She Strengthens

Elevate Your Apple Pie Game with This Show-Stopping Recipe

A Twist on Tradition

Imagine a classic apple pie with a crunchy walnut streusel topping and a hint of cider vinegar in the filling. This innovative recipe takes the traditional double-crust version to new heights, perfect for impressing friends and family this fall.

The Perfect Crust

To make the flaky crust, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add cold unsalted butter and use a pastry blender or knives to cut it into pea-size pieces. Gradually add ice water, mixing with your hands until the dough comes together. Shape into a flat disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Streusel Topping

Meanwhile, prepare the streusel by whisking together flour, sugars, oats, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Add cold unsalted butter and chopped walnuts, squeezing the mixture with your fingers until it forms large clumps. Break into irregularly shaped pieces and refrigerate until ready to use.

Apple Filling

In a large bowl, whisk together sugars, flour, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Add sliced apples, golden raisins, and cider vinegar, tossing until the apples are evenly coated.

Assembly and Baking

Heat your oven to 425°F and arrange a rack in the lower third. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place it on the rack. Roll out the chilled dough to 13 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thick, placing it in a 9-1/2-inch deep-dish pie plate. Crimp the edges in a decorative pattern and fill with the apple mixture. Dot the top with butter pieces and bake for 20 minutes.

Adding the Streusel

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top of the pie. Pat the streusel onto the apples to adhere, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and return the pie to the oven. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is thick and bubbling, about 40 to 50 minutes more.

Let it Cool

When the pie is done, remove it from the oven and let it sit on the baking sheet until the fruit stops bubbling, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely and let the filling set before slicing, at least 3 hours. Serve warm with scoops of cinnamon ice cream or soft clouds of easy whipped cream.

Yield and Difficulty

This recipe yields one 9-1/2-inch deep-dish pie, serving 8 to 10 people. The difficulty level is medium, with a total time of 2 hours, plus 3 hours cooling time, and 45 minutes of active time.