Rum Raisin Apple Pie

Ingredients

• 2.5 lb apples sweet
• 0.5 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 3 tablespoons rum dark
• 3 tablespoons flour all-purpose
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest fresh finely grated
• 0.7 cup brown sugar light packed
• 2 teaspoons milk 
• 0.1 teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated
• 10 servings pastry crust for a double-crust> pie
• 0.3 cup raisins 
• 0.1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 tablespoon sugar 
• 1 tablespoon butter unsalted cut into small pieces

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• sauce pan
• oven
• knife
• rolling pin

Directions

1. Bring rum with raisins to a boil in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, then remove from heat and let stand, covered, 1 hour.
2. Put oven rack in middle position with a large heavy baking sheet on rack and preheat oven to 425°F.
3. Rub together brown sugar, flour, zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt with your fingers in a large bowl until no lumps remain. Peel and core apples, then cut into 1/2-inch-wide wedges and add to sugar mixture, tossing gently to coat.
4. Add raisins with any liquid and toss until combined.
5. Roll out larger piece of dough into a 13-inch round (keep remaining piece chilled) on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate (4-cup capacity) and trim edge, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Chill shell while rolling out top crust.
6. Roll out smaller piece of dough on a lightly floured surface with lightly floured rolling pin into an 11-inch round.
7. Spoon filling evenly into shell, then dot top with butter.
8. Brush pastry overhang with some of milk, then cover pie with pastry round. Trim pastry flush with edge of pie plate using kitchen shears, then press edges together and crimp decoratively.
9. Lightly brush top of pie with some of remaining milk and sprinkle all over with sanding sugar.
10. Cut 3 steam vents in top crust with a small sharp knife.
11. Bake pie on hot baking sheet 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F and continue to bake until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 45 to 50 minutes more. Cool pie on a rack to warm or room temperature, about 1 1/2 hours.
12. •To achieve an ideal balance of tart and sweet apples, we used 2 Golden Delicious or Gala, 2 Winesap or Granny Smith, and 2 McIntosh or Northern Spy (you'll need 6 apples total).•Raisins can be soaked in rum 1 day ahead, cooled completely, and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.•Pie can be made 8 hours ahead and kept, uncovered, at room temperature.