Apple Streusel Pie
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup dried blueberries
1/4 cup dried cherries (any kind)
6 large apples (prefer Roma/Gala mixed ),
peel and core and sliced thin (about 1/8-inch)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon apple pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup half-and-half (or light cream)
Crumble Topping
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup toasted fine chop pecans or walnuts
3 cups packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons butter
1 recipe Single crust pie crust (or use recipe below)
1 recipe vanilla icing (below)
Prepare Pastry. Roll out and place in a 9-inch pie pan and line the edge with
double thick foil. Bake in a 450 degree F oven for 8 minutes. Remove foil and
bake an additional 5 to 6 minutes until golden. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce heat
to 375 degrees F.
In a small bowl, place the dried fruit and our boiling water over it. Let stand
5 minutes and drain.
Meanwhile, slice apples in food processor very thin and mix them in a bowl with
the dried fruit. Mound the mixed fruit in the baked pie shell. It will be high,
but arrange the fruit to fit, wedging slices of apple here and there.
In another large bowl, combine sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, apple pie spice and
salt. Stir in half and half and pour over the fruit carefully.
In a medium bowl, combine 1/3 cup flour, nuts, brown sugar and nutmeg. Cut in
the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs the size of peas. Sprinkle it over
the pie filling.
Cover the edge of the pie crust with heavy foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove
foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden and the fruit is tender. Cool
for 45 minutes on a wire rack.
Drizzle with icing and store in the refrigerator. Bring to room temp before
serving. ( I personally like it cold and even frozen too! ) If you like apple
pie, this version will knock your socks off! It�s a higher pie than most apple
pies, and the streusel topping has an icing on top of that, giving a sweetness
that is also unexpected. If you can�t find dried blueberries or cherries, double
the amount of cranberries.
Vanilla Icing
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Stir all together and add a little more milk to make a drizzling consistency.
Pie Pastry
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening
3 to 4 tablespoons water
In a bowl, stir flour and salt together. Cut in shortening until it resembles
coarse crumbs the size of peas. Sprinkle water, 1 tablespoons at a time, and
toss until moistened. Form a ball and on a slightly floured surface, roll the
dough to a 12-inch circle. Fit into a 9-inch pie pan. Trim to 1/2 inch beyond
the edge and fold under and flute. |