It’s that time again! You are staying up late at nights, cramming every possible bit of information into your mind… and every possible snack into your mouth. You need lots of energy for your exam-taking brain, after all.
What is both delicious and nutritious? Apple pie! Simple, homey, and filling: the perfect comfort food. Pop some in the oven, and study while it bakes. The smell will let you know when it’s done.
Any pie has two parts: the crust and the filling. You can make the crust yourself, but it takes some time and a food processor. If you do not have these things, buy a ready-made shell.
Let us suppose that you have a study break. In that case, here is how you make your own: Take 2.5 cups of flour, a spoonful of salt, and a spoonful of sugar. I said one spoonful! Add a cup of frozen butter, chopped into pieces. Blend all of this in a food processor: you can use two knives, chopping like scissors, but your study break is not that long. Blend it until it looks like crumbs; then add cold water, one spoonful at a time, until the mixture begins to stick together when you pinch it. Do not run the blender continuously! When it is finished, mush it together with your hands, and form it into the pie crust in the pie plate. It will still be rather flaky, and that is all right.
To make the pie filling, there are many variations. However, the basic ingredients are simple: butter, flour, sugar, water, and apples.
Melt the butter- do not use too much! A few spoonfuls will do. Stir in flour until the mixture is pasty, and then add some water and sugar. Use about as much water as butter, and sugar according to taste. Use white or brown sugar, or a mixture of both. All colours are welcome. Get the mixture boiling, and then reduce heat and let it simmer.
Fill your pie crust with apple slices. Make sure it seems like too much, because the apples will shrink like your average after midterms. (Sorry). Pour your sweet sauce over the apples, and cover the filling with crust. You can also cover the pie with doughy shapes, or even leave it uncovered (though beware of dryness).
That is just the basic pie. The variability comes in the tweaks: add whatever you like to the filling. There is always the classic cinnamon-and-raisins, and you can put in any other fruits you like/have on hand. You can replace the apples with Ritz crackers and lemon juice. (That does, in fact, actually work).
Bake your pie at 425°C, and keep an eye on it! Bring your notes into the kitchen and study by the stove, and soon that wonderful apple pie smell will creep in subtly, making your physics much more bearable.
Good luck everybody!
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