Today we're preparing a rum and raisin chocolate apple pie, as a delicious way to kick off the new year. This is a back-to-basics recipe that kicks up the familiar favorite in a few delightful ways, but without overwhelming the apple-y goodness that typifies a quality apple pie.

Prep Tips and Things To Keep In Mind

1) I Don't Precook the Apples. Disclaimer: Opinions differ on whether to cook your apples first, or to not cook them at all, or to par-cook them. Respected chefs and institutions 'are' divided on this, and perfectly delicious recipes exist for all three preparation methods. With the disclaimer done, my opinion in this debate falls on the side of using raw apples. To start, those who say to cook the apples first do so with the idea of congealing the pie filling before baking - essentially preparing the pie filling before baking the pie. Virtually all commercially available pies 'do' contain pre-cooked fillings. Those who recommend par-cooking say that par-cooking the apples actually helps the apples retain their shape through the baking process. I myself believe that this retention of shape is done at the expense of 'crispness,' and instead makes the apples 'mushy,' albeit they 'do' retain their shape. For today's recipe, we're not pre-cooking, and we're not par-cooking. Instead, we're simply combining the ingredients in a mixing bowl, mixing until the butter and apples are fully coated, and then allowing it to sit for about an hour. What this does is it ensures that the apples retain maximum crispness throughout the cooking process. IN my opinion, 'crispness' helps the apples retain maximum flavor.

2) If Your Lattice or Top Crust is browning too quickly. Everyone who's attempted baking a pie has had this happen to them at some point, where the top crust burns about midway through the baking process for no discernable reasons. It happens. If during the cooking process your top crust or lattice appears to be cooking too quickly (it's browning too rapidly), simply mold a large piece of tin foil over a bowl, and then place the foil dome over the pie. This will slow the browning process.

3) Resist using Margarine or Lard. Why do we use margarine or lard in baking recipes? Hint: It's not due to taste or an aversion to butter. It's because butter is hard to work with before it's softened, and butter is 'very' finicky about going from rock solid to "Woops I'm a puddle," while skipping that blissful 'soft and malleable' state entirely. The solution, in most cases, and for most bakers, is to use some 'always soft and malleable' margarine or lard in place of some of the butter. However, believe me when I say that working through butter's hard to handle hard-state is worth it in terms of flavor. For best results, resist the urge to use margarine or lard.

4) Let it rest - at least a few hours. I like hot baked goods as much as the next person, but believe me when I say that most pies will simply run all over the place if you cut into them right away. The filling needs a few hours to set and congeal properly, otherwise the filling's 'good stuff' will ooze away into the pie plate as you try to cut slices.

Ingredient Notes and Tips

1) The Best Apples for Apple Pie. Granny Smiths are generally considered the best apple for baking. This title comes courtesy of their year-round availability (you can't bake with apples that aren't available), as well as their ability to keep their structure despite the searing heat the oven. Their 'pleasantly tart' flavor and crisp texture are also pluses, being easy to work around with other ingredients and seasonings. Other baking favorites include Jonagold, which share similar qualities to the Granny Smith, but are just a tad sweeter, Mutsu apples, and Honey Crisps. However, feel free to use whichever apples you have on hand, or even a mix of apples.

2) The Rum. Generally speaking, my philosophy when it comes to alcohol in cooking is "Don't use anything too expensive, but also don't use anything you wouldn't enjoy on its own." The same applies here. Any recipe is the sum of its ingredients, so using an overly cheap or low-quality rum because "Hey we're cooking with it," won't do a lot to enhance the pudding. On the other hand, we 'are' cooking the rum, and therefore we'll be cooking away most of the 'nuances' that make a quality rum quality. Thus, don't use a pricey bottle, but also don't use a bottle that you wouldn't enjoy on its own either.

3) Nutmeg. The spice that 'tastes like Christmas,' nutmeg is beloved for its 'warming' and ever-so-slightly 'sweet' taste. However, in larger quantities nutmeg rapidly becomes sour or even astringent tasting, and since it's quite strong this is one spice where 'a little goes a long way.' Useful in everything from baked goods to roasted potatoes, nutmeg also features prominently in various beef and pork spice mixes (in both dry rubs and marinades), as well as in stewed, grilled, and roasted vegetables, as well as in a variety of beverages both warm and cold, alcoholic and non-alcoholic alike, it's safe to say that nutmeg is a blissfully versatile spice that's worth learning to how to use.

More Baked Delights from Living the Gourmet

1) Creamy Rum Rice Pudding. Decadent, moist, and rich, this rice pudding puts a few delicious twists on a crowd pleasing classic. The end result is a layered sweetness, framed in copious rum essence, while maintaining all of the beloved qualities that have made rice pudding a seasonal staple. As a nice bonus, this recipe is sublimely simple to make.

2) Linzer Cookies. Soft and buttery, with cardamon sweetness swathed over strawberry jam, these are one of my seasonal favorites.

3) Lemon Sugar Cookies. A seasonal treat that's as delicious as they are simple. Sweet almond and notes of lemon combine in a cookie whose soft interior is framed by a crisp outer layer.