Ingredients
Scale
- 8 apples (I used half Granny Smith and half a crisp red apple)
- double pie crust
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- gel coloring
- milk
- sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425
- Peel, core, and slice the apples
- Reserving a small amount for coloring, roll out half of the remaining pie dough and line the pie pan
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stir in the flour, let it cook for a couple of minutes
- Add the water, sugars, and cinnamon, simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally
- While the sugar mixture is cooking, carefully place the apple slices in the crust, I place them individually rather than just pouring them into the pan
- I put them right next to each other, filling in empty space to minimize the shrinkage and air space at the top, as they cook
- Pour the hot syrup over the apple slices, distributing it evenly over the pie
- Add the top crust, and cut out the tree trunk, I started with a sharp knife, but switched to scissors
- Work gel colors into reserved dough, roll out and cut with small leaf shaped cookie cutters, I used a sharp knife to add a stem to the center of the leaves
- Brush the back of the leaves with water and arrange on the top crust
- Brush the crust and leaves with milk and sprinkle with sugar
- Bake for 15 minutes and reduce the heat to 350, bake for another 35 – 45 minutes