Apple Streusel Pie

I don’t care if it’s two-crusted or streusel-topped, but I’m a big fan of apple pie. But it’s much easier to make this streusel topping than tackle two crusts, and with so much to do for the Thanksgiving meal, why not save yourself some time?  The crumb topping gives this dessert extra crunch, especially with the addition of some walnuts. Use your favorite pie crust recipe, or buy one already packaged, like I did this time, with one from Trader Joe’s. Roll it out, place it into your pie plate and crimp the edges. I sprayed my pie plate first with some PAM, to ensure easier removal of the slices. Prick the pastry all over, then put it in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes before baking.

Weigh down the crust with some pie weights that are nestled on a piece of aluminum foil. I also sprayed the bottom of the foil with some PAM, so it wouldn’t stick to the crust. If you don’t have pie weights, use some hard beans, like I did. I keep reusing mine year after year and I think they’re at least 30 years old by now — and still have more life in them.

I like to cook the apples a bit before putting them in the crust. Otherwise, the pie has a tendency to sink a lot — especially important if you’re making a double crust pie and don’t want a big gap between the apples and the crust. Just cook them a little, so they still maintain their integrity as slices. You don’t want them turning into applesauce!

After you’re prebaked the pie shell a little bit, gently place the partially cooked apples inside, cover with the streusel topping and bake.

If the edges seem to be browning too quickly, cover them with strips of aluminum foil.

Let the pie rest at least a couple of hours before digging in.

And don’t forget that it tastes even better with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream!

Click here to find the recipe for this other great apple pie – an upside-down apple pie with a gooey pecan topping.

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Apple Streusel Pie

Author: Ciao Chow Linda

printable recipe here

Ingredients

• 1 purchased pie crust or your favorite home made pie crust
• 7-8 apples, peeled and sliced evenly (about 9-10 cups of sliced apples)
• (I used a combination of mostly Honey Crisps and Granny Smiths)
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• a pinch of cloves
• a few gratings of fresh nutmeg
• a pinch of salt
• 2 T. lemon juice
• 2 T. cornstarch
• FOR THE TOPPING:
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup flour
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
• a pinch of cinnamon

Instructions

1. FOR THE PIECRUST:
2. I rolled out the pie crust and placed it gently in a pie plate that was sprayed with PAM.
3. Then, I crimped the outer edge and pricked the bottom with a fork.
4. I preheated the oven to 375 degrees F. and placed the uncooked pie crust in the refrigerator while the oven was preheating.
5. When the oven reaches 375 degrees, place a buttered piece of aluminum foil in the pie shell, and weigh it down with pie weights or beans.
6. Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven, remove the pie weights and aluminum foil and bake the crust for another 10 minutes.
8. FOR THE PIE FILLING:
9. Peel, core and slice the apples into slices about 1/4 inch thick.
10. Place the butter in a large skillet, big enough to hold all the apple slices.
11. Cook the apple slices in the butter on a gentle heat for about 10 minutes or until they start to soften,
12. Do not cook completely. They will continue to cook in the oven.
13. When they begin to soften, turn off the heat and stir in the spices, the salt and the cornstarch.
14. Spoon all the apples into the prebaked pie crust, then cover with the streusel topping and bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes.
15. Check the pie to make sure it isn’t browning too much on the edges and bake for another 5-10 minutes, placing aluminum foil strips around the edges if it’s getting too browned.
16. STREUSEL TOPPING:
17. Mix the flour, brown sugar, walnuts and cinnamon together, then using your fingers, blend in the butter.
18. Carefully spread the topping over the apples and bake as directed above,

3.5.3251

 

French Apple Almond Cake

Is it even Fall if you haven’t made an apple cake? There are so many recipes out there for apple cake that it was hard to choose, but any recipe that includes almonds and apples has my vote. I found this winner of a dessert on a website called The Sugar Hit and made it last year but never posted it. Hey, it’s time to make it again! 

I used a buttered springform pan, placing a piece of parchment paper on the bottom. I then layered some of the batter over the paper, and placed apples over the batter in a neat pattern. Repeat with the batter (don’t worry if you don’t get complete coverage), then more apples. When you’re finished with that layer, scatter the almonds and sugar topping all over, then bake. (I overbaked it by five minutes and the bottom layer was too browned.) Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar when cooled. Enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee (and some vanilla sauce or ice cream wouldn’t hurt either).

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French Apple Cake

Author: Ciao Chow Linda via The Sugar Hit

printable recipe here

Ingredients

• For the apples:
• 3 medium granny smith apples (or whatever kind you like)
• 1 tbsp caster sugar (for you Americans, use superfine granulated sugar)
• pinch of cinnamon
• 1 tsp rum
• For the cake batter:
• 1 + ½ sticks (150g) butter
• ½ cup (110g) caster sugar (superfine granulated sugar to you Americans)
• 2 eggs
• 1¼ cups (185g) plain flour
• ¾ cups (85g) almond meal
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp rum
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• ¼ cup milk
• ⅓ cup sliced almonds, mixed with sugar and cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375F/180C and grease a 9 inch/22cm springform cake tin.
2. Peel and core the apples, then quarter them and slice them into thickish pieces.
3. Toss the pieces with the sugar, cinnamon and rum and set aside while you prepare the batter.
4. Cream together the butter and sugar, until they are light and fluffy, then add the eggs and beat them in well.
5. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and slowly mix or fold until everything is well combined. The batter will be very thick.
6. Scrape 2 thirds of the batter into the greased cake tin, and spread it evenly over the base (it will seem like there’s not enough, but there is).
7. Scatter most of the apples evenly over the cake mix, leaving enough slices for a second layer.
8. Then dollop over the remaining batter and spread carefully over the apples.
9. Add the rest of the apples, arranging the slices in a concentric circle.
10. Scatter over the chopped almonds and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.
11. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out without any raw batter clinging to it.
12. Leave to cool for at least 10 minutes in the tin, before carefully unmolding it and scattering over a little sugar to decorate. This is best served warm.

3.5.3251

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pear Apple Crostata

Last week I promised you this recipe, courtesy of my friend Jan who brought it for dessert recently following our dinner of stuffed shells. It was warm and beautiful. I wish I had thought to take a photo of the entire thing before we sliced into it, but one can only resist so much temptation. You can call it a galette, a croustade, a crostata or even an open-face pie. But whatever you call it, call it fantastic.

Jan used dried cranberries and dried cherries, but if you don't have both, you can substitute more of one or the other. Eat this warm topped with a scoop of ice cream, and it could become your go-to dessert.

pastry crust:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel (maybe even a little bit more, but not a tablespoonful)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chilled unsalted butter cut cross-wise in 1/2 inch slices
1/4 cup or more heavy cream

Whisk flour, sugar, lemon peel, and salt in medium bowl. Add butter; using pastry cutter, blend butter with flour mixture until coarse meal forms. Drizzle 1/4 cream over; toss with fork until moist clumps form adding more cream by teaspoonfuls as needed if dry. I added 2 more teaspoons. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour. You may do this a day ahead. In that case, let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling out.

Filling:
5 firm but ripe Bartlett pears, peeled cored, and thinly sliced
1 large granny smith apple, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons dried cranberries
2-3 tablespoons dried cherries
5 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons all purpose flour
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons (maybe a bit more) finely grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon (generous) ground nutmeg
heavy cream for brushing
sliced almonds for edge

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix all fruit, sugar, flour, lemon juice, lemon peel, and nutmeg in a large bowl to coat. (I whisked together the sugar, flour, lemon peel and nutmeg before adding the juice or the fruit.)
Roll out pastry on sheet of floured parchment paper to 14inch round, Transfer crust on parchment paper to baking sheet. Mound fruit in center of pastry, leaving a 2 inch border all around. Fold pastry border over fruit, crimping slightly. Brush edges with cream and gently press on sliced almonds.

Bake until filling bubbles and almonds are lightly toasted, about 1 hour. Cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream if desired.

Related Posts:

Apple Strudel

Fig Crostata