Apple pie is one of America's most loved pies and marks nearly all American traditions. It's tasty aroma fills the atmosphere and brings a comfort to all who indulge. I've updated this traditional recipe by substituting stevia for sugar and adding chopped pecans for a heavenly taste. By using heart-shaped cookie cutters, I created a top crust with loving shapes that will draw anyone into the kitchen. Try it and be creative with your pie crust.
For the pie crust:
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water
For apple pie filling:
1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
8 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup stevia baking blend
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup apple cider, boiled
2 tablespoons butter, diced
First, make the pie crust: Whisk together flour and salt in a large bowl. Using a pastry blender, cut in half the butter at a time. Then add the water, a tablespoon at a time, while tossing the mixture with a fork to moisten the dough evenly. Squeeze the dough gently to see if it will hold together. When it does, its moist enough. If it crumbles, add another tablespoon of water.
Turn out the dough onto a large piece of parchment paper. Gather it together by folding it once or twice. Divide the dough into two pieces, one for the bottom crust and one for the top crust. Flatten the dough into two round disks. Pat the edges to make them smooth, then wrap each disk in a plastic baggie and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Unwrap your first dough disk and set on a piece of parchment paper. Cover the dough with a large piece of plastic wrap (this prevents the dough from sticking to the rolling pin). Roll the crust with a rolling pin from the center toward the outer edge. Roll the crust until it is 2 to 3 inches greater than the pie pan. Grease your pie pan lightly. Then transfer your pie crust to the pan by removing the plastic wrap and peeling back the parchment paper. To prevent a soggy bottom crust, brush the inside with a lightly beaten egg white. Then line the bottom crust with the finely chopped pecans.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Next, make the pie filling: In a large bowl, coat the sliced apples with the lemon juice. In a small bowl, whisk together stevia, flour, cornstarch, salt and spices. Sprinkle the mixture over the sliced apples and stir to coat them. Stir in the boiled apple cider. Spoon the apple filling onto the bottom crust on top of the pecans. Dot the top with diced butter. To finish the edge of your pie, fold the dough under to make it even with the rim of the pie pan. Then press it flat with the tines of a fork to give it a finished look.
Next, roll the top crust with a rolling pin between a piece of parchment paper and a piece of plastic wrap. Use heart shaped cookie cutters to cut hearts out of the dough. Layer the dough hearts side by side around the apple pie. When the pie filling is covered with hearts, gently brush the top crust with milk. Then sprinkle with baking Stevia. Bake the pie for 20 minutes at 425 degrees, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 40 minutes more. Remove from oven and let the pie cool on a wire rack. Yields: one 9" double crust pie.
As a side note: make sure to buy the baking blend stevia. It can be found under the brand name Truvia in the grocery store. Enjoy!
As a side note: make sure to buy the baking blend stevia. It can be found under the brand name Truvia in the grocery store. Enjoy!
