Welcome!

CiF roundel- low res.jpg

Cooking It Forward is all about inspiring people to cook as a way to build healthy families and communities. As others have done for us, we pass along the cooking tradition.  So, take a bit of time and enjoy Cooking it Forward

Use the buttons below to email me or to follow along on Instagram.

Dutch Apple Pie

Dutch Apple Pie

WHAT YOU NEED:

Pie Crust (amounts for 10-inch deep dish pie plate)

3/4 cups (12 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, cold

2-1/2 cups (225g) all purpose flour 

3/4 tsp. salt

3 – 4 Tbsp. ice water

Apple Filling

5 lbs. apples (about 10-11 large) ideally half firm apples like Granny Smith or Northern Spy; other half are cooking apples such as McIntosh

 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

3 – 4 Tbsp. granulated sugar

2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. cloves

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. salt

½ cup heavy cream

Streusel Topping

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar (light or dark)

1/2 cup (8 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, melted

½ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. cloves

¼ tsp. salt

MAKING IT:

1.) Make the Pie Crust

**NOTE: See King Arthur Baking method for making pie crusts in a stand mixer**

Cut cold butter into ½-inch cubes (use baker’s bench knife). Set butter aside (refrigerate to keep cold).  In a stand mixer bowl, mix together flour and salt on low speed. Add butter cubes and beat on a low setting (speed 2) until the mixture is unevenly crumbly with dime-sized chunks of butter remaining.

Drizzle in slowly the ice cold water to the flour-butter mixture. When mixture start to form larger clumps, stop adding water and immediately stop the mixer.  With you fingers, try pressing together small amount of crumbs. Do they hold together? If not, continue to drizzle a bit more water until the dough is cohesive when squeezed. With mixer running, add just enough water so no crumbs remain in the bottom of the mixing bowl. Stop the mixer. Form pie dough into one large disk about 1-inch thick. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Roll out chilled pie dough on a lightly floured surface or silicone baking mat. Keep turning pie dough over and dusting with more flour as you roll. Roll to about 1/8-inch thickness.

Fold the crust in quarters and transfer to pie plate placing the tip in the very center; unfold and ease the dough gently into the pan so it rests evenly on the inner surface of the pie pan. 

Trim the edges of crust to about 3/4-inch beyond the edge of the pie pan.  Then tuck the edge under so it just touches the pan edge. Flute edges (or see King Arthur Baking’s crimping tips).  Cover the pie crust lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours (you can prepare the streusel and apple filling while you wait).

2.) Pre-bake Pie Crust 

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Cover chilled pie dough with aluminum foil, pressing kit down so conforms to bottom and sides of the crust.  Leave extra foil crimped on either side to use as handles after baking. Fill the foil-lined pie plate with enough sugar to reach the very top. Bake pie crust for 30 - 40 minutes. 

After baking, immediately remove most of the sugar with a measuring cup then lift the last amount of sugar out of the pan using the foil handles (the sugar can be used again after it cools). Cool crust on a wire rack while you make the filling.

DO AHEAD TIP: The pre-baked crust can be held at room temperature for up to 1 day OR wrap baked crust and freeze for up to 2 months.

3.) Make Streusel Topping

Combine the flour and sugars in a medium bowl. Drizzle in melted butter while tossing with a fork until mixture becomes crumbly. Add a bit more flour as need if crumbles are not forming easily (you want a crumbly texture with no very large chunks). Set streusel aside.

DO AHEAD TIP:  Make streusel refrigerate in a covered container for up to 2 days or until ready to assemble the pie

4.) Make Apple Filling 

Peel and core the apples; cut into ¼-inch thick slices.

In a large pot with a cover or large Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-high heat.  Add apples, sugar, spices and salt and stir well until apples are coated. Cover pot and reduce heat to medium. Cook apples covered, stirring frequently, about 10-15 minutes or until Granny Smith apple slices are tender, but still hold their shape (the Macs will start to break down a bit),

Transfer apple mixture to a large colander, set over a bowl. Gently shake the colander to extract as much juice as possible (you’ll have about 1/2-3/4 cup juice). Set drained apple slices aside and reserve the juice.

DO AHEAD TIP: Apple filling and reserved juice can be placed in two separate covered containers and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Then continue as directed below to assemble the pie.

5.) Assemble Pie and Bake

Preheat oven to 400ºF. 

In a medium sauce pan, combine reserved apple juice and heavy cream. Bring to a rolling boil and cook, stirring constantly, on high heat until thickened, about 5-10 minutes (you want to reach the consistency of maple syrup).  

Spoon the apple slices to the prebaked pie shell, making sure that the apples are evenly distributed in the crust. Pour the apple juice-cream mixture over the apples. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the pie filling.

Place pie pan on a rimmed baking sheet (to catch any spillovers).  Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until streusel and crust edge are golden. If the apple filling has been refrigerated, the baking time might be closer to 30 minutes.  Cool pie for at least 1 hour before slicing. Refrigerated any leftover pie. Makes about 8 - 10 servings.

Herbed Lentils and Rice

Herbed Lentils and Rice

Roasted Spiced Carrots & Chickpeas with Radicchio & Arugula

Roasted Spiced Carrots & Chickpeas with Radicchio & Arugula