DEEP DISH APPLE RASPBERRY CRUMB PIES

I can’t seem to stop buying cookbooks.

I don’t take drugs . . . I don’t drink . . . I don’t swear very often . . . .

but

I’m hopelessly addicted to cookbooks!

My  newest read is Sarabeth’s Bakery by Sarabeth Levine. It’s a stunner and it’s at least two inches thick. The photography is by Quentin Bacon, and it’s beautiful! I read these cookbooks like novels, and can’t put them down until I’ve ear marked everything I want to try baking. These individual deep dish pies were first on my list to try.

They were lip smacking delicious!

They look beautiful in the cups, but the recipe tells you how to pop these little pies right out of there shell.

. . . So I did just that!

Not bad!   I used my own pie crust recipe, since it never fails me.  It’s flaky, tender and melts in your mouth.  I don’t tend to eat much of what I bake, but I will confess . . . I ate a whole mini pie. I’ve been working it off ever since.  It’s like I slapped it right on my thighs!!

These pies are topped with streusel and . . . it’s really good! In fact, even before the streusel is baked . . . it’s really good! These little pies came out of their mold pretty darn easily. I was actually shocked.  Free standing pies look pretty darn sophisticated and pretty.  We ate them anyway. The recipe actually calls for peaches.  I’m fresh out of peaches right now, so I used apples and Raspberries instead.  I guarantee you that as soon as peaches are on . . . they will be made into pie! You can use any berry that you would like.  Blueberry or Cherry crumb pies would be scrumptious as well.

My Freezer was lacking ice cream, so I whipped some cream instead.

Come on . . . I’ll show how to make them.

You will need to make the pastry for pie crust first. If you want to make my flaky pie crust, then click this link:  MY FAVORITE PIE CRUST. I’ll also post the Pie Dough recipe that comes in this yummy cookbook.  Make sure that before you proceed rolling out your dough, you chill it first.  The colder you keep pastry . . . the flakier it will be! While your pastry is chilling in the fridge, you can prepare the filling.

I used about 4 cups of sliced granny smith apples and 1 cup of frozen Raspberries.  In a large bowl, combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of salt.  Mix this dry mixture with a fork or your fingers until it’s not lumpy.  Toss in your sliced apples and stir well, until the apples are all coated. Add 1 teaspoon of good vanilla extract.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and zest one lemon.  Add this to your apple mixture, along with 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice.  Cover bowl with saran wrap and place in the fridge until you are ready to fill your pastry cups.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out a 7″ circle of pie dough, 1/8 inch thick.

Using a 6 inch ring or a saucer as a template, cut out the circle of dough, using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife.

You can also roll out a larger amount of pastry, and cut several rings at once. I didn’t worry so much about being precise with my rolling, since I wanted to use the scraps for this!

We love simply sprinkling cinnamon & sugar over the pastry and baking it until golden. Yum.

Place each circle of pastry between parchment paper.  Cover with saran wrap and keep it chilled while you cut all your circles. I only made 4 mini pies, but with my recipe and Sarabeth’s recipe . . . you should be able to make at least six mini pies.

This is what I did with the extra pastry.

I filled a large tart pan, pricked it with a fork . . . covered it very well . . . and put it in the freezer for later. I have my eye on a Strawberry Custard pie recipe that is also in this Cookbook!

Important Note:  Take a cube of butter, and run it all around the insides of the little cups until they are well coated.  Sprinkle a bit of flour inside those cups, and shake it all around.  Tap out the excess flour. Now you are ready to grab those pastry circles from the fridge, and line the insides of those little ramekins or custard cups. Be careful as you press the pastry down inside the cups, so that you don’t tear the pastry dough.  If you do . . . just press it back together.

Try working as quickly as you can, so that the dough doesn’t get too warm. Make sure that you have the pastry pressed snugly into the corners.  Let the excess dough hang over the sides.  Place the ramekins on a cookie sheet that has been covered with parchment paper.  Refrigerate for five minutes. Note:  I’m using CorningWare ramekins 7oz.

Scoop the filling into the shells, piling it just above the edge of the ramekins. (Fill them quite full.  As the filling cooks it shrinks.)

One at a time, pleat the pastry over the filling – the center of the filling will be exposed.  Cover gently with saran wrap, and place your pies in the fridge to chill while you prepare the streusel.

Streusel:  Flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, melted butter & vanilla.

 

With a fork, mix just until combined.  You want to make small lumps.

Grab the pies from the fridge.

Gently press the streusel over the top of the dough and filling. I could be quite generous with the streusel, since I only made 4 pies. Bake until the tops are nicely browned, 50 to 65 minutes.  I baked my pies in the middle of the oven until the tops were very golden.  Then . . . I moved the rack one notch down, and continued to bake the pies until the sides and bottom were also brown. There is nothing worse than a pie with a soggy bottom crust!

To check the pies for doneness, use the rounded tip of a dinner knife to separate the top edge of the crust from the side of a ramekin and take a peek – the side crust should be golden brown.  If not, bake a few minutes longer. (If the streusel is starting to get too brown, tent them with aluminum foil.

Transfer the ramekins to a wire rack and cool, about 20 minutes. (Do not let the pies cool completely, or they may stick to the ramekins and be difficult to remove from the cups.) If this happens, remember that the pies are just as tasty if eaten directly from the ramekins!

To remove the pies, use your fingers to gently loosen the top edges of the crust from the ramekin. I took a knife while they were cooling, and gently ran it around the outside edges – several times, as they cooled. After about 20 minutes . . . pick up a ramekin, cup your other hand and invert the pie into your cupped hand to unmold it. Place right side up onto the wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Caution:  Extremely Delicious!

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*I’m still trying to get the print this plugin to work properly.  Hopefully I’ll figure it out soon.  In the meantime, just copy & paste it to Word or another program.

 

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