Parve Apple Pie!

I made this pie for Rosh Hashanah this year and it was a big hit! Instead of just using sugar for the filling I used a combination of sugar, brown sugar, and in keeping with the holiday, honey. I made the crust from scratch using Crisco but there are some very good parve crusts out there if you prefer. I've used Oronoque Orchards pie crusts a few times and the crusts have always turned out flaky and delicious!


For the crust:
2 cups AP flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
3/4 stick COLD (i.e., put in freezer!!) Crisco Vegetable Shortening (regular or butter flavor), cut in 1/2 inch pieces
4-8 tbsp ice-cold water

Mix together the flour, salt, and sugar. In a food processor or by hand using a pastry blender, add the shortening and pulse/cut until the shortening pieces are the size of peas. Add half the amount of water to the mixture and mix, adding more water by the tablespoon until the dough sticks together to form a ball. Be careful not to overwork the dough or it will be very tough! As soon as the dough starts to come together and form a ball, divide the dough in two, gently roll into balls, and flatten to form round disks. Put in the refrigerator to rest for at least 30 minutes. When the filling is ready, roll each disk out on a floured surface. For the bottom, roll the crust out about 2-3 inches wider than your pie plate and gently place it in the plate (if there are any breaks, just gently pinch the dough back together). Add the filling and place the remaining crust on top, pinching the two crusts together to seal. Using a pastry brush, brush the top of the pie with an egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. And, of course, don't forget to vent the pie on top!!

For the filling:
2 lbs. Granny-smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced in 1/2 in thick
3 lbs. Honey-crisp apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/2 in thick
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 egg, beaten (for the top of the pie)
1 tsp sugar (for the top of the pie)

Combine apples, sugar, brown sugar, honey, lemon zest, salt, and cinnamon in a large, heavy bottom pan with a lid. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring every 2-5 minutes for about 20 minutes, until they're cooked but still firm. Remove from heat and cool the mixture, uncovered, until it's about room temp. Drain the apples using a colander but don't throw the juice down the sink! Save about 1/3 cup and add with the lemon juice to the drained apples. Add the filling to the dough-lined plate and top with the remaining crust (see above for details). Brush the top with the egg and sprinkle with sugar.

Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 425 degrees. When the oven has come to temperature, place the pie on the preheated baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Turn the temperature down to 375 degrees and continue baking until golden brown on top and bubbling (about more 20-30 minutes). Cool the pie for about 2 hours before serving with a dollop of Rich's whip on top!

Enjoy!