Glenn’s Apple Blueberry Pie
This is one of my favorite desserts. It’s not too sweet and is delicious warm or at room temperature, with vanilla ice cream, of course. The filling is versatile, so you can use a variety of apples and substitute other berries or leave them out entirely. The filling is precooked to avoid the crust from falling while baking which makes a prettier presentation, but. also allows you to do the bulk of the work a day earlier, which is always a good thing. Can’t wait to see what you create.
Tips:
Granny Smith apples will give you a tarter pie, while Gala and Honeycrisp are sweeter. I like to use a combination. Just make sure to pick a firm apple (Honeycrisp, Gala, Golden Delicious, Ginger Gold, and Granny Smith) so you aren’t making apple sauce. If you use only sweeter apples, hold off on some of the sugar.
If the food coloring gets out of control :) place the dough pieces in the refrigerator before baking the pie. Re-rolled pieces that get too wet can be kneaded with a small amount of flour to firm them a bit.
A metal pie plate is best. Glass won’t give you a browned bottom crust. You can even bake a pie in a cast iron skillet for a deep dish, golden brown, farmhouse chic presentation.
The pie filling can be prepared a day ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until ready to bake. The pie can also be baked a day before serving it.
Zest the lemon before you juice it!
Glenn’s Apple Blueberry Pie
Serves 8
PREP 60 minutes
COOK 60 minutes
INGREDIENTS
2 pie crusts, premade, rolled dough works best here (if you want to pile on the cutouts get a third disk of dough)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3½ lbs. apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch wedges (about 11 apples)
1 pint of blueberries, optional
½ cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest (about ½ the lemon or more if you want it tarter)
Topping
Beaten egg with a dash of water
Sanding sugar
Food coloring (optional for painted crust)
TOOLS
vegetable peeler, chef knife, rasp or grater, cutting board, large bowl, measuring spoons, measuring cups, pie plate, baking sheet, pastry brush, large skillet, fork, spatula
INSTRUCTIONS
FILLING: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples with a pinch of salt and cook for a few minutes until they release liquid.
Add the brown sugar, white sugar, and cinnamon to the apples and stir well to combine. Cook the apples over medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want them to soften but not become mush since they will cook again in the oven. Lower the heat if the sugar begins to brown.
Add cornstarch and mix well. This will thicken the apple mixture. Cook for 2 minutes, then remove the apples from the heat. Add the blueberries, lemon juice, and zest, and mix well. Place the apple mixture in a bowl or spread it on a cookie sheet to cool quicker. You can do this a day ahead. Just cover them in the refrigerator.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Make sure a rack is in the middle of the oven.
Place one pie crust on the bottom of an 8” or 9” pie plate or cast iron pan, making sure it touches the ‘corners’ of the pan. Add the cooled apples and/or blueberries evenly with a slightly higher center.
PAINTED CRUST: Add the second pie crust on top of the apples. Crimp the edges, sealing in the filling. Use your fingers or the tines of a fork. Place food coloring in small bowls. You can mix them to create other colors if you like. Using a clean paintbrush, paint designs. It’s better to use a little color and add another layer than pour it on. Use a sharp knife to create 3 vents on top of the crust. Follow baking directions.
COOKIE CUTOUT CRUST: While you work on the design, place the pie in the refrigerator to keep it cool. Place a layer of plastic wrap on the counter. Place the second crust on top, so it doesn’t stick to the counter. Use cookie cutters or sharp knives to make different shapes. You can use food coloring to paint or keep the pie pieces natural. You can re-roll the dough scraps in between two pieces of plastic wrap. If it gets too soft, place the dough, wrapped, in the refrigerator for 20 minutes and re-roll. If you overlap the cutouts, they should stick. If not, put a little water under the dough piece. Follow baking directions.
BAKING: Brush the top of the pie with the egg wash, then sprinkle sanding sugar on top.
Place the pie on a baking sheet in the center of your oven for 20 minutes.
Reduce heat to 375 degrees and rotate the pie 180 degrees. Bake for another 30 to 40 minutes until the filling bubbles and the crust golden brown. If you notice the pie is browning too quickly, tent some foil on top. Sometimes the edges brown faster, so you can place a ring of foil on that if necessary.
Allow the pie to cool before cutting into it; otherwise, the filling will ooze out (about 2 hours or 10 minutes in my icebox kitchen). The pie can be left on the counter for a day before enjoying it. Once you cut into it, wrap it and store it in the refrigerator.