Pat's Rose Apple Pie

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Position oven rack in the lowest third of the oven. (5 minutes)

To Make Crust: In a food processor, combine 2 1/2 cups flour, 2 tablespoons white sugar, and salt. Pulse briefly to combine. Add chilled butter and shortening; pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually add ice water, pulsing until the dough just comes together in moist clumps. (10 minutes)

Divide the dough in half. Flatten each half into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. (Can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage). (30 minutes)

To Make Filling: Chop 2 apples into large chunks. Slice the remaining 4 apples into 1/8-inch thin slices for the rose pattern. (15 minutes)

In the food processor, combine the chopped apples with 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Blend until smooth, resembling applesauce. (5 minutes)

In a large bowl, gently toss the apple slices with brown sugar, 1/4 cup flour, nutmeg, allspice, 1/2 cup white sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and rum (if using). Let sit for 30 minutes to macerate. (35 minutes)

Roll out one disk of dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate, allowing a 1/2-inch overhang. Crimp the edges to seal. Line the pie crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. (15 minutes)

Bake the pie shell for 10-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Remove the parchment paper and weights and let the crust cool slightly. (20 minutes)

Drain the juices from the macerated apple slices into a saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until slightly thickened. Stir the thickened juices into the pureed apple mixture. Spread this mixture evenly into the bottom of the pre-baked pie shell. (10 minutes)

Arrange the apple slices artfully over the pureed apple layer, forming a rose pattern. Start from the outer edge and work your way towards the center, overlapping the slices. (20 minutes)

Roll out the second disk of dough and cut out decorative leaf shapes. Brush each leaf with milk and arrange them on top of the pie and around the edges of the crust, milk-side down. Brush the entire top of the pastry with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Cover the outer rim of the crust with aluminum foil to prevent overbrowning. (20 minutes)

Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the juices are bubbling and the crust is golden brown. Remove the aluminum foil during the last 15-20 minutes of baking to allow the crust edges to brown evenly. (75 minutes)

Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack before serving. This allows the filling to set. (60 minutes)