As I mentioned earlier this week, my Valentine requested apple pie and vanilla ice cream for dessert Saturday.  And though I like creative food that's new to me, I also really enjoy returning to the basics once in awhile.  It doesn't get more basic . . . nor more classic . . . than apple pie and vanilla ice cream.  I've put many, many hours into learning how to make pies and ice cream.  The fundamentals necessarily serve as the foundation of great creative cooking . . . the type of cooking I aspire to when I'm not making the classics.  So here's my recipe for a basic apple pie and straightforward vanilla ice cream.  I think both turned out damn well last weekend.  Speaking of weekend, it's nearly here.  Enjoy.

For the ice cream:

• 1 whole vanilla bean
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 5 egg yolks
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk

1. Beat the sugar and egg yolks together until thick and pale yellow. Then beat the milk into the eggs and sugar.
2. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and, using a knife, scrape out the vanilla particles (note the tiny black vanilla specks in the ice cream in the photo above) and add them to the milk/egg/sugar mixture. 
3. Put the sugar / egg / milk mixture into a small saucepan and place over low heat.  Stir continuously until the custard thickens slightly (around 160°F) and just coats the back of a spoon. Beware, the eggs will scramble at around 168°F!
4. Immediately remove the custard from the heat when it reaches 160 and transfer it to a bowl, then cover it and refrigerate until cool (40°F).
5. Once the custard is chilled (2-3 hours in the refrigerator), whip the cream to soft peaks, then fold the cream into the chilled custard.
6. Follow the instructions for your ice cream machine from this point forward, freezing the custard / cream mixture in the machine, then giving it some time in your freezer to harden a bit more.

For the crust:

• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), diced into 1/4 inch pieces
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2.5 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6-8 tablespoons ice water
• 1 large egg white*, beaten

1. An hour or so before beginning to make the dough, place the butter and shortening in your freezer.
2. Process the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor to combine.
3. Add the shortening and process for about 10 seconds.
4. Distribute the butter on the flour mixture and pulse about 10 times, until the mixture has the texture of coarse crumbs with butter pieces the size of small peas.
5. Transfer the mixture into a large bowl, sprinkle with 6 tablespoons of ice water and mix gently with a spatula until the dough comes together.  If the dough doesn't come together, add another tablespoon of water, mix, and then another if necessary.
6. Separate the dough into to balls, one slightly larger than the other.  Flatten the balls into two 4-inch discs, wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour and up to two days.
7. Roll the larger dough disc into a circle 3-4 inches wider than the pie plate on a lightly-floured surface or between two pieces of parchment paper, then line the pie plate, allowing the edges of the crust to hang over the plate.  Refrigerate the crust while making the filling. .
8. Place an oven rack in the lower-middle position and preheat oven to 500°F.
9. Make the filling and then add it to the pie.
10. Roll the second, smaller disc into a circle 1-2 inches wider than the pie plate on a lightly-floured surface or between two pieces of parchment paper, then cover the pie with it.  Press the edges of the bottom crust and top crust together and fold the edge under itself.  Crimp to make a fluted edge.
11. Cut 4 vents in the top crust, then brush the crust with the beaten egg white.
12. Reduce the oven temperature to 425°F and bake the pie for 25 minutes, then rotate the pie 180°, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and continue baking for another 30-35 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. 

For the filling:

• 6 apples (I used 3 Granny Smiths and 3 Pink Ladies), peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Combine the apples, lemon juice and lemon zest and mix thoroughly.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, flour, spices and salt and mix thoroughly.
3. Toss the apple mixture with the dry ingredients.
4. Pour the apple filling with its juices into the chilled pie crust and bake according to instructions above.