Todd is always wanting me to make him an Apple Pie. I think Apple Pie is one of his favourite pies of all. He had Mitzie to the dog groomer today and so I decided to bake him an apple pie as a surprise for when he got home!
I went for a Dutch Apple Pie. He loves apple crumble as well and a Dutch Apple Pie ticks both of those boxes! He is getting a double whammy of pleasure!
You will want to use a tart apple, not too sweet. I used a Cox's Pippen, because that is what I had. I also had Granny Smiths, but I felt they would not bake down properly in the time required.
They worked great. I am not sure what the North American Equivalent would be, maybe a Cortland.
You do have to keep an eye on it while it is baking. The crumb topping has a tendancy to burn if you don't watch it closely. If you see it getting too brown, loosely top the pie with a sheet of foil.
The original recipe is one I clipped from Women's Day magazine back in the 1970's and it has always worked very well for me.
I have seen some Dutch Apple Pie recipes which require the addition of raisins, and you could certainly do that in this case, but the original recipe doesn't call for that. Also if your apples are really juicy, you may want to add a TBS of flour with the sugar when you toss them together.
My apples today were really juicy . . . . you don't want a watery pie. The addition of a bit of flour helps to prevent this, but you be the judge.
This would be gorgeous served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. We had none, so it was enjoyed simply plain. I know Todd was wishing I had custard for on top of his, but well . . . he enjoyed it all the same! Its not every day I bake him a pie!
*Dutch Apple Pie*
Serves 6 - 8Filling:
2 pounds tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/3 inch thick
2 tsp lemon juice
126g granulated white sugar (2/3 vup)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp each ground cardamom and grated nutmeg
dash ground cloves
pinch salt
For the topping:
125g softened butter (1/2 cup)
100g soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup, packed)
140g plain flour (1 cup)
You will also need:
1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell
icing sugar to dust (optional)
Put the apples into a bowl and toss together with the sugar, spices, salt and lemon juice. Set aside.
Cream the softened butter together with the brown sugar. Add the flour and rub it in with your finger tips until you get a crumbly mixture with bits the size of small peas.
Take your pastry lined pie dish and turn the apples into it. Sprinkle the crumbs evenly over the apples. Place in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes to set the crumbs.
While the pie is chilling preheat the oven to 225*C/425*F gas mark 7, and place a large baking sheet in the oven to heat. (I like mine with foil for easier clean up.)
*Standard Pastry for Single Crust Pie*
Makes one 8 or 9-inch crust 156g plain flour (1 cup plus 2 TBS)
1/2 tsp salt
6 TBS all vegetable shortening
2 1/2 to 3 TBS ice water
Sift the flour into a bowl with the salt. Drop in the shortening and then cut it in using two round bladed knives or a pastry blender, until it looks like coarse meal. Add the water, 1 TBS at a time, stirring it in with a fork, lightly, until the flour is moistened and the dough barely clings together. Gather the dough into a ball and pat flat into a disc. Roll out on a lightly floured board to 1/4 inch thickness. (1 1/2 inch larger in diameter of the inverted tin, if using a 9 inch pie tin, and 2 inches larger if using an 8 inch pie tin). Transfer to a pie tin. Leave an 1/2 inch over hang and trim. Fold under and flute the edge all the way around, proceed as per recipe.
This is a mighty fine pie. If you like apple pies and you like apple crumble, then you will quite simply love this! Bon Appetit!
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