Apple pie is such a delicious recipe; it’s no wonder that there have been many variations over the years. One of these is the apple crumb pie.
Those that make this dessert may argue that the crumb topping is the most delicious part of the recipe. While the ingredients can vary in making this topping, brown sugar is a preferred main ingredient and can be combined with nutmeg, flour, butter, cinnamon… and the list goes on.
It is not uncommon for the crust to start to brown early while you are baking this pie. If this happens, place a small square of foil over the middle.
Another cooking hack: try using a deep dish pie plate set on a parchment-lined baking pan to bake. This makes it easier to get the pie in and out of the oven and it will catch any drips and spills that occur when the pie bubbles over.
Cut apples thinly and stack them nice and high. They will begin to shrink down as they bake.
Apples with the skin on can become tough and chewy. Peeling your apples in advance will make your dessert nice and tender. It is best to use an apple peeler to make the job quick and easy.
This apple crumb pie recipe gives you the wonderful taste of apple pie with a change from the standard pie crust. A brown sugar spiced crumb topping gives each bite extra delicious flavor.
If you make the pie in advance, you can put it back in the oven for a few minutes to make it warm for serving. Then add a slice of vanilla ice cream, a bit of caramel sauce, and voila, you have a dessert that is sure to make everyone's mouths water.
Apple Crumb Pie
Ingredients:
Crust Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/3 cup vegetable shortening, chilled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water, ice cold
Filling Ingredients:
3 1/2 pounds Granny Smith, Cortland, Jonagold apples, peeled, cored, sliced
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
1/4 teaspoon salt
Crumb Topping Ingredients:
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
1 cup flour
1/3 cup butter, chilled, cut in pieces
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. To make crust: mix together flour and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Use a pastry blender or 2 knives to cut the shortening into the flour mixture until coarse crumbs are formed.
4. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork, until a dough forms.
5. Shape into a flat circle then wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
6. On a floured surface, roll dough with a floured rolling pin into a 12″ circle. Fit into a 9″ pie pan. Trim excess dough, leaving a 1 inch overhang; pinch edges to flute.
7. To prepare filling: in a large bowl, toss together lemon juice, apples, sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. Spoon mixture evenly into crust.
8. To prepare topping: mix together brown sugar, nutmeg and flour in a small bowl.
9. Use a pastry blender or 2 knives to cut the butter into the brown sugar mixture until coarse crumbs form.
10. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the filling to cover completely.
11. Place foil around crust to prevent burning. Bake, rotating halfway through for 40 minutes, remove foil and bake an additional 20 minutes.
Tips to Make Baking a Breeze
Baking should be fun! It's a process to be enjoyed, not to stress over. Check out these tips to ensure your baking process is a breeze:
Give yourself enough time to bake. If you try to rush through this recipe, or any other, you'll likely make mistakes. The end product won't turn out as well as it could, and you'll just end up disappointed. Plus, rushing through a recipe will leave you stressed. If you want baking to be a fun experience, you need to give yourself enough time to do it.
Choose recipes that aren't too much of a challenge. It can be tempting to try difficult recipes. Challenging yourself is good, but attempting to tackle something too far beyond your skill level will leave you frustrated and disappointed. Pick recipes that either match your skill level, or that don't push you too far beyond it. You'll thank us later.
Have your kids give you a hand, when possible. Your kids can be great aids in the kitchen! Plus, teaching them how to cook will arm them with incredibly useful life skills. Always teach kitchen safety first. Your kids should know how to act around hot surfaces, and should be able to handle cooking utensils safely. Enforce a “no rowdiness” policy in the kitchen. That means no running, shouting, or horsing around! These actions can be dangerous around hot surfaces and sharp objects; it's important that your kids understand this.
Try a variety of baked goods. Baking only pies or only cakes will leave your baking skills stunted! If you want to truly be a skilled, well-rounded baker, you need to learn how to make all kinds of baked goods. Pies, cakes, cookies, breads, and pastries are all baked goods that you should be able to make. Of course, take your time and learn at your own pace! Remember- this is supposed to be fun!