recipe! 

Apple Pie Recipe
Crust:
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup butter (very cold)
6-7 tbsp of ice water

Filling:
6-8 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
dash of cloves
2 tbsp butter

Steps:
1. Mix the flour and salt. Cut in the butter*, use finger tips to massage the butter into the flour until it is crumbly throughout.
2. Add the ice water little by little, gently mixing it into the flour with your fingertips until you've reached a dough that can hold together in one ball
3. Set the dough to chill in the fridge while preparing the filling.
4. Prepare the filling. Mix all of the ingredients together in a big bowl and toss together so the apples are evenly coated. 
(You can choose to cook your filling on the stovetop to soften the apples and thicken the juices, it is totally optional and depends on personal preference).
5. Split your dough in half and roll out half of your dough to place in the bottom of the pie plate. Let the edges hang over, you can trim them later. 

6. Place the filling into the pie plate inside the dough. 

7. Roll out the remaining dough and cover the filling completely. Trim the dough that hangs over the edges and seal the edges by pressing the top and bottom dough together using your fingers or a fork. Make sure to poke a few holes for the steam to escape!

8. Bake at 200 C for 50-60minutes. When the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling up, it is finsihed. 

*To make your crust extra flaky, try freezing and grating your butter! Also, the less you handle the dough when mixing it, the better.

General tips on baking with children:

• Prepare the space beforehand - get ingredients ready and clear the space so your child only has access to what is needed - make sure eggs are out of reach for the throwers! And don't forget to prepare a Learning tower (aka Little kitchen helper) or a step stool that allows your child to easily and safely work in the kitchen.
• Don’t leave opened bottles and bags of ingredients within reach unsupervised
• Ensure your little one can easily reach into the mixing bowls
• Use a bowl with a handle for mixing wet ingredients to make pouring easier
• Use child-sized kitchen utensils
• Give smaller spoons and measuring cups for added scooping and transferring practice 
• Crack eggs into a separate cup in case your child drops the shells in too- it is easier to remove
• Take the opportunity to discuss oven safety with your child when baking together
• Slow down and let your child enjoy the full sensory experience of baking- touching the ingredients, tasting (when safe), smelling the spices...and if your child is focused on a single task try not to interrupt until they have finished. 
• And remember- practice makes better. It will be very messy at the beginning but not forever!

Written by

Góc Montessori