Ever since we started going upstate to go apple picking in the fall to Maskers Orchard we have been on the look for the ultimate apple pie recipe. Needless to say we have found one that the family loves. We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. Let us know if you make the recipes in the comments section below.

Yield: 8 (NORMAL SIZE) servings, lol

Ingredients:

• pastry for a double 9 or 10″ pie crust (in the effort of time, we use Pillsbury pie crusts)
• 1/4 cup melted apricot jam or marmalade
• 5 large apples (Ida Red, Jonathan, Granny Smith, Cortland, Golden Delicious, or a mix of several varieties) We normally use Golden Delicious, Granny Smith and Cortland depending on what we pick at the orchard
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoon milk
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F and grease a 9 or 10″ pie plate.
2. Roll out half of the pastry and fit it into the pie plate. Brush with the melted jam and refrigerate.
3. Peel, core, and cut the apples into 1/4 inch slices. Place in a bowl and toss with the lemon juice.
4. Combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg.
5. Layer half of the apple slices in the chilled pie shell and sprinkle with half of the sugar mixture. Repeat the layers. Cut the butter into small pieces and scatter over the apples.
6. Roll out the top crust, place over the filling, trim and flute the edges. Cut 3-5 steam vents around the outside and 1 steam vent in the center.
7. Brush with the milk and sprinkle with the granulated sugar.
8. Bake in the middle of the oven for 50-60 minutes. If the edges of the crust start to brown too quickly, cover with strips of aluminum foil. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.