½ cup (¼ pound) butter
½ cup chopped pecans
¼ cup milk
Work flour, lard, and salt together until crumbly. Add 6 or 7 tablespoons cold water until dough holds together. Form into 2 balls. Roll out to line and top a 9-inch pie pan. Filling: Wash, peel, core, and slice apples into pie shell. Sprinkle with lemon juice, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Spread with raisins and white sugar. Mix brown sugar, flour, and butter. Spread over contents. Sprinkle with pecans and most of milk. Cover with pastry, prick with fork, and brush with remaining bit of milk. Bake at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake for another 30 minutes. Serve hot with Hard Sauce.
HARD SAUCE
½ cup butter
1½ cup confectioners’ or powdered sugar
1 tablespoon boiling water
1 teaspoon brandy or rum
Cream the butter until light. Beat in the sugar and add 1 tablespoon boiling water. Then beat in brandy. Serve with French Apple Pie.