Hellobee

Fall is one of my favorite times of year. I love to bake pies and this one I adapted from its original version I found five years ago has become a fall favorite in our home. Unlike the original recipe which calls for assorted apples, I prefer Gala apples which give the pie a more natural sweet taste that balances the tart blackberries. The sweet and tart is a really good mix for a light yummy dessert. It’s really great for Thanksgiving also — I make it with a homemade crust and yum! I usually make the crust the day before and chill it in the fridge overnight I like to break up the baking over a few days so that it’s easier for the girls to help me. Trying to make a home made crust and pie filling and put it all together is a little more complicated all in one baking session vs having the crust ready ahead of time. The homemade crust is really a necessity though; it makes all the difference to how the pie turns out as a whole.

What you’ll need for the crust:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 8 ounces (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup cold water

Directions for Pie Crust

1. Pulse flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and mix until mixture starts to look like crumbs

2. Add water evenly; mix until dough begins to stick together and does not feel too sticky or dry.

3. Divide dough in half. Place each half on a piece of plastic wrap, wrap up dough and press into a flattened circle. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour or overnight.

4. Roll 1 disk of dough to 1/8-inch thickness on a floured surface. Fit dough into a 9-inch pie dish and store in the refrigerator while making pie filling.

What you will need for pie filling

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 7 or 8 Gala apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 16 ounces frozen blackberries, thawed
• pie crust (see above)
• 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Mix together granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl.

3. In a large bowl combine apples and blackberries, pour small bowl of dry ingredients into large bowl and toss apples and blackberries to evenly coat. Pour filling into prepared piecrust and dot with butter.

4. Roll out second pie crust and fit over top of pie. Press edges together all around perimeter of the pie to seal it closed (it is okay if top pie crust does not fully cover pie).

5. Place pie on a baking sheet. Bake until crust is golden, about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees. Continue to bake pie, rotating halfway through, until juices are bubbling in the center and crust is golden brown, about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Cool completely and enjoy!