Apple Gingerberry Deep Dish Pie

Happy National Pi Day! This holiday totally takes me back to my high school days of endlessly difficult math and physics homework. But let's remember the good times of pi. Like using those confusing equations to build the coolest, longest, loopiest and functioning (model) roller coaster ever!

As I gently kneaded the dough for this deep dish pie, I caught the scent of that intoxicating butter-flour combo and almost melted away. Heavenly. And the colors! I love that the apples just absorb the vibrant blueberry juice...it's gorgeous!

And don't think I'm ignoring the flavors here. The ginger gives a delicate depth and heat to the pie while the flaky crust balances out the sweetness of the fruit filling. You're gonna need to run to the store now. 


Apple Gingerberry Pie [click to print]
Makes one 8-1/2" deep dish pie


For the Pie Crust: 

2-1/2 c. flour

1 T. sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 sticks (8 oz.) butter, cold

1/2 c. water, ice cold

For the Delicious Filling: 

4 c. tart apples (about 5 med.), cored, peeled and sliced in 1/4" thick pieces
1 c. water
1/2 c. sugar
2 T. lemon zest (about 1 med.)
1 tsp. ginger paste (OR grated fresh ginger)
1/4 tsp. salt
2 c. blueberries, divided


For the Crumble Topping: 
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. chopped crystallized ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
4 T. unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces


Start by making the pie dough. Whisk flour, sugar and salt in large mixing bowl. Cut butter into 1/2 inch pieces and add to flour mixture. Using pastry blender, cut in butter until butter pieces are about the size of peas. It doesn't have to be perfectly even at this point. Drizzle water over mixture. Use a rubber spatula to gather the dough together until the mixture starts clumping. Gently knead dough together with your fingertips; when it forms a lumpy ball, it's done. Be careful not to overwork, the heat from your hands can make the butter melt and that's what makes the crust so flaky and good! 

Flatten dough to 1/2" disk; seal in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. The colder the dough, the better, though, so leave it for 2 or more hours if you can. 

Combine apples, water, sugar, zest, ginger and salt in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add 1 cup blueberries and simmer for 10 more minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cool. Drain fruit and save juice. Pour juice in small saucepan and simmer until reduced to 1/3 to 1/2 cup; allow to cool. 

Now for the crumble topping. In food processor, combine sugar, flour, ginger and salt. Process to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture is combined but still crumbly. Set aside. 

Coat 8-1/2" springform pan with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out to about 1/4" thick. Press into bottom of springform pan and about 2" up the sides. You'll have a little left over pie dough, but don't throw it away! Check back in a couple days for a tasty idea to use up those scraps!

Pour fruit mixture into pan. Spread remaining blueberries across top of fruit. Sprinkle crumble topping across top of pie, gently press edges of crust down with fingertips to meet top of pie and stick the whole thing in the oven. I like to bake pies with a baking sheet on the rack below in case it decides to drip, then you don't have to scrub nasty baked on stuff off the bottom of your oven. Ew. 

Bake at 350 F for 50-55 minutes. Allow to cool and remove from springform. Drizzle reduced juice across top of pie and enjoy!

Source: Pie crust from Smitten Kitchen; Pie adapted from What Katie Ate; Crumble topping adapted from TableFare

Baked Apples

During the fall, I become obsessed with everything apple, as you may have noticed. So when I saw some beautiful baked apples on Cherry Tea Cakes, I just knew I had to try them!

Baked Apples   [click to print]
Makes 4 baked apples

For the crust: 
1-1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 stick (8 oz.) butter, unsalted and cold
1/4 c. water, ice cold

For the appley part: 
4 apples (I used honeycrisp)
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cloves

Whisk together flour, sugar and salt in large bowl. Cube butter in 1/2" pieces and add to flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter, work butter into flour mixture until it forms crumbles about the size of peas. Slowly drizzle water over butter mixture. Use a rubber spatula to gather dough, working around the edges. When dough begins to clump together, use fingers to gently knead together a few times until it forms one mound. Place dough on plastic wrap and flatten to about 1/2". Wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

Core apples; if you don't have a corer, stab your vegetable peeler in a circle around the core and then push it out. Peel apples. Slice horizontally into 1/4" slabs. In a small bowl, whisk together sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Remove pie crust dough from refrigerator and separate into four balls. Roll each ball out between two pieces of plastic wrap to about 1/8" thickness. Chill about 10 minutes.

Sprinkle about 1/2 tsp. sugar mixture in center of dough. Set your first apple slice (bottom piece) on sugar and cover with 1/2 to 1 tsp. sugar mixture. Layer next slice on top and sprinkle with 1/2 to 1 tsp. sugar mixture; continue alternating apple slices and sugar mixture until your apple is reassembled on the dough. Sprinkle about 1/2 tsp. sugar on top of apple. Stuff center of apple with about 2 tsp. sugar mixture. Gently pull edges of dough to wrap entire apple. Trim off any excess dough.

Bake at 375 for 45-60 minutes.

Source: Adapted from Cherry Tea Cakes

Grape and Apple Pie for Two

Wait! Don't get wierded out by the grapes! I thought it was kind of strange, too, when I heard of grape pie, but this is actually good! Black grapes tint the pie filling a beautiful shade of purple and give tart apples a unique and subtle sweetness. Plus, there's more than a full serving of fruit per pie! It's pretty much healthy.

These mini pies are baked in two small ramekins and are just the perfect size to cuddle up with on a chilly fall morning! If there are a lot of cuddlers in your home, you may want to double or triple the filling recipe below to make more to share.

Grape and Apple Pie for Two   [click to print]
For the pie crust, I'm in love with Smitten Kitchen's All Butter Pie Crust. I thought that was the worst part of making a pie until I tried this recipe. Turns out homemade pie crust really is easy! But anyway, if you do use that recipe, you'll have a lot of extra dough. My recommendation is to scrunch up those scraps and turn them into Caramel Apple Pie Bites. Or if you're wishing for something a little different, try a Cranberry Pear Crostata or a bunch of Pie Crust Fries (recipes coming later this week, so get excited!)

For the Filling:
2-1/4 c. tart apples (such as Pink Lady or Gala), peeled and thinly sliced
2/3 c. seedless black grapes, halved
1/3 c. sugar

Combine ingredients in saucepan and heat over med-low heat until fruit is translucent, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep sugars from burning. Divide mixture into ramekins and set aside.

For the Crust:
Roll dough to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut circles about 1/2 inch wider than ramekins (so if your ramekins are 3" wide, cut dough 3-1/2" wide). Pierce the top of each dough circle a few times with a knife; these holes will allow steam to escape while they bake. Place dough circle on top of filled ramekin and gently press dough down over edges of ramekins to seal. Sprinkle with coarse sugar crystals if desired and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Source: Adapted from Bon Appetit