Tags
apple pie, apples, blueberries, blueberry pie, Christmas, crust, no sugar, pie, vegetarian
We’ve been preparing for Christmas here. I have most of my gifts ready except for the ones that I’m making by hand, which is slow going, as I don’t have alot of time to knit or sew anymore. The boys, who just turned 11 months on the 4th, are both crawling and pulling up onto furniture now and that has been keeping us on our toes. We have a large play gate that we set up for them in the living room that allows them to play and crawl around but keeps them in one place and prevents them from crawling all over the house and getting into trouble. I made a pie last week per Thomas and Anna’s request. A sugar free apple pie from two different kinds of apples. One of the types of apples wasn’t the kind that cooks down very soft so I wouldn’t reccomend that type of apple for this pie but it still tasted just fine. I don’t have pictures of the pie I made as it was cold and rainy last week and not picture taking weather but I have some of a blueberry-apple pie that was made in a simmilar way and was also quite tasty. I’ll post a recipe for both. We are also looking forward to getting our Christmas tree in the house soon but I have no idea how I will keep the boys from trying to tear it down or eat it! Even though the weather has been quite warm here for December it’s begining to look a lot like Christmas with Christmas markets in full swing now and decorations on trees and houses being put up all over town. I hope it’s beginning to feel festive where you live too.
No Sugar Apple Pie
For the all Apple filling
8-12 Apples (Depending on size)*
1/4 Stick of Butter melted2+ Tbs Cinnamon (or to taste)
*You will need enough apple slices to fill the pie plate and since apples cook down you will want there to be enough to form a heaping pile of apples that come up to about 3-6 inches above the height of the pan. For me this was about 10 apples. You can always add more at the end if needed or eat the extra if you cut too many. 🙂
Peel and cut the apples into slices. Put in a bowl and mix with cinnamon and melted butter to coat. Put in a prepared pie plate that is lined with a bottom crust. Put the rolled out top crust on top and crimp or flute the edges. Cut holes in the top and brush with milk. Bake at 350° F for 1 hour or until the apples are tender.
For the Apple and Blueberry filling
4-5 Apples peeled and cut into slices
2 cups Blueberries
1/4-1/2 cup Sugar or other sweetener or none at all!
2 Tbs Cinnamon
2 Tbs Flour
1/4 stick Butter
Mix everything together in a large bowl, except for the butter. Transfer to a pie plate lined with crust. Put little pieces of butter all over the top of the fillliing and cover with the second rolled out crust. Crimp the edges and cut holes in the top of the pie and brush with milk. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour.
For the Crust
2 1/2 cups Flour
1 tsp Salt (if using salted butter omit the salt)
1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted Butter
1/2 cup cold Vegetable Shortening
1/2 cup Ice Water
Combine flour, sugar and salt. Cut in the cold butter and shortening with a pastry cutter, two knifes or a food processor until the size of small peas. Add the ice water slowly as you mix to form a dough. As soon as you can form a ball of dough (not a sticky dough) by pressing everything together with your hands briefly, stop adding water. You may use less than 1/2 of a cup of ice water! Press the dough into two flattened spheres and wrap them each in plastic wrap. Let rest in the fridge for at least one hour or in the freezer for about 20 minutes. Roll one of the dough circles out large enough to fit your pie plate with a little overhang. Gently transfer to the pie plate and add the filling. Do the same with the second ball of dough and place on top, crimping or fluting the edges. Cut air holes on top and brush with milk.
