Pie Play

Baked Apples
Dessert time is set into motion with this tasty take on tic-tac-toe

INGREDIENTS
6 small apples (we used Manitoba grown September Ruby)
2 cups apple pie filling
1 cup flour
1 pie crust
1 egg yolk, beaten

Pie Crust
INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
8 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3 Tbsp cold water

METHOD
1. In large bowl combine flour, sugar and salt.
2. With a pastry cutter, cut butter into flour mixture until pieces of butter are the size of small peas.
3. Add water and mix with fork until dough reaches elastic consistency,
4. Lightly flour work surface and transfer dough. Pat into a ball and flatten into a 1/2-inch thick disk.
5. Using a rolling pin, flatten the disk with 5 to 7 rolls of a rolling pin. Lightly dust top of dough in between rolling.
Yield: 10 apples

Apple Pie Filling
INGREDIENTS
4 cups diced apples
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1⁄2 cup sugar
2 -4 Tbsp cornstarch
1⁄2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon, to your taste
1 cup water

METHOD
1. Add apples into a saucepan and drizzle with lemon juice.
2. Add sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg and cinnamon to apples. Mix well.
3. Add water to pan, stirring constantly until thickened.
4. Remove from heat and cool.

Yield: 10 apples

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Slice 1/2 inch off the top off each apple. Use a spoon to scoop out the inside leaving 1/4 inch of flesh next to the skin.
3. Spoon apple pie filling into the well of each apple.
4. With a rolling pin, roll out dough until 1/2 inch thick. Cut into x’s  and o’s.
5. Place x’s and o’s on top of apples. Trim off excess dough on sides.
6. Brush the top of each crust with the egg wash.
7. Place apples in an 8×8 inch baking dish. Add 1 inch of water to the dish. Bake for 20 minutes until crust is golden brown.

Yield 6 servings