Gramma Kille's German Apple Pie.

[Sammconn]

Well, I'm going to share a recipe with yall that I have not shared but one time.

This is a very rich, treat to say the least.
It followed me from my younger years some 20 ago when I was a cook in a restaurant.

This recipe makes three pies. It's a lot of work so I go big when I make it.
Make crust per directions on shortening. Half a pound, half the recipe does three 9-10" crusts.

Filling:
8 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/3 cups sugar
3 large eggs
4 cups sour cream (full strength)
3 tsp vanilla
8 cups diced apples (call for Granny Smith, but I've used all of them)

Mix all together into a bowl of sweet goodness.
Fill three shells 3/4 or so full. It grows as it cooks, as long as it's under the rim some you're good to go.
Place in a 400• oven for 30-40 minutes.
Drop temp to 350• and cook another 20-30 minutes.
Remove from oven, add crumble topping and return to 350• oven for 20 minutes or so.
It's done when the crumble topping starts to brown.

Topping:
2 cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
2 Tbsp cinnamon (more or less to taste)
3/4 cup butter

Mix dry ingredients working any lumps from brown sugar.
Add butter in, and work with your hands until the butter is spread throughout, and it sticks together in little chunks when squeezed.
When the time comes, squeeze it and crumble onto pies to cover.

They are now 20 minutes in the oven. More to come.

[Sammconn]

So here are the empty pie shells.



The bowl of filling. It's just wrong how good it tastes even at this stage.



And the filled shells.

[Sammconn]

In the oven for the long haul.



Once they go in, you have a half hour or better to make the crumble topping.

Here it is, ready for application.

[Sammconn]

And now we wait for time to pass.
I'll snap a few more along the way of the various stages of cooking.

[rasimmo]

I will be making that soon. I just finished eating, but no desert to be had. Perfect timing my friend.

[Sammconn]

It's a request of my son. Home from college for the summer.
"Dad, are you going to make your pie one of these days?"
So I figured what the heck I'll throw it up here. It's really too good not to share.

I have broke it down to one pie, but its just such a large amount of mess to clean up afterwards.
So I generally just make the three and freeze two of them. They aren't nearly as good once frozen, but still hit the spot and keep a fair while.

[Flyin6]

Sour cream...Who'd have thunk it?

[Sammconn]

So, after a little over an hour in the oven, (today) the first of the three are ready for topping.



With time you figure out the right time to top them.
I've found over the years, that these 'real' pie plates are a lot deeper than some of the store bought.
The smaller the pie, the quicker to this point, the deeper the longer to this point.
This one was the larger of the three and I placed it on the top rack as I know it cooks a bit faster there. I rotated it to the bottom with about 20 minutes on the timer on the 350 cook time.
Generally, if the top has started to 'crack' open, and brown up like this, then you're GTG for the topping.

[Sammconn]

Here they are back in to cook the topping.
Notice how it has formed little 'balls'. this is how you know you have mixed it properly.
A little pressure in the hand, and it becomes a firm mass, gently break it up on top of the pie.

[Flyin6]

So...

This is the point you add the brown sugar topping to, then bake again...Did I get that right?

Cause

I want to do one of those pies myself this weekend

[Flyin6]

Nevermind....

[Sammconn]

Now as I've said, all times are approximate.

So it was just over the twenty minutes, and the topping started to brown.
That is the signal its done, go much further and risk burning it.



The pies swell up as they cook, but as long as you stay below the lip a quarter inch or so, I've never had one leave the crust.
The quarter inch is important, as it helps to hold the topping when the filling is puffed up.
If it is really puffed up, give it a couple minutes to rest before adding the topping, it will drop some.

Here is a side view with a few pieces gone.



I always try to leave 3/8" or so below the top of the shell for the topping. As you can see I make the topping fairly thick.
The topping ingredients are about 1 1/2 times the original recipe. This is to enjoy at home, not be worried about food costing in restaurant land, so I've thickened the topping some. Essentially  that is the only change I've made over the years.

It's a very labor intensive pie to make, a long time in the oven, but worth every bit.

One caution note, don't eat it hot out of the oven, the filling needs to cool some to set up completely. Warm is ok, at the restaurant it was served cold from the display cooler. In the end, it's up to you!

Enjoy!

[Wilbur]

 Darn that looks good! I can't tell you when the last time I had true home made pie! Do you melt the butter for the topping or just let it soften somewhat (room temp) and "cut" it in?

I should not be drooling like this. Mmmm....

[Sammconn]

Darn that looks good! I can't tell you when the last time I had true home made pie! Do you melt the butter for the topping or just let it soften somewhat (room temp) and "cut" it in?

I should not be drooling like this. Mmmm....

Room temperature, not so much cut it in as squeeze it in.
I work it with my hands until it chunks up.