Box of Spice

Indian Cooking in Holland

Cakes, Tarts, Cupcakes and Cookies

Apple Chai Pie

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apple chai pie apples

I went apple picking this past weekend.

How gloriously fun! I remembered it from the last time I went. It was with a close friend in America. Helen suggested one day that we go apple picking somewhere in Maryland. The idea intrigued me. I had never been before. We have no such thing in India. I can just see an Indian looking at a person suggesting such a thing in bewilderment. “Why would you pick your own apples madam when you can have someone do it for you?” We are a spoiled lot in India we are! By no means are we lazy because I know we are a hard working lot. But we are spoiled in many ways. I never have understood nor liked that concept of not doing my own work. It is deeply satisfying for me to cook, clean and everything else myself. Someone in India reading this is saying, “Haha, grapes are sour!” I know I don’t have much of an option in Holland like I might have in India of having a cook and a cleaning lady do all my work for me. But, what is the fun in that? I absolutely love doing all my work myself as much as I may laugh later on about some days where I complain that I do have to do it all myself. I’m a little ball of contradictions, I know.

apple chai pie apple chai pie

I can still remember that day like it was yesterday, driving to Poolsville, Maryland. It was a gorgeous drive from where I lived back then. Terrific blue skies, perfect weather, going apple picking with a dear dear friend. Life was good. And, then again here in Holland. It was so much fun to see the look on my baby girls face, maybe because I guess it mirrored my own glee. We literally ran up and down shouting “I found the perfect apple”. Its great to be 40 something and still feel childlike wonder about things. Its the greatest gift not to be jaded.

And even though we tried to curb our enthusiasm several times with, “okay that really is the last apple you can pick!”, we still ended up with a lot of apples, after such proclamations! My head was already swimming with the apple everything recipes!

So, here is the first lot of the many apple recipes I am going to bombard you with. My own version of the classic Dutch Apple Pie. The Apple Chai Pie.

apple chai pie apple chai pie

I have never eaten apple pie a lot. And I live in Holland! The home of the Dutch Pie. Growing up the focus was so much on Indian food and Indian sweets, I guess we didn’t have time to explore much else. I was definitely not complaining. I love Indian food and could eat it every day for the rest of my life. But, Its deeply exciting to discover other foods too.

So I made this pie with all my Indian-ess thrown in! Enjoy!

apple chai pie apple chai pie

 

Apple Chai Pie
 
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Ingredients
  • For the Pastry
  • 2½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 230 grams butter, cold and cut into cubes
  • ¼ cup ice water

  • For the Filling
  • 800 grams apples, peeled, cored and seeded, cut into slices
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground ginger powder
  • 3 cloves, crushed
  • 4 cardamom pod seeds, crushed
  • 3 black peppercorns, crushed
  • ½ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tbsp bread crumbs
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • sugar for sprinkling on top
Instructions
  1. To prepare the crust, in a large bowl, mix the flour, salt and sugar. Add the cold butter and squeeze it with your fingers. Mixing the flour and butter slowly till it looks like coarse sand. Add the ice water, and mix together the dough until it all comes together into a ball. Divide the dough in two equal parts. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for at least an hour.
  2. On a well floured top, roll out one of the two doughs, to about a 12 inch circle and place in your pie form. (I used a 9 inch). Press into place, pressing down into the form. You don't need to be neat, this is a rustic pie! Prick the bottom with a fork and set aside.
  3. Preheat oven to 220°C/425°F.
  4. Prepare the filling by peeling, and cutting the apples into slices. Place in a bowl and toss with the lemon juice.
  5. In a separate bowl mix the spices, bread crumbs, salt and sugar. Toss again to evenly coat the apples.
  6. Place the apples into the prepared pie form. Roll out the second dough just as you did the first one. Cover the top with this pie dough and seal the edges by pinching them together.
  7. In a small bowl whisk together the egg with a spoonful of water and brush over the pie dough. Sprinkle with regular sugar and make gashes with a sharp knife, just to let the steam escape. Chill your pie for another half hour if the dough has gone too soft.
  8. Bake pie for 20 minutes. Then lower temperature of oven to 190°C/375°F and bake for another 15 minutes. If the edges start browning too quickly cover with foil.
  9. Let pie cool and serve with tea or a scoop of ice cream!

 

 

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Comments

  2. Absolutely lovely! Your photos truly capture such a wonderful experience. You must’ve had a great time with your daughter! My kids and I love apple picking too. I want to grab a slice of this pie!

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