Julia Sikorski Roehsner
I’ve never been a huge pie person. There’s just something about all that dense, flavorless pie dough, especially when the top crust is one solid dome. I live in dread of soggy bottoms — Paul Hollywood would approve. This pie resolved all my hesitations. Adapted from Claire Saffitz’s “Cinnamon & Sugar Apple Pie” in her cookbook “What’s for Dessert,” my recipe features a homemade pie pastry shell, spiced apples packed high, and delicious oat streusel on top. Never fear; it’s more approachable than it might look.
Ingredients (pie crust):
2 cups (240g) all purpose flour
1 tbsp (12g) sugar
½ tsp table salt
1 ½ sticks (170g) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
4 tbsp (56ml) very cold water
Instructions (pie crust):
Combine sugar, salt, and 1 ¼ cup (140g) flour in a food processor.
Evenly distribute the butter in the processor. Pulse until no dry flour remains. The mixture should begin to clump.
Spread the mixture out evenly in the processor, then add the remaining ¾ cup (100g) of flour. Briefly pulse until the dough is crumbly. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
Sprinkle the mixture with water. Using a spatula, fold and press the dough into a ball.
Spread out a large piece of plastic wrap on a clean surface and place the dough ball in the center. Flatten the ball into a not-too-thick circle. Wrap it up and refrigerate for at least two hours before use. You can also make ahead and freeze; if you do, let the dough thaw overnight in the fridge.
Ingredients (streusel):
2 cups (200g) rolled oats
½ cup (67g) all purpose flour
¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (50g) brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp table salt
12 tbsp (170g) unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch pieces and chilled
Ingredients (filling):
3 lb (1360g) apples minimum, cut into small pieces and peeled
¾ cup (150g) brown sugar
4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp allspice
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp table salt
6 tbsp (42g) cornstarch OR ½ cup (70g) all purpose flour
4 tsp apple cider vinegar OR 4 tsp pure lemon juice
3 tsp (12g) vanilla extract
4 tbsp (56g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Note: Three pounds is equal to around seven medium-size apples. You can use any mixture of apples. I suggest a combination of tart (i.e. Haralson, Granny Smith) and sweet (i.e. Pink Lady, Honey-crisp).
Instructions (pie):
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Find a nine inch baking pan and set aside.
In a bowl, combine the streusel ingredients and rub together until large clumps form. Chill in the fridge until needed.
Peel all the apples, then slice them. In a large bowl, toss the slices with the remaining ingredients for the filling, leaving out the melted butter.
Let the pie dough soften for a couple minutes, then place on a floured surface. Gently beat it with a rolling pin to flatten, then roll it into a thin circle wider than your baking dish.
Center the pie dough over the baking dish and let it slump in. Press it firmly into the dish, paying special attention to the corners. Trim off most of the overhang and tuck the remainder under itself, anchoring it to the edges of the pan. Crimp if desired or score the edges with a fork. If the dough starts to soften at any point, let it sit in the fridge or freezer to re-solidify.
Line the bottom edges of the pastry case with apples from the filling mixture. Dump in the rest of the filling, including any liquid. Drizzle with the melted butter.
Sprinkle on the crumble mixture and press down. Chill if needed.
Place the pie on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake until the pie is bubbling and the top is golden brown (roughly 75 to 90 minutes). Don’t be afraid to let it go a long time; if the edges start to burn, cover them with a bit of aluminum foil.
Let the pie cool completely, ideally refrigerating overnight before serving.