In Julia's Kitchen With Master Chefs

HELLO, I'M JULIA CHILD.

WELCOME TO MY HOUSE AND TO MY KITCHEN AND TO ANOTHER CULINARY ADVENTURE WITH ONE OF AMERICA'S MASTER CHEFS.

JIM DODGE, MASTER BAKER AND TEACHER AT THE NEW ENGLAND CULINARY INSTITUTE IN VERMONT SHOWS US SOME SECRETS TO MAKING AN ALL-AMERICAN APPLE PIE.

CHEF JIM DODGE IS GOING TO SHOW US HOW TO MAKE A REAL, OLD-FASHIONED AMERICAN APPLE PIE.

THAT'S GONNA BE GREAT.

ONE OF MY FAVORITES.

MINE, TOO.

WE START FIRST BY MAKING THE CRUST.

AND I WANT TO HAVE A NICE BIG BOWL.

YEAH.

PLENTY OF ROOM TO WORK WITH.

AND WE START WITH ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR.

YOU NEED 2 1/2 CUPS.

IS THIS BLEACHED OR UNBLEACHED?

I ALWAYS USE UNBLEACHED ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR.

THERE'S NO REASON TO REALLY BLEACH ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR.

THERE'S NO BENEFIT.

WE'RE HAVING 2 1/2 AND YOU'RE DIPPING THE CUP IN AND SWEEPING OFF THE EXCESS.

THAT'S THE MOST ACCURATE WAY OF MEASURING.

AND NOW WE JUST NEED TO ADD A TEASPOON OF SUGAR AND THAT WILL GIVE A LITTLE COLOR... A LITTLE FLAVOR.

AND THEN A QUARTER TEASPOON OF SALT.

THE NEXT IS, IS THE BUTTER AND I'M USING TWO STICKS HERE... YEAH.

...OR HALF A POUND AND I WANT THE BUTTER COLD.

THAT'S GOING TO REALLY DOMINATE HOW THE DOUGH COMES OUT AND HOW EASY IT IS TO WORK WITH.

SO I'M GOING TO CUT THIS INTO SMALL CUBES HERE.

THIS IS ABOUT HALF AN INCH.

AND THIS IS UNSALTED BUTTER.

SALTED BUTTER WOULD HAVE TOO MUCH SALT IN IT.

YEAH.

AND NOW IT'S IMPORTANT JUST TO TOSS THE BUTTER AND THE FLOUR COATING IT.

MM-HUH.

AND THIS ACTS AS INSULATION.

IT HELPS TO KEEP THE WARMTH OF YOUR HANDS AWAY FROM THE BUTTER AND IT ALSO PREVENTS IT JUST FROM STICKING.

TRADITIONALLY, PEOPLE WOULD PINCH THE BUTTER IN THE FLOUR LIKE THIS.

BUT IF YOU'RE MAKING A LOT OF PIES YOU DEVELOP VERY BIG HANDS AND FINGERS AND IT TAKES A LONG TIME.

AND, SO, I DEVELOPED THIS TECHNIQUE -- REALLY OUT OF FRUSTRATION.

AND IT JUST OCCURRED TO ME ONE DAY -- I DID THIS...

I DUMPED IT OUT ON THE TABLE I TOOK MY ROLLING PIN AND I JUST STARTED ROLLING IT.

OH.

BECAUSE BASICALLY WHAT WE WANT TO DO HERE IS THAT WE'RE MAKING A FLAKY PIE DOUGH WE NEED TO HAVE THE BUTTER ISOLATED.

AND YOUR FINGERS ARE VERY WARM IN YOUR HANDS.

SO THIS KEEPS THE WARMTH OF YOUR HANDS AWAY FROM THE BUTTER.

I'M JUST GOING TO SCRAPE IT -- IT'S GOTTEN A LITTLE LARGE.

THESE BENCH SCRAPERS ARE FANTASTIC.

YES, THEY ARE.

AND WE JUST ROLL IT A LITTLE BIT MORE.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE ALL OF THE LUMPS ARE ROLLED INTO THESE SHEETS OF BUTTER.

AND IF IT STARTS TO STICK TO THE ROLLING PIN I JUST TAKE MY SCRAPER HERE AND I CAN JUST SCRAPE THAT OFF.

BUT THIS IS NOT BAD.

I DON'T REALLY SEE ANY BUTTER -- THAT'S JUST THE FLOUR.

AND IF WE TAKE THIS AND WE LIFT AND LOOSEN IT FROM THE TABLE -- WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO NOTICE IS THAT WE HAVE THESE WONDERFUL BIG FLAKES OF BUTTER.

SO I'M JUST GOING TO MOVE THIS OVER.

AND THEN WE TAKE OUR BOWL AND THIS GOES BACK IN.

AND THIS IS...

THIS IS FASCINATING.

...KIND OF A REALLY ...SOMEWHAT OF A PRIMITIVE PUFF PASTRY.

IT'S REALLY THE SAME INGREDIENTS.

IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT TECHNIQUE.

AND THEN HERE I HAVE SIX TABLESPOONS OF COLD WATER AND I USUALLY POUR THAT IN A CIRCULAR MOTION JUST TO HELP DISTRIBUTE IT.

AND AGAIN WITH OUR BENCH SCRAPER I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER.

AND WAITING TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE LIQUID IS ABSORBED.

AND YOU CAN TELL THAT IT IS...

IT'S KIND OF, LOOKS KIND OF CLUMPY NOW.

AND WE CAN SCRAPE OFF OUR SCRAPER.

PRESS IT INTO THE BOWL HERE.

JUST TO HELP THE LIQUID FUSE MORE WITH THE DRY INGREDIENTS.

AND THEN I'M GOING TO TURN IT OUT AGAIN.

NOW, I'M GOING TO ROLL IT.

AGAIN?

AGAIN.

AND THIS IS ACTUALLY THE MIXING ACTION.

IT'S FORCING THAT FLOUR TO BIND WITH THE LIQUID.

AND, AGAIN, I'M OUT A LITTLE TOO FAR SO I'M JUST GOING TO FOLD IT OVER.

SO, WE'RE ALMOST THERE.

AND WE CAN SEE...

THIS IS FASCINATING.

...HOW IT'S GETTING DARKER IN COLOR.

IT'S GETTING TO LOOK BUTTERY.

OKAY, WE'RE JUST, JUST ABOUT DONE.

AND THEN JUST KEEP FOLDING IT OVER.

AND WITH ANY KIND OF TECHNIQUE LIKE THIS YOU WANT TO WORK STEADY.

YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE FRANTIC BUT YOU WANT TO COMPLETE THIS PART OF THE TASK.

YOU CAN'T HAVE A LONG TELEPHONE CONVERSATION.

TELL THEM TO CALL YOU BACK.

YEAH, LET THE MACHINE GET IT.

OKAY, FOLD THAT OVER.

I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE OUR LAST ONE.

LET ME SHOW YOU A GOOD TRICK TO DETERMINE BEFORE WE HAVE IT COMPLETELY MIXED.

IF THERE'S ENOUGH LIQUID IN IT YOU TAKE A PIECE OF THE DOUGH HERE AND YOU JUST COMPRESS IT GENTLY IN YOUR HAND LIKE THIS.

YOU JUST SQUEEZE IT.

AND THIS IS A TENDER, MOIST, PLIABLE DOUGH.

THAT'S PERFECT.

AND IT'S STILL COOL.

IT'S STILL COOL.

IF IT WAS HARD AND SEEMED DRY THEN I WOULD KNOW, "LET'S ADD MORE WATER."

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH ALL THAT?

THIS, BACK ON TOP.

AND WE'LL DUST IT WITH A LITTLE BIT OF FLOUR.

ROLL IT ONE MORE TIME.

FOLD IT OVER.

PRESS IT A LITTLE BIT.

AND THE SECRET HERE IS THAT IT'S A DOUGH THAT'S REALLY, IT LOOKS UNDONE.

SO I'M GOING TO WRAP THIS IN SOME GOOD, CLEAR PLASTIC WRAP.

FOLD IT OVER.

AND THIS REFRIGERATES FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES... ...UNTIL IT STARTS TO FIRM UP.

THAT'S ALL?

10, 15 MINUTES.

OKAY.

YOU CAN SEE THE BITS OF BUTTER IN THERE.

AND WHAT'S HAPPENED BY THIS BEING REFRIGERATED -- THIS WE CAN REALLY SEE THE BUTTER.

IS THAT IT HAS...

IT'S STILL PRETTY COLD.

...FIRMED UP A LITTLE BIT AND ALSO DARKENED.

AND IF YOU TOUCH IT YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S MUCH MORE PLIABLE AND IT FUSES TOGETHER.

SO NOW I'M GOING TO CUT IT IN HALF.

THIS WILL BE A TWO CRUST PIE?

A TWO CRUST PIE.

GREAT.

AND ACTUALLY WHEN I FOLD IT LIKE THIS YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE LAYERING.

YES, YOU CAN.

SO, AND IT'S VERY WELL ACCRUED.

AND I'M JUST GOING TO SHAPE THIS IN A PAD, LIKE THIS.

AND THE REASON FOR THIS... AND I DO THIS WHENEVER I'M ROLLING OUT A TART OR ANY PIE IS THAT FIRST OF ALL IF YOU'RE ROLLING IT IN A CIRCLE IT'S EASIER IF YOU START IN A CIRCLE.

WE'LL SET THAT ASIDE.

AND THEN WE CAN DO THIS ONE.

SECOND, WHAT IT DOES... AND I'M JUST SQUEEZING THE EDGE A LITTLE BIT.

...IS TRYING TO GET RID OF THE CRACKS ON THE EDGE AND YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT IT'S MUCH SMOOTHER.

BEFORE WE ROLL OUT THE PASTRY WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO NOW IS TO PREPARE THE APPLES.

BECAUSE ONCE I ROLL THAT PASTRY I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO PUT IT IN THE PAN AND WORK WITH IT RIGHT AWAY.

SO OVER HERE I HAVE A SELECTION OF APPLES AND SOME THAT I LIKE TO USE AND OTHERS I'M NOT SO FOND OF IN PIES.

THESE ARE THE EMPIRE APPLES WHICH ARE AVAILABLE IN THE SPRING AND SUMMER MOSTLY.

BUT THOSE ARE JUST AROUND IN VERMONT, AREN'T THEY?

THE NORTHEAST I THINK.

THE NORTHEAST, YEAH.

AND OCCASIONALLY IN CALIFORNIA.

SO IT'S AN APPLE THAT KEEPS ITS SHAPE.

YES, IT'S A SWEET, TART, SLIGHTLY SOUR APPLE.

SO THAT'S IMPORTANT.

THEN WE HAVE HERE THE RED DELICIOUS.

THESE I DON'T USE IN PIES.

THE FLAVOR ISN'T AS COMPLEX AND I DON'T THINK THEY HOLD UP QUITE AS WELL.

A GREAT STANDBY IS THE GOLDEN DELICIOUS.

AND THIS IS A VERY RIPE ONE.

YOU CAN SEE THE BEAUTIFUL COLOR.

I PREFER THEM WHEN THEY'RE GREEN.

THEY'RE MORE SOUR.

I THINK THE FLAVOR IS BETTER.

THESE ARE THE GRANNY SMITHS AND WHEN THEY ARE JUST ON THE MARKET THEY'RE GREAT.

BUT LATER ON THEY SEEM TO FOR SOME REASON GET MUSHY AND GIVE OFF A LOT OF WATER.

THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR A PIE.

NO, IT'S MORE OF A SOUP THAN A CRUST.

AND THIS IS A BRAEBURN.

THIS IS ONE OF THOSE NEW APPLES... DON'T KNOW THAT.

I'M NOT THAT FAMILIAR WITH IT.

I'VE MADE A FEW PIES OUT OF IT AND IT HOLDS UP PRETTY GOOD.

IT TENDS TO BE A LITTLE SWEET SO, IF I USE THIS IN A FILLING I'D PROBABLY WANT TO ADD A LITTLE LEMON JUICE.

OVER HERE, THIS IS THE APPLES THAT I'VE ALREADY PREPARED.

WE DID THIS AHEAD OF TIME AND YOU CAN SEE THEY'VE BROWNED A LITTLE BIT.

BECAUSE I'M ADDING CINNAMON I'M NOT THAT CONCERNED BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TOE SLIGHTLY BROWN.

WHAT I DID, I TOOK SOME PLASTIC WRAP AND I REALLY KIND OF POKED IT SO THAT IT SNUGS THE APPLES AND THAT HELPS THEM FROM TURNING BROWN.

SO I NEED ONE MORE APPLE.

AND THIS IS AN EMPIRE APPLE THAT WE'RE USING.

WE NEED SIX FOR THE RECIPE.

THE WAY THAT I PEEL THEM...

I START FROM THE TOP OR THE BOTTOM AND I JUST TAKE A LAYER OFF TURN IT OVER AND DO THE SAME THING.

THIS IS THE PROFESSIONAL PEELING TECHNIQUE.

THIS IS THE FASTEST WAY I KNOW... GOOD.

...BY HAND.

AND THEN WHAT I DO IS...

IF YOU GO DOWN LIKE THIS YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S EASY TO CATCH THE TOP AND YOU CAN TAKE A NICE, WIDE BAND OFF.

THERE.

NEXT WE CUT IT IN HALF AND I DON'T USE CORERS BECAUSE I'VE HAD TOO MANY WHERE I STICK IT THROUGH.

I TRY TO PULL IT OUT AND I'M LEFT WITH JUST THE HANDLE.

YEAH.

SO I USE A MELON BALLER.

VERY SENSIBLE.

AND I DON'T THINK IT TAKES OUT AS MUCH EITHER.

SO I USE THE SMALL END JUST TO TAKE THE SEED CAVITY OUT AND IT DOES A...

VERY NICE AND NEAT.

....NICE AND NEAT JOB.

AND THEN I'LL USE THE LARGER END JUST TO HELP TRIM THIS PART OUT.

YOU WANT TO GET THE STEM OUT BECAUSE IT TENDS TO BE A LITTLE WOODY.

AND THEN JUST THE BLOSSOM END ALSO.

I FINISH THIS STEP WITH ALL OF THEM AND THEN I GO BACK.

I TURN THEM OVER LIKE THIS.

CUT THEM INTO THIRDS.

THREE WEDGES.

KEEP THEM TOGETHER -- ROTATE THEM -- AND THEN CUT ACROSS THE WEDGES INTO THIRDS AGAIN.

AND THESE ARE NICE CHUNKS.

THAT'S A GOOD SYSTEM.

I FEEL THAT WHEN YOU MAKE A PIE YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY THE TEXTURE OF THE FRUIT.

SO THAT'S WHY I KEEP THEM LARGE.

THAT IS A NICE APPLE, ISN'T IT?

YES.

NICE BLEND OF FLAVORS.

OKAY.

COULD YOU HAND ME THAT BOWL PLEASE?

AND WE COULD START BLENDING THE SUGAR AND THE SPICES.

FOR THE FILLING WE USE A HALF A CUP OF SUGAR.

AND THIS SUGAR, I DON'T SWEEP OFF.

IT'S SO EASY JUST TO GENTLY SHAKE TO LEVEL.

AND THEN FOR THE SPICE, I'M GOING TO USE -- THAT'S ONE TEASPOON OF GROUND CINNAMON.

AND THIS IS ALLSPICE.

OH, I LIKE ALLSPICE.

I'M JUST PUTTING A PINCH IN JUST TO ADD A LITTLE BIT OF CHARACTER.

AND THEN FOR THE THICKENING INGREDIENT I USE TAPIOCA FLOUR.

I USE IT BECAUSE IT BAKES CLEAR AND IT HAS A LIGHT, NEUTRAL FLAVOR.

UNLIKE CORNSTARCH WHICH WOULD LEAVE... CLOUDY AND ALSO... YEAH, CLOUDY.

...ALSO MORE OF A DISTINCTIVE TASTE THAT INTERFERES WITH THE FRUIT.

SO I'M JUST GOING TO BLEND THIS IN.

YOU DON'T WANT TOO MUCH OF THOSE SPICES.

NEVER, THAT'S THE BIGGEST MISTAKE THAT PEOPLE PUT TOO MUCH SPICE IN AND YOU CAN'T TASTE THE APPLES.

AND THE ROLE OF THE SPICE IS TO ENHANCE AND COMPLEMENT THE TASTE OF THE APPLE.

SO A LITTLE BIT IS FINE.

THERE WE GO.

SO THAT LOOKS GREAT.

NOW WE CAN ADD OUR APPLES HERE.

AND THEN WHAT I DO IS COAT THEM.

THIS HELPS TO DISTRIBUTE THE TAPIOCA FLOUR AND ALSO THE SUGAR AND THE SPICE AS IT CLINGS TO THE APPLES.

YOU WANT EVERYTHING THOROUGHLY COVERED, DON'T YOU?

YES.

AND THIS NICE WIDE RUBBER SPATULA REALLY HELPS TO LIFT -- OR A BIG KITCHEN SPOON.

AND NOW I'M JUST GOING TO SET THAT ASIDE.

WE HAVE OUR PIE PAN.

AND OUR OVEN IS PRE-HEATED TO 425.

425.

AND THIS IS A REALLY GOOD PIE PAN BECAUSE IT HAS THIS WIDE LIP HERE AND IT'S THICK.

IT'S ALUMINUM.

BUT THE FLUTED EDGE NEEDS TO REST ON THIS AND... OH, YES.

...IF YOU USE A FOIL ONE SOMETIMES THE EDGES SLOPE SO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE... YEAH.

...IT'S BETTER EVEN TO HAVE THEM SLANTING UP.

SO NOW WE CAN ROLL OUT OUR CRUST AND I'M GOING TO START FIRST... WITH, OF COURSE, THE BOTTOM.

A LITTLE FLOUR ON THE TABLE.

PEOPLE SHOULDN'T BE AFRAID OF USING FLOUR ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE ROLLING OUT A PASTRY.

YOU ALWAYS HEAR PEOPLE SAY YOU CAN ONLY ROLL FORWARD OR SOMETHING.

AND I NOTICE YOU ROLL BACK AND FORTH.

DOES IT MAKE ANY... YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT CAME FROM AND IT...

THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF FUSSINESS ABOUT...

IT'S TOO MUCH FUSSINESS.

THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO ROLL IS BACK AND FORTH.

IN FACT, THE TECHNIQUE THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT...

I NOTICED YOU DON'T GO OVER THE EDGE BECAUSE THAT WOULD... NO, THEN IT WOULD MAKE IT TOO THIN.

YEAH.

AND, IN FACT, IF YOU DO GO IN ONE DIRECTION LIKE THIS WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU DROP THE ROLLING PIN AND USUALLY PEOPLE ARE, I'M EXAGGERATING IT BUT YOU HEAR IT'S POUNDING THE DOUGH.

YEAH.

THAT'S WHAT MAKES THE DOUGH TOUGH.

IT WILL MAKE IT SHRINK AND WE'LL HAVE PROBLEMS LATER ON.

NOW WE'RE READY TO LINE OUR PAN.

BUT HOW THICK WOULD YOU SAY THAT WAS -- ABOUT AN EIGHTH OF AN INCH?

YES, I'D SAY ABOUT AN EIGHTH OF AN INCH.

SO IT'S FAIRLY THICK, ISN'T IT?

YES, IT IS.

YOU KNOW, THESE APPLES HAVE ALL THOSE CORNERS AND YOU NEED IT A LITTLE THICKER.

YOU DON'T WANT THEM POKING THROUGH.

NO, WE DON'T WANT ANY HOLES.

SO, I'M JUST GOING TO FOLD THAT OVER.

IF THERE HAPPENS TO BE A LOT OF FLOUR HERE YOU CAN TAKE A SOFT BRUSH AND BRUSH THAT OFF.

AND WE CAN EVEN CHECK THE OTHER SIDE.

IT'S NOT BAD.

IT'S NOT BAD AT ALL.

SO LET'S MOVE THE PAN OVER HERE TO MAKE IT EASIER.

DIVIDE THE PAN IN HALF.

AND YOU HAVEN'T BUTTERED THE PAN?

NO, NO.

IT DOESN'T NEED IT.

THERE'S ENOUGH IN THE PASTRY TO RELEASE AND TAKE CARE OF THE PAN SO IT SHOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE PAN IS DRY AND CLEAN.

NOW I'LL LIFT THE EDGE AND SLIDE IT IN SO THAT IT TAKES ON THE SHAPE OF THE PAN.

AND IF YOU GLIDE YOUR FINGER THERE YOU'D BE ABLE TO TELL IF THERE WAS ANY AIR POCKETS.

YOU CAN FEEL HOW IT CLINGS OR IS SNUG AGAINST THE PAN.

AND IT'S STILL COLD.

YES, STILL COOL, WHICH IS GOOD.

NOW LET'S PUT OUR APPLES IN.

MMM, THEY SMELL SO GOOD WITH ALL THE SPICES ON THEM.

YEAH, THEY SURE DO.

AND I LIKE TO SCRAPE OUT THE BOWL REALLY WELL.

BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A COUPLE TABLESPOONS LEFT.

AND WE NEED THAT FOR FLAVOR.

WE ALSO HAVE OUR TAPIOCA FLOUR FOR THICKENING.

NOW TO ARRANGE THESE WE CAN BRING THEM DOWN LIKE THIS.

THIS IS GOING TO BE AN APPLE-Y, APPLE PIE.

YEAH, THEY REDUCE QUITE A BIT SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO USE A FAIR AMOUNT OF APPLES.

OKAY, SO THEY'RE SLIGHTLY DOMED.

I HAVE ONE BEATEN EGG WHITE HERE AND ANOTHER LITTLE BRUSH.

I'M JUST GOING TO BRUSH THE EDGE.

SOME PEOPLE WOULD USE WATER I LIKE TO USE EGG WHITE BECAUSE I THINK IT FUSES BETTER.

THE WATER CREATES STEAM WHICH CAN CAUSE IT TO SEPARATE.

IF YOU WANT YOU CAN ADD A LITTLE BUTTER.

A COUPLE TABLESPOONS JUST ON TOP.

YOU DON'T PUT ANY LEMON JUICE OR ANYTHING ELSE IN IT?

NO, BECAUSE IF YOU USE REALLY GOOD APPLES...

THEY'RE SOUR ENOUGH AND TART YOU DON'T NEED IT.

THEN YOU'VE GOT ENOUGH BUTTER IN THE DOUGH YES.

TO SEEP DOWN INTO THE APPLES.

YEAH.

LET'S FOLD THAT LIKE THAT.

I HAVE A FAIR AMOUNT.

THE OVERHANG IS GENEROUS.

AND NOW I USUALLY LIFT THE EDGE AND THEN PRESS DOWN ON TOP OF THAT LIP.

I'M FUSING THE TWO CRUSTS TOGETHER.

RIGHT WHERE THAT EGG WHITE IS SANDWICHED BY THEM.

AND THEN WE LIFT THIS EXTRA CRUST AND FOLD IT LIKE THIS AND PRESS IT TOGETHER SO IT STANDS ON THAT LIP.

NOW IT'S CLEAR TO UNDERSTAND WHY THAT LIP IS SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE.

A NICE PIE BECAUSE IT'S NOT TOO FINICKY ON HOW YOU DO IT.

THAT'S RIGHT.

EVERY APPLE PIE SHOULD LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

YOU COULD LEAVE IT LIKE THIS.

AND NOTICE THAT IT'S STANDING STRAIGHT UP.

LET ME EXAGGERATE THIS -- IF IT'S OUT LIKE THIS AND IT OVERHANGS THIS LIP -- THAT IS GOING TO FALL.

AND THEN IT'S A LITTLE TOO ABSTRACT EVEN FOR A COUNTRY PIE.

NOW WE COULD EITHER LEAVE IT LIKE THIS OR WE COULD FLUTE IT.

IT TOOK ME A LONG TIME TO LEARN THIS, I CONFESS.

THIS WILL BE NICE TO KNOW.

A FRIEND OF MINE'S MOTHER IN FLORIDA TAUGHT ME HOW TO DO THIS.

YOU TAKE YOUR THUMB AND YOUR INDEX FINGER AND YOU SEPARATE IT ABOUT AN INCH ON THE OUTSIDE AND YOU POKE IN.

YOU TAKE YOUR INDEX FINGER AND YOU GO PUSH OUT.

NOW, WHAT YOU DON'T... WELL, THAT'S PERFECTLY EASY.

THAT'S EASY.

WHAT EVERYBODY WANTS TO DO IS PINCH.

YOU DON'T PINCH.

AND THEN YOU ROTATE YOUR THUMB OVER TO WHERE THE INDEX FINGER IS.

AND YOU KEEP TRAVELING LIKE THIS.

YOU DON'T WANT TO PINCH BECAUSE YOU'LL MAKE IT TOO NARROW.

IT MAKES IT... YEAH, IT MAKES IT NARROWER AND THIN SO THAT IT... THEN IT BURNS.

YEAH.

THIS IS NICE.

TO SEAL THE TOP AND TO GIVE IT A LITTLE BIT OF COLOR AGAIN, WE USE THE EGG WHITE.

AND IT'S JUST A THIN COATING.

AND ACTUALLY WHAT I DID IS I SCRAPED THE SIDE TO GET MOST OF IT OFF AND THERE'S STILL A LOT IN THERE AND THEN YOU CAN JUST PAINT IT SO IT DOESN'T DRIP.

AND THE LAST THING WE NEED IS... JUST A LITTLE BIT OF SUGAR ON TOP.

AND IT'S ABOUT A TEASPOON.

AND WHAT THIS DOES IS IT CARAMELIZES.

MMM, THAT'LL BE LOVELY.

IT REALLY GIVES THIS AN ATTRACTIVE CRUST.

THE EGG WHITE WILL DRY OUT.

AND IT HELPS ALSO TO GIVE US THAT CRISP TEXTURE WHICH IS IMPORTANT.

I MEAN, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE IS TO HAVE A CRUST BROWNED BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO GIVE US A LOT MORE FLAVOR AND TOASTY, NUTTY TONES.

THE RICHNESS OF THE BUTTER THAT IS GOING TO ENHANCE THE SWEET... TARTNESS, SOUR FLAVORS OF THE APPLES.

SO THAT'S THE BALANCE.

THEN I MAKE A COUPLE HOLES ON TOP.

THESE ARE LITTLE CHIMNEYS TO ALLOW THE STEAM TO COME OUT.

I USUALLY PUT FOUR NEAR THE TOP, NOT... THAT'S NICE LOOKING TOO.

YEAH.

DON'T PUT THEM DOWN HERE BECAUSE THE JUICES WILL COME OUT OF THE APPLE.

THE SUGAR WILL LIQUEFY AND THAT'S WHAT ACTUALLY HELPS TO COOK THE APPLES BECAUSE IT HEATS UP.

BUT IF YOU MAKE IT DOWN HERE THAT FLUID BOILS OUT AND THEN BURNS ON THE OVEN BOTTOM.

IT WEEPS ON THE PIE.

YEAH, IT'S, UHH... WE DON'T WANT THAT.

NO.

SO NOW WE'RE READY TO BAKE THIS AND WE PUT IT IN A PRE-HEATED 425 OVEN.

THAT'S GOOD AND HOT.

IT'S GOOD AND HOT SO THAT IT COOKS THE OUTSIDE FIRST.

IT SETS IT BEFORE THE CENTER LIQUEFIES -- WHICH WOULD CAUSE THE BOTTOM CRUST PARTICULARLY TO GET SOGGY.

AND WE'RE ALSO GOING TO COOK IT ON THE LOWEST LEVEL OF THE RACK SO WE GET THE HEAT ON THE BOTTOM WHERE WE NEED IT AND WE ALSO KEEP THE TOP AWAY FROM THE SURFACE HEAT.

THAT WAY IT BAKES MORE EVENLY.

THEN AFTER 10 MINUTES OF BAKING WE TURN IT DOWN TO 375 AND IT CONTINUES TO BAKE FOR ABOUT ANOTHER 50 MINUTES.

50?

5-0?

50 MINUTES, YES.

5-0.

SO LET'S PUT IT IN...

HERE WE GO.

OKAY, OUR PIE IS DONE BAKING AND IT JUST NEEDS TO COOL ONE HOUR BEFORE WE CUT INTO IT.

MMM.

THIS IS A GOOD SIZE KNIFE TO USE.

MMM... THAT SMELLS SO GOOD.

THANK YOU.

THE FIRST PIECE IS THE TOUGHEST TO GET OUT.

OF EVERYTHING, ISN'T IT?

YEAH.

MMM.

AND IF YOU LIFT UP.

THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.

AND THEN SOME SOFTLY WHIPPED CREAM SO IT'S FLUID AND IT COMPLEMENTS THE PIE.

WOULD YOU TEST THIS PLEASE?

WELL, I GUESS I'D BETTER HADN'T I.

AND THIS IS AT ROOM TEMPERATURE?

YES, I THINK IT'S WHEN THE APPLES HAVE THEIR BEST FLAVOR.

I WANT TO SEE HOW THAT BOTTOM CRUST IS.

MMM.

THAT'S AWFULLY GOOD, JIM.

THANK YOU.

THAT'S A REAL AMERICAN APPLE PIE.

AND THE BOTTOM CRUST IS GOOD.

NO ONE IS GOING TO LEAVE IT.

I HOPE NOT.

THANK YOU, JIM.

THANK YOU.

THAT WAS WONDERFUL.

Julia: BON APPETIT.