Cooking Secrets from moms’ Moms | Recipe 1: Maria’s Dutch Applepie

When I was a little girl Saturday was baking day and my mom used to alternate for years between delicious fluffy cake and the best apple pie in the world. She still bakes that pie on a regular base and since I don’t live in Holland with her, I miss out big time. I begged her to share the wealth, so here is my moms apple pie recipe.

Applepie from Holland with love,

ingredients crust:

• 300 gr. regular flour (of 150 gr. regular flour + 150 gr. whole grain for a equally tasty, but slightly more healthy option)
• 200 gr. melted butter (or margarine for a healthier option)
• 160 gr  sugar or brown sugar
• 1 kg (2lb) apples, a sour type like Granny Smith, peeled and cored and cut in small squares (1/2 inch)
• 1 egg
• sprinkle of salt

ingredients filling:

• 50 gr sugar
• 2-3 teaspoons cinnemon
• 75 gr raisins
• 1 kg (2lb) apples, a sour type like Granny Smith

Preheat Oven: 180 gr C

Instructions:

1. Soak raisins in lukewarm water for 15 minutes, pat dry with paper towel
2. grease pie springvorm with some butter and sprinkle some flower over it
3. add softened butter in mixing bowl and mix in the sugar
4. mix in flour, salt and 2/3 of the egg (at the end I knead the dough by hand)
5. filling: in a separate bowl mix apple pieces, sugar, cinnamon and raisins
6. Use 3/4 of the dough to cover the bottom and sides of the pie pan
7. Add the filling, press gently into the pan so its tightly filled
8. Use the rest of the dough to roll and cut into strips to decorate the top of the pie of add some flower and crumble to create a crumbled pie crust
9. Use the remainder of the egg to lightly brush the strips on top of the pie.
10. Bake in pre-heated over at 180 Celsius for 75 minutes and leave standing for an hour to cool down before removing the xx.

Tips

• feeling a little nutty: add a handful of chopped walnuts when mixing together the pie filling
• Add a thin layer of jam or marmalade to the top of the pie after it has cooled down!

I wish all Canadian bakers good luck and enjoyment of this recipe from the Dutch kitchen.

Maria