WILSON, WY — In our increasingly food-conscious society, cooking for a large group of people has become even more stressful that it already is. There’s inevitably at least one person who’s dairy free, one who’s gluten free, one who’s vegan, the list goes on. It can be exhausting trying to accommodate for all diners. As a result of the recent wave of food restrictions has come a number of decent alternatives. While I’m all for accommodating peoples allergies and chosen lifestyles, I am also a believer of staying as true to a good thing as possible. This is why I rarely bake with gluten free flours or fake cheese when there are perfectly delicious, naturally gluten, dairy or animal-product free dishes to choose from.

For the next two additions to my Thanksgiving Prep Segment, I’ve got two desserts for those of you looking to accommodate the many diets of your friends and families. The first is a vegan/dairy free apple pie.

Generally, I’m a fan of a butter based pie crust as it is flakier and holds together more easily than a shortening based one. However, this shortening crust is crumbly and delicious. Paired with my favorite apple pie filling, it will satisfy all members of the family, dairy free or not.

Note: If you have a gluten free all-purpose flour that you swear to, feel free to substitute it for a fully gf df pie.

Dairy Free Apple Pie

For the Crust:

2 Cups all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 Cup shortening

1/2 Cup iced water

For the Filling:

4-5 of your favorite pie apples. I used a combination of Golden Delicious, Gala and Braeburn

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar  

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground clove

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1 orange, zested

1 lemon, juiced

2 tbsp Grand Marnier Liquor

2 tbsp corn starch

1 tsp fine salt

Mix in the shortening with your fingers, working the fat into the flour until it resembles small peas. Add the water, 1 tbsp at a time, until the dough comes together. You probably won’t need all of the water. Work the dough into two disks. Wrap them in cling-film and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Halve and core your apples. Cut them into thin half-moon slices. Toss them with all of the remaining ingredients and allow them to soak for 30 minutes to an hour. Combine flour and salt in a bowl.

Set the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease the bottom and sides of your favorite pie dish (I like to use a canola based cooking spray). Roll out one of your dough disks onto a floured surface until about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick. You want it wide enough to cover your whole pie dish. Due to the viscosity of vegetable shortening, the dough may not hold together quite as sturdily as a butter based one. DON’T FRET! Simply form it into a disk, place it in the bottom of your dish, and press it into the form of the dish. It will still bake beautifully. If you want your pie to be pretty, arrange your sliced apples into concentric circles, layering the apples as you go to make a nice shingled look. If you don’t care, pile the apples into the pie until you’re satisfied. The one thing I ask is that you don’t DUMP your apples in as the juices that have collected as they soak will seep through your crust, rendering your final product a soggy mess. Please, whatever you do, pick your apples out of the bowl as you place them into the pie. Note: the remaining juice is delicious. Cook it down and use it as a syrup for tasty holiday cocktails or add it to hot water for a delicious tea. Bake the pie for 45 minutes to an hour or until the crust begins to darken and the apples are soft.

Serve hot or room temperature.