Red Ribbon Apple Pie

From Syllabus's blog at blogspot.com. Second prize winner. :)

• Ready In: 7 hrs 55 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 1 pie

Ingredients

• 6  ounces  cold unsalted butter
• 10  ounces  pastry flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
• 4 1⁄2 ounces  cold cream cheese
• 2 -4  tablespoons  ice water
• 1  tablespoon cider vinegar
• 2 1⁄2 lbs baking apples (weigh AFTER peeling and coring)
• 1  tablespoon lemon juice
• 2  ounces light brown sugar
• 1 3⁄4 ounces granulated sugar
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  freshly grated nutmeg
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 2  tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1⁄2 ounce cornstarch

Directions

1. Cut butter into 3/4” cubes and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
2. Mix flour, salt and baking powder and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
3. Put flour mixture into food processor and process for a few seconds to combine.
4. Cut cream cheese into 4 pieces and add to flour. Process for about 10 seconds.
5. Add frozen butter cubes and pulse until none of the butter is larger than the size of a large pea.
6. Add water and vinegar, pulse until butter is reduced to the size of small peas. Adjust water until the mixture only just holds together when pinched (it will still be crumbly, and not holding together in a mass).
7. Spoon mixture into large plastic bag and squeeze and press with heel of hand or knuckles until it comes together in one piece.
8. Flatten into two discs, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes – or overnight.
9. Roll out bottom crust and line Pyrex pan. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
10. Slice apples 1/4 inch thick. Thinly sliced apples fill the pie pan more neatly. In a large bowl, combine apples, lemon juice, sugars, spices and salt and toss to mix. Macerate for 30 min-3 hours Collect the juices by putting apples in colander. Toss remaining apples with cornstarch until it disappears. The apples will have released about 1/2 cup liquid. In a small saucepan, boil down the juices and the butter over medium-high heat. Swirl but do not stir. When it has caramelized and reduced to about 1/3 cup, remove from heat and pour over apples. Do not worry if it hardens, it will dissolve again during baking.
11. Put apples in bottom crust. Roll out top crust into a 12 inch circle and place on top. Wet the rim of the bottom crust and fold the top crust over the bottom rim, tucking it under. Crimp edges and make 5 slashes radiating out from the centre of the pie.
12. Pre-heat oven to 425F, cover a baking stone or baking sheet with foil and put it on a rack set at the lowest level. Set the pie directly on top of this foil and cook pie for 45-55 min, or until pie is golden, including bottom crust, and the juices have bubbled up through the slashes. If the edges start to overbrown, protect with foil.
13. Cool the pie on a rack for at least 4 hours before cutting, so that it will hold its shape.