Strawberry Apple Pie

Pie crust

1. In a mixing bowl of a stand mixer or food processor, combine the dry ingredients for the crust (all-purpose flour, cake flour, sugar, and salt).
2. Cut the cream cheese into a few pieces and add it to the dry ingredients, and mix for 10 to 30 seconds or so (food processor shorter, mixer longer).
3. Add the butter and mix or process again until the butter is the size of flattened peas or your thumbnail.
4. Add the cream and vinegar and mix or process only until the mixture clumps together when pressed between your fingers.
5. I find that it is easiest to form the pie crust balls in clean gallon ziplock bags, but you can also do it in plastic wrap or metal bowls. Divide the mixture into two parts. Classic lattice is 2:1 for bottom:top crusts, but I find that this is not enough dough for a lattice or other design and prefer to do a 4:3 ratio.
6. Quickly and gently, mash the dough for the bottom crust until it comes together into a ball. I don't want to say knead or you'll do it too roughly. Flatten it into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and leave it in the refrigerator for at least an hour and ideally overnight. Repeat with the top crust.

Parbaked apples, optional

1. If you are parbaking crisp apples, preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Peel, core, and slice the apples and toss them in a large bowl with the ¼ cup of granulated sugar and lemon juice.
3. Lay them out on two baking sheets lined with parchment or a silicone mat so they are not overlapping. Save the bowl and any liquid that has accumulated.
4. Bake for about 45 minutes until they have softened but not browned. Let cool.

Fruit mixture and fruit syrup

1. Toss the strawberries with the ¼ cup of granulated sugar and place in a strainer over a small pot to collect the juice for about an hour. If you are not parbaking your apples, mix the fresh sliced apple slices, an additional ¼ cup sugar, and lemon juice in a bowl and add them to the strawberries.
2. Return the strawberries and apples to a bowl, and heat the pot with the fruit juices over med-low heat. Bring to a slow boil.
3. Mix the cream and cornstarch in a small bowl. When the fruit juices come to a boil, add the cream and cornstarch slurry until all traces of the cornstarch have disappeared.
4. Cook until the syrup has begun to thicken and caramelize. Remove it from the heat, add the butter and salt, and then add it to the bowl of strawberries and apples and toss gently.

Strawberry apple pie construction

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F at least 30 minutes prior to baking. If you have a pizza stone, put it on a rack in the middle of the oven.
2. Lightly butter your pie pan.
3. (You can do this while the strawberries are straining) Roll out the bottom crust on a lightly floured countertop to about ⅛ to ¼ inch and transfer it to your pie pan (see Tips and Tricks). Cover the crust loosely with plastic wrap and leave it in the fridge until you are ready to fill.
4. Add the filling from above, recover with plastic wrap, and leave it again in the fridge until you have rolled out the top crust.
5. Re-dust the countertop with flour and roll out the top crust. Cut out shapes or strips, depending on how you want to design your top crust (be careful when cutting on the countertop so you don't damage your countertop!)
6. If you are using leaves or circles or other shapes, try to cut as many out as possible so you re-roll as few times as possible (there are some who might even suggest not to use the remnants, but then you'd need to have made more crust) Re-rolling does decrease the flakiness of your crust.
7. If your kitchen is very warm, you might need to place your shapes or strips on a baking sheet in the freezer for a few minutes so they don't soften as you're working with them. Be careful, though about freezing strips for a lattice for too long or they will become difficult to weave!
8. Arrange the top crust, leaving gaps for steam to escape.
9. Lightly brush the egg or cream wash over the pie. Brush out any places where the egg wash may have pooled.
10. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes on a middle rack on top of a pie of foil to catch bubbling juices (on the pizza stone, if you have one). About 20 to 30 minutes into baking, protect the crust with a foil ring (with the center torn out for venting). The pie is done when the juices are bubbling and a knife inserted into the center meets little resistance.
11. Let the pie cool before cutting so the filling has time to set up.