deep dish apple pie with streusel topping

when i think of apple pie, the first thing that comes to my mind is classic apple pie with a double crust.  apple pie is a must have in the fall, and after our apple picking adventure this past weekend i couldn't wait to make apple pie with the apples that we picked at the orchard.

while i  was reading through deb perelman's the smitten kitchen cookbook, i saw a recipe for a deep dish apple pie made in a springform pan.  the only thing i typically make in a springform pan is cheesecake, so i was excited to give it a try.  instead of covering the top of the pie with another layer of crust, deb recommended a streusel topping.  i couldn't say no to that!

i made this pie a few nights ago while ryan was out at a meeting after work.  this pie is really a labor of love.  it is not difficult to make at all, it's just time consuming.  the crust comes together in no time, and the streusel topping is super easy to mix together . . . but man oh man, coring, peeling, slicing, and dicing five pounds of apples by yourself is a workout.  (especially when you have a screaming kitten in the kitchen who wants your undivided attention!  he's really such a sweetheart.)

all of that coring, peeling, slicing, and dicing, was so worth it, because the pie came together like a work of art.

the pie smelled absolutely amazing as it baked in the oven.  it filled the whole house with an amazing aroma of autumn spices.  when ryan came home, he said that he smelled the pie baking as he walked up on the back porch before he even came into the kitchen.  oh, i wish i could bottle up that smell and save it!  (needless to say, he was a very happy husband when he came home to this apple pie.)

this pie is so worth it.  it's worth the time (this guy bakes for 90 minutes!) and it's worth the calories (oh yeah, there are a few sticks of butter in there!) because it is so so good.

push your standby apple pie recipes aside and give this recipe a go . . . you won't be disappointed!

deep dish apple pie with streusel topping
prep time: 30 minutes
down time: 1 hour
baking time: 90 minutes
yields: one 9-inch deep dish pie
adapted from the smitten kitchen cookbook

crust ingredients:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, cold
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 cup ice water

filling ingredients:
5 lbs. apples (about 10-12 large apples)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

streusel ingredients:
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
8 tablespoons salted butter, melted

directions:
to make the crust: cut the cold butter into one-inch cubes.  in a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, and butter cubes together until the butter is incorporated into the flour.  while running the food processor, slowly pour the cold water into the mixture.  as soon as the mixture forms into a dough ball, stop the food processor.  remove the dough from the food processor and form it into a ball.  wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and let the dough ball chill in the refrigerator for one hour.  after one hour, roll out the dough out on a floured surface to fit a 9-inch springform pan with 3-inch sides.  place the dough into the pan, pressing it against the sides and along the bottom of the pan.  trim off any overhanging dough.  let the dough chill in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

to make the filling: peel, core, and dice the apples into cubes, no more than 1/4 inch thick.  (the small pieces will fit better edge to edge in the crust.)  put the diced apples into a large bowl.  sprinkle the lemon juice, sugar, flour, salt, and spices over the apples and toss well making sure that all of the apples are evenly coated.  evenly distribute the apple mixture, along with it's juices, in the prepared pie crust.  use a spatula to spread the apples as flat and evenly as possible in order to make sure that all of the apples fit into the crust.  bake the pie for 30 minutes at 375 degrees F while you prepare the streusel.

to make the streusel: stir together the sugars, flour, baking powder, and spices in a bowl.  pour in the melted butter and stir until large clumps form.  set the streusel aside until ready to use.

after the pie has baked for 30 minutes at 375 degrees F, remove the pie from the oven.  sprinkle the streusel over the top of the pie, pressing it into the apples.  reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and bake the pie for another 60 minutes.  once baked, allow the pie to sit at room temperature to cool completely.  (the pie will slice cleanly after sitting in the refrigerator for a while.)  remove the outside of the springform ring and slide the pie out to slice and serve.

enjoy!

love, laurie