Like last week, I'm pulling inspiration from the first season, this time episode 11, Scarecrow. Sam and Dean finally make contact with their dad when he calls them with an assignment. They learn that each year, during the second week in April, a couple goes missing in the small town of Burkittsville, Indiana. The boys get into a fight over Dean's "blind faith" in John, and wind up going separate ways. Sam takes off as Dean goes to investigate.
So yeah, this is supposed to take place in April, but all signs point to fall in the scenery. The apple orchard on the outskirts of town with its crisp, fallen leaves littering the ground, barrels of apples that look like they were just picked, and creepy Halloween-mood scarecrow. But we'll just go ahead and not think about that.
Turns out that every year, a couple gets lost in the area, then fattened up on some amazing local apple pie before being sent to their death in that orchard. The townsfolk offer up a couple to appease their god in a sort of fertility ritual (which actually does fit the April time frame, falling between Ostara and Beltane, both of which celebrate fertility). Not surprisingly, Dean orders himself a piece of that apple pie alongside coffee...but never actually gets to eat any.
When Dean thwarts this year's sacrifice, he finds himself as the replacement alongside the niece of an older couple (of apple pie making and gifting fame) from the town. After they are dragged to the orchard and tied to some of the apple trees, Dean quips...
So yeah, apple pie...really, really tasty apple pie...was called for. I made this particular apple pie no less than 7 times last fall and winter. And now I'm sharing the recipe with you, because it IS freakin' worth it.When Dean thwarts this year's sacrifice, he finds himself as the replacement alongside the niece of an older couple (of apple pie making and gifting fame) from the town. After they are dragged to the orchard and tied to some of the apple trees, Dean quips...
Your apple pie better be freakin' worth it!
And don't worry. Sam came to their rescue.
(Freakin' Worth It) Apple Crumb Pie
Yield: serves 8-10
prep time: 45 Mcook time: 1 hourtotal time: 1 H & 45 M
This apple crumb pie is so good that getting tied up in a sacred apple orchard as a sacrifice to a god seems worth a slice.
ingredients:
For the pie:
- single 9-inch pastry dough, homemade or storebought
- 2 1/2 to 3 pounds mixed apples
- 1/4 cup vanilla whiskey
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon fine grain salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
For the crumble topping:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup rolled or quick oats
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon fine grain salt
- 5 1/3 tablespoons (1/3 cup) salted butter, melted
instructions:
How to cook (Freakin' Worth It) Apple Crumb Pie
- Roll the pastry dough into a 12-inch circle. Carefully lift and transfer it to a 9-inch pie pan; trim the edges so they overlap the rim of the pan by an inch, then fold and crimp them. Set the crust in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- While the crust is chilling, peel, core, and cut the apples into 1/4-inch slices, tossing them into a large bowl with the whiskey, lemon juice, and vanilla as you go.
- Combine the dry ingredients. Pour mixture evenly over the apples and toss gently to mix. Allow to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Make the crumb topping by stirring the flour, oats, brown sugar, ginger, and salt together to combine. Drizzle in the melted butter and gently stir it until it forms large pebbles of wet crumbs (a fork or a butter knife will work fine); set aside.
- Set the chilled crust on a baking sheet. Pour the filling into the crust, making sure to scrape any extra juices from the bowl into the pan. The apples will be piled high, so use your fingers to rearrange and tuck any in that need it. Slowly scatter the crumb topping evenly over the top of the apples; you may use a few pieces, but that’s okay.
- Slide the tray into the hot oven and bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until you see juices bubbling up around the edges and the crumb topping is golden; turn the pie around halfway through baking and tent loosely with foil after 45 minutes if the crust and/or crumb are getting too dark.
- Allow pie to cool to room temperature for best slicing results. Store cooled pie loosely covered at cool room temperature for up to 2 days, or covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
©All Roads Lead to the Kitchen
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