[Foodie Friday] Honey Apple Streusel Pie

I love to bake. Although I love a variety of baked goods, my favorite thing is pie. Last year for my friend Sam’s Rosh Hashanah dinner I searched for an apple pie made with honey instead of sugar in order to uphold the tradition of eating apples and honey for good luck. I wasn’t able to find one so I mashed together three or four other recipes and came up with this one. It has since become a staple.

If you choose to make it, I urge you to choose all organic ingredients particularly apples. Apples are first on the list of this years “Dirty Dozen”. I suggest that you always buy them organic in order to avoid the pesticides that can often soak through the skin on non-organic apples. 🙂

ENJOY!

CRUST:

2/3 cup vegetable shortening — if you hate shortening, you can sub with butter but the crust will not be as flaky.
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup boiling water
1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour — i suggest king arthur

FILLING:
6 granny smith apples, thinly sliced/diced — you can use another type of apple, but granny smith is the best because it provides the right tartness that i prefer in apple pie.
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch salt
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick), melted and cooled to room temperature– i have subbed with earth balance or another vegan substitute, but the recipe as written can not be prepared completely vegan due to the inclusion of honey
1/2 cup honey

TOPPING:
1/3 cup cold butter, cut into cubes –see note above about butter
1/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 Degrees.

1. CRUST: Cream the shortening with the salt. Add boiling water & mix. Add flour. Press crust into pie plate.

2. FILLING: In a large bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Toss sliced apples in flour mixture. Drizzle with melted butter/margarine and then honey. Toss again. Let rest while you make the topping.

3. TOPPING: Whisk together flour, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Place flour mixture into the bowl of a food processor or stand mixer. Add the cold butter or margarine cubes. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.

4. Add filling to pie crust and spoon topping over it.

5. Place pie in preheated 450-degree F oven and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce to 350 degrees F and bake for another 30 minutes. Best enjoyed warm topped with vanilla bean ice cream.

Happy Baking!