Caramelized-Apple and Pecan Pie

Ingredients

Crust: 2 cups all purpose flour 1 tablespoon sugar 3/4 teaspoon salt 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 5 tablespoons (about) chilled orange juice, divided 1 large egg white, beaten to blend
Apples: 1 1/2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, diced 3 Albemarle Pippin apples or Fuji apples (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds), peeled,quartered, cored
Filling: 3/4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons all purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 large eggs 1/4 cup light corn syrup 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 1/2 cup coursely chopped pecans, toasted

Preparation

For crust:

Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor 5 seconds. Add butter. Using on/off turns, blend until butter is reduced to small pea-size pieces. Add 4 tablespoons orange juice. Blend, using on/off turns, until moist clumps form, adding more juice by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

Roll out dough on floured surface to 14-inch round. Transfer to 10-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Cut off all but 1/2 inch of dough overhang. Fold dough edge under and crimp decoratively, forming high-standing rim. Freeze 10 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate crust. Brush inside of crust with enough beaten egg white to coat.

For apples:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk brown sugar and butter in large ovenproof skillet over medium heat until butter melts, sugar dissolves, and mixture comes to boil. Boil 1 minute, whisking constantly. Remove from heat. Arrange apples, rounded side down, in syrup. Bake 15 minutes; turn over. Bake until just tender, about 20 minutes longer. Transfer apples to paper towels to cool slightly. Whisk syrup in skillet until smooth. Cool slightly and reserve. Maintain oven temperature

Mix sugar, flour, and salt in small bowl. Place eggs in medium bowl. Gradually whisk in reserved syrup from apples. Add corn syrup, vanilla, and sugar mixture; whisk until smooth. Stir in pecans. Pour filling into crust. Arrange apples, rounded side up, atop filling.

Bake pie until filling is set in center, covering edges with foil if browning too quickly, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover loosely with foil and let stand at room temperature.

Lemon Meringue Pie

Ingredients

For pie Pastry dough

5 large egg yolks1

1/4 cups sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt1

1/4 cups water

1/4 cup whole milk

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

For meringue

5 large egg whites, at room temperature 30 minutes

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/8 teaspoon salt

3/4 superfine granulated sugar

Make pie shell:

Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.

Preparation

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round, then fit into a 9-inch pie plate (4-cup capacity). Trim edge, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, then crimp decoratively. Lightly prick shell all over with a fork, then chill 30 minutes.

Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights or raw rice. Bake until side is set and edge is pale golden, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove weights and foil and bake shell until bottom and side are golden, about 20 minutes more. Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 350°F.

Make filling:

Whisk together yolks in a small bowl.

Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a heavy medium saucepan. Gradually add water and milk, whisking until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking frequently as mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat and gradually whisk about 1 cup milk mixture into yolks, then whisk yolk mixture into remaining milk mixture. Add lemon zest and juice and simmer, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until incorporated. Cover surface with wax paper to keep hot.

Make Meringue:

Beat whites with cream of tartar and salt using an electric mixer at medium speed until they hold soft peaks. Increase speed to high and add superfine sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until meringue just holds stiff, glossy peaks.

Assemble and bake pie:

Pour hot filling into warm pie shell and gently shake to smooth top. Spread meringue decoratively over hot filling, covering filling completely.

Immediately bake until meringue is golden-brown, about 15 minutes. Cool completely on a rack, 2 to 3 hours. Cut with a serrated knife dipped in cold water.