Open-Faced Designer Apple Pie

Name: Open-Faced Designer Apple Pie
Yield: Serves 8
Ingredients: 1 Flaky Cream Cheese Pie Crust for a 9-inch lattice pie; 1/2 egg white, lightly beaten; 2 1/2 pounds baking apples, about 6 peeled, cored and sliced 1/8 inch thick; 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice; 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed; 1/4 granulated sugar; 1/2 to 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, preferably freshly grated; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cornstarch; 1 large egg, lightly beaten; 1/4 cup apricot preserves

By Rose Levy Beranbaum

August 20, 2004

Arranging the apple slices in a flower petal formation may be work for the cook, but it sure provides luxurious eating for your lucky guests. This pie has an exceptionally crisp bottom crust under a juicy filling of caramelized, cinnamony apples made tangy and glistening with a gilding of apricot preserves. The border is a wreath of leaves cut from the pie crust.

Note:

For a different look, a 10- by 2-inch tart pan can be used. The fluted sides provide the decoration instead of the pastry leaf border. The apples should be covered when you put the pie in the oven, as there is no exposed pastry to brown.

Recipe notes

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