Apple Crumb Pie

Let me begin by saying that apple pies are challenging to make compared to many other desserts, so you have to be prepared to endure a lot of insecurity at each stage (as do I). For that reason, I like to make this pie in stages over a two days (or even 3) so as to stay calm. First I make the dough for the crust and refrigerate it in a glob wrapped in plastic Then I make the topping and set that aside in the fridge as well for the next day. Day 2 (or3 if you need the time). Next come the peeling, slicing and flavoring of the apples which , as I said can be made on day 2 or 3. I promise you that even if everything does not come out totally professional, it will still be dee-ish. When testing this recipe the other day, as I was preheating it the oven for my beautiful creation, I realized it was not preheating …in other words, it was broken, so I had to drive it over to my friend’s house to bake in her oven trying carefully to keep it steady so no juices would escape. And after all that it still tasted delicious

The Bottom Crust

1 ½ cups AP flour

½ t. salt

2   tablespoons sugar

12 tablespoons  cold unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces

2 tablespoon Iced water

The Filling

8 cups Granny Smith or apples or you apples of choice (about 8 good sized apples) cut into slices 3/8  inch thick slices (don’t drive yourself crazy over the thickness of the slices, this is an approximation)

1/2-3/4 cup granulated sugar (can also do half brown and half brown and half granulated

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch

The Topping

1 cup plus 2T AP Flour

1/2 cup plus 2T  light brown sugar

1 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. Salt

10 tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 T ) unsalted butter, cold and cut into 10 pieces)

1. To make the crust, place the flour and sugar in a food processor and blend 20 seconds or use your hands to rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips, just until the butter and flour form small crumbles. You can use a pastry cutter to do this if you have one and prefer the old fashioned method

2..Form dough into a thick round slab and refrigerate for an hour or so

3. Next, make the topping. Place the flour and sugar in a food processor and blend 20 seconds or use your hands to rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips, just until the butter and flour form  large and medium clumps. Place the mixture in a bowl and refrigerate.

4. Meanwhile start on the filling. Place the sliced apples and the rest of the filling ingredients in a large bowl and toss them together with your hands so as to evenly distribute everything.. set aside

5. Preheat the oven to 400 degree . Next roll out the dough with a lightly floured rolling pin on a floured, non-terry cloth dish towel or even a large linen napkin that has been lightly sprinkled with flour until the dough is a circle 2 inches in diameter bigger than the 9 inch pan

6. Fit the rolled dough so it is centered into the pie,  fold  the outer edges under to form a crust and pinch…does not have to be perfect because you will be  crumble-topping the pie.

7. Place the filling in the crust in and cover with the clumpy topping.

8. Cover the crust with a couple of long strips of tin foil that you can gently press around the crust

9. Put the pie on the baking sheet and place in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 20 minutes then reduce the oven to 350 and continue baking until the pie juices ar bubbling and dripping onto the baking sheet, about one hour.

10. Remove the pie from the oven and gently remove the foil from the crust. Allow the pie to set before serving, at least and hour. Serve with vanilla ice cream and prepare to swoon!

Adapted from Rosie’s All Butter, Cream-Filled, Sugar-Packed Baking Book published by Workman Publishing in 2011.