I never was into McD's apple pie maybe because my tongue got burnt the first time I tried it many many moons ago and I remember it too sweet for my taste.
I didn't know they are now baked instead of deep fried. People who grew up eating the fried version miss the flavor and cooked their own. Serious Eats even bought the baked pies and deep fried them in their kitchen just the way the pies should be.
Although I'm not inclined to deep fry food, I just have to make a few to know what I might have been missing. The pie is quite good and the crust came out very flaky. I like it.
Deep Fried Apple Pie
crust
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
6 tablespoons salted cold butter, cut into cubes
¼ cup ice water
filling
2 cups apples diced into ¼ inch cubes (keep the peels and cores*)
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup apple cider
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
zest and juice of half a lemon
pinch sea salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
pies
light olive oil for deep frying
Deep Fried Apple Pie
crust
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
6 tablespoons salted cold butter, cut into cubes
¼ cup ice water
filling
2 cups apples diced into ¼ inch cubes (keep the peels and cores*)
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup apple cider
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
zest and juice of half a lemon
pinch sea salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
pies
light olive oil for deep frying
- Prepare the crust: Whisk together flour and sugar in a small bowl. Quickly work in the butter with fingers until mixture is crumbly/sandy. Sprinkle ice water and mix with a fork until it comes together. Form into a ball and flatten into a 4-inch square. Roll out into an 8 x 4 inch rectangle. Fold into three like an envelope and roll out 2 more times. Shape into a 6 inch square, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Prepare the filling: Cook ingredients except all-purpose flour over medium-low heat for 10 minutes until the apples have softened. Sprinkle flour and stir cook for 2 more minutes Leave to cool completely.
- Make the pies: Heat 4 inches of oil to 350°F. Divide the dough into 6 pieces. Roll out into a 6 x 4 inch rectangle. Fill half of the longer side of rectangle with a quarter cup of filling. Fold the other half on top and align edges. Press all edges with the smooth sides of your hands and seal with the tines of a fork. Gently lower the pie into the oil and fry for 4 - 5 minutes until golden brown. Serve immediately.
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I never throw [organic] apple peels and cores. I make them into apple jelly or raw apple cider vinegar similar to Bragg Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar With Mother. The process of making raw apple cider vinegar will be on another blog post when the vinegar is ready in about 2 weeks. It's been fermenting for 2 week now and it's doing well.