Description
This exquisite Apple Streusel Pie captures the heart of home baking with its perfect harmony of buttery, crisp pastry, tender spiced apples, and a golden, crunchy crumb topping. By pre-cooking the fruit and reducing the juices into a concentrated syrup, this recipe guarantees a professional texture that avoids the common pitfall of a soggy crust. It is a deeply nostalgic and restorative dessert, filling your home with the warm, comforting scent of cinnamon and cardamom, making it the perfect centerpiece for any gathering.
Ingredients
For the Crust:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
1/4 teaspoon salt
3–4 tablespoons ice water
For the Apple Filling:
6 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the Streusel Topping:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup rolled oats
Instructions
Prepare the crust by pulsing flour, salt, and chilled butter until crumbly, then add ice water until dough forms.
Roll out the dough and fit it into a 9-inch pie dish, refrigerating for 30 minutes.
For the filling, toss sliced apples with sugar, spices, and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat.
Cook apples for 10 minutes until slightly tender, then drain excess juices into a separate pan.
Simmer the drained juices until reduced to a thick nectar, then toss back with the apples.
Prepare the streusel by mixing flour, brown sugar, butter, and oats until a sandy, crumbly texture is achieved.
Pour the apple mixture into the chilled crust and top evenly with the streusel.
Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 40-45 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the top is deep golden brown.
Cool completely before slicing to allow the syrup to set.
Notes
Ensure the butter for the crust remains very cold to achieve a flaky texture. The pre-cooking step is crucial to ensure the bottom crust stays crisp. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a drizzle of salted caramel.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 140mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 45mg