Traditional apple pie for the holidays

Standing in a small kitchen of a modest two-bedroom apartment, there was a 6-foot-4 man wearing a toque and a navy-blue apron that was clearly three sizes too small, with “Skinny people make bad cooks” embroidered on the front. My father, Stephen J. Broussard, started each Thanksgiving morning with a strong cup of coffee, Miles Davis and Tito Puente blaring through vintage JBL speakers, and elbows deep in preparation of his yearly contribution to the harvest feast: cranberry apple pie.

His confidence in his pastry skills was rather generous — so much so that he knighted himself “the Pie Master,” a title that elicited constant eye-rolls from my preteen, angsty spirit. Lacking the patience to bake alongside him, I retreated to the living room to watch Nickelodeon.

Many years later, at his funeral, a cousin approached me at the repast to ask whether I happened to have the recipe for his beloved pie. Sadly, he never wrote it down, I never asked for it, and it was a secret that he literally took to the grave. When I was child, I loved to eat anything that had apples in the recipe, but I did not wish to toil through the many steps required to make a perfect double-crust pie.

I do often wonder how exactly he made his cranberry apple pie. Yet as someone who refuses to live with regrets, I don’t have remorse over never asking that it be passed down to me. Instead, I started by creating a bowl of perfectly spiced caramelized apples to use in a more traditional apple pie, perfect for Thanksgiving.

If “the Pie Master” were still alive, I doubt he’d have passed me the torch, but after tasting any of these apple-filled recipes, I do believe that he’d proudly pass me his toque.

Serves 8 (makes one 9-inch pie)

Active time: 1 hour. Total time: 3 hours 20 minutes, including cooling time

As the older and insufferably cooler cousin of an apple blossom pastry, this apple crumble pie boasts added dimension from a brown sugar and rolled oats crumble that contributes a mildly nutty flavor and crunchy texture. Plus, it’s considerably easier to build than a double crust pie.

You’ll only use half a batch of the caramelized apples. You can use the other half for another recipe, or simply double the crust and topping here to make two pies.

Make ahead: The pie crust and caramelized apples can be prepared and refrigerated separately for up to 3 days.

Storage: Refrigerate for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 2 months.

Ingredients

For the pie crust:

8 tablespoons (1 stick/113 grams) unsalted butter, preferably European-style, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 2/3 cups (210 grams) all-purpose flour, preferably unbleached, plus more as needed

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

3/4 teaspoon fine salt

1/4 cup (60 milliliters) ice water, plus more as needed

For the caramelized apples:

1/2 cup (110 grams) packed dark brown sugar

1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar

1/4 cup (34 grams) all-purpose flour, preferably unbleached

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon fine salt

7 to 9 medium Granny Smith apples (about 3 1/2 pounds total), peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 8 1/2 cups)

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick/56 grams) unsalted butter

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from the same lemon)

For the pie:

6 tablespoons (50 grams) all-purpose flour, preferably unbleached, plus more as needed

1 cup (85 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant or quick-cooking)

1/4 cup (55 grams) packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup (40 grams) chopped walnuts

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick/57 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Directions

Make the pie crust: Line a plate or small sheet pan with parchment paper and arrange the butter cubes in a single layer. Transfer to the freezer for about 15 minutes to quickly chill.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt until well combined. Add the chilled butter to the flour mixture and, using a pastry cutter, fork, food processor (on pulse), or stand mixer (fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed), cut the butter into the flour until its pieces are pea-sized. (This will allow these bits of butter to melt into the crust while baking, and the resulting steam will separate the dough into multiple layers, resulting in a flaky crust.)

Pour the ice water into the flour mixture, then use your hands to gently mix until a rough dough starts to come together. If the dough is still very crumbly and dry, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it comes together.

Lightly flour your work surface and set the dough on top. Gently knead the dough into a ball, but do not overwork it. (Too much water in the dough or overworking it may cause it to contract while you roll it out and prevent it from holding its shape.)

Press the dough into a 1 1/2-inch-thick disk. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.

Make the caramelized apples: In a large bowl, whisk together the brown and granulated sugars, flour, lemon zest, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Using a flexible spatula, toss the apples in the sugar mixture until fully coated.

In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Stir in the apples, add the lemon juice and cook, stirring frequently and scraping up the caramel on the bottom of the pot, until the apples soften but are not mushy and the sauce turns dark amber and thickens slightly, 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat, transfer the apples to a heatproof bowl, and set aside to cool slightly before using. (You will only use half for this recipe.)

Make the pie: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Have ready a 9-inch pie plate. Fill a large bowl or baking dish with ice cubes. Place the bowl or baking dish on the countertop to chill your work surface. (This is especially helpful to do on a hot day; chilling the countertop helps prevent the butter in your pie dough from melting while you roll it out.)

Lightly flour your work surface. Working out from the center of the dough and rotating a quarter turn after each motion, roll out the pie dough to about 12 inches in diameter. Pick up the dough by draping it over the rolling pin, and transfer it to the pie plate, unfurling and draping it over the edges. Tuck the overhang under itself and crimp. Transfer the pie shell to the refrigerator to chill for 10 minutes.

Remove the pie shell from the refrigerator and set on a large sheet pan. Scoop about half (2 1/4 cups/726 grams) of the caramelized apples into the pie shell. Bake for about 1 hour, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is dry around the edges.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together the oats, brown sugar, flour, and nuts, if using. Pour in the melted butter and toss together until the mixture resembles wet sand.

Remove the pie from the oven and top with the crumble topping, making sure it completely covers the filling. The flour in the crumble will help absorb and thicken any juice that may remain in the filling.

Return the pie to the oven and continue baking for 35 to 40 minutes more, or until the crumble topping is light golden brown. (If the crust is looking dark around the edges during baking, cover with strips of foil or a pie shield to prevent burning.) Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 45 minutes before slicing and serving.

Substitutions: To make it vegan, use vegan butter. For light brown sugar, you can substitute dark brown sugar. For walnuts, you can use another nut or seed of your choice, or just skip them.

Nutritional Facts per serving | Calories: 508; Fat: 25 g; Saturated Fat: 13 g; Carbohydrates: 67 g; Sodium: 232 mg; Cholesterol: 53 mg; Protein: 6 g; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 29 g

From cookbook author Maya-Camille Broussard of Justice of the Pies bakery in Chicago.