A nutty twist on a classic apple pie
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 9-inch unbaked double crust pastry
- nut filling:
- 3/4 cup ground walnuts
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar firmly packed
- 2 tablespoons egg beaten, (use the rest to glaze the top crust)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
- apple filling:
- 5 cups apples peeled and sliced (granny smith, braeburn...)
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 2 tsp orange/lemon peel
- Carbohydrate 39.7803700541342 g
- Cholesterol 21.7406503684508 mg
- Fat 10.7097856089596 g
- Fiber 3.0896911350648 g
- Protein 3.80863187477052 g
- Saturated Fat 2.70896292397847 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (128g)
- Sodium 32.9812216428189 mg
- Sugar 36.6906789190694 g
- Trans Fat 1.01552385236562 g
- Calories 257 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line 9-inch pie pan with one of the unbaked crusts.
- TO MAKE NUT FILLING: Combine nuts, brown sugar, milk, egg, vanilla, lemon juice and butter. Spread evenly over bottom of unbaked pie shell.
- TO MAKE APPLE FILLING: Place apples in a large bowl. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Combine granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Sprinkle over apple slices. Toss to coat.
- Spoon over nut filling. Dot with butter.
- Moisten pastry edge with water.
- Place top crust onto filled pie. Fold top edge under bottom crust. Flute.
- Cut slits in top crust for escape of steam. Decorate if desired and glaze with remaining egg. Bake for 50 min - 1hr 15 minutes or until bubbly and the filling is thickened. I put a wide range in the bake time because you might have to bake it longer than 50 minutes (if your apples are juicier)... just make sure the filling is not watery but rather thickened and bubbly. Cover edge of pie with foil, if necessary, to prevent over-browning. Sometimes, I usually just cover the whole pie half way through the baking process. This way I know for sure that the crust will not burn.
- Cool until barely warm or to room temperature before serving.
Baking a pastry with dual fillings requires precise management of moisture release to prevent a soggy bottom crust. Spreading the ground walnut layer directly onto the unbaked pastry acts as an absorbent barrier, catching fruit juices before they soften the dough. Utilizing every component prevents waste, such as reserving the leftover beaten egg from the nut filling to glaze the top crust for a deep golden finish. Strategic planning turns single-use baking projects into multi-day resources.
- Bake the pie at 425 degrees Fahrenheit initially to set the pastry structure, then shield the top with aluminum foil if browning occurs too rapidly before the interior thickens.
- Cool the finished pastry completely to room temperature on a wire rack, allowing the fruit pectin and flour starch to solidify the interior matrix cleanly.
- Store leftovers loosely covered at room temperature for up to two days, or refrigerate for up to five days to maximize ingredient longevity without losing structural integrity.
- Reheat refrigerated slices in a 350-degree oven for ten minutes rather than using a microwave, which restores the crispness of the flaky pastry layers.
Pairing this pastry with unsweetened whipped cream or sharp cheddar cheese balances the concentrated sweetness of the cooked apple and sugar filling. Enjoying the leftovers over several days ensures zero food waste from expensive baking staples.
