Always-Crisp Apple Pie

Instead of creating one large pie, Shire makes individual pie crusts from puff pastry, and adds the filling later. The filling gets its flavor from Macoun apples, a New England favorite.

For the crust:
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
Granulated sugar, as needed

For the filling:
8 Macoun apples, peeled, cored, and diced
1⁄4 to 1⁄2 cup sugar
1⁄4 t. vanilla
Juice from 1⁄2 lemon
Salt, to taste
Devonshire cream or lightly whipped cream, for garnish

To make the crust: Roll the puff pastry to a square 1⁄8 of an inch thick, about 6-by-6 inches. Place in the refrigerator to chill thoroughly. Sprinkle a countertop or another work surface with granulated sugar. Place the dough on the sugar. Sprinkle the top with more sugar and roll until as thin as possible. Cut the dough into four squares.
Place four ramekins or custard cups on a baking sheet. Line each one with a square of parchment paper, then put the pastry on top of the paper, lightly pressing it into the cup to shape it. Bake at 350 degrees until crisp and nicely browned, about 20 minutes. Remove and let cool. Gently peel off the paper.

To make the filling: In a mixing bowl, toss the apple slices with the sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, and salt (don’t make them too sweet). Place in a buttered ceramic or glass baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees until very tender and syrupy.

To serve, place a pastry shell on a plate and gently spoon the apple filling into it. While the filling is still warm, spoon in some Devonshire cream or softly whipped cream and let it melt in. Makes 4 servings.

Recipes:
Macomber Turnip Soup
Grilled Salmon with Silky Potato Sauce
Always-Crisp Apple Pie
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