by Laura Qusen

With the Holiday season in full swing, this Apple Pie recipe is a great dessert option, or - in the case of my boyfriend - a great appetizer and dessert.

If you’ve been tasked with bringing dessert to a family/friends’ gathering, it’s easy to pop over to the grocery store and pick up something made in a factory that tastes good.
But if you want something homemade, delicious and easy to prepare for a fraction of the cost, try this apple pie recipe I’ve inherited from my mother along with a tub of French Vanilla ice cream.
I’ve made this dozens of times and it’s been well-received.
Here’s your chance to spend a bit of time to create something wonderful for your family and friends.

Pie Crust

1 cup of all-purpose flour
½ cup of softened butter (room temperature does the trick)
1 tablespoon of cold water

Combine butter and flour with a pastry cutter (or fork) until there’s a crumbly texture.
Add water and mix well.
Roll up your sleeves and knead the pastry well and then form it into a ball.
Press into a glass pie dish with your fingers and palms. Gently push the dough up over the edge of the pie dish, ending at the outward edge. Take a fork and press lightly into the edge of the crust all the way around for an elegant appearance.

Apple Filling

While any fresh baking apples will do, McIntosh apples are great for a rich, sweet taste. Granny Smith apples are great for a balance of tart and sweet and hold their shape well once cooked.
Core the apples and cut into eighths. Place the apple pieces in a large mixing bowl and ad a palmful of flour to thicken the filling, as well as a few pinches of cinnamon and brown sugar for extra flavour. Blend well and pour into unbaked pie crust. If you have any leftover apple filing, put it in the microwave and top off with some ice cream for a quick treat!
Alternatively, you can crack open a couple of cans of apple pie filling. Still add the flour as a thickener and cinnamon for extra flavour. Canned filling usually contains sugar so there is no need to add more, unless you want a super sweet pie.

Crumble Topping

¼ cup of room temperature butter
½ cup of brown sugar
½ cup of flour

Simply mix all three ingredients together with a pastry cutter/fork and spread evenly above the apple filling.
Pro tip: Stream butterscotch syrup on the topping for extra sweetness.
Take it from great to even better than great - add a handful of pecan halves for a crunchy texture and gorgeous flavour that pecans add to any dessert.

Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees Fahrenheit or until your delicious apple filling begins to bubble and the pastry is light brown. Chances are it’ll end up being a few minutes over an hour, but still check it at the 60 minute mark.