Apple Crumb Pie

 

Sundays are one of my favorite days to spend in the kitchen. With the weather cooling down, instead of spending hours watching television, I enjoy spending my Sunday’s meal planning and thinking up fun recipes for the week! I’m excited that fall is here because I will have more time to dedicate to the blog and hopefully gain some new readers. *hint hint* Feel free to help me out in that department friends!!

My very first attempt at an apple pie came this past month. We did not have much planned for our Sunday, so after a weekly grocery shop, I decided it was time to try to make a pie! I was never a lover of pies or cakes growing up but lately my tastes have changed and I adore both.

Of course, like most of the goods I bake, I try to put a healthy twist on it. I’m not sure why because I usually turn my nose up to “healthy” desserts. But I have found that when a dessert involves fruit, usually low-fat versions taste just as delicious! Chocolaty desserts though? Forget it.

Instead of trying to create my own lower fat twist though, I decided I should go with a Cooking Light recipe: Caramel-Apple Crumb Pie! Since I could not find any caramel sauce without high fructose corn syrup, I left out the caramel part. This recipe is just Apple Crumb pie. Don’t get discouraged though my friends, it was phenomenal! There’s just something about a crumble topping…don’t you agree??

A few notes about the baking process:

1. The crust is really thin. It was much easier to handle once it sat in the freezer for a few minutes! Oh and my “fluting” wasn’t so pretty but never mind that…you’re going to eat it anyway!
2. Loads of apples gave this pie a hearty bite! Less crust and more filling…just the way we like it!
3. The crumble topping was good but honestly, any apple crumble topping would work here. I tried adding a few oats to the topping to make each bite less brown sugary. I think next time I would probably add more oats so that the topping is chunkier!
4. I had no vegetable shortening, which the original recipe called for, so I just added butter in place of it!
5. Keep in the fridge so this pie doesn’t get moldy!
6. Brandon LOVED it! So take note ladies…this could get you lots of attention! 

Apple Crumb Pie adapted from Cooking Light.com

10 servings per pie

Crust:

1  cup  all-purpose flour

1/8  teaspoon  salt

4  tablespoons  chilled butter or stick margarine, cut into small pieces

3  tablespoons  plus 1/2 teaspoon ice water

1  teaspoon  apple cider vinegar

Butter-flavored cooking spray

Filling:

1  tablespoon  butter or stick margarine

1/2  cup  packed brown sugar

3/4  teaspoon  ground cinnamon

9  cups  sliced peeled Granny Smith apple (about 2 3/4 pounds)

3  tablespoons  all-purpose flour

2  teaspoons  lemon juice

Topping:

1/4  cup  all-purpose flour

1/4  cup  packed brown sugar

Old Fashioned oats: I think I used about 1/4 cup

2  tablespoons  chilled butter or stick margarine, cut into small pieces

Directions (copied from Cooking Light)

Preheat oven to 375°.

For the crust, spoon 1 cup flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine 1 cup flour and salt in a bowl; cut in 4 tablespoons butter until mixture looks coarse and mealy. Sprinkle surface with ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time; add vinegar. Toss with a fork until moist and crumbly (do not form a ball).

Gently press dough into a 4-inch circle on plastic wrap; cover with additional plastic wrap. Roll dough with a rolling pin, still covered with wrap, to a 12-inch circle (use a ruler). Freeze ~10 minutes or until plastic wrap can be easily removed.

Remove bottom sheet of plastic wrap; fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Remove top sheet of plastic wrap. Fold edges under; flute (might not come out perfectly). Line bottom of dough with a piece of foil; arrange pie weights (or dried beans) on foil. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes or until the edge is lightly browned. Remove pie weights and foil; cool on a wire rack.

To prepare filling, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Combine 1/2 cup brown sugar and cinnamon. Add sugar mixture and apples to skillet; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in 3 tablespoons flour and lemon juice. Spoon into prepared crust.

For the topping, spoon 1/4 cup flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and 1/4 cup brown sugar in a bowl; cut in 2 tablespoons butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Sprinkle topping over apples. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until apples are tender. Cool on a wire rack.

Nutritional Profile: Calories: 277 (27% from fat), Fat: 8.4g (sat 4.2g,mono 2.4g,poly 1g) , Protein: 2.1g, Carbohydrate: 50.1g, Fiber: 2.4g, Cholesterol: 16mg, Iron: 1.3mg, Sodium: 109mg, Calcium: 33mg

Question: WHAT WAS THE BEST THING YOU ATE THIS WEEKEND??

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