Brown Sugar Apple Pie for Inauguration Day

What dessert could possibly be better for Inauguration Day than one that's as American as apple pie?

It's even being served at today's official post-Inaugural lunch, which is offering the following dishes on its menu:

Steamed lobster with a New England clam chowder sauce

Grilled bison with a potato horseradish cake and a wild huckleberry reduction

Apple pie with sour cream ice cream

Cheese and honey

Whether your candidate won or not, it's time to move beyond partisanship and show up for the food. And to remember that, even if our favorites don't always win, we still have the privilege of being able to make a choice. That alone is worthy of a celebration!

And so, here's a simple pie sweetened with brown sugar and a bit of cinnamon - traditional and delicious. You, too, can eat like the dignitaries who have been invited to the party in Washington, D.C.!

Brown Sugar Apple Pie

Filling:

• 5 pounds Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1-1/2" chunks
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons butter

Place all ingredients into a large saucepan, stir to combine well, and bring just to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low, cover, and cook 10 minutes 'til just tender, stirring once halfway through. Let cool while preparing crust.

Crust (slightly adapted from a recipe on Epicurious.com):

• 2 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup shortening, at room temperature
• 5-6 tablespoons (or more) ice water

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add butter and shortening, mixing with a fork until the mixture resembles meal. Add 5 tablespoons ice water, mixing until the dough starts to adhere and form a ball, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if still dry. Gather dough together; divide into 2 pieces, one a bit larger than the other. Form each piece into a ball; flatten into disks and wrap in plastic. Chill for 30 minutes.

Pie:

• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1-1/2 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 425F.

Take one portion of crust and roll to a 12" circle. Place into a 9" pie pan.

Pour filling into crust.

Roll remaining portion of crust into a 12" circle. Lay over pie filling, trim edges (leave a 1" overhang), fold edges of top crust under bottom crust, then crimp to seal. Cut small slits into the top of the pie.

Combine egg and water, and brush egg wash over the top pie crust. Sprinkle with the sugar.

Bake pie for 30 minutes, then lower heat to 350F and bake for 10-15 more minutes until filling is starting to bubble and crust is golden. Remove from oven and let cool.

Makes 1 pie.