Dutch Apple Pie

When I posted this pie on social media, my friend’s comment was simply, “This pie should be in a museum”.

It is big, it is beautiful, it was delicious. I highly recommend, if you have a Sunday with some time on your hands, you tackle this behemoth.

From Marie Asselin, foodnouveau.com

For the crust
1 1/2 cups butter, cubed, at room temperature
1 1/3 cups brown sugar, packed
Pinch of kosher salt
2 eggs, beaten
5 cups all-purpose flour

For the Dutch spice mix (also known as speculaaskruiden)
This will make about twice what you need for the recipe, save the rest for cookies or maybe a second pie :)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground white pepper
1/8 tsp ground cardamom
1/8 tsp ground coriander
1/8 tsp ground aniseeds

For the filling
6-7 firm medium sized apples (such as Braeburn, Gala, or Cortland)
2-3 soft medium sized apples (such as Golden Delicious or Pink Lady)
1 tbsp finely grated orange zest (about 1/2 orange)
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest (about 1/2 lemon)
2 tbsp lemon juice (about 1 small lemon)
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed, plus 2 tbsp for baking
2 tsp speculaaskruiden spice mix (see instructions above, or the original recipes notes you can just use a combination of ground cinnamon and ginger)
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp Brandy or Calvados (optional)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

For the crust:

1. In the bowl of a food processor or stand mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar. Set aside 1 tbsp of the beaten eggs to brush over the pie, then add the remaining eggs to the food processor. Sprinkle with the salt and process until the eggs are well incorporated, about 5 seconds. Scrape down the bowl. Add a third of the flour, then process until well incorporated, about 10 seconds. Scrape down the bowl, then add another third of the flour, and process for another 10 seconds. Scrape down the bowl. At this point, the mixture will start gathering together.

2. Add the remaining flour and process until the dough fully comes together, stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed. When ready, the dough looks uniform in color and it is soft and holds together when pressed. The texture should be very similar to Play-Doh.

3. Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and rest at room temperature while you prepare the filling.

For the Dutch spice mix (speculaaskruiden):

4. Mix all the spices together and set aside, this can be stored in an airtight glass jar.

For the filling:

5. Peel and core the apples, then cut them into bite-size pieces. In a large bowl, mix the apples with the orange and lemon zest, lemon juice, brown sugar, spices, cornstarch, and the liqueur and walnuts, if using. Set aside.

To assemble the pie:

6. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9 in springform pan with vegetable oil, then cover the bottom with a cut-out round of parchment paper.

7. Set aside 1/4 of the crust mixture to create the topping. Add a little less than half of the remaining crust mixture to the springform pan and press down to cover the entire bottom of the pan in an even layer.

8. Pick up chunks of the remaining crust and roughly press it against the sides of the springform pan until you've fully covered it. Now press it more carefully to create a smooth edge, making sure the sides connect with the bottom crust well.

9. Transfer the apple filling to the crust and gently press it down to flatten it. (You may have a little extra that doesn’t quite fit, you can create a bit of a mound but be careful not to overfill too much.) Spread the remaining of the crust mixture all over the apples, by creating discs from the remaining dough and making a rough patchwork over the top of the pie. It is ok if it doesn’t look perfect (the baking and sugar topping will smooth it out and hide any bumps and lumps).

10. Brush the reserved eggs over the top of the pie, then sprinkle with 2 tbsp brown sugar.

11. Set the springform pan over a baking sheet (some juices may leak out during baking), then bake for 75 to 85 minutes. Check on the pie after 45 minutes: if it's golden brown, loosely cover it with aluminum foil to prevent it from getting too dark. To check whether the pie is done, use a bamboo skewer or a small, very sharp knife to poke through the pie. If the pie is done, you’ll easily pierce through the apples. If you feel they’re still a bit crunchy, continue baking until they're soft. Use your nose to make sure the crust is not burning toward the end of baking, remove after 90 minutes even if some apples still seem firm.

12. Transfer the pie to a cooling rack and let it cool thoroughly before carefully unmolding. This will take at least 3 hours. Unmold, and use a very sharp knife to cut out pieces.

To serve, you can eat the pie as it is on its own or you can garnish each serving with whipped cream or with vanilla ice cream.

Helpful Tips and Info from Marie Asselin for Making this Deep Dish Dutch Apple Pie

- Required Tools and Kitchen Equipment: The recipe recommends using a food processor, but you can also use a stand mixer. You will also need a 9-inch Springform pan.

- Spices: Dutch apple pie uses a traditional Dutch spice mix called speculaaskruiden. According to the recipe author, in the Netherlands, this spice mix is sold in grocery stores (much as pumpkin pie spice is in the U.S.), but you can easily make your own. You could also simply use a combination of cinnamon and ground ginger, but the mixed spices provide a more complex flavor. If you are missing a few of the spices don’t fret, just use what you have!

- Timing: You need to make this Deep Dish Dutch Apple Pie at least a half day before you plan on serving it. This is because the pie must cool thoroughly before being removed from the springform pan and sliced. The pie firms up as it cools, making it easier to cut neat pieces out of this deep-dish delight.

Dutch pie slice — Deep Dish
Dutch Apple Pie