Dutch Apple Pie

The most efficient way to make this pie is to use the dough's chill times to peel and core the apples and prepare the streusel, then cook the apples while dough prebakes. I prefer ceramic or metal pie weights for prebaking the pie shell. If you don't own any, rice or dried beans can stand in, but since they're lighter than pie wieghts, be sure to fill up the foil-lined pie shell completely. For a finished look, dust the pie with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• PIE DOUGH

• 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1  tablespoon sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 4  tablespoons vegetable shortening, chilled in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes
• 4  tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces, chilled in freezer for at least 30 minutes
• 4 -6  tablespoons  ice water

• APPLE FILLING

• 2 1⁄2 lbs granny smith apples (About 5 medium)
• 2  lbs mcintosh apples (about 4 medium)
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 2  tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3⁄4 cup golden raisin
• 1⁄2 cup heavy cream

• STREUSEL TOPPING

• 1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1⁄3 cup granulated sugar
• 1  tablespoon cornmeal
• 7  tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions

1. FOR THE PIE DOUGH: Pulse flour, sugar and salt in bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade until combined. Add shortening and butter and process until mixture is pale yellow, rides up sides of bowl, and resembles coarse crumbs wirh butter bites no larger than small peas, about ten 1-second pulses. Turn mixture into medium bowl.
2. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons ice water bit by bit over mixture; with rubber spatula, use folding motion to evenly combine water and flour mixture until small portion of dough holds together when squeezed in palm of hand (dough should feel rather wet). Add up to 2 tablespoons more ice water if necessary. Turn dough onto clean, dry surface; gather and gently press together into cohesive ball and flatten into 4-inch disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour, or up to 2 days, before rolling.
3. Remove dough from refrigerator (If refrigerated longer than 1 hour, let stand at room temperature until malleable). Roll out on lightly floured work surface or between two large sheets of parchment paper to 12-inch disk.
4. Transfer dough to pie plate by rolling dough around rolling pin and unrolling over 9-inch pie plate, or by folding dough in quarters, then placing dough point in center of 9-inch pie plate and unflolding. Working around circumference of pie plate, ease dough into pan corners by gently lifting dough edges with one hand while pressing around pan bottom with other hand. Trim dough edges to extend about 1/2 - inch beyond rim of pan. Fold overhang under itself; flute dough as desired, refrigerate or freeze dough-lined pie plate until firm, about 1 hour in refrigerator or 30 minutes in freezer.
5. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425°F
6. Remove dough-lined pie plate from refrigerator or freezer and press doubled 12-inch piece heavy-duty foil to inside pie shell and fold edges of foil to shield fluted edges; distribute 2 cups ceramic or metal pie weights over foil. Bake leaving foil and weights in place until dough looks dry and is light in color, 20-25 minutes.
7. Carefully remove foil and weights by gathering corners of foil and pulling up and out. Continue to bake until pie shell is golden brown 10-15 minutes longer. Remove from oven.
8. FOR THE APPLE FILLING: Peel, quarter, and core apples; slice each quarter crosswise into thin pieces. Toss apples, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl to combine. Heat butter in large Dutch oven over high heat until foaming subsides; add apples and toss to coat.
9. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until apples are softened, about 5 minutes.
10. Stir in raisins; cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until Granny Smith apple slices are tender and McIntosh apple slices are softened and beginning to break down, about 5 minutes longer.
11. Set large colander over large bowl; transfer cooked apples to colander. Shake colander and toss apples to drain off as much juice as possible. Bring drained juice and cream to boil in now-empty Dutch oven over high heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and wooden spoon leaves trail in mixture, about 5 minutes.
12. Transfer apples to prebaked pie shell, pour reduced juice mixture over and smooth with rubber spatula.
13. FOR THE STREUSEL TOPPING: Combine flour, sugars, and cornmeal in medium bowl; drizzle with melted butter and toss with fork until evenly moistened and mixture forms many large chunks wirh pea-sized pieces mixed throughout.
14. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spread streusel in even layer on baking sheet.
15. Bake streusel until golden brown, about 5 minutes; cool baking sheet with streusel on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle streusel evenly over pie filling.
16. Set pie plate on now-empty baking sheet and bake until streusel topping is deep golden brown , about 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack and serve.