Apple Pie with Streusel Topping

This generously filled apple pie is adorned with a streusel topping AND pairs perfectly with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. The cream cheese-based crust complements the apple and cinnamon flavors to perfection. Follow these directions that include a few key tips for making this delicious, well-filled pie. Makes one 10” pie.

Cream Cheese Crust Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
6 oz. cream cheese, cubed
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1-1/2 sticks), cubed and well chilled
2-4 tablespoons ice water

Filling Ingredients:
8-10 cups sliced Honey Crisp apples (about 5-6 large apples)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt

Streusel Topping Ingredients:
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup sliced almonds
4 tablespoons firm butter, plus 6 pats to top pie

Directions:

Prepare the Crust:
The crust may be mixed by hand or with a food processor. Mixing by Hand:
1a. Mix the flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl with a whisk until evenly distributed.
2a. Cut the butter and cream cheese into 1/2-inch cubes. Use a little of the flour mixture to keep the pieces from sticking together. Chill the cubes for 15 minutes.
3a. Place the butter and cream cheese cubes in the flour mixture. Using a simple pastry blender, cut the butter, cream cheese, and flour mixture together until a coarse texture is reached. Add the ice water and continue to mix with some pea-sized pieces of butter and/or cream cheese remaining.
4a. Form the rough dough into a half-inch thick flat disk (using your hands and a light touch) and wrap in plastic wrap.
5a. Chill the wrapped dough disks for an hour or overnight.

Mixing with a Food Processor:
1b. Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of the food processor. Pulse a few times to evenly distribute.
2b. Cut the butter and cream cheese into 1/2-inch cubes. Use a little of the flour mixture to keep the pieces from sticking together. Chill the cut butter and cream cheese cubes for 15 minutes.
3b. Place the butter and cream cheese cubes in the food processor with the flour mixture. Pulse 6-8 times to cut the butter and cream cheese into the flour. Add the ice water. The dough mixture will be coarse with some pea-sized pieces of butter and cream cheese remaining. (Resist the urge to keep pulsing.)
4b. Remove the rough dough from the work bowl. Form the rough dough into a half-inch thick flat disk (using your hands and a light touch) and wrap in plastic wrap.
5b. Chill the wrapped dough disks for an hour or overnight.

Assemble the Pie:
6. While the dough is chilling, prepare the apples by peeling and slicing thinly. Toss the cut apples with the lemon juice, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Let the coated apples sit for 1 hour so that excess juices begin to drain from the apples.
7. Roll out the pie crust: Remove the dough from the refrigerator when ready to assemble the pie and allow it to warm slightly until pliable and easy to roll out. Roll the pie dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Line the bottom of a 10” diameter deep dish pie plate leaving a 1-inch overhang.
8. Prepare the streusel topping. In a large bowl, use a pastry blender to mix the flour with the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, almonds, and butter.
9. Fill the pie crust with the apple mixture mounding them in the center. Flute the crust's edge as desired. Top with the streusel topping. Place pats of butter evenly around the streusel topping.
10. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the pie on an oven guard to catch any drips. Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until pie crust and crumb topping are deep golden brown and the filling begins to bubble. The crust and streusel topping will brown quickly; after the first 25 minutes; place a piece of aluminum foil over the whole pie. To avoid a runny pie, continue baking for another 10 minutes after the juices begin to bubble. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely. Letting the pie cool overnight before cutting will help solidify any excess juices.
11. Cut pie slices with a serrated knife, serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and enjoy!