As a dedicated home baker, there’s nothing quite like the joy of creating a warm, comforting dessert from scratch. Today, I want to share with you one of my all-time favorite recipes that’s not only a delight for your taste buds but also a great stress-reliever – Dutch Apple Pie with a delectable crumb crust and an equally delectable streusel top. Let’s dive into the world of baking and savor the therapeutic magic of this classic dessert.
The Aroma of Comfort
There’s something incredibly soothing about the scent of apples, cinnamon, and butter wafting through your kitchen. As I preheat my oven and gather my ingredients, I can already feel the stress of the day melting away. The anticipation of that first bite of warm apple pie is pure bliss.
The Ease of a Press-In Crumb Crust
The secret to this fantastic Dutch Apple Pie lies in the crumb crust. I discovered this super delicious and super easy crust from Bake from Scratch Magazine (you all know how much I love them!!) and I know it will become one of my ‘go to’ crust recipes. To make this delightfully easy base, combine all-purpose flour, sugar, a pinch of salt, and some homemade apple pie spice. Melt you butter, and mix an egg and vanilla, then combine these into the dry mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. This crumbly goodness will add an irresistible texture to your pie. Blind bake, and get ready for apple heaven!
The Luscious Apple Filling
Peel, core, and slice five medium to large firm apples. (I prefer Honeycrisp or Granny Smith) Toss them with a mixture of sugar, flour, homemade apple pie spice, and the juice of one lemon. Pour this fragrant apple filling into your prepared crust. As you arrange the apple slices, you’ll find the process meditative, almost therapeutic.
The Finishing Touches
Now, sprinkle your crumb topping generously over the apple filling. It’s time to bake this masterpiece at 375°F (190°C) for about 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown, and the apples are tender. The scent that fills your kitchen during this time is nothing short of heavenly.
Slice and Savor
Finally, let your Dutch Apple Pie cool for a bit before slicing into it. The combination of tender apples, sweet crumbly crust, and aromatic spices is pure comfort. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for the ultimate stress-relieving indulgence.
Dutch Apple Pie with Crumb Crust and Streusel Topping
Notes
You’ll need:
- 9-inch deep dish pie pan (preferably metal)
- a peeler, corer, and/or knives for prepping apples
- Really large bowl for apples
- crust tamper, or cup with flat bottom for pressing the crust
- Large, medium and small bowl, spoons
- aluminum foil, parchment paper, pie weights or dried beans for blind baking
Ingredients
- For the Crumb Base (crust):
- • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- • 1 cup granulated sugar
- • Pinch of salt
- • 1 tsp Homemade Apple Pie Spice
- • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- • 1 egg, room temperature
- • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- For the Apple Filling:
- • 8 cups (about 1000 g or 6 Medium to Large Apples) (I love Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and sliced 1/8 inch thick
- • Juice of 1 lemon, freshly squeezed
- • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- • 2 tsp Homemade Apple Pie Spice
- • 1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
- For the Streusel topping:
- • ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, cold
- • 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
- • ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- • ½ tsp homemade apple pie spice
- • Pinch of salt
- • Optional: Add ½ cup of chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- For the Crumb Base (Crust): mix the flour, sugar, salt, and homemade apple pie spice in a bowl. Melt the butter, and pour into the bowl. Separately, mix the egg and vanilla together, then pour into the bowl.
- Using a large fork or your hands, mix this until it is combined and crumbly.
- Spray your deep dish pie pan with baking spray with flour, and gently crumble ¾ of the mixture over the bottom of the pan evenly, leaving gaps between the crumbles.
- Press the crumb base mixture into the bottom. Then, press the remaining crumb mixture all the way up the sides of a deep dish pie pan, without any overhang, using a sharp knife around the very top edge to make sure the edges are nice and clean. (the crust will shrink slightly when cooked).
- Cover the crust with a sheet of parchment paper, and fill the pie pan with pie weights or dry baking beans to the top.
- Blind bake the crumb crust for 8 minutes. Then, remove the parchment paper and pie weights, return to the oven, and continue baking for another 5 – 7 minutes until the crust is no longer shiny or wet looking.
- Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Turn up the oven temperature to 375°F
- *For the Streusel Topping:*In a medium bowl, add the cold butter, flour, light brown sugar, apple pie spice, and a pinch of salt.
- Using a pastry blender, or your fingers, cut (or smoosh with your fingers) the mixture until a crumbly mixture forms. (add the optional chopped walnuts at this point, and smoosh with your fingers until the walnuts are incorporated into the crumbs)
- Set the streusel mixture aside.
- For the Filling: Toss the sliced apples with sugar, flour, and apple pie spice in a very large separate bowl.
- Pour this filling into the pre-baked crumb crust, making sure the apples stack nicely, lightly tapping the pan on the counter if needed to get the apples to ‘sit down’ into the pan snuggly. (not too hard, avoid cracking the crust).
- Sprinkle the Streusel mixture over the top of the apples, covering them completely.
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, and then cover the pie with a tin foil ‘hat’ to avoid browning any further. Continue baking another 15 – 20 minutes, (for a total of 45 to 55 minutes) or until the filling begins to bubble in the middle.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
- Allow the pie to cool slightly before slicing and serving. Really good with homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, too!
- Enjoy!
No Comments