Apple crumble pie

Instructions

• Make the dough
• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut half of the butter into small 1/2″ cubes and toss into the flour mixture. Working quickly, press the butter pieces into the dough with your fingers until they are no larger than the size of a pea. Take the remaining butter and cut into 1/8″ slices. Add to the mixture and press with your hands to flatten the pieces into thin sheets.
• Add in 3 Tbsp of ice water and mix with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. Form the dough into a ball–if the dough will not hold together or has major dry patches add additional ice water, 1 tsp at a time, until the dough comes together. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, and up to 24 hours.
• (Optional for flaky layers): After 2 hours, let the dough rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes. On a lightly floured surface roll out into a long, thin rectangle. It’s okay if the dough cracks some at this stage and your rectangle is a rough shape. Fold into thirds, rewrap and continue refrigerating.
• Make the filling
• Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples, saving the peels and cores. Add the apple slices to a large bowl and stir in the brown sugar, lemon juice, and salt. Let sit for at least one hour and up to three, until the apples have released their juices.
• Strain the apple juices into a medium saucepan and pour in the apple cider. Add the apple peels and cores. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and maintain a vigorous boil for about 20-30 minutes, until the liquid has reduced to 1/2 cup (the amount of time will vary based on how much juice the apples released).
• Assemble
• While the liquid is reducing, remove the pie dough from the refrigerator. Set the dough out for about 5-10 minutes until it’s just warm enough to roll out. You can pound the rolling pin against the dough a few times to help make it more malleable. Then, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until it’s large enough to fit in a 9″ pie plate. I find it helps prevent sticking and creates a more even circle if I frequently rotate the dough while rolling it out. Fold the rolled dough in half and transfer into the pie plate. Gently press it down into the bottom and press along the sides to ensure the crust is firmly in the pie plate. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 5 minutes to keep the butter cold.
• Once the dough has chilled for a few minutes, trim the dough so you have about a 1/2″ overhang. Fold the overhang underneath and press down to seal. You can then either crimp the pie by smooshing a fork down around the edge and continuing that motion all around the pie or by using your index finger on the inside of the crust, and pressing it gently between your index finger and thumb on the other side to make pleats all the way around the pie. Refrigerate until ready to bake.
• When the apple cider mixture has reduced to 1/2 cup, strain out and discard the peels and cores. Stir in the vanilla extract. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the apple slices and stir. Then pour in the apple cider mixture and stir until well-combined. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 425F. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, panko, brown sugar, and salt. Pour in the melted butter and stir until completely combined. The crumble should stick together when squeezed between your fingers.
• Remove the pie crust from the refrigerator and place the pie plate on a baking sheet. Pour in the apple filling. Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the top of the pie. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350F and continue to bake for another 60 to 70 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is visibly bubbling. If the topping gets too dark, cover the top with a piece of foil. Remove the pie and let cool completely, for at least a few hours, before serving.