[rlmorel]

LOL, heap and pack the apple chunks high. Real high!

The Mitsu apples are lower in water content so they don’t shrink as much when they cook, and I mix in some tapioca to absorb any water that does get forced out of them. I also put pats of butter on the pile of apple chunks before the top crust goes on...:)

I use Mitsus, because if you try this with Macs, they shrink considerably, and you end up with a high, hollow pie! It still tastes okay, but when you cut it to serve, the upper crust just goes to pieces because the apples are so far down, and it doesn’t look as visually attractive.

Heh, my wife always tries to convince me to buy pre-made crusts to save time, but I won’t hear of it.

Hell, if you don’t have time to make a real crust, you don’t have time to make a real pie!

[Ellendra]

I use Mitsus, because if you try this with Macs, they shrink considerably, and you end up with a high, hollow pie!

To prevent "apple shrinkage", cook the apples ahead of time. Use a wide, shallow pan, and keep the heat low enough that they just barely come to a simmer. Add the sugar you plan to use for the filling, but hold off on any spices or thickeners until the end. Stir gently just enough to make sure all sides are cooked evenly.

This not only gets the shrinkage out of the way, it also concentrates the juices to give you more flavor. If you're using an apple that you know shrinks a lot, you may find you can double the apples used in the recipe, because once they've shrunk they'll pack in tighter.