Mile High Apple Pie

3 ounces (6 tablespoons) butter, chilled
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) lard, chilled
6 ounces (approximately 1 cup) all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling dough
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 cup ice water, in spritz bottle

Place butter and lard in freezer for 15 minutes. When ready to use, remove and cut both into small pieces.

In a large glass or ceramic bowl, combine flour and salt pulsing 3 to 4 times with a  hand mixer. Add butter and pulse 5 to 6 times until texture looks mealy. Add lard and pulse another 3 to 4 times. Spritz surface of mixture thoroughly with water. Pulse 5 times. Add more water and pulse again until mixture holds together when squeezed. Place mixture in large zip-top bag, squeeze together until it forms a ball, and then press into a rounded disk and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Chill your pie pan in the fridge.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Cut along 2 sides of the plastic bag, open bag to expose dough, and sprinkle both sides with flour. Cover again with plastic and roll out with a rolling pin to a 10 to 11-inch circle. Open plastic again and sprinkle top of dough with flour. Remove pie pan from the fridge and set the pan on top of the dough. Turn everything upside down and peel plastic from bottom of dough. Set aside the second disk of dough. Trim edges if necessary, and then place back in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Peel, core and cut up 10 to 12 nice sized Ginger Crisp or Golden Delicious apples and pile into the center of pie. Sprinkle liberally with sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add several pats of butter. Layer second crust on top and pinch edges. Make no less that 4 slits. Wash crust liberally with heavy cream, half & half or whole milk and then sprinkle well with sugar. Bake at 375 degrees until golden brown.

Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!