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Lattice crusts seem simple in theory, but it’s easy to trip them up as you start weaving all of those loose threads of pie dough together. At least that’s what happens to me. Before I know it, the dough’s a little slick and gooey from resting on the apples, and it’s fused together in weird ways, and — oh! — I missed that over-under maneuver in the third row.
Before I know it, the crust’s a jumbled mess. Ah well.
Nate, however, is a lattice-crust pro, and once he broke down the technique for me, everything became crystal clear. Here’s how it’s done:
Premade, pre-rolled-out pie crust works just as well as (and, in some cases, better than) homemade crust, so don’t feel like you have to do everything from scratch.
Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can start experimenting with more complex designs, like when Nate schooled me with this five-point lattice pattern (faaancy).
Also, if you’re going to put in the effort to make lattice-crust pie, you’ve got to make Grandma Ople’s Apple Pie. I add a little cinnamon to my version of the recipe, but either way, it creates a caramelized crust that will have people raving. Even store-bought crusts suddenly seem blue ribbon-worthy.
