Dutch Apple Pie (Apple Crumb Pie)

 For Dutch Apple Pie:

1 pie crust (1/2 of the pie dough recipe) or store bought

2 1/4 lbs granny smith apples, 6 medium apples, thinly sliced

1 tsp cinnamon

8 Tbsp unsalted butter

3 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1/4 cup water 

1 cup granulated sugar

For Crumb Topping:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp granulated sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

8 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cups chopped pecans

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees with a rack on the bottom and a rack in the center of the oven.

2.  Roll out your chilled pie dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12 inch diameter circle.  Transfer to a 9 inch pie pan.  Tuck excess pie dough into the dish and crimp the edges using your fingers.

3.  Peel, core, and thinly slice apples to about 1/4 inch thickness, You should have 7 cups of sliced apples.  Place them in a large bowl and stir in 1 tsp cinnamon.

4.  Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Whisking 3 Tbsp flour then simmer for 1 minute, whisking constantly.  Whisk in 1/4 cup water, 1 cup sugar and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and continue simmering for 3 minutes, whisking frequently then remove from heat.  Pour the sauce over the apples and stir to coat the apple slices  Pour apples over bottom crust.

5.  To make the crumb topping, stir together dry ingredients: flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt.  Add butter and work it into the mixture with your hands until pea-size crumbs form throughout the mixture.  Stir in pecans.  Spread the crumb topping evenly over the apples.

6.  Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 50-60 minutes (55 minutes seems to be perfect for my oven), or until the center of the pie registers 175 degrees.  Place a sheet of foil on the bottom rack to catch any drips from the pie.  If topping is browning too much, cover with a sheet of foil.   Remove from oven and cool 1 hour to allow the filling to set so it's easier to slice.

 

Homemade Pie Crust

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more to dust, measured correctly

1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 lb COLD unsalted butter (2 sticks), diced into 1/4 inch pieces

7 Tbsp ice water (7 to 8 Tbsp)

 

1.  Place flour, sugar and salt into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to combine.

2.  Add cold diced butter and pulse the mixture until coarse crumbs form with some pea-sized pieces then stop mixing.  Mixture should remain dry and powdery.

3.  Add 7 Tbsp ice water and pluse just until moist clumps or small balls form.  Press a piece of dough between your finger tips and if the dough sticks together, you have added enough water.  IF not, add more water a tsp at a time.  Be careful not to add too much water or the dough will be sticky and difficult to roll out. 

4.  Transfer dough to a clean work surface, and gather dough together into a ball (it should not be smooth and DO NOT knead the dough), Divide dough in half and flatten to form 2 disks.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour before using in recipes that call for pie crust.

 

Recipe:  Natasha's Kitchen