Homemade fresh-out-of-the-oven apple pie ala mode. Pretty hard to beat. When I got a letter this week from Sun City resident Eva Meeks, it included a recipe for an award-winning apple pie that she had clipped from a magazine a few years ago. Here’s part of Eva’s letter:
“During the 4th of July holiday I hosted a pot luck for my family and decided to bake my favorite apple pie. I’ve been making it for several years now, and it’s always a big hit. Apparently this pie won some blue ribbons at state and county fairs. All I know is it wins hearts every time I make it for friends and family. It has a surprise filling that really adds a nice flavor. I thought you’d like to try it.”
Well, Eva, you thought right! I wasted no time peeling the Granny Smith apples and mixing up the “surprise” filling. I’m so happy Eva “blind bakes” (also known as pre-baking) her bottom crust. I’ve always done that as well because the bottom shell stays somewhat crispy after filling and baking. I’m also a fan of cooking my apples just to soften before filling the pie shell. Eva softens her apples in the microwave and then adds the rest of the ingredients. If you’re an apple pie lover, dish this one up with a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream and you’ll be in for a big surprise!
| Servings |
- 2 frozen deep dish pie shells (9-inch)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 cup walnuts or pecans, finely ground in processor
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 large or 2 small eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon milk or cream
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 cups sliced and peeled tart apples (approximately 6 medium-large apples)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons butter, cubed and chilled
- 2 teaspoons milk
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons milk
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Ingredients
For the Surprise Layer:
For the Apple Pie Filling:
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- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle one pie shell with tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 15 minutes or until crust is lightly golden brown. (If bubbles form in pie shell during baking process, gently poke with knife or fork to deflate.) Remove from oven and set aside. In a bowl, mix together "surprise" layer ingredients until well blended. Spread onto bottom of baked pie shell. Refrigerate. In a large microwave-safe bowl, toss apples with lemon juice. Microwave until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add sugar, vanilla, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Mix well to incorporate into apples. Pour apple mixture over walnut layer. Dot with butter. Form unbaked pastry shell over filling. Seal the edges. Brush top with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Cut slits in pastry. Place pie on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake for 35 minutes or until top is golden brown.
