A Roundabout Route to Apple Pie

~ the britchy one

It’s 40F this morning. I think I have hypothermia, or hypochondria.. hypo-IHateWinter anyhow.

We went out for a drive yesterday to see the fall colour – FAIL! What’s happened this year?! It’s seriously the worst fall I’ve ever seen! We stopped at an apple and pumpkin stand and bought some apples. Crispin’s as big as my head and Northern Spy. I have NEVER seen apples that big, not even in Texas! They were delicious too and I struggled to finish mine – the worlds first never ending Apple.

I truly enjoyed bunging my apple core into bushes too! I’m not a litterbug but I make an exception for fruit peels and cores. I see myself as a modern day Johnny Appleseed or something.

I’ve never seen Northern Spy apples before but the sign said great for cooking so I decided to buy some and bake an apple pie.

I am very impressed with them. They’re a fabulous tasting apple and hold up well in cooking. I will definitely be looking for them again. They’re not common in NY – this is the first time I’ve seen them but I can’t recommend you look out for them enough.

I didn’t buy any pumpkins because ‘im indoors is a big fat meany. I was looking and then I burst out laughing and nearly fell over. I blurted out that I was going to carve faces on them and call them Trumpkins.

Just so you know, I’m not funny and we don’t need politics on the doorstep where people can get aerated over my shittery.

So Apple Pie. Well, the best laid plans of mice and men and Britchys.. tend to stray from the beaten path!

I decided to make my cream cheese pastry and add a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg to oomph it up. This is a fab recipe BTW. It’s flaky and crispy and holds together well. Pretty much idiot proof in fact and I should know!

The apple pie got transmogrified slightly into an apple pie with a cheesecake layer. Thankfully I stopped thinking before it had a red velvet layer too because honestly, sometimes I don’t know where to stop. Hard to believe I know..

But here’s my recipe. It’s extremely quick to knock up. The longest bit was peeling and slicing the apples!

Apple Cheesecake Pie

Pastry

2 sticks (8oz) salted butter

1 8oz pkg full fat cream cheese

3 cups All Purpose flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

Iced water as necessary

Cheesecake layer

1/2 cup sugar

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon all purpose flour

Topping

4 medium (4 cups) apples, peeled, sliced into thin even slices

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions

Heat oven to 375°F.
Combine all crust ingredients except ice water either by hand or in a food processor until it resembles fine crumbs. Add ice water a little at a time until the dough comes together and forms a ball.

Cut dough in half and set one half aside. You can use that for a second pie or freeze. It freezes beautifully. Roll out the half you’re using and use it to line the bottom of 10-inch pie dish and prick with a fork.

Bake 10 – 15 minutes and set aside.
Combine all the cheesecake ingredients and beat until smooth. Spread mixture over crust.
Peel, core and slice apples and sprinkle with the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and toss to coat. Arrange apples in a circle pattern over filling.
Bake for 1 hour or until the middle is almost set.

Cool completely before eating.

Notes

I used Northern Spy apples for the first time and they were fabulous. I’m a convert. I’ve never had them before but they were amazing.

I use this cream cheese pastry a lot. I flavour it with ginger for pumpkin pie. I use vanilla and almond as well depending on what I’m making, it’s a lovely crisp pastry and adding a little extra flavour works beautifully.

I also use it for savoury pastry adding a teaspoon of celery seed and/or a teaspoon of mustard. I’ve added a lot of savoury flavours come to think of it!

Published by the britchy one

A PROUD American Citizen who was born and bred in England and now resides in the US. I’m married to an American who really didn’t have a clue what he was letting himself in for - poor sod! I’m a cranky bitch who loves cats and books and hates chocolate, politics and Dave’s. Oh and mosquitos. I hate those blood sucking parasites but since I’ve already mentioned politics I’m repeating myself! I’m a short, skinny redhead, 3 kids, 2 dogs, not enough cats and a mouth with a death wish. Blood group - certifiable.

47 thoughts on “A Roundabout Route to Apple Pie”

  3. They say fall is slow in coming this year because it has been so warm so we are behind. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe, I’m going to try it. It looks amazing! I loved the cartoon and spit my coffee half way across the room but luckily I missed my Kindle!😂 So the cheese on the apple pie?? Do I put a slice on and then melt in the micro? Stay warm!!💕

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  4. I think you’re clever and funny, Britchy!! And the apple pie looks sooooooooo yummy!!!! I love anything that’s made to be cheesecake— just makes it 10x better honestly! Can’t wait to try it out! Thanks for sharing! 😊

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  8. Leaves barely changing here at all in southern Canada, so a disappointing fall, although yesterday we had a hail storm, today is sunny and warm again. I have always used Northern Spy apples for pies, and my mother before me, as that is what she used growing up on the farm – hard to find in a grocery store, but most Farmer’s Markets have them.

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  9. I think Maine was the only New England state that had good color this year… and we left right at peak time. Bad planning, that. I’ve never even heard of a Northern Spy apple, how did that happen? But I love those stacked gourdy like pumpkin thingys! That’s your fall color right there.

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  13. “Just so you know, I’m not funny and we don’t need politics on the doorstep where people can get aerated over my shittery.” My cats are staring at me, why is she laughing so loudly? The “prick” cartoon had me going to. Well done!

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    1. I’m not a fan of heavy cinnamon in apple pie. That’s why I don’t eat apple pie unless I make it.. I’ve had too many cinnamon pies!! There’s enough to enhance in this recipe but not obliterate the apple taste, it’s the first time I’ve added cinnamon in years but I just thought it needed it. I love cinnamon rolls, it’s just apple pie I don’t like it in really

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  17. I feel like a frozen blanket, but I cannot wait for snow and winter. It is my favorite season. This year’s fall has been incredible up here in the north. Stunning in color and temps, although at this point most of the leaves are gone and it is past time for our first dusting. I do admit, I still have the kayak out! (I kayak when the lake is bathwater smooth)
    Love the punkin stacks and the recipe…YUMMY! I think one of my favorite apples to cook with are pink ladies. They are a festive colored apple and if you bake a cinnamon apple cake with pink lady applesauce and cinnamon chips it is sooo pretty!!!

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  18. Wow. I wish I liked cooked apples. I just don’t. Texture thing, I guess. I am a raw apple muncher anyday. I’m the exact opposite with peaches. Gimme, gimme peach pie & cobbler all day long but, a fresh peach? Ick. I’m just weird.

    My grandmother didn’t like cinnamon in her apple pies, either. She always used nutmeg.

    Speaking of Trumpkins…😆😆😆…you gonna do pumpkin pie?

    And…I just gotta ask…why do you refer to hubby as “‘im indoors”? 🤔

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    1. I use more nutmeg than cinnamon and do the same in pumpkin pie too. I’m actually planning two pumpkin pies. Both will have my cream cheese pastry because it’s gorgeous and I think I’m going to do one with bourbon and pecan pie type thing. I’ll put ginger in the pastry for that one and then a pumpkin cheesecake pie too because I must smather about with stuff!
      I call my husband ‘im indoors because everyone (except Fat Sharon The Bitch) has a pseudonym on my blog!

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  22. Pingback: A Roundabout Route to Apple Pie — Bitchin’ in the Kitchen – A Guy Called Bloke and K9 Doodlepip!

  23. I am not usually one for desserts, but that sounds incredible. Usually, the last place to find me is in front of the stove, but this is tempting. Cheesecake layer, inspired!!!

    Trumpkins 😆😆

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  24. I live in Michigan where Jonathan and Northern Spy are the apples of choice for baking. I was working at a store that sold a wide variety of apples. One woman wanted to complain to the manager because all of the Northern Spy apples were soft. She didn’t know that “soft” for a crunching apple is “perfect” for a baking apple. It was then that I realized that we are apple snobs in Michigan. 🙂

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    1. We’re as bad in NY! I love crunchy apples to eat but they definitely aren’t as good for pie as an apple that is softer. I love Northern spy because they hold their shape but have a delicious flavour. I don’t like mushy apple pie either!

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