Classic Apple Crumb Pie

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As I mentioned in my recent Black & Whites post, my dear dad had a birthday this month.  We celebrated this past Sunday with a family dinner of pasta, meatballs, and his favorite apple pie.  I realize that a birthday celebration with pie instead of cake may seem a bit odd.  However, this is the birthday boy’s preference.  He likes a classic apple pie with crumb topping – no raisins, nuts, or frills of any kind.  So, this past weekend, I made traditional apple crumb pie for a very traditional guy.

My mother has been making homemade apple pie for my dad’s birthday since I can remember.  Given that she had her hands full with pasta and meatballs this year, I volunteered to make dessert.  I’ve experimented with some pretty tasty apple pie recipes in my day. However, my mom’s is the only one I would use for this special occasion. It has a tender apple filling and a delicious crumb topping. I combined with a simple shortening and butter crust that was perfect for the decorative details I was planning.

Make the Crust

I think we can all agree that a great pie starts with a great pie crust.  This simple crust is easy to make and work with.  It consists of butter, shortening, flour, salt, and ice water.  The key is to keep the butter, shortening, and ice water very cold.  I like to place the shortening in the freezer for approximately 20 minutes and wait until the last possible minute to remove the butter from the refrigerator. 

Meanwhile, I pulse the flour and salt in the bowl of the food processor until well combined.  Then, I add the cold butter and shortening and process on low until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.  Last, I add the water through the feed tube, one tablespoon at a time, and let the food processor do the heavy lifting.  The dough is finished when it begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.  I divide the dough in half, shape into discs, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least one hour. 

I usually prepare the crust a day before making the pie.  This minimizes both work and cleanup on the big day.  Given that this was a “birthday pie”, I wanted to give it a few decorative details.  Therefore, I made enough dough for a double crust pie (even though I also used crumb topping).  This ensured that I would have enough crust to create a few finishing touches.  However, this pie is also beautiful with a traditional crimped crust.  If you prefer to prepare this way, simply cut the crust recipe in half and refrigerate as one disc. 

Once the crust is chilled, remove a disc from the refrigerator and roll out (on a floured surface) to fit a nine-inch pie plate with about an inch of excess. I’ve tried several methods of transferring the crust to the pie plate.  You can either roll the crust onto a rolling pin or gently (careful not to crack the dough) fold the crust in fourths, and transfer to the pan. Once the dough is correctly positioned in the plate, fold the excess crust underneath the edges.  If you’re not planning any decorative details, feel free to crimp or add texture with a fork and move on to the filling.  

I used my second disc to create a braided edge and a “Happy Birthday” message.  For the braided edge, I rolled the dough out to approximately 12 inches long and cut into thin (approximately 3/8”) strips. 

I placed three strips side-by-side, used egg wash to bind at the top, braided, and again sealed with egg wash (see photos below).  Once I had three good braids, I chilled for approximately 10 minutes.

Then, I brushed the rim of my crust with egg wash and applied the braids to the top.  I placed the entire crust, along with my excess dough, in the refrigerator while I prepared the apple filling. My braids looked a little “rustic”, but not bad for a first try. 

I also like to use cutters and fondant molds to create decorative details.  Check out my Cherry Crumb Pie post for a simple example.  If you’re ready to try some more creative techniques, check out this YouTube video by Matt Adlard.

Make the Filling and Bake the Pie

My mother’s apple pie filling and crumb topping are fairly easy, yet incredibly delicious.  The foundation of this filling is six cups of Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, and very thinly sliced.  The birthday boy despises crunchy apples in his pie!  Slicing thinly and consistently will ensure that they cook evenly and completely.

First, combine two tablespoons of flour, ½ cup of sugar, the lemon peel, and ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon in a large mixing bowl and set aside.  Pour the lemon juice over the apple slices and stir gently.  Then, add the apple slices to the sugar mixture and toss to coat using a rubber spatula.  There should not be a lot of excess liquid.  Transfer the coated apple slices to the prepared pie crust.

Next, combine the remaining sugar, flour, cinnamon, ginger and mace in a medium bowl.  Add the melted butter and whisk until the mixture reaches a crumb-like consistency.  Finally, pour the crumb mixture over the apples and use a rubber spatula to evenly distribute.  Cover the crust with foil strips to prevent over browning. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes, remove the foil, and bake for another 30 minutes. The pie is done when the topping reaches a golden brown color.

I needed a finishing touch to make this a true birthday pie.  So, during the first 30-minute baking window, I rolled my excess dough out to a little less than ¼” thick.  I used a fondant mold, purchased from Amazon, to cut out a “Happy Birthday” message.  This particular mold was a bit tricky to use.  I rolled out and cut three different messages before getting the hang of it.  Coating the mold in cooking spray and dipping in flour seemed to help.

I chilled the message until the pie was ready for its second 30-minute baking window.  Then, I used a giant spatula to transfer the message to the middle of the pie and continued baking for 30 minutes.  The “Happy Birthday” message was thinner than the rest of the crust and did not need the full 60 minutes to bake.  Although the fondant mold was difficult to work with, I was happy with the end result. 

This is it – the birthday pie my mother has been making my dad for the last forty years.  I’m so happy that she finally passed the torch and allowed me to pitch in this year.  I used one of my favorite crusts and added a few decorative details to put my own “birthday” stamp on this delicious classic.  I can’t think of a more appropriate way to wish my kind and generous father the happiest of all birthdays.