An inspiration for apple pie by way of Edelweiss Café and Bakery in Raleigh, NC

Edelweiss Café makes their apple strudel, or apfelstrudel, right in their bakery. This is quite a feat to make homemade strudel dough. If you are not an apple fan, try their cherry streusel cake--it is to-die-for. Edelweiss also serves up black cherry cake, walnut cake, bread and delicious German food.

A more manageable venture would be to make good ole American apple pie. While homemade pie crust is tricky, it certainly is easier to make compared to strudel dough. Here is the recipe and video how-to for homemade pie crust and apple pie. This makes enough crust and filling for one, double-crusted apple pie.

INGREDIENTS / DIRECTIONS

CRUST
Set 1
4 c. flour
1 T. sugar
1 t. salt

Set 2
1 c. white Crisco, cold
1 c. butter Crisco, cold

Set 3
.5 c. ice water
1 T. white vinegar
1 whole egg, cold
1 t. vanilla

Tools—2 large bowls, rolling pin, wax paper, coffee cup, peeler, 10-inch glass pie pan, pastry brush

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Cut up the Crisco over the dry ingredients.
3. Rub the Crisco between your hands to develop a crumbly mixture.
4. Using a fork, mix the water, vinegar, vanilla and egg in a coffee cup then slowly pour it over your flour mixture.
5. Gently fold the dough over itself without kneading it.
6. Divide the dough in two, wrap with plastic wrap then refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
7. In the mean time, prepare the apple filling and preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Set the baking rack on the lowest level in your oven.

FILLING
Set 1
Juice of 1 lemon in a large bowl of ice and water

Set 2
7 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced
¼ c. white sugar
½ c. brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon
½ t. vanilla
4 T. flour

Set 3
1 T. butter, cubed

DIRECTIONS
1. Peel, core and slice the apples. Place them in the lemon-ice bath to prevent browning. Once all the apples are done, drain the apples.
2. Combine all of set 2 in the bowl with the apples.
3. Do not use additional sugar in the mix as it will draw more liquid out of the apples. Set aside.

PUT IT TOGETHER
Set 1
1 egg white

Set 2
1 egg yolk

Set 3
2 T. mix of cinnamon and sugar

DIRECTIONS
1. Roll one disk of dough as shown on the video. Trim the edges about ½ an inch from the pie plate.
2. Brush the egg white over the dough and prick dough with a fork.
3. Layer apple slices in the pie pan then sprinkle the cubed butter on top of the apples.
4. Roll out the second disk of dough and cover the apples.
5. Trim the edges then crimp and decorate it to seal in the juices.
6. Brush the pie crust with the egg yolk.
7. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over the crust.
8. Decorate the top by cutting pieces out or making slits in the dough.
9. Bake for 10 minutes at 450 degrees. Then, reduce the temperature to 350 degrees for about 50 minutes.
10. Cover the edges if they start to burn.
11. Once the juices have thickened, remove from the oven.

For more info:   Edelweiss Café, City Market Square, #317 Blake St., Raleigh, NC, 27601 / 919-834-0901

Hours:   Mon. – closed, Tues. and Wed. 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., Thurs. to Sat. from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. then 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Nearby businesses:   Marbles Kids Museum     North Carolina Museum of Natural Science