As the leaves begin to change color, the weather gets cooler and they days get shorter- we begin to harvest apples here in Wisconsin! Apple season is at its peak in Wisconsin come September and before you set out for the Pumpkin Patch in October make sure you take a field trip to your local apple orchard!
Apples come in many varietals and they all carry an identity for certain applications. Don't be overwhelmed by how many apples are available for the pickin'; my rule of thumb is to pick all that look great and taste when you get home (if you can resist a bite at the farm!) These are just here to give you a guide. You be the judge...
Machintosh and Figi are my favorite for snacking- pick the ones that are light in color by the stem and bright red on the body. They will be sweet like candy and super crisp! Toss them in a salad for a juicy crunch. Galas are the most common in our area. They are what I use for sauces because they are easy to find, sweet enough and mildly priced.
Honeycrisp are the apples in my Dutch Apple Pie. TIP: I have also used half Granny Smith (can be sourced year round) to add a bite of tartness, depends on what your taste buds like. Honeycrisp apples are perfectly sweet and crisp so even when baked I can keep them awesomely al dente!
Give your guests a real treat with this easy Dutch Apple Pie!
Pie Crust
The crust takes a quick whirl in a food processor until just combined
1 1/4C AP Flour
1T Sugar
6T Unsalted Butter, Cubed, Frozen
1/2t salt
4-5T Cold Water
Blind bake the crust at 375 for 25-30 minutes allow to cool
Pie Filling
The filling is made with 10 peeled and sliced Honeycrisp apples coated in:
1/4C Granulated Sugar
1/4C Light Brown Sugar
1/2t Ground Cinnamon
Splash Heavy Cream
Pinch of Salt
Half a lemon zested
Crumble Topping
Let the filling sit for 10 minutes and remove all excess liquid before assembling the pie.
Crumble Topping
Make the Dutch Crumble by cutting together (keeping it pea size).
1 stick unsalted butter
1/3C Granulated Sugar
1/3C Light Brown Sugar
1 1/4C AP Flour
1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans
Fill the baked crust with the drained apple mixture and top the apples edge to edge with the crumbles. Bake the assembled pie at 425 degrees for approximately 12 minutes until the apples are bubbling and the crumble is golden brown. Then sit back and listen to everyone tell you how delicious your pie was!
