Washington French Apple Pie

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9-inch pie plate (glass or ceramic for even browning)
• •Rolling pin
• •Pastry blender or two forks
• •Pie shield or aluminum foil strips
• •Wire cooling rack

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the pie dough

   Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the cold butter cubes and work them into the flour using a pastry blender or your fingertips, pressing and smearing until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining. Those larger pieces create flakiness. Drizzle four tablespoons of ice water over the mixture and stir with a fork until the dough begins to clump. Add more water one tablespoon at a time if needed. The dough should hold together when squeezed but not feel wet or sticky.

   Work quickly and handle the dough as little as possible. Warm hands melt butter, and melted butter means tough, dense crust.
2. 2

   Chill the dough

   Turn the shaggy dough onto a lightly floured surface and gather it into a rough ball. Flatten into a disk about one inch thick, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight. This rest hydrates the flour evenly and relaxes the gluten, preventing shrinkage during baking.

3. 3

   Roll and fit the crust

   On a floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a circle about twelve inches in diameter, rotating it a quarter turn after each roll to maintain an even shape. Transfer to a nine-inch pie plate by rolling the dough loosely around your rolling pin, then unrolling it over the plate. Ease the dough into the corners without stretching. Trim the edges to leave a one-inch overhang, then fold the overhang under itself and crimp decoratively. Refrigerate for thirty minutes while you prepare the filling.

   If the dough cracks while rolling, it's too cold. Let it rest at room temperature for five minutes and try again. Cracks can be patched by pressing dough scraps into place.
4. 4

   Prepare the apples

   Peel, core, and slice the apples into wedges about half an inch thick at their widest point. Place in a large bowl and toss with the sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla. Let the apples macerate while you make the streusel, at least fifteen minutes. The sugar draws out moisture and begins to create the sauce that will surround the apples as they bake.

   For the best texture, use a mix of apples. Granny Smith holds its shape and brings tartness. Honeycrisp offers sweetness and snap. Fuji or Braeburn add floral notes. A blend of three varieties is ideal.
5. 5

   Make the streusel topping

   Combine the flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the cold butter pieces and work them in using your fingertips, pinching and squeezing until the mixture forms irregular clumps ranging from pea-sized to small marble-sized. Some should be sandy, some chunky. This variation creates the textural contrast that makes streusel satisfying. Fold in the walnuts if using. Refrigerate until ready to use.

6. 6

   Assemble the pie

   Position a rack in the lower third of your oven and preheat to 400°F. Place a rimmed baking sheet on the rack to catch any drips. Remove the pie shell from the refrigerator and pile the apples into it, mounding them slightly in the center. They'll settle as they cook. Pour any accumulated juices over the apples. Scatter the streusel evenly over the top, pressing gently so it adheres. Cover the crimped edges with a pie shield or strips of foil to prevent over-browning.

7. 7

   Bake until golden

   Place the pie on the preheated baking sheet and bake for twenty minutes at 400°F. Reduce the temperature to 375°F and continue baking for thirty-five to forty-five minutes more. The pie is done when the streusel is deep golden brown, the edges of the crust are bronzed, and you can see thick juices bubbling slowly around the edges. Remove the foil shield for the final fifteen minutes to let the crust color evenly.

   The bubbling is your signal. Thin, rapid bubbles mean the filling hasn't thickened yet. Wait for slow, lazy bubbles that look almost syrupy before pulling the pie from the oven.
8. 8

   Cool before slicing

   Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let it cool for at least two hours before cutting. This patience is difficult but essential. The filling needs time to set. Cut too soon and you'll have apple soup in a crust. The cooled pie slices cleanly, each wedge holding its shape, the streusel shattering against your fork.

Chef Tips

• •Washington apple varieties worth seeking: Honeycrisp for sweetness and crunch, Granny Smith for tartness and structure, Jonagold for balanced flavor, and Fuji for floral notes. Mix at least three varieties for complexity.
• •The streusel can be made up to three days ahead and refrigerated. Cold streusel is easier to work with and produces better texture. Freeze it for longer storage.
• •For a more pronounced nutty flavor, toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for three to four minutes until fragrant before adding to the streusel.
• •Serve with a sharp cheddar cheese (a Vermont or Wisconsin aged variety) as they do in New England, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream as preferred throughout the West. A drizzle of warm caramel sauce is not traditional but I won't object.

Advance Preparation

• •Pie dough can be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen for three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.
• •The unbaked assembled pie (without streusel) can be frozen for up to two months. Add streusel and bake directly from frozen, adding twenty minutes to the baking time.
• •Baked pie keeps at room temperature, loosely covered, for two days. Refrigerate after that for up to five days total. Reheat slices in a 350°F oven for ten minutes to revive the streusel's crispness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 185g)