Apple pie is a classic fall dessert. It’s a must-have comfort food that brings the warmth of the holiday season to life.
At Virtue Farm, Chef Anne has a fun twist on the classic apple pie. We sat down with Chef to learn how to make Virtue Farm’s famous hand pies at home. Perfect to share with friends around the campfire without all the mess of a full slice.
Pair your finished pie with Virtue Cider Salut. Our dry Salut balances the sweetness of the apple pie.
Cream Cheese Pie Dough:
- 3 cups of flour
- 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
- 1 cup (8 ounces) of cream cheese (very cold)
- 1 cup of unsalted butter (very cold) cut into ¼ of an inch dice
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add flour and salt. Blend to mix well.
- Add the cream cheese and butter and pulse until the dough begins to come together, but is not completely smooth. You should still be able to see some butter and cream cheese chunks.
- Divide the dough into 2 equal balls and shape into a disk about 1 inch thick. Wrap the disk in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- To roll out, place a dough disk on a surface lightly dusted with flour and roll out evenly to ⅛ of an inch thick. Use a plate or saucer about 6 inches in diameter to cut out circles for your pies.
Apple Filling:
- 1/4 of a cup unsalted butter
- 4 pounds of mixed apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
- ½ of a cup brown sugar
- ¼ of a teaspoon of kosher salt
- Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 ½ teaspoons of ground cinnamon
- ½ of a teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
- Melt butter in a heavy pot set over medium high heat. Add apples and stir to coat.
- Add brown sugar, salt, and lemon zest and cook for approximately 15 minutes or until apples have softened and released their juices.
- Transfer apples to a bowl and continue to cook juices until reduced and thickened (about 5 minutes).
- Pour thickened juices back into the bowl with apples and add the cinnamon, nutmeg and cornstarch. Let the filling cool to room temperature.
Finishing Touches:
- Place about 4 tablespoons of apple filling in the center of each disk. Fold over and crimp edges with a fork.
- Cut a few steam vents in the top using a sharp paring knife. Egg wash the top crust and sprinkle it with sugar.
- Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 30 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.
- Serve with cider and vanilla ice cream and enjoy!