’tis the season! i really hope everyone’s been having the loveliest fall so far! i can safely say that this year is the most autumnal i’ve ever felt/been! fall has always been a top season for me, but i rarely ever prioritized the decorations– scarecrows and hay bales, warty pumpkins and tiny gourds, every inch of my porch is covered with autumn joy! in fact, i’ve literally just picked up another trunk full of pumpkins! you can’t stop me! we’ve been apple picking, getting lost in huge corn mazes, squealing at all the spooky halloween houses, and the best parts have yet to come! please tell me how you’re making the most of the season! i loveee ideas!
anyway, i definitely couldn’t go any further into the season without sharing with you all my best favorite ever apple pie! i adore a double crust pie, but this one just happens to be topped with streusel! pumkin pie lovers cover your ears (or eyes)… apple pies will always and forever be my favorite! i could bake and enjoy a warm spicy classic apple pie any day, any season! i love my summer pies and even savory pies but nothing beats the apple for me! homemade pies can seem like a daunting task if you’re new to it, but trust me, with a bit of practice, you’ll be a master in no time! tender flaky crust? NO PROBLEM. just follow the instruction to a t!
INGREDIENTS
makes 1 9-inch pie
for pie dough
1 1/4 c (160g) unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 tb granulated sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 c (1 stick/113g) unsalted butter, very cold, cubed
4 tb (about 1/4 c) ice water
for streusel topping
2/3 cup rolled oats
1?3 cup packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1?2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tb unsalted butter, cold, cubed
for apple filling
6-8 apples, mix of golden delicious, granny smith, braeburn, cortland, and honeycrisp (don’t need to include all), peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
6 tb unsalted butter
1/2 c light brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground all spice
3 tb corn starch
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the pie dough.
I usually make this a day before I need it.
In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar, and very cold butter. Lightly toss everything around with your hands to coat the butter with flour. Then, start flattening and breaking up the pieces of butter in your hands, between your thumbs and forefingers. You want to end up with some bigger flat pieces of butter, and other smaller varied pea sized pieces, almost working the butter into the flour a bit. work quickly because you want everything to stay cold. The mixture should resemble course meal. If the mixture is starting to get too warm, stick it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before moving on. it should not be greasy at all.
Add the ice water a couple tablespoons at a time. Toss around lightly with a spoon to hydrate the flour and fully combine. Dough should hold together when squeezed but not be overly wet or sticky. You can knead the dough or squeeze it together to bring everything together but DO NOT over-knead it or your crust will be tough. Form the dough into a flat circular disc and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Store in the fridge right away for at least 1 hour, or preferably overnight.
prepare streusel topping.
in a medium bowl, combine oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. toss in the cold cubes of butter, tossing around with hands to coat with mixture. with your hands, work the butter slightly into the flour mixture by breaking up the pieces of butter and smooshing in into the flour mixture. keep working at it until you get clumps of streusel, making sure to keep everything cold and do not over-work. place in fridge until needed.
prepare apple pie filling.
in a large non stick wok or pan, melt butter over medium heat. Turn the heat to medium-high and add cubed apples, mixing and tossing to coat in the butter. add sugars, salt, and spices. mix well and cook apples for 8-10 minutes, lowering heat to medium halfway, until lightly browned and softened. transfer to a shallow heat safe bowl. cool completely. when the filling is completely cooled, add corn starch and mix very well. set aside in fridge.
preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
roll out pie dough.
let pie dough rest at room temperature for 5 minutes. on a heavily floured surface and with a floured rolling pin, start flattening the disc of dough, rotating it as you go along to make sure it’s not sticking to the surface. add more flour if needed. now roll dough out gently until it is about 12-13 inch circle. roll the dough up onto the rolling pin to gently transfer onto 9 inch pie pan. gently fit the dough into the pie pan by lightly pressing the dough into the pan. trim the edges until you have about 1 inch of overhang. tuck the overhang of dough under itself, folding it under until the edge just hits the edge of the pie pan lip. now crimp the edge all around in a flute design or simple crimp with the prongs of a fork. place entire pie pan into the fridge or freezer to chill for 10 minutes.
fill pie.
working quickly, dump the apple filling into the crust, smooth out the top, and sprinkle the streusel topping on top generously, all the way to the edges.
bake pie.
place pie onto a parchment lined baking sheet. this will help catch any juices that may overflow out of the pie. bake pie for 45-55 minutes, until the top and edges are golden brown and filling juices are bubbling. let cool completely, about 3-5 hours, before slicing and enjoying!