Large family food ideas desserts apple pie….
I have found that with having a large family most everything that we do is different than the average family. That includes dessert making. I used to love making pies for our family but by the time I had made enough for our large family I would have 3 pies stacked one on top of the other in the refrigerator and usually that would result in someone accidentally knocking over the pies and making a mess in an already overcrowded refrigerator.
There had to be another way ……
I came up with making our pies in a jelly roll pan. It was easier to make one large crust instead of individual round ones, and cutting and serving was way more convenient.
I use the same ingredients that I would for my traditional pies but with an extra ingredient added to the crust to give it a little more structure.
Large family apple pie squares
- 5 cups flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 cup cold butter
- 2 eggs, separated
- 8 Tbsp milk
- 2 cup crushed cornflakes
- 9 cups chopped, peeled apples. I used my quart sized bags of frozen peeled and chopped apples–2 quart sized bags
- 2 cups sugar
- sugar, cinnamon for topping
Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1-2 T milk
or you can just use your egg white leftover gently whipped and brushed on and sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon for the topping, we just prefer the glaze.
How I go about making my crust, I split the amount of dough ingredients I need in half and do them separately in the food processor.
Place 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, and 1 cup cold butter into your food processor.
Pulse for a few times to create large crumbs out of your dough.
In a measuring cup, combine egg yolk and enough milk to measure 1/3 cup.
Pour over your flour mixture.
Turn on your food processor on the “dough” setting and let the machine do the work. You can also do this by hand, mixing and kneading the dough, that is what I used to do before I realized how easy it was in the food processor.
When your dough is completely mixed and formed into a dough-like ball, you can roll it out into your pan. I use a 16×12 inch jelly roll style. If you have smaller or larger just make the crust either thinner or thicker.
After you have rolled out your dough. Place your cornflakes into your food processor.
Crush them into fine pieces.
Sprinkle them over your crust
In a mixing bowl, place your apples. I have diced and froze ours in quart sized bags. I use 2 bags for this recipe.
Add your sugar. I normally would have used raw sugar, but the store I purchase it from was out, so I was “forced” to use white sugar.
Add your cinnamon and nutmeg
Mix gently, coating your apples evenly
Sprinkle your apples evenly over the crust
Now you are going to make your top layer crust. Repeat the steps you just did to make your bottom crust.
Place 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, and 1 cup cold butter into your food processor.
Pulse for a few times to create large crumbs out of your dough.
In a measuring cup, combine egg yolk and enough milk to measure 1/3 cup.
Pour over your flour mixture.
Turn on your food processor on the “dough” setting and let the machine do the work. You can also do this by hand, mixing and kneading the dough, that is what I used to do before I realized how easy it was in the food processor.
What I did to make this job easy, was to lightly flour the bottom of a cookie sheet–the same size as my jelly roll pan and I rolled out the top crust onto that. I then put the crust over top of the apples in a flip style method. Just turn your pan over and gently tap and scrape a few sides until it falls off. It may not be perfect in some spots, but I cover that area with enough glaze that you won’t see it:)
Place it in a 350 oven for 45-50 minutes until golden brown.
If you prefer to have your crust like “traditional apple pie” you can beat your egg whites that were leftover and then carefully brush this over your crust. Sprinkle with a cinnamon sugar mixture.
Or you can do what we do…..
Mix up your glaze.
After your apple pie squares comes out of the oven, let it sit for about 10 minutes and then drizzle over warm pastry.
Cut into squares and serve.
