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1
In a large bowl, toss the apples with the sugar, lemon zest and juice, rum (if using), vanilla, cornstarch, nutmeg and salt.
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2
Macerate at room temperature for about 2 hours or, refrigerated, overnight.
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3
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
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4
Dust a worktop and rolling pin with flour.
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5
Roll out one dough disk a little less than 1/4-inch thick, about 14 inches in diameter.
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6
Fold the dough in half and transfer it to a 9- or 10-inch pie plate.
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7
Unfold.
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8
Press the dough into the corners, leaving the overhang.
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9
Refrigerate the first crust while you roll out the second disk of dough.
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10
Remove the bottom crust from the fridge and fill it with the macerated apples.
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11
Tuck the pats of cold butter beneath the top layer of fruit.
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12
Top with the second piece of dough, and trim both to a 1/2-inch overhang.
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13
Tuck the overhang into a roll and crimp the edge, pressing down to hook some of the dough over the edge of the dish.
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14
(You want to make a hard crimp because it will shrink as it cooks.)
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15
Cut a hole in the center of the pie, as well as some decorative vents.
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16
Brush the top of the pie with cream, dust it with sugar, and bake for 20 minutes.
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17
Then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for another 45 to 55 minutes, until the center juices bubble and thicken, for a total of about 1 hour 10 minutes.
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18
Let the pie cool until it is just warm to the touch before slicing and serving.
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19
Mix the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
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20
Add the lard and the butter, and cut them in with a pastry blender until the larger pieces are the size of peas and the mixture begins to clump on the pastry blender.
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21
Shuffle through the mixture with your hands, pinching chunks of lard to flatten them.
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22
Add 4 tablespoons of the ice water and mix with a fork.
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23
Pinch a clump of dough in your hands: If it feels moist and clumps together easily, it's probably hydrated enough.
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24
If it feels really crumbly, add another tablespoon or two of ice water until you can form a baseball-size clump of dough, packing it on as if you were making a snowball.
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25
You want to mix the dough as little as possible to ensure it stays tender.
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26
Divide the dough in half and form each half into a flat disk.
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27
Wrap both disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
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28
Thirty minutes before you're ready to roll out the dough, remove it from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature to soften.
