Apple Pie

I find that I can't actually get over this pie. Mostly the pie crust. I was making it while talking to Julia, and we both just kept picking at it. I had a lot of trouble rolling it out, and so of course we just had to keep eating it. We almost just rolled it into balls and made cookies instead of adding the apples--and honestly, it wouldn't have been a bad idea. :)

I have had a hard time trusting the recipes from BabyCakes (think sugar-free, gluten-free, vegan bakery in New York) because things always turn out WAY more liquidy than they say. In fact, we're talking unworkable liquidy. So when I had added all the crust ingredients besides the water and it was already the consistency of fresh-ground almond butter, I decided to take matters into my own hands.

 This is what you call an epic failure. 

 But if you have lemons, you make lemonade. Except when you don't have lemons. But that's beside the point. I abandoned the directions and left out the water, leaving the fridge to work its magic. When I took the dough out of the fridge, I put it on the counter and found that it was now the consistency of a brick. I tried to warm it up in my hands by kneading it and then rolling it. It was way too dry so I finally did add some water. It rolled out quite nicely but obviously would not go into a pan. So I just patted it down in there the best I could, and made a little patchwork over the top of the apples. It was supposed to be that way the whole time, right?? Also I didn't do the whole dusting the crust with agave, because it already tastes like cookie dough. Doesn't need any more sweetening...believe me.

Apple Pie

BabyCakes

Roasted apples:

2 pounds apples (I used 5 gala apples, but the recipe suggests granny smith and pink lady) peeled, cored, and diced into 1-inch pieces

1 T cinnamon

1/2 C agave

1/4 C fresh lemon juice

Crust:

3 C spelt flour

1 T plus 1/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

7 T coconut oil, plus a bit more for brushing

1/2 C plus 2 T agave

2 tsp vanilla

3 T cold water (maybe)

1. Preheat the oven to 325. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, toss together the apples, cinnamon, agave, and lemon juice until apples are completely coated. Spread the mixture over the baking sheet. 

3. Bake apples for 35 min, rotating the sheet 180 degrees after 20 min. The apples will be soft. Let the apples stand for 30 min, or until completely cooled. Leave the oven on.

4. Meanwhile in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add 7 T oil and agave and vanilla to the dry ingredients and stir until they are completely combined. See the above note about this next step...maybe you'll have more faith than I do. Slowly add the cold water to the mixture and continue mixing until a slightly moist dough is formed.

5. Spread a piece of plastic wrap on the counter and sprinkle it with spelt flour. Dump the dough onto the plastic wrap and shape it into a 3-inch-thick disk. Wrap the dough and refrigerate for 20 min before using. 

6. Cover your work surface with parchment paper and sprinkle it heavily with spelt flour (I didn't do the parchment paper and I think that would've helped a lot). Dredge the dough through the flour until it is completely covered. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to an even 1/4-inch thickness. Brush off the excess flour. Lift the crust and fit it into a lightly greased pie pan, allowing the excess dough to hang over the rim. 

7. Fill the pie shell with the roasted apples and spread evenly. Fold the excess dough back over the apples, folding and pleating to create a rustic-looking pie (we're all about the rustic, guys). Brush the dough lightly with oil. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove pie and brush crust with agave (I don't really recommend this) and return to bake for 11 minutes longer, until browned. 

8. Let the pie stand for 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Store the pie, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to 3 days. The crust softens significantly by the next day! I had leftover crust even after we ate like half of it while making it. Not a problem. Simply devour it.