11/11/13

Apple Cream Pie


This past weekend I fed my sister and brother-in-law a really mediocre apple pie. That is the only way to describe it. I had tried a new recipe I save months ago and it had all the makings of a spectacular pie - it was deep with apples, it had pecans, a cheddar layer, and a thick crumb topping that sounded amazing. And it just wasn't all that great. It became a joke throughout the night as we thought of ways to describe the pie: "It's really not bad!" "It's definitely okay!" but in the end, when you make an apple pie, you want it to be special. Great. Wonderful. And that pie was nothing of those thing.

This pie, however. This pie. Oh. My. Goodness. This pie I could eat for dessert every day until New Year's and still be craving it the next day. This pie is unlike any other apple pie I've eaten before, and better in so many ways. The taste reminds me of apple pie with melted ice cream on top. Except that the apples in the pie baked in that creamy sweetness. See why I'm so in love with it? I will not even pretend that it is healthy for you, but we're talking about pie here. Soft, tart apples in a layer of sweet vanilla cream and a buttery crust combine for heaven in each slice. I might sound a little obsessed, but I love apple pie in general and a fabulous apple pie is enough to make my week.

The second best thing about this pie, slightly behind its write-home-to-your-mom deliciousness, is that it is less work than most apple pies. I will be the first to admit that I'm slightly obsessed with a beautiful double crust apple pie. I agonize over getting the top and the seams to be perfect to the point where the stress of making one makes me not want to even start. This pie has no top crust, which eliminates all that stress and hassle. It wins no awards for looks, but it the chopped apples and cinnamon dusting on top give it a homey charm all its own. And trust me, once you take a bite you won't spend much time examining its looks as you are shoving it into your mouth.


Apple Cream Pie

Heat Oven To 350 Published 11/11/2013
Apple Cream Pie

Ingredients

  • 1 9 inch unbaked pie shell, chilled
  • 3-4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped into chunks
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup half and half*
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream* 
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ground cinnamon
*Note - if you can find light cream in your grocery store, you can use 1 cup of light cream instead of the half and half and heavy cream. 

Instructions

  1. Lower an oven rack to the lowest position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Put apples in pie shell and pat down to form an even layer.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together sugar, salt and flour. Stir in the half and half, cream and vanilla. Pour cream mixture over apples. Cut butter into small pieces and dot over the top of the apple cream mixture. Sprinkle cinnamon lightly over the pie.
  3. Bake pie on the lowest oven rack for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake for another 45 minutes or until pie is set.
Yield: 1 9" pie
Prep Time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 hour
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from www.boston.com
 

11 Click For Comments:

I love apple pie! And this one looks amazing. Bookmarking it to make soon! :)

I made an apple cream pie once and it didn't turn out so well, so i'll have to try this recipe. I love the idea of any fruit + cream. Yummy!

That is one gorgeous pie!!! I was expecting cream cheese when I read the title...nice that it's fruit and cream instead!

Apple pie plus sweet vanilla cream in one? Woah! I am the same way about pies in general - I avoid making them because it's too stressful when they don't turn out as perfectly as I want/hope/expect.

I love the sound of this twist on traditional apple pie! YUM!

Oh my, this looks so rich and delicious with all those chunks of apple in that vanilla cream! Great pie, Nicole!

Yep, that is insulin worthy for sure Nicole! My Dad used to take a slice of sharp cheddar cheese and put that on top of his apple pie, then put it under the broiler. Back then I thought he was nuts, but he was a genius!

What a great twist on such a classic dessert! Love it!

I grew up with My Gram making Cream Apple Pie. It is still my favorite in the world. Spoiled me for any other type Apple pie. So Goooodddddd!!!!!!!

Oh boy, I imagine that would spoil you for any other pie!

Yay! I'm so glad you liked it. I had the same problem - I hid mine in the bottom of the fridge so I wouldn't keep stealing pieces from it. :)

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