Grandma Ople's (Perfect) Apple Pie

I don't have a Grandma Ople (I did however have a Grandma Valerie & a Grandma Edna). I don't have any clue who Grandma Ople is. However, I do know that she created one hell of a pie.

One of the items on my Fall Bucket List was to perfect an apple pie. Let me take you back in time to 2008 to this pie:

Other than the fact that the crust isn't as golden as I would like (but in my defense, this photo was also taken on an old school flip phone, so it did look better in person), this pie looks pretty good. I found a recipe, made it, baked it, and was pleased when I pulled it out. Up until I cut into it and the filling splashed out. The inside was apples floating in apple juice. After a night in the fridge it set up & was edible, but I was completely disappointed and humiliated that this was our Thanksgiving dessert.

I figured I had done something wrong, so I tried it again. I had my mom read off the instructions and ingredients to me, and check behind me. I was convinced it would be better. I bake it, pull it out, let it rest and when I cut into it, I had the same wet, sloppy mess I had the first time.

I haven't made an apple pie since. The past few holidays I've made cheesecakes... a lot of cheesecakes. I've made pecan pies (even though I despise them), but never again an apple pie.

Until now. This recipe that I found on All Recipes has 5 stars and almost 1500 reviews. I figured I might be safe. And boy, was I right.

This pie was absolutely PERFECT. I made a few changes (because how can you have an apple pie without cinnamon & nutmeg?) but it was perfect. Absolutely perfect. Graham proclaimed it the best pie he had ever had, and the two of us finished this off in a few days.

I absolutely can not wait to make this for Thanksgiving and take it to both of our families meals!

Grandma Ople's Apple Pie
(Recipe slightly adapted from this one.)

Ingredients:

• Two 9" pie crusts
• 1 stick of unsalted butter
• 2 T. flour
• 1 T. cornstarch
• 1/2 C. white sugar
• 1/2 C. light brown sugar; packed
• 1 T. of cinnamon
• 1 t. of ground nutmeg
• 8-10 Granny Smith apples; peeled & sliced about 1/2" thick.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Core, peel & slice the apples. Place them in a large bowl of water to keep them from browning.
3. Make your pie crusts according to your recipe. (I LOVE this one by the Barefoot Contessa.) Roll out one to put in the pie pan, and roll out the other to use for the topping. 
4. Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan. Stir in flour & cornstarch to form a paste. Add both sugars, and the water, wisk together and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature, and simmer for about 5-10 minutes.
5. Drain the apples and fill the pie dish with them, mound them up slightly.
6. Put the top crust on and carefully pour the syrup over the crust & the apples. (If you're doing a lattice top, pour the syrup carefully over the crust. If you're not doing a lattice crust, pour the syrup over the apples first (saving a little to brush over the top) and then put the crust on.
7. Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet to help with overflow and bake for 1 hour.
8. Let rest for (at least) 10-15 minutes.

And of course you're going to want to serve this beauty with vanilla ice cream =)