Irresistible Deep-Dish Apple Pie with Perfect Pie Crust

I finally made my 2017 Apple Pie. I only make one of these each year. I use 7 lbs of apples consisting of 7-8 different varieties. The pie is almost 4 inches thick.

Ingredients:

For the Deep Dish Apple Pie:

• 7 lb. apples (I usually use 6-8 varieties; ginger gold, honey crisp, Grimes golden, Granny Smith, pink lady, gala, Fuji, McIntosh, Jonathan, Jonamac, Cortland, Rome. I never use red or golden delicious. Be sure to taste as more sugar and spices may need to be added.)
• 1 c. golden raisins (optional)
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Zest of 1 orange
• 2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 T. freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2-3 Tbsp. boiled cider syrup (optional; recipe below)
• 1 Tbsp. melted butter
• 3/4 c. sugar, plus 1 tsp. to sprinkle on top
• 1/3 c. flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
• Perfect Pie Crust
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

For the Perfect Pie Crust:

• 1 1/2 stick very cold butter
• 3 c. flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 T. sugar
• 1/3 c. very cold vegetable shortening
• 6 to 8 T. ice water

For the Boiled Cider Syrup:

• 1/2-1 gallon apple cider

Instructions:

1. Peel, core, and slice the apples into a large bowl, using an apple peeler, corer, slicer for uniform small slices. Add the optional raisins.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, orange zest, lemon juice, orange juice, boiled cider syrup, 1 tbsp melted butter, 3/4 cup sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
3. Add the lemon juice mixture to the apples and raisins. Toss until apples and raisins are coated. Let it sit on the counter for an hour to release juices and adjust sweetness and spices if needed.
4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Roll out half of the pie dough and drape it over a 10-inch or 11-inch deep-dish pie plate, extending about 1/2-inch over the rim.
6. Brush the bottom and edge of the bottom pie crust with the egg wash.
7. Fill the pie with the apple mixture.
8. Top with the second crust and trim the edges to about 1-inch over the rim.
9. Tuck the edge of the top crust under the edge of the bottom crust and crimp the two together with your fingers or a fork.
10. Brush the entire top crust with the egg wash, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar, and cut 4 or 5 slits into the top.
11. Place the pie on a cookie sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 1 to 1 1/4 hours or until the crust is browned and the juices begin to bubble out.
12. Serve warm.

Instructions for Perfect Pie Crust:

1. Dice the butter and return it to the refrigerator while preparing the flour mixture.
2. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times