… Meant finally getting back to the land of pies! I’m told the wedding cupcake project was a success, though I hated to miss it. Oh 2020. Who would have thought?!
Anywho. Fall has finally started to show itself around here, so the apple pie option on my list seemed appropriate. That said, Schatzi and I were discussing such a pie, and found ourselves in agreement that apple pie is just not something we crave or are going to order if it’s available. Yes, we are those people. But when researching my recipe list for the year, I came across one for a cheddar apple pie from Cook’s Country, and I figured “go big or go home.” I’ve never had the classic apple pie with cheddar cheese melted somewhere, and figured if anyone could do this right, it would be Chris Kimball and his team. Read on to see if I was right.
For the crust, you need:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1T sugar
- 1t salt
- 1t dry mustard
- 1/8t cayenne pepper
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 8T butter, cut into 1/4″ pieces and frozen for 15 minutes
- 1/3 cup ice water
I know. This looks like Thanksgiving, but trust me young padowan, it’s fine. Your pie will not taste like mustard or dressing. Pulse the dry ingredients in a food processor just to combine. Scatter in the cheddar cheese and butter (really, don’t skip on freezing it), and pulse in your machine until pea-sized pieces form.
Pour in half of the ice water and pulse until it is incorporated. Give the dough a pinch, and if it doesn’t hold together, add another 1-2T of water until it is not dry and holds together easily. You should have large clumps of dough. Divide the dough in half and press into 4″ disks. Wrap tightly in plastic and pop into the fridge for at least an hour. Now here’s the crucial part that genius here forgot: let the dough rest outside of the fridge for 10 minutes before rolling out. It’s possible, but requires so much more effort. Save yourself the trouble.
For the filling, you need:
- 2 lb Granny Smith apples
- 2 lb golden delicious apples
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 t lemon zest and 1T juice
- 1/4t salt
- 1/8t cinnamon
Combine the apples, sugars, lemon zest, and spices in a Dutch oven/large pot. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 12 minutes until the apples are tender but still hold their shape. Stir often. Take off the heat, add the lemon juice, and spread on a baking sheet to cool completely for 30 minutes.
Roll one disk of dough to a 12″ circle between 2 pieces of parchment paper (seriously, I could have made this so much easier on myself). Also, rolling crust between pieces of parchment is brilliant. Unroll over a pie pan and press the dough into the plate evenly. Trim any overhang to 1/2″. Cover in plastic and place in the fridge until firm, 15 minutes.
Put your oven rack in its lowest position and heat to 425°. Fill the chilled shell with the cooled apples. Roll the remaining “thawed” disk of dough to 12″ and place on top of the pie. Again, trim overhang to 1/2″ and pinch the edges of the crust together. Tuck the crust under itself so it is flush with the plate and crimp the edges to further seal. Cut 4 2″ slits in the top. Place on a lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Lower the heat to 375° and continue baking until golden and bubbling, 35-45 minutes. Cool on a rack at least 1 1/2 hours.
Slice it up, and enjoy! No ice cream needed. Really.
All in all, a good pie. At the end of the day, Schatzi and I admitted we just still never crave apple pie. But, this is a nice one. No, you aren’t hit with a savory bite of cheddar and mustard. It’s just a well-rounded pie. If apple is your jam, get to it. You won’t be disappointed.
*sc
singing.chef. 