Description
A super delicious apple pie that might not look quite like what you’re used to… It’s sure to give you a few heart-stopping moments at Halloween!
Ingredients
For the dough:
2 1/2 cups (325g) all-purpose flour*
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup (230g) cold butter
1/2 cup (120ml) ice water
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar*
For the filling:
5-6 medium apples
3-4 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour*
1/4 cup (60ml) apple juice* (naturally cloudy)
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon*
2 tbsp. soft wheat semolina*
1 egg for brushing
some red/green food color*
a fine brush
Instructions
1. Mix the flour with the salt in a large bowl. Add the cold butter in small pieces and mix. Cut the butter with a pastry blender into pea-sized pieces. Mix the ice water with vinegar and add gradually to the bowl, mix until the dough starts coming together. Do not knead much, the dough should not be too wet or sticky – it should just hold together. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
2. Roll out half of the dough on a floured surface to a round circle that is slightly larger than a pie dish (23cm)* – keeps the rest of the dough in the fridge. Transfer the dough to the pie dish and press it to the bottom and sides – the dough should overlap slightly. Prick with a fork several times and place in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
3. Peel and core the apples. Cut into thin slices, add to a bowl and mix with the lemon juice so the apples won’t brown. Set aside. Add the butter to a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the flour and mix until you get a thick paste. Next, add the apple juice and mix it in. Add both sugars, cinnamon, and salt and mix until well combined. Add the apples and mix. Reduce the heat and let simmer for 2-3 minutes. Take off the heat and let it cool down a bit.
4. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Take the remaining dough out of the fridge and keep a bit for the eyes and nose and roll out the rest on a floured surface to a circle with the size of the pie dish. Form the nose and place in the middle. Make rolls out of dough for the eyes and place them on the face. Forming and making the parts stick to the dough circle works best with a small spatula and a wooden skewer to get everything in shape. Cut a hole where the mouth should be and form lips. Sprinkle the semolina on top of the dough in the pie dish and fill in the cooled apple filling, smooth out the top. Whisk the egg and brush the sides of the dough in the pie dish. Carefully place the face on top of the apples and press down on the sides. Cut off excess dough and use a fork to press the edges together and to get a nice pattern around the pie.
5. Brush the top (the face) with the egg wash and bake the pie for about 15 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 180°C (350°F) and bake the pie another 35-40 minutes until the pie got a nice golden color. If it gets too dark, cover it with some aluminum foil. Take out the pie and let it cool down completely.
6. To finish the pie, mix the food color with some water and give the face a nice »makeup« by making the nostrils darker, the mouth, eyes, etc. so it looks even scarier. Serve with your favorite ice cream or some bloody sauce (raspberry sauce of course)!
Notes
Enjoy baking and decorating the pie!
