Mini Apple Walnut Pie

                Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the fourth Thursday of November in the United Statesand on the second Monday of October in Canada. Thanksgiving holiday is truly a celebration of praise and thanksgiving. It is what brings families around the table for dessert after a good, Thanksgiving meal. Thanksgiving dinner isn’t complete without an apple pie or pumpkin pie for DINNER.
An apple pie is a fruit pie in which the main filling ingredient is apple. It is sometimes served with ice cream on top. Pastry is generally used both in top-and-bottom, making it a double-crust pie, the upper crust of which may be a circular shaped crust or a pastry lattice woven of strips and another circular crust at bottom. The crust along with a sweet, apple filling melting together in your mouth with a scoop of ice cream.

   Ingredients

   Apple Filling

         1 Fugi Apple
         1 Tbsp of Brown Sugar
         1 Tbsp of White Sugar
         Pinch of Cinnamon Powder
         Pinch( less than 1/4 tsp ) of Salt
         Pinch ( less than 1/4 tsp ) of Nutmeg Powder
   3/4 Tsp of Corn Starch
   2 Drops of Lemon Juice

   Method

In a skillet, stir together the apples, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and cornstarch.
Cook covered over medium heat until apples are tender, about 5 minutes.
Uncover and cook until the liquid has thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Switch off the stove and stir in the lemon juice and let it cool to room temperature, for about 10 minutes.

   Pie Crust

3/4 Cup of All Purpose Flour
1/2 Tsp of Sugar
1/4 Tsp of Salt
2 Tbsp of Butter
1 and 1/2 Tbsp of Vegetable Shortening
        2-3 Tbsp of Ice Water, as needed

   Method

In a bowl, add flour, sugar and salt. Add chilled butter and shortening. Rub it with your finger tips or cut the fats into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Sprinkle on ice water, 2-3 tablespoons at a time, and toss with a fork. In a counter-top, turn it into a dough by using hand. Scrape it up into a ball and keep it in a ziploc bag. Chill for 1-2 hours.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Roll dough out to 1/4-inch thickness on a floured work surface. Lightly spray oil in cavities of the ramekin or muffin pan. Cut the dough into a circles, using a cookie cutter.

Gently fit the 1 circle into the ramekin. Spoon in the apple mixture in the center. Top it with few walnuts.

For top crust, you can create a lattice top or another circular piece of crust on top. Try to seal the two crust together so when they came out of the pan it shouldn’t separate.

Brush the top crust butter. Sprinkle granulated sugar over the top of each crust.

Bake for 20 minutes until crust is lightly golden brown and apple mixture is bubbling.
Let cool for 5 minutes, then run a sharp knife around the edges of ramekin to loosen pies and carefully take pie out of the pan.

Tips

If you are lazy to do pie crust at home, you can use store bought pie crust.
Serve with ice cream on top.
You can brush top crust either with butter or egg white.
Adding vegetable shortening is optional.
For delicious pie, use granny apple instead of fugi apple.

Health Benefits of Apple