Growing up, the only apples to be used for pies in our family (and apple oatmeal bars - a recipe our family makes that is sort of like a crumble with oatmeal added) were Baldwins. We would get apples from orchards in CT or MA near a family cabin we had in Winsted, CT. The few orchards that had them slowly started removing the trees because they were biennial and people were starting to prefer fuji and the like, so we put in a tree at the cabin that is still there, unsprayed and bearing wormy fruit worth laboring over to cut out the good parts. The tree we ordered from Starks was a dwarf and started that way until heavy spring rains washed dirt up over the graft and it rooted out and grew into a 30 foot tall tree.
The apples would keep in the garage until Christmas and still hold their shape wonderfully in baking. Great, rich apple flavor with maybe a little lemon juice added for the Christmas pies after storage had let the acidity drop and the sugars come up in the apples. For Thanksgiving they needed no lemon.
So it is hard to imagine this thread running over 120 entries when it could have been answered with a single post with the word Baldwin. But I do like the sound of Northern Spy as well and I will admit Iāve never turned down a slice of apple pie, even when made with less than ideal varieties that practically turn to apple sauce in baking. I now live in VA, and Baldwins are not a southern apple. Weāve tried many others and they all make me miss those Baldwins.
Now for crusts, the best shortening to use is rendered chicken fat (schmaltz), ideally from a Jewish deli in the Bronx. You will never have a crust any flakier, but the dough is so delicate to work with only the best cooks can handle it, and it should always be worked by hand (like @Lodidian) without the aid of any new fangled machine. If a trip to the Bronx isnāt planned, a kind word to a local butcher may get some raw chicken fat set aside for you the next time heās cutting whole chickens into parts. The advantage of rendering it yourself is you get some cracklings that will put any pork rinds to shame. I havenāt eaten anything that walks in 7 years, but thinking of those cracklings now my mouth is watering.
The relative benefits of Canola oil vs butter is debatable, but I use oil primarily because it is much easier to work into the crisp topping than butter. I have to make a lot of crisps to use up our apples, and I want the process to be as quick and simple as possible.
My understanding is that there was a major freeze in the 1930s that killed most of the Baldwin apple trees, and itās been uncommon ever since, having been replaced mostly with Macintosh (and then others).
Iāve had the opportunity to try it once it twice, but Iāve never cooked with it. Now youāve gotten me interested. Iāll see if i can find any next year.
Top and bottom dough on a pie is beautiful, but when you have a lot of fruit and want the dessert to be a higher ratio of fruit to dough open face, or even tarts are also nice. On the other hand, dough only on top would render it less soggy, especially after the first day.
Theyāre (Baldwin) slow to bear, mine were grafted on P.18 in 2018 and Iāve had no blooms yet, but nice sized trees with nice laterals. P.18 is a standard rootstock so that hasnāt helped Iām sure, perhaps on a more dwarfing rootstock it would be producing by now. I usually do my pruning in March, check with me then if you want scion.
Any of these useful for pies and desserts:
Cornish Aromatic
Cinnamon Spice
Kinnairds Choice
Holly
Green Pippin
Johnsonās Keeper
Hudson Golden Gem
Monarch
Oliver
Rome
King David
Terry
Zabergau Reinette
These are all late applesā¦some ought to make a good pie?
Ill bet Zabergau would make a great pie. Its dense and packs a wallup flavor-wise. Any reinette type apple is a good bet. Zabergau Reinette ā Scott Farm Orchard.
Iāve used Rome, many years ago. My vague recollection is that itās large, easy to process, and holds its shape well, but has a somewhat bland and boring flavor, as apples go.
Iāve eaten these. They arenāt as sour as i like a pie apple to be. And they are a little small for convenient processing. But if your tastes run to sweet, without an offsetting tang of acid, and you donāt mind peeling and coring a lot of fruit, theyād make a good pie.
My recollection is similar. A mighty nice choice for a fruit basket to place in a prominent position on displayā¦but so-so once you get past itās great looks.
Im fond of Hudsonās Golden Gem. Its got great texture and a nice mellow flavor. Ive read that it was initially marketed as a pear for that reason, which Ive always found bizarre. I believe its a chance seedling from Oregon or thereabouts. I can vouch that the fruit often gets quite large.
Lard for me when making pie crust. But I grew up eating pie crust made with lard. Tried using butter once and it is good too but I missed the taste of lard. Just basic pie dough: 2 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, 2/3 cup lard and enough cold water to make it form a dough. Easy as pie! First recipe I ever remembered. Been making it this way since I was 10 when I made my first pie.
No food processor needed either. While they work, I keep it simple and avoid all the clean up for a food processor. I guess I am old school. Pastry knife normally used but a fork or just using fingers to incorporate the flour and fat works.
But I NEVER turn down a slice of anyoneās home made pie when offered even if they did not use lard. Had crusts made with oil too. I guess I can say I liked them all but I am just partial to lard in my crusts.
Since we always got a pig each Fall in exchange for apples I grew we had the lard anyway so I put it to good use.
Sad these days when so many are afraid to make a home made crust and resort to those pre-rolled things at the frozen section in the supermarket. I was so impressed when my youngest daughter still in college asked for a pie recipe and then made her pie and homemade crust in her apartment this past Thanksgiving. She sent me a photo and it turned out nice. Proud as punch that the āapple did not fall far from the treeā after all. Even more impressed when she said she hopes to someday own land so she can grow her own apples!
Always wonderful when we can pass our knowledge and experience on to the next generation of fruit growers.
My favorite is Newtown Pippin.
My tree bears a lot and they stay good in the root cellar until after Christmas.
I use Calville Blanc to make Tart Tatin and itās wonderful. Holds its shape and turns into sort of a jello mold.
Lard is good stuff. High in good fats. And does not create free radicals when overly browning/burning food like plant oils. Plus Lard is a form of food our body digests well.
