It's hard to imagine improving apple pie, but somehow topping the treat with sweet crumbs does just that. It's funny to think that I used to be overwhelmed by the idea of baking a pie from scratch–homemade crust? cutting the fruit to the perfect size? a super-long bake-time?–but to be honest this is now one of the easiest desserts I make. Don't skimp on the spices (I've put in much more than I've written here and the results always have been spectacular). So what's the most difficult thing about this dessert? Deciding whether or not to pair a finished slice with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream or both.

 

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Pastry:

2-2/3 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup canola oil

6 tablespoons skim milk

1. Mix the flour and salt in a bowl.

2. Put the oil in a measuring cup then add the milk without stirring. Pour mixture into the flour and mix briefly. Do not refrigerate.

3. Flatten dough by rolling on floured surface or between two sheets of wax paper (the crust is easily repairable). Place in pan.

 

Crumb topping:

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup Flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3-4 tablespoons canola oil

1. Mix oil into dry ingredients until well blended. Set aside. 

 

Filling:

2/3 cup sugar 

1/3 cup cornstarch

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoons salt

3 1/2 pound(s) Granny Smith and/or Braeburn apples, peeled, cored, and cut into wedges

1 tablespoon(s) fresh lemon juice 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In large bowl, combine sugar with cornstarch and spices. Add apples and lemon juice and toss to coat evenly.

2.  Spoon apple mixture into prepared crust.  Fold overhang up over the pie-plate's rim and pinch to form a decorative edge. Top evenly with crumb mixture.

3. Bake pie 1 hour 10 minutes or until apples are tender when pierced with knife (to prevent burning, cover pie loosely with tented foil after 40 minutes). Cool pie on rack 3 hours to serve warm, or refrigerate to serve cold later.