Apples (from Liz): Choose a few types of apples, one that is sweet and one that is a bit tart, one soft, and one that holds its shape. Granny Smith or Honey Crisp are tart, crisp apples that combine well with Cortland. I throw in a Macintosh or two as well. Your local farm stand may have heritage apples you can choose from.

Makes one double crust apple pie using a 9 1/2 inch deep-dish pie pan
​1 recipe double crust pie dough-see recipe 
About 10 cups heritage apples (about 6 large apples)-(leave skin on) quartered and cored, sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices, or chunk them up into pieces you can comfortably eat. 
1/2 cup sugar or more to taste. 
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 gratings of nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1 tablespoon artisan apple cider vinegar or 1-2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons calvados or other apple liqueur (optional)
1/2 cup flour
1 recipe double-crust pie dough (ingredients above)
1 knob butter, the size of a small walnut, cut into small pieces for dotting the top of the filling
1-2 tsp sugar, for sprinkling on top of the pie

Egg Wash
​1 egg white plus 1 tablespoon water, fork beaten

1. Slice the apples in 1/2-inch-thick slices, or chunk them up into pieces you can comfortably get into your mouth. 
2. In a large mixing bowl put the apples, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice, vinegar, calvados, and flour, and mix lightly until most of the surfaces are covered with what looks like wet sand.
3. Pour into an unbaked pie crust, mounding high and dot with butter.
4. Roll out second crust and place on top; crimp edges with a fork.
5. Cut 5 vent holes.
6. Paint with egg white wash.
7. Sprinkle some extra sugar evenly on top.
8. Cover the pie and chill in the refrigerator while you preheat your oven to 425F.
   
9. Place the pie into your preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes.
10. Reduce heat to 375F and bake for 40 minutes longer. Check to see that the filling is bubbling beneath the vent holes. If you don't see the filling bubble, bake 5-10 minutes longer or until the filling bubbles.
11. Remove from the oven and cool for at least 1 hour.

"The Quintessential Apple Pie" from Art of the Pie: A Practical Guide to Homemade Crusts, Fillings, and Life by Kate McDermott, copyright © 2016. Reproduced with permission of The Countryman Press/W.W. Norton.

Notes:
Freeze your raw pie and cook another time. Wrap the raw pie in plastic wrap. Freeze. To bake, place the frozen pie on the counter while you preheat your oven. Place in the oven and cook as directed. Add 15-20 minutes to your baking time. Check to see if the filling is bubbling out of the vent wholes. If not, add 5-10 minutes and check again. If the filling is bubbling, remove the pie from the oven and cool as directed.

Liz's Pie Variations:
Pear Cranberry Pie-6 cups pears, 4 cups fresh cranberries (1 bag), 3/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger. Follow the recipe as written.

Apple Blueberry-Substitute some apple for fresh or frozen blueberries. If using frozen, do not thaw before making your filling. ​

Makes enough for a double crust pie 
​
2 1/2 cups (363g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (224 g) chilled fat of your choice, cut into tablespoon-size pieces (butter, lard, leaf lard)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (120ml) ice water plus 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 ml) more as needed.

1. Make sure all the ingredients are chilled.
2. Put all ingredients but the ice water in a large bowl.
3. With clean hands, quickly smoosh the mixture together, or use a single blade mezzaluna or pastry blender with an up and down motion, until the ingredients look like cracker crumbs with lumps the size of peas an almonds. These lumps will make your curst flaky. Don't coat all the flour with fat. You should still see some white floury places in the bowl when you are finished. Work quickly so that the dough still feels chilly when you are done. 
4. Sprinkle 5 to 6 tablespoons of the ice water over the mixture, fluffing and tossing lightly with a fork as you do.
5. Sprinkle over more water as needed, a tablespoon at a time, and fluff with a fork after each addition until it holds together. When the dough looks shaggy in the bowl, you are getting close. give some of your dough a firm handshake and see if it holds together. If it does, go on to step 6. If it doesn't, add a bit more water if needed for the dough to come together. the dough should feel moist without feeling tacky. 
6. Form and pat the dough into a big ball. If it feels a little dry on the outside, dip your fingers into some ice water and pat them on the outside of the dough in a few places. Don't get it so we that it is sticky. The dough should feel like cool clay and firm yet pliable as when patting a baby's bottom. 
7. Divide the dough in half and make two chubby disks about 5 inches across.
8. Wrap the  discs separately in plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 20 minutes and up to three days.

 
“Master Recipe Roll-Out Dough" from Pie Camp: The Skills You Need to Make Any Pie You Want by Kate McDermott, copyright © 2020. Reproduced with permission of The Countryman Press/W.W. Norton.

Liz's notes:
You can freeze your dough for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before using. I have thawed on the counter as well-just be sure the dough is well chilled before rolling out.

1. Bring out your refrigerated dough disks and let them sit until they feel slightly soft to touch.
2. Place a rolling mat or piece of parchment paper on your counter, or use a light dusting of flour on the area you will be rolling out your dough. Keep more flour handy for dusting while you roll out your dough.
3. Always roll the dough out from the center of the disk. Lift and turn your disc as you work and lightly flour if you need. Roll out your disk until the circle of dough is 2-inches larger than the diameter of the top of your pie pan. Turn your pan over onto the rolled out dough and measure to be certain.
4. To place the dough into your pie pan, drape the dough over your rolling pin and gently lift and place the pin at the half-way mark of the pie pan. Gently unroll and carefully settle the dough into the pan. Trim to leave 1-inch overhang of dough. Fill  and bake according to your recipe.

Liz's notes:
Save all of your dough scraps to make some sweet or savory dough treats. I freeze all my dough trimmings and bake these yummy treats for my family. Go here for some ideas: Food52

Makes one 9X13  or 9X9 pan to serve 8

*8 large assorted apples (see apple note below) cored and cut into slices-yes, leave the peels on!1 large, sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes1/3 cup sugar2 tablespoons all-purpose flour2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

Crisp Topping1 ½ cups oats (old fashioned)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour or ground flaxseed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup brown sugar-light or dark
¼ cup sugar
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
 
Sweetened Sour Cream Topping
16 oz Sour Cream (full fat)
2-3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I like Everland vanilla and buy it at HomeGoods. You can also purchase online)
 

1. Preheat the oven to 375˚.
2. Place the cubed sweet potato into a saucepan of water. Bring to a simmer and cook potatoes until just tender, about 5-8 minutes. Drain the sweet potatoes.
3. Toss the sliced apples with the sugar, flour, and apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. Place half of the sliced apples into your pan then place the cooked sweet potatoes to cover evenly. Place the remaining apples over the sweet potatoes.
4. In a bowl, combine the oats, flour or flaxseed, cinnamon, and sugars and toss until combined. Using your hands, work in the butter until the mixture comes together in moist crumbs. Spread oat topping evenly over the apples and sweet potatoes. 
5. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until the crumb mixture is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
6. To make the sour cream topping, combine the sour cream, sugar to taste, and vanilla in a bowl and stir to blend. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

* Apple combinations:  Texture is an important part of a tasty apple crisp experience.  Combine apples that are both crisp and soft when cooked.  Honey Crisp/Cortland, Granny Smith/Macintosh, Spartan/Cortland. You can add or substitute other like fresh or frozen blueberries, cranberries, and rhubarb.

Here is my version of apple crisp. I hope you love it!
A few notes about my recipe:

• I do not peel my apples. I know this sounds crazy, but it saves lots of time and effort and the skins soften during the baking. Give it a try and see what you think. 
• Spreading your apples over a larger surface creates a greater topping-to-apple ratio. I use a 9x13-inch baking pan. If you prefer a more apples-to-topping apple crisp, bake your crisp in a 9x9-inch pan.
• When its apple baking time, I choose a variety of different apples to combine in my recipes. I combine varieties that are firm, soft, tart, and sweet all baked together under a pie crust or crisp topping. 
• Did you know that apple crisp can be baked and then frozen? You can also prepare several batches of the topping and freeze them to use any time you feel like making an apple crisp or other fruit crisp. 
• Change up your crisp! Take out 2 apples and replace with cubed and steamed sweet potato. Or, replace 2 apples with 2 cup frozen or fresh blueberries.
  
• One last tip, traditionally apple crisp is served plain but I love to serve it with a dollop of sweetened sour cream. However you prepare or serve your apple crisp remember to visit Hollis’ farmstands for the best apples in New Hampshire!  

Makes one 9x9-inch or one 9x13-inch crisp
½ cup dark brown sugar
1 ½ cups quick oats
1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold
8 large apples-assorted types of apples. Combine varieties that are firm, soft, tart, and sweet.
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

Sour cream topping:
16 oz sour cream (whole fat-no skimping here!)
2-3 tablespoons sugar-more if you like
1 1/2  teaspoons vanilla extract (I love Everland vanilla-I buy it at HomeGoods but you can also buy online)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 
2. In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, oats, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to combine. Cut the butter into 8 pieces. Using your fingertips rub the butter and the dry ingredients together until all the ingredients are no longer dry.
3. To prepare the apples, quarter, core, and slice the apples into 1-inch-thick slices. I like to use a 12-blade apple slicer to do all the work. I do not peel the apples. Leaving the peels on saves      time and the skin of the apples will soften when cooked. You can peel your apples if you prefer.
4. Combine the apples, sugar, and apple cider vinegar in a large bowl and toss. Place the apples into a 9 X 13-pan or 9 x 9-inch pan. I prefer to use an au gratin or rectangular dish that provides more surface area. This gives more topping-to-fruit ratio. 
5. Cover the apples with the crisp topping.
6. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the apples are cooked and soft and bubbling. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
7. Combine the sour cream topping ingredients in a bowl. Taste for sweetness as you like. 

Lemon Pie, Self-frosting
Source: D.A.R. Cook Book Second Edition
Submitted by: Mrs. Charles Eastman
Location: page 26
 
One cup sugar, one tablespoonful butter creamed with sugar, add two tablespoonsful flour, juice and grated rind of one lemon, yolks of two eggs beaten, one cup milk. Last add two beaten whites, folded into the mixture. Cook till firm. 
 
Liz’s Notes:
This is a lovely tasting lemon pie; not too sweet and not too lemony. The whipped egg whites create a lovely caramelized top layer. 
 

• Use an 8” or 9” pie pan. 
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the baking rack in the middle of the oven.
• For the pie crust, I used one disk of my favorite pie dough recipe. Roll out the dough to 14 inches. Place into the pie pan. Roll and crimp the edge. 
• When I prepared this recipe I found that the butter and sugar did not cream. That’s okay. I just stirred together the sugar, butter (room temperature), flour, lemon juice, and zest until well combined. Then I added the yolks and milk and combined. 
• I used large eggs.
• I used heavy cream instead of milk and I liked the creaminess of the pie. You can use either cream or milk. If using milk, use full fat.
• Whip the egg whites until firm.
•  Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove and cool. Serve with whipped cream if you like. 

Makes One 10” tart
 
½ recipe Art of Pie “Basic Pie Crust” or 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, defrosted in the refrigerator.
5-6 firm apples, peeled, cored, and quartered-Granny Smith or Golden Delicious-if using pears, Bosc pears work very well
1 tsp. cinnamon
¾ -cup plus 1 Tbs sugar            
4 Tbs unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon of water

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a baking rack in the middle of the oven. 
2. Roll the pie dough into a 10-inch circle. Place it onto a plate, cover, and place into the refrigerator until ready to add to the tart. If using a sheet of puff pastry, unfold it and place into the refrigerator until ready to use. 
3. Toss the apples with the cinnamon and 1Tbs of sugar. 
4. In a 10-inch cast-iron pan or other oven proof skillet, heat the remaining ¾ cup sugar over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar has turned a dark amber. (Check for color by drizzling some onto a white plate.) 
5. Add the butter to the pan and stir it into the caramel until melted and smooth; be careful, as the butter will make the caramel sputter. 
6. Remove the pan from the heat. Starting on the outside of the pan, carefully set the apple quarters in the caramel, arranging them in a circle so that they all face the same way.  Set them very close to one another, trying to get as many as possible into the pan.  Fill in the center of the pan with as many of the remaining apples as will fit.  
7. Put the pan back on the heat and allow the apples to cook on top of the stove for about 5 minutes.  
8. Remove the pan from the heat.  Place the cold pastry dough over the apples, tucking the edges into the sides of the pan.  Work carefully so as not to burn your fingers, but also quickly so as not to melt the dough. 
9. Brush the dough with the beaten egg and immediately put the pan in the oven.  
10. Bake for 15 minutes.  Lower the temperature to 375 degrees and bake until the crust is browned, and the caramel is bubbling around the edges of the pan, another 15-20 minutes. 
11. Carefully remove the tart from the oven and cool it on a rack for about 20 minutes.  Invert the tart onto a serving platter.  If any apples stick to the underside of the pan, simply return them to their rightful spot on the tart. 
12. Tarte Tatin is best served right away, but it can stand a room temperature and be reheated briefly in the oven, if that suits your schedule better.

 
 
 
 
 

A note on your apples: When choosing apples for your tart, select apples that have red, green, and yellow skins. If you prefer to use all one apple color that will be beautiful too! Be sure to choose a selection of apples that will hold their shape in baking and offer a variety of flavor. 

Supermarket Variety Options
Combination #1: Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, and Cortand
Combination #2: Granny Smith, Braeburn, and McIntosh

Farm stand Variety Options
Combination #1: Suncrisp, Stayman Winesap, and Northern Spy
Combination #2: Pink Lady, Johna Gold, and Mutzu
_________________________________________________________
Galette Dough
Go here for the perfect dough. This recipe will make enough dough for 2 galettes or one pie with a top and bottom crust.
For a gluten free option I will send you to Kate McDermott's recipe. And, here is a link to the her video to help you prepare her gluten free dough.

Galette Filling
1 Granny Smith apples
1 Golden Delicious apple (or other yellow-skinned apple)
2 Cortland apples
1/3 cup apricot jam
1 disk of Art of the Pie Master pie dough (recipe here)
1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
 

1. Heat oven to 400°F . Turn your baking pan over and place the parchment paper onto it. You will assemble your galette here.
2. Cut each apple in half from top to bottom. Core the apples with a melon baller or paring knife. Place the apples cut side down on your cutting board. Using a sharp paring knife, slice each half into ¼ inch thin slices (keeping each apple half together). Repeat until all the apples are sliced. Remove the end slices of each apple. Using two hands, hold a sliced apple half and press from the center pieces to the outside pieces, fanning the slices outward into a line. Do the same with the other half of the apple. Join both lines of apple slices together to form one line. Do this with the remaining apples.
3. To assemble your galette: On a floured counter, roll the dough out into a large round-ish shape, about 14 inches across. Place your rolling pin at the center of your rolled dough. Fold the dough over your rolling pin and gently lift and transfer it to the parchment paper in the pan.
4. Place the apricot jam onto the center of the dough. Spread the jam outward leaving a 2-inch border uncovered.
5. Place your alternating colors of fanned apples onto the apricot filling starting from the center out. Place them snuggly up against each other. Fill in the gaps at each end with any remaining apples.
6. Fold the border over fruit, pleating the edge as you go. Brush egg wash onto the folded crust. Sprinkle the apples and the crust with the sugar.
7. Bake the galette for 35-40 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the apples are gently bubbling. Remove the galette from the oven and slide onto a wire rack to cool for at least 20 minutes. Try to slide the parchment paper out from under the galette for cooling. This will keep the bottom crust crisp. Serve warm or at room temperature. Fruit galettes keep at room temperature for a few days and up to a week in the fridge.

 
Variations

• Pear Galette option: you may use ripe pears in place of apples. Bosc and Bartlett (both red and green) ar both excellent for pies when ripened. If using pears, purchase them 3 days before class and allow to ripen at room temperature.
• Almond filling option: Instead of apricot jam under your apples or pears, try this easy and delicious almond filling. Almond filling
• Cran-Raspberry filling option: If you have leftovers of your cran-rasperry sauce use them in your next galette! 1/3 to ½ cup of sauce is all you need. Cran-Raspberry Sauce

Recipe from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perelman. I love this book and I know you will too. Every recipe I have tried has been delicious!
 
Pastry
Go to the recipe at Smitten Kitchen for Deb's dough recipe or you can use 1/2 of the dough recipe from The Art of the Pie. I prepare the entire recipe from Art of the Pie and freeze one of the dough rounds for later use.
 
Filling:
1/3 cup sliced, slivered, or coarsely chopped almonds, blanched if you can get them 
1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 large egg white
1 pound sweet cherries, any variety or a mix of varieties-I pitted mine

​To Finish:
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon water
1 tablespoon coarse sugar
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting


Make pastry: the dough should be refrigerated for at least an hour before you use it in this recipe.
Make filling: finely grind almonds and flour in a food processor. Mix in sugar, butter, and extract, then egg white. Blend until smooth. Cover and chill until needed.
 
Prepare galette: preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch round. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread the almond filling evenly over the bottom of the galette dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Scatter the cherries on top. Fold the border over the filling, pleating the edge to make it fit; the center will be open. Whisk egg yolk with water, brush crust with egg wash mixture and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake galette until the filling is puffed and the crust is golden brown, about 30 – 40 minutes, rotating front to back halfway through for even browning.  Cool, and serve with dusted powdered sugar, ice cream, and toasted slivered almonds.
 
 

By: Food52 with adaptations
Bluberry Glace topping
​
​For the crust:
1 1/2 sleeves of saltine crackers (about 6 ounces or 60 crackers)
3/4 cup softened unsalted butter
3 tablespoons sugar

​For the filling:
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
4 egg yolks
Zest of one lemon or lime or both!
1/2 cup lemon or lime juice or a mix of the two
Fresh whipped cream, sweetened with sugar for garnish
Coarse sea salt, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Crush the crackers finely, but not to dust. You can use a food processor or your hands. Add the sugar, then knead in the butter until the crumbs hold together like dough. Press into an 8-inch pie pan. Chill for 15 minutes, then bake for 18 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
3. While the crust is cooling (it doesn't need to be cold), beat the egg yolks into the sweetened condensed milk, then beat in the citrus juice. It is important to completely combine these ingredients. Pour into the shell and bake for 16 minutes until the filling has set. The pie needs to be completely cold to be sliced. Serve with fresh whipped cream and a sprinkling of sea salt.

Variations:

• Blueberry jam topping: Buy a good quality blueberry jam. Stir it up a bit in the jar and gently spread onto the top of the chilled pie. Serve.
• Cran-Raspberry sauce-use my favorite Thanksgiving cranberry sauce! Spoon it right onto the top of your pie. 
• Make some flowered salt and sprinkle that on top. Assorted dried flowers chopped fine. Mix with some kosher or flaked salt. 

A galette is a wonderfully rustic tart that is easy to construct and quick to cook. I use one disk of dough from the The Art of the Pie. Prepare the full dough recipe to make 2 discs of dough. Use one now and freeze one for later.

 ​Serves 8

Fruit Filling
​3 1/2 cups berries, stone fruit, or other fruit, chopped or thinly sliced, or any combination. You can also use frozen fruit. Note: do not thaw frozen fruit before baking. If using frozen berries add 1 tablespoon of thickener as there will be lots of juice when the berries thaw in baking.
Pinch of salt
Juice of half a lemon 
1/4 cup granulated sugar 
1-2 tablespoons tapioca flour/starch (see Note, below)
 
To Finish
1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water (optional)
Turbinado or coarse sugar for sprinkling
 

1. Heat oven to 400°F.
2. Place a piece of parchment paper on a large baking sheet or pizza pan.
3. Flour your work surface and roll the dough out into 14 inches circle. Carefully transfer the rolled dough to the parchment paper in the pan. 
4. Combine fruit, salt, lemon juice (if using), sugar, and starch in a medium bowl and set aside. Taste the fruit and add more sugar if you'd like. Place the fruit filling into the center of the dough, leaving a 2-inch border.
5. Fold the border over fruit, pleating the edge to make it fit. The center will be open.
6. Whisk the egg with 1 teaspoon of water and brush it over the crust. Sprinkle it with turbinado or coarse sugar.
7. Bake the galette for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden all over and the fruit is bubbling* and juicy. If cooking with frozen fruit add 10 minutes to the baking time. * the test to see if the filling is fully cooked, look to see that the filling is bubbling. If it is, the galette is ready and the center will thicken as it cools. Cool the galette on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.Your galette will keep at room temperature for a few days and up to a week in the fridge. To keep the crust crisper, cover with a cotton towel not plastic wrap.

 
​Variations and notes:

• Fruit: Use whatever fruit you like to bake with. Berries and very ripe peaches or pears will produce a wetter center. You'll need about 1 tablespoon more of your thickener.
• Flavor: Spread the bottom of the crust with jam or honey. Add 1 teaspoon of ground ginger to the sugar.
• Thickeners: Tapioca flour or starch are my favorite for a clear thickening. You can use an equal amount of cornstarch. Different kinds of fruit have different pectin levels, and might need more or less thickener.
  • Apples or blueberries-1 tablespoon.
  • Peaches or fresh cherries- 1 tablespoon.
  • For strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and rhubarb-2 tablespoons.
  • For frozen berries-2 tablespoons.

Back when I lived in my first apartment in Hoboken, NJ I taught myself to cook. My dad gave me my first cookbook-Jaques Pepin's "Everyday Cooking". I would recommend this book to anyone. The recipes are easy, elegant, and delicious. Pepin is an amazing teacher and my go-to chef for cooking technique. 
The filling of thinly sliced apples is easy to do and the layering of the slices creates a beautiful tart. Be sure to use a firm, baking apple so the slices hold up and don't get mushy. I like Granny Smith and Honey Crisp apples for my tarts. 
The Pate Brisee dough is easy to make, freezes well, and can be used for any pie recipe. 
This Apple Galette recipe is a favorite of mine and I have shared it with family and friends for over 30 years! I hope you love it too. ​

Apple Galette
Recipe From:  Jacques Pepin “Everyday Cooking”

Makes 8 servings
1/2 recipe pate brisée (see recipe below or use 1/2 recipe of the Basic Crust recipe from "Art of the Pie"
5 large granny smith apples (or other firm cooking apple variety-Mutsu, Honey Crisp, Pink Lady, Jonagold, Northern Spy)
1/4-cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
4 tablespoons apricot preserves
1 tablespoon Calvados or Cognac (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
 
1. Make pâte brisée (recipe below or Basic Crust recipe from "Art of the Pie" ). Roll out the dough 1/8 to 1/16 inch thick, in a shape that fits roughly on a cookie sheet—approximately 16 X 14 inches using the Pate Brisse recipe below. If using the Basic Crust from "Art of the Pie", roll out dough to 14 inches. (The best cookie sheets are made of heavy aluminum that is not too shiny.) If the dough is not thin enough after you lay it on the cookie sheet, roll it some more, directly on the sheet.
 
2. Peel (or not as you like) and cut the apples in half, core them, and slice each half into 1/4-inch slices. Set aside the large center slices of the same size and chop the end slices coarsely. Sprinkle the chopped apple over the dough.
 
3. Arrange the large slices on the dough beginning at the outside, approximately 1 1/2 inches from the edge. Stagger and overlap the slices to imitate the petals of a flower.  Cover the dough completely with a single layer of apples, except for the border. Place smaller slices in the center to resemble the heart of a flower.
 
4. Bring up the border of the dough and fold it over the apples.
 
5. Sprinkle the apples with the sugar and pieces of butter, and bake in a 400-degree oven for 40-50 minutes, until the galette is really well browned and crusty.  Do not remove the galette from the oven too soon; it should be very well cooked. It should be very crusty, thin, and soft inside. Do not worry about the discoloration of the apples after you peel and arrange them on the dough. The discoloration will not be apparent after cooking. 
 
6. Slide it onto a board. Dilute the apricot preserves with the alcohol (or use 1 tablespoon of water if the jam is thick and you prefer not to use spirits) and spread it on top of the apples with the back of a spoon. Some can also be spread on the top edge of the crust. Follow the design so that you do not disturb the little pieces of apple.

Serve the galette lukewarm, cut into wedges. 

Pate Brisee
Recipe From:  Jacques Pepin “Everyday Cooking”
 
Makes Enough for 2 Galettes
3 cups all-purpose flour (dip the measuring cup
into the flour, fill it, and level it with your hand)
1 cup (2 sticks) sweet butter, cold, and cut with a knife into thin slices or shavings
1/2 teaspoon salt
Approximately 3/4 cup very cold water
 
“In a well-made pâte brisée the pieces of butter are visible throughout the dough. If the pieces of butter get completely blended with the flour so that they melt during cooking, the pastry will be tough. The flour and butter must be worked and the water added as fast as possible to obtain a flaky pastry. If you work the dough too much after adding the water, it will be elastic and chewy. If you use too much butter and not enough water, it will resemble sweet pastry dough and will be hard to roll thin and pick up from the table; it will be very brittle before and after cooking, sandy, and with no flakiness.

This is deceptively simple dough. You may get excellent results one time and an ordinary pastry the next. Try it a few times to get a feel for it. Wrapped properly, it can be kept in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days, or it can be frozen.”
 
1.Mix the flour, butter, and salt together very lightly, so that the pieces of butter remain visible throughout the flour.
 
2.Add the ice-cold water and mix very fast with your hand just enough that the dough coheres.
 
3. Cut the dough in half. The pieces of butter should still be visible. Refrigerate for 1 or 2 hours or use it right away. If you use it right away, the butter will be a bit soft, so you may need a little extra flour in the rolling process to absorb it.

For one galette, roll half the dough between 1/8 and 1/16 of an inch thick, using flour underneath and on top so that it doesn't stick to the table or the rolling pin. When the dough is the desired shape and thickness, roll it onto the rolling pin and unroll it on the pie plate, tart form, or cookie sheet that you plan to use. Repeat with the other half or reserve for later use. Bake according to the instructions for the particular recipe.