Apple pies are indeed very hard to make from scratch. With the Internet, you'll find recipes for Marlboro, dried apple, vegan apple, glazed apple, caramel apple, Dutch apple, Texan apple, fried apple, Cranberry apple, apple crumble, mock apple, and even apple pumpkin pies. The best part about making your own pie is that you'll definitely be creating some very fond memories for yourself as well as your loved ones. With Red Plums Ingredients for the crust:

• 2¼ cups pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup cold butter
• ½ cup shortening
• 1 large egg
• Ice-cold water

Ingredients for the filling

• 500 grams red plums (sliced and stoned)
• 3 apples (peeled and chopped)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon milk

Procedure For the crust In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and sugar. Using a pastry blender cut the cold butter and the shortening until the mixture resembles tiny peas. In a small measuring jar, beat the eggs and then stir in some of the ice-cold water; it should equal ½ a cup. Stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture a tablespoon at a time, until the pastry becomes moist and holds together in a ball. Knead the dough and then flatten it into two 5-inch rounds. Wrap this with some plastic wrap, and leave it to chill for 30 minutes. For the Filling In a large bowl, toss some of the fruit with the lemon juice. In a smaller bowl, stir the flour, sugar, and cinnamon together, and add this to the fruit. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to about 1/8 of an inch in thickness, to fit into a pie plate. Trim the edges of the pastry and then brush with water. Roll out the pastry for the top crust, cutting the steam vents. Spread the apple and plum mixture onto the bottom crust. Finish the crust edge. Mix the milk and egg yolk in a bowl, brush a little over the crust, and sprinkle a little sugar on top. Bake at about 425 ºF for ten minutes, then reduce to about 350 ºF, and keep baking for half an hour. With a Cheddar Cheese Crust Ingredients for the crust:

• 2¼ cups of all-purpose flour.
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup vegetable shortening
• ¼ cup cold butter
• 1¾ cups cheddar cheese
• 6 tablespoons ice-cold water

Ingredients for the filling:

• 6 cups Ontario apples
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon milk

Procedure: In a large mixing bowl, mix the salt and flour. With the pastry blender, cut the butter and shortening until the mixture starts to resemble fine crumbs. Now, stir in the cheese and some water, a little at a time so that the dough holds together. Flatten the dough into 2 round disks, wrap with plastic, and then chill for 30 minutes. In the meantime prepare the filling. Toss the apples with lemon juice in a bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and cinnamon, and then stir this with the apples. On a floured surface, roll out the pastry for the bottom crust, and place it in a 9-inch thick pie plate. Trim the edges evenly. Roll out the pastry for the top crust while cutting the steam vents. Add the filling on the bottom crust and then place the top crust over the apples. Finish the edge. In a small mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks and milk together and brush the top of the pie with this mixture. Bake at 425 ºF for 15 minutes, and then reduce the temp to 350 ºF and bake for 40 minutes.