Fall recipes: Spiced rum apple pie

A classic fall recipe to try as apple-picking season comes to an end.

As the temperature dropped and reading week provided some free time at last, many students rushed to apple orchards to get into the autumnal spirit, myself included. If you’re like me and have found yourself stuck with too many apples that you don’t want to waste, or if you’re looking for a fun fall activity, try baking this spiced rum apple pie. This recipe is fairly simple and can be modified to suit your needs. 

Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours and 45 minutes

Servings:  8

Ingredients:

60 ml (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

80 ml (1/3 cup) brown sugar

22 ml (1 1/2 tbsp) minced ginger (ginger powder also works, but won’t be as flavourful)

2 large apples (crisp tart apples like granny smiths are best)

60 ml (1/4 cup) lemon juice 

30 to 45 ml (2 to 3 tbsp) spiced rum (spiced whiskey or bourbon also works)

2 cinnamon sticks ( 1/2 tbsp cinnamon powder also works)

8 ml (1/2 tbsp) nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

2 to 5 ml (1/2 to 1 tsp) cornstarch

2 pastry sheets (if you do want to make homemade pie crust, it’s fairly easy but will take about an hour and a half to make and cool)

1 egg

15 ml (1 tbsp) milk (heavy cream or water also works)

1. Preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F), then line your pie tin with the pastry sheet, making sure the pastry’s edges don’t hang off the sides. Use a fork to poke small holes into the bottom of the pie crust, then bake for 15 minutes.
2. While the crust is baking, peel, core, and cut apples into 1/4-inch thick slices. Mince the ginger and combine it in a bowl with the apples. Pour the lemon juice and spiced rum into the bowl and toss to mix. 
3. Combine butter and brown sugar in a large pot on medium-high heat. Once the butter and sugar are well combined, add the apple-ginger mixture. Lower the heat to medium. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Let it all simmer for 5 minutes, making sure the apples don’t completely disintegrate.
4. Remove the apple mixture from the heat, add the cornstarch to thicken, and pour into the baked pie crust. If you’d like, cut the second pastry sheet into thin strips and interweave them over the top of the pie into a grid shape. 
5. Let the pie cool in the fridge for 1 hour.
6. While the pie cools, make an egg wash by mixing the egg and milk.
7. Take the pie out of the fridge, and use a brush to coat the crust lightly with egg wash.
8. Bake at 200 C (400 F) for 50 to 60 minutes; the top of the crust should be deep golden brown.
9. Let the pie cool for 20 minutes, and enjoy!

After you’re done baking, you’ll be left with apple cores and peels. Don’t throw them out! The apple skins can be dried out to make tea or added to cider or mulled wine to add flavour. You can compost the remaining apple cores.