Apple Pie with Crunchy Cinnamon Topping

This has been my go-to apple pie recipe for over ten years.  I make it at least once every fall so I started craving it as soon as the weather turned cooler.  I added more apples this time to make it thicker and made the crust from scratch.

Apple Pie with Crunchy Cinnamon Topping

PIE CRUST:

1-1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/3 cup Vegetable Shortening

4-5 Tablespoons Cold Water

FILLING:

4-5 Granny Smith Apples

1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

3 Tablespoon Flour

1/2 cup Granulated Sugar

1/8 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon Ground Saigon Cinnamon

TOPPING:

1/2 cup packed Light Brown Sugar

1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoon All-Purpose Flour

1 teaspoon Ground Saigon Cinnamon

1/3 cup Granulated Sugar

1 stick (1/2 cup) Unsalted Butter

PIE CRUST:  In a small mixing bowl, combine flour and salt; add shortening in small pieces and mix until crumbly.  Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball.  On a piece of waxed paper, roll out to fit a 9 or 10-inch pie plate.  Carefully flip over and transfer to pie plate.  Peel the waxed paper away.  Trim crust to just beyond the edge of plate and flute edges.

FILLING:  Peel, halve and core apples.  Cut into 1/8-inch slices.  Put into a large bowl.  Toss with lemon juice to coat.  Mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl.  Sprinkle over apple slices; toss to coat.  Layer apple slices in pie shell, mounding them slightly higher in the center.

TOPPING:  Mix flour, sugars, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.  Cut butter into small pieces and add to mixture, stirring after every few pieces you add.  Pat crumb topping evenly over apples to form a top crust.

Place pie on a foil-lined cookie sheet to catch drips.  Heat oven to 450F and bake 15 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 350F and bake 45 minutes longer or until a skewer meets some resistance when center of pie is pierced (apples will continue to cook after pie is removed from oven) and topping is golden brown. If topping is browning too quickly, drape a piece of foil over pie.  Cool pie completely on wire rack before serving.

I have officially declared it fall in our house.  I'm just going to ignore the fact that it will be back to the eighties for the next few days.  :)

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