Legitimately - I overstuffed the pie so it wasn't the prettiest... but it tasted great. I guess next time I shouldn't multi-task so much/be on the phone the entire time. Also - thanks to Holly and the girls in Watertown for helping me eat up the pie once it was done.
Apple Pie
Makes one9-inch pie for 6 or more
For the crust:
8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
3/4 cup cold water
For the Filling:
1 large egg, separated
5 large red delicious or jonathan gold apples, peeled, cored, and cut into large chunks
1 cinnamon stick
2 cups apple juice
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp cake flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
For the Topping:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 cups walnut halves
1/2 cup cake flour
2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
To make the crust: have two identical 9-inch pie pans ready. Add the butter and the flour to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture has the texture of cornmeal. Add the cheddar cheese and process briefly to blend. With the machine running, pour in the cold water in a steady stream. Process just long enough to completely blend. The mixture will have the texture of cake batter, not a traditional flaky pie crust.
Scrape two thirds of the batter into one pie pan. Using your fingers or the back of a spoon, press the mixture firmly onto the base and up the sides of the pan, forming a uniform crust about 1/4 inch think. Place the remaining batter in a small bowl. Refrigerate both until firm, about 1 hour.
Remove the firmed crust and remaining batter from the refrigerator. Keeping your hands generously dusted with flour, take small bits of batter from the bowl and mold a rim atop the pie pan edge, taking care to completely join the rim with the main crust. (The rim will prevent this very soft dough from sinking during baking.) Work quickly, as the batter can get soft; if it does, simply refrigerate it again.
Place the entire crust in the refrigerator to firm again. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Once the crust is firm, line it with parchment paper. Set the second pie pan on top of the parchment, so that the two pans are stacked. Fill the top pan with pie weights.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until crust is partially baked and lightly golden. Remove the upper pan and parchment paper, and cool the crust completely on a rack. You may store the crust at this point, wrapped in plastic.
To make the filling: preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Brush the egg yolk over the entire rim of the partially-baked pie crust. In a medium saucepan, combine the apples, cinnamon stick, and juice. Cover and bring to a boil. Immediately remove from the heat and drain, reserving the juice for another use (if desired).
In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg white with the vanilla, cake flour, sugar, and sour cream, and whisk to blend. Add the drained apples and mix to coat completely. Transfer the apples to the shell with a slotted spoon. Pour in as much of the liquid as will fit; you may not need it all.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until the liquid has mostly firmed up.
Meanwhile, make the topping: in a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar with a handheld mixer until light. Add the walnuts and blend. Add the flour and cinnamon and beat 30 seconds more. Refrigerate until needed.
Remove pie from oven and cover with topping. You may not need all of the topping. Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the topping is browned. Transfer to a rack and cool completely; serve at room temperature.
Apple Pie
Makes one9-inch pie for 6 or more
For the crust:
8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
3/4 cup cold water
For the Filling:
1 large egg, separated
5 large red delicious or jonathan gold apples, peeled, cored, and cut into large chunks
1 cinnamon stick
2 cups apple juice
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp cake flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
For the Topping:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 cups walnut halves
1/2 cup cake flour
2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
To make the crust: have two identical 9-inch pie pans ready. Add the butter and the flour to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture has the texture of cornmeal. Add the cheddar cheese and process briefly to blend. With the machine running, pour in the cold water in a steady stream. Process just long enough to completely blend. The mixture will have the texture of cake batter, not a traditional flaky pie crust.
Scrape two thirds of the batter into one pie pan. Using your fingers or the back of a spoon, press the mixture firmly onto the base and up the sides of the pan, forming a uniform crust about 1/4 inch think. Place the remaining batter in a small bowl. Refrigerate both until firm, about 1 hour.
Remove the firmed crust and remaining batter from the refrigerator. Keeping your hands generously dusted with flour, take small bits of batter from the bowl and mold a rim atop the pie pan edge, taking care to completely join the rim with the main crust. (The rim will prevent this very soft dough from sinking during baking.) Work quickly, as the batter can get soft; if it does, simply refrigerate it again.
Place the entire crust in the refrigerator to firm again. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Once the crust is firm, line it with parchment paper. Set the second pie pan on top of the parchment, so that the two pans are stacked. Fill the top pan with pie weights.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until crust is partially baked and lightly golden. Remove the upper pan and parchment paper, and cool the crust completely on a rack. You may store the crust at this point, wrapped in plastic.
To make the filling: preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Brush the egg yolk over the entire rim of the partially-baked pie crust. In a medium saucepan, combine the apples, cinnamon stick, and juice. Cover and bring to a boil. Immediately remove from the heat and drain, reserving the juice for another use (if desired).
In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg white with the vanilla, cake flour, sugar, and sour cream, and whisk to blend. Add the drained apples and mix to coat completely. Transfer the apples to the shell with a slotted spoon. Pour in as much of the liquid as will fit; you may not need it all.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until the liquid has mostly firmed up.
Meanwhile, make the topping: in a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar with a handheld mixer until light. Add the walnuts and blend. Add the flour and cinnamon and beat 30 seconds more. Refrigerate until needed.
Remove pie from oven and cover with topping. You may not need all of the topping. Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the topping is browned. Transfer to a rack and cool completely; serve at room temperature.
No comments:
Post a Comment