An American classic filled with slightly sweet, tart wild apples and balanced with a sharp cheddar crust, this apple pie is sure to please even the pickiest of pie eaters.
Preparation:
Cook:
Level: Intermediate
Serves: 8
Ingredients
- FOR THE DOUGH:
- 1-½ cup All purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoons Salt
- 1-½ cup Strong Aged Cheddar Cheese
- ¾ cups Vegetable fat
- ¾ cups Water
- FOR FILLING:
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 tbsp All purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoons Salt
- 6 cups Small diced crab apples
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1-½ tbsp Lemon juice
- ⅓ cups Water
- 1-½ tbsp Butter
Preparation
For the dough:
In a food processor, mix the all-purpose flour and salt for 30 seconds to aerate the flour. Add cheddar cheese and beat in food processor 10-15 times until cheese pieces are no larger than the size of a pea. Add vegetable shortening and pulse 10 times.
While beating, slowly add the water to the flour/cheese mixture. Continue beating until the mixture starts to stick together but hasn’t formed into a ball yet.
Place the mixture on a well floured surface. Using your hands, lightly coat the dough with flour so it doesn’t stick to your surface. Shape the dough into a ball and cut in half. Form 2 disc-shaped doughs and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate discs for 1 hour.
Roll out one of the discs and place it in a pie pan. (The circle of dough should be about 1 1/2 inches larger than the diameter of your pie dish.) Place in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
For the filling:
Preheat oven to 400ºF.
In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, lemon juice and salt. Add apples and toss to combine.
Roll out the second disc of dough for the top of the pie. Pour the apple mixture into a pie dish lined with puff pastry.
Cut the butter into small pieces (3 horizontal cuts, 3 vertical cuts). Sprinkle the mixture with water and sprinkle the cubes of butter. Place the second dough on top of the mixture and adjust. Cut vents and fluted edges.
Bake at 400ºF for 50 minutes or until filling is tender and crust is golden brown.
