New Favorite Apple Pie

The Smitten Kitchen is one of my new favorite blog sites that I follow. I love her recipes, pictures and stories of cooking in an apartment in New York with her adorable little boy. Recently she posted a plum and apple pie. Now, I am not much of a pie lover. I will choose cake or cheesecake any day over pie. Apple pie though is a quintessential American food, especially in the fall. This recipe caught my eye because the crust is not pie dough, but more like cookie dough. Yum! Pie dough to me is kind of flavorless, but this dough is a little sweet and really reminds me of a cookie. There is not a bottom crust, so you really get to enjoy the fruit inside the pie. My friend Christina brought me some delicious apples from Washington. I am not sure what type they are, but they are huge! They made a wonderful pie, and I for not being a pie lover I have to admit that I liked this so much I had some pie for breakfast the next day! Enjoy!

Apple Pie
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Top Crust
7 tablespoons (100 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup plus 6 1/2 tablespoons (175 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse or flaky salt (or less of table salt)
Milk or cream, for brushing crust
Coarse or fine sugar, for sprinkling crust

Filling
4-6 apples, peeled and diced, enough to fill the pie pan
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Squeeze or two of orange juice

Crust: With a mixer, cream the butter, sugar and orange zest until light and fluffy. Mix in the lightly beaten egg and scrape down sides. Slowly add the flour, baking powder and salt and beat until combined. Scrape dough into a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap, and stick in the freezer for 10 to 20 minutes, or until firmed up.

Filling: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a pie pan with cooking spray. Add  the apples to the pan and sprinkle it with the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange juice. Gently toss the ingredients together to combine.

Roll out the dough on a very well floured counter and gently lift it onto the pie and trim the overhang. I had to piece it together because it kept tearing. It comes out looking fine once it cooks. Brush the crust with milk or cream, sprinkle with sugar and bake for 40 minutes, until lightly golden on top. Scoop onto dishes and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. I also thought a drizzle of caramel sauce would be great on top as well.