A simple recipe for delicious, classic American apple pie made with spelt flour and fresh cranberries. Use frozen or omit the cranberries, if not available. One pie amounts to ca. 10 servings.
Course
Dessert
Category
American, Baking
Prep Time1hour
Cook Time1hour
Total Time2hours
Servings10
Calories420kcal
AutorElle
Ingredients
For the pie crust:
2 1/2cupsspelt flour(Type 630) (325 g)
1/2teaspoonsea salt
1tablespoonorganic raw cane or beet sugar
250gfrozen unsalted butter(see tips below)
9-10tablespoonsice cold water
For the filling:
6large apples,peeled, cored, and diced (I used Elstar; Braeburn or Boskop are also good choices, or a mix of all three)
100gfresh cranberries
1x 8 g package organic vanilla sugar
60gspelt flour
100gorganic raw cane or beet sugar
60gsoft brown sugar(I recommend GEPA organic raw cane sugar Mascobado)
1 1/2teaspooncinnamon(Ceylon)
1/4teaspoonground nutmeg
Method
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt and sugar.
Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the frozen butter into the flour. Continue by cutting the butter into the flour with a fork or a pastry cutter until well incorporated and mixture resembles fine crumbs.
Add the water and use your hands to combine until forms a dough. Do not over-knead! If the dough is too wet, then add a sprinkle of flour. Or too dry add a little more water.
Form into a ball, dust with flour, and flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or freeze for 30 minutes).
Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C.
Place the diced apples and cranberries in a large mixing bowl. Add the vanilla sugar and toss to coat. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, both sugars, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour the flour mixture over apples and toss until evenly coated.
Take 2/3 of the dough and roll it out on a floured surface in a thin layer large enough to line the bottom and sides of the pie dish.
Butter the pie dish and carefully arrange the thin pie dough in it (this is quite easy with floured fingertips). Trim any excess dough and crimp the edges of the crust with your fingers or use a fork to decorate. Cut large slits in the crust to let the steam escape.
Transfer the apple mixture to the pie dish. Spread out evenly.
Take the other piece of dough (and trimmed dough) out of the fridge and roll into a circle large enough to cover the apples. Place the rolled dough over top. Crimp the edges with a fork or flute with your fingers, sealing the top and bottom crust together.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until golden brown.
Cool on a wire rack before serving (or enjoy slightly warm). This apple pie keeps well at room temperature (covered) for 24 hours, or refrigerated for up to 4 days.
Notes
I grate frozen butter over the flour, as it speeds up the process and keeps your dough nice and cold which helps make for an amazingly, flaky, beautifully browned pie crust.
Choose freshly picked firm and slightly tart apples. If the apples are small, then use eight instead of six.
Fresh cranberries can be found in larger supermarkets like Rewe or Edeka from early October until sometime after the Christmas season.