Vodka Secret to Winning Apple Bake-off Recipe

On its closing day of the season the Farmers Market held its annual Apple Bake-off, with twelve people competing in two categories, pies and “non-pies.”

According to information from the market, Marlissa Briggett won first place for her apple pie, which includes vodka as an ingredient (recipe below). Laura Dorson’s pie came in second place while Jim Kiely and Loren Gomez tied for third. Some unusual and creative entries won the non-pie category, with Tonya Howard’s Apple Cheesecake Streusel Bars taking first place. Julie Kaufman’s Maple-Bourbon Apple Tarts with Candied Bacon came in second, followed by Alexandra Grant’s slow-cooked Applesauce in third place.

The winning apple pie recipe from Briggett is as follows:

Pie Dough
2 ½ cups flour
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
12 tbsp. cold, unsalted butter (cut into ½ inch slices)
½ cup vegetable shortening
¼ cup cold vodka
¼ cup ice water

Process 1 ½ cups flour, sugar and salt in food processor until combined. Add butter and shortening and process until it looks like cottage cheese curds, about 15 seconds. Add remaining cup flour and pulse 6 times, until mixture is evenly distributed. Empty into medium bowl.
Sprinkle vodka and water over the mixture. With spatula or wooden spoon, , use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until it is slightly tacky and sticks together. Divide into two balls and flatten into a disk. Refrigerate for 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

Filling:
8 medium to MA and RI apples, a variety
3/4 cup of Sugar
3 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter
Cold Water

Preheat oven to 450°.

Peel each apple and cut into ¼ inch slices. Add to a large bowl. Add sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well. Let sit for 15 minutes, and stir occasionally. Put the apple mixture in the pie plate with the bottom curst already laid out. Cut the butter into small, small pieces. Evenly distribute the butter over the top of the pie. Take cold water and rub it around the outer rim of the bottom crust. Place top crust on the pie, sealing the edges and remove any excess pie dough. Make a couple vents at the top of the pie and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.

Bake at 450 for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, turn the temperature down to 350° and bake for another 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the inside is bubbling.

– InsideMedford.com