Dutch Apple Pie

Out of all the desserts I made this year for Thanksgiving (Pecan pie bites, Chocolate Toffee Pie, Pumpkin pie, Lemon Meringue Pie, Concord Grape Pie) – I was most excited about this Dutch Apple Pie. 

I love a good crumb topping – and this one was about as good as they come.  You actually bake the topping separately for a bit before you top the pie – it helps prevent a soggy topping.  Absolutely genius!

Also – the apples are cooked on the stovetop – so you ensure they are all cooked evenly and to the perfect texture. 

A photo of the pie table.

And of course – the filling – it was hard to even take this photo, since I wanted to try the pie so bad.  

I promise to never make another apple pie recipe in my life – I have found ‘the one’. 

Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 pie crust (I use the recipe found in this post)

Apple Filling

• 2 1/2 pounds Granny Smith apples
• 2 pounds McIntosh apples
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. table salt
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Streusel Topping

• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp. cornmeal
• 7 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Directions

1. Bake the pie crust: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line unbaked pie crust with foil and pie weights.  Bake, leaving foil and weights in place until dough looks dry and is light in color, 20 to 25 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights and continue to bake until pie shell is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Remove from oven and set aside.

2. For the apple filling: Peel, quarter, and core apples; slice each quarter crosswise into pieces 1/4-inch thick. Toss apples, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl to combine.

3. Heat butter in large Dutch oven over high heat until foaming subsides; add apples and toss to coat. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until apples are softened, about 5 minutes. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until Granny Smith apple slices are tender and McIntosh apple slices are softened and beginning to break down, about 5 minutes longer.

4. Remove apples with a slotted spoon – keeping any juices remaining in the pot.  Bring drained juice and cream to boil in now-empty Dutch oven over medium-high heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and wooden spoon leaves trail in mixture, about 5 minutes.

5. Transfer apples to prebaked pie shell; pour reduced juice mixture over and smooth with rubber spatula.

6. For the streusel topping: Combine flour, sugars, and cornmeal in medium bowl; drizzle with melted butter and toss with fork until evenly moistened and mixture forms many large chunks with pea-sized pieces mixed throughout.

7. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spread streusel in even layer on baking sheet. Bake streusel until golden brown, about 5 minutes; cool baking sheet with streusel on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle streusel evenly over pie filling.

8. Set pie plate on now-empty baking sheet and bake until streusel topping is deep golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack and serve.

Source: slightly adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

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