With its flaky crust and juicy cinnamon filling, apple pie is the quintessential dessert. The best part: they are so easy to make. The following recipe will walk you and your child through the process--from dough to filling.

For a finishing touch that will make young chefs proud, look for a crust recipe that will prove sturdy enough for even the biggest scoop of ice cream.


This recipe will teach your kids the basics of mixing up a flaky crust--the first and most important step in baking an apple pie.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
5 tbsp. cold vegetable shortening
8 tbsp. ice water

Directions

Ask your child to measure the flour, sugar and salt into a gallon-size sealable plastic bag. Seal and shake the bag to combine. Add the chilled butter pieces and shortening to the bag, then have your child press down on the bag with their palms. The goal is to flatten the butter and shortening and coat them with flour to produce a flaky, layered crust. Open the bag and add the ice water. Reseal, then press and shake until the dough holds together (add more water, if necessary). For mess-free cooking with kids, mix up pie crust and other doughs in a sealable bag instead of a bowl. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it together, then divide in half. Flatten each half into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes. Roll out one of the disks on a lightly floured surface until you have a circle that's about 12 inches in diameter. Line a 9-inch pie plate with the dough, trimming any extra from the edges with a sharp knife (parents only). Return it to the refrigerator until you are ready to make the pie. Makes 1 double crust.


This recipe shows kids how to make a sweet cinnamon pie filling with a creative upper crust.


Ingredients

6 to 8 apples, such as Granny Smith, Cortland, Rome or a local variety of tart apples
Juice of half a lemon
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. butter, cut into chunks
Milk (for glaze)
Flaky pie crust

Directions

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Meanwhile, show your child how to peel the apples. An adult, or an older child who can handle a paring knife, can then core and slice the apples into 1/4-inch pieces. Place the apples (about 6 cups) in a large mixing bowl. Next, pour the lemon juice over the apples and add the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and flour. Toss well. Spoon the spiced apples into the lined pie crust and dot with the butter. A pie's top crust is as much art as food. For a lattice-style crust, roll out the second disk of dough, cut it into 14 strips about 1/2 inch wide, and lay 7 of the strips across the pie, 1/2 inch apart. Working from the middle of the pie toward one side, fold back every other strip, then lay a cross strip across the remaining flat strips. Return the folded strips, then fold back the alternate strips and lay in the next crosspiece. Continue, creating a weave pattern. When one half of the crust is woven, repeat with the other side. Finally, use your thumb and index finger to crimp the edges. For a top crust, place the rolled-out dough loosely on top of the apple mixture. With the tines of a fork, make a decorative pattern around the edges. Next, cut pie dough ornaments. Place these on top of the pie and cut slits in the dough to allow steam to escape. Brush the top with milk for a glaze. Place the pie in the preheated oven and lay a sheet of aluminum foil on the rack below to catch any juices.

Bake for 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown, and you can see the juices bubbling. If the crust begins to brown before the pie is fully baked, cover it with foil.
Let the pie cool, then slice it into wedges. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a slice of cheddar cheese. Serves 8.

By:  Deanna F. Cook and Emily B. Todd - Family Fun Magazine