Pippin Apple Pie with Hazelnut Crust               

 tags (edit): Winter Fall Christmas Bon Appetit Magazine @Vogel @Try Soon! Desserts  

 

Discovered on Long Island in 1759, Pippin apples are of the oldest US varieties. Their bright tanginess and crisp texture make them excellent for baking.

Ingredients

-- CRUST --
2 1/2 cups All purpose flour
3/4 cup Hazelnuts toasted
2 tablespoons Golden brown sugar (packed)
3/4 teaspoon Salt
10 tablespoons Unsalted butter (1 1/4 sticks), chilled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
5 tablespoons Solid vegetable shortening (or frozen lard), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 tablespoons Ice water (or more)
-- FILLING --
3 1/2 pounds Pippin apples (or Granny Smith), peeled, cored, cut into 1/3"-thick slices
1/2 cup Sugar *PLUS*
1 tablespoon Sugar
1/3 cup Golden brown sugar (packed)
2 tablespoons All purpose flour
1 tablespoon Cinnamon (scant), ground
2 tablespoons Unsalted butter (1/4 stick), melted
Milk
Vanilla ice cream


 

Instructions
 FOR CRUST:
Blend flour and hazelnuts in processor until nuts are finely ground. And brown sugar and salt; blend 20 seconds. Add the butter and lard; using on/off turns, process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer mixture to bowl. Add 4 tablespoons ice water; stir until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough together; divide into 2 equal pieces. Form each into ball; flatten each into disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and chill one hour.

FOR FILLING:
Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Toss apples, 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in large bowl. Roll out one dough disc on generously floured surface to 12-inch round, rotating crust often to prevent sticking. Generously flour 11- or 12-inch tart pan bottom. Slide the tart pan bottom under dough round. Carefully slide dough round into 9-inch pie dish. Press crust onto bottom and up sides of dish; pinch and press to steal any cracks. Spoon filling into crust; drizzle with melted butter.

Roll out second dough disc on generously floured surface to 13-inch round. Slide same floured tart pan bottom under dough round. Carefully allow dough round to slide off tart pan bottom onto pie filling; pinch to seal any cracks in crust. Press top crust and bottom crust together at edge. Fold edge under, crimp decoratively. Cut X in center of top crust. Brush top crust lightly with milk. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Transfer pie to rimmed baking sheet.

Bake pie 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake pie 25 minutes. Cover crust edges with foil collar to prevent overbrowning; continue baking until crust is golden, apples are tender, and juices are bubbling thickly in center, about 20 minutes longer. Transfer pie to rack and cool. Serve with ice cream.

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Yields: 8 Servings
     Bon Appétit magazine, October 2004, page 172

 notes:  To keep the pastry dough from sticking while rolling it out, rotate the dough on a well-floured surface and mend any tears by pressing the dough together with your fingertips.

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