Cheddar Crusted Homemade Apple Pie Recipe: This is hands down going to be the best apple pie that you will EVER eat! I stake my entire reputation on that last statement. At this point I am now required to make this recipe for every holiday event. The recipe didn’t come easy however, I had to throw out at least two dozen pies before I was able to perfect this recipe. It was about a 6 month endeavor.
The hardest part of making handmade pie is working with the dough. All of my pie crusts are made with all-butter and no shortening. This makes it harder to execute the pie crust but the flavor is one thousand times better! The reason why so many recipes have shortening is that it holds its shape better and is easier to get a flaky texture. However, if you work with butter properly, you can get that same texture without sacrificing the flavor. You want to work as fast as possible while keeping the butter as cold as you can. This way the butter doesn’t melt into the flour and you will see large flakes in the dough. When you cook the pie, these butter flakes melt quicker than the dough cooks so that it creates pockets of air, which provide the flaky texture.
If you want to make apple pie, I highly suggest you pick up one of these bad boys! It will save you a ton of time, and the apple slices come out uniform and perfectly shaped.
And do not get discouraged if your pie doesn’t come out perfect the first time. It will take time to get the hang of working with the dough. The beauty of pie crust is that the ingredients don’t have to be measured perfectly. Unlike other baking, making a pie does not have to be pretty or scientifically measured. The key is working fast and keeping it cold.
Good luck and Live to Eat!
- CRUST:
- 16 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (Kerry Gold recommended)
- 1.5 Cups Bleached Flour
- 1.5 Cups Pastry Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Sugar
- 1 Cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese (shredded)
- ¼-3/4 Cup Ice Water
- 1 Egg White
- 1 Teaspoon Large Crystal Sugar for Topping (optional)
- FILLING:
- 7 Medium Apples (peeled, cored and sliced) (I used Granny Smith)
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- ¼ Cup Brown Sugar
- ¼ Cup Sugar
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
- 2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ Teaspoon Fresh Nutmeg
- ½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 Tablespoons Corn Starch
- 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- APPLE FILLING:
- Peel, core and slice the apples. Transfer to a bowl and coat with lemon juice (prevents browning).
- Toss apples with sugar, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla extract.
- Transfer coated apples to a colander over an empty bowl and allow to drain for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- After the apples drain (this will make them crisper in the pie when it bakes), there will be a collection of liquid in the bowl underneath the colander. Take this liquid and heat it on medium along with 2 T of butter. Cook until it thickens and set aside for later.
- Take the apples in the colander and toss them with the corn starch.
- Your filling is now ready for the pie.
- PIE CRUST:
- In a bowl combine the 2 types of flour, 1 T sugar and 1 t salt.
- Take cold butter and cut into ½ inch cubes then add them to dry ingredients.
- Mash the butter and dry ingredients together with your hands, kneading the butter into smaller pieces until the buttered dough resembles course meal.
- Slowly add the water and mix with fork. The idea is just to have enough water so that the dough holds together. It will be flaky, you do not want the dough to be smooth. So try and add as little water as possible.
- Next, take the dough and place on a cold surface or pastry stone. Working with your hands, gently flatten the dough and fold it over on itself 3 times. Cut in half and shape into 2 equal size discs. Cover in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
- After 30 mins, take one of the discs and flour a cold surface of pastry stone. Roll the dough out until it is about ⅛ inch thick. Take the dough and place in a 9 inch pie pan. The dough will be hanging over the sides of the pan. Take scissors and cut dough even with the pan.
- Brush inside of dough with egg white, then pour in the apples and top with the apple butter syrup you cooked earlier.
- Cover in plastic wrap and place in fridge. Take out the other disc.
- Roll this disc the same as the first. Place it over top of the prepared pie. Using scissors, cut the dough with about a 2 inch overhang. Then tuck the top layer of dough underneath the bottom layer and press together with your fingers or a spoon.
- Brush the top crust with egg white and sprinkle the top with large crystal sugar.
- Cut four slits into the top of the pie.
- Preheat oven to 425 Degrees and place rack at the very bottom of the oven.
- On the bottom rack, place a baking stone (optional, but recommended).
- Bake for 35-45 minutes, until juices start to bubble up through the slits.
- *MAKE SURE TO COVER THE OUTER CRUST WITH A PIE SHIELD OR TINFOIL AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES OF BAKING TO PREVENT TO CRUST FROM BURNING.
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Hands down the BEST pie I ever had!!!!