Unsalted butter, well chilled, diced into small cubes - 8 tbsp
Ice water - 3-5 tbsp
Crumb Topping
Packed light brown sugar - 1/2 cup
Unbleached all-purpose flour (scoop and level) - 3/4 cup
Ground nutmeg - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1/8 tsp
Unsalted butter, melted - 6 tbsp
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Apple Filling
Golden delicious apples, peeled cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick* - 1 1/4 lbs
Granny smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced 1/6-inch thick - 1 1/4 lbs
Unsalted butter, melted - 2 tbsp
Fresh lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Granulated sugar - 1/2 cup
Unbleached all-purpose flour - 3 tbsp
Ground cinnamon - 1/2 tsp
How to Make Apple Pie
To make crust: In a medium mixing bowl whisk together 1 cup flour, 2 tsp sugar and heaping 1/4 tsp salt. Add butter and cut into mixture using a pastry blender until there are just small pea size clumps of butter throughout.
Add ice water 1 Tbsp at a time and toss until mixture is just moistened and comes together in bigger clumps. Gather mixture into a ball and shape and press into a smooth, 6-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Cover and refrigerate until dough is more firm, about 60 minutes.
Remove dough, roll out into a 12 1/2-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Fold in half then into a quarter or wrap around a rolling pin and transfer to a 9 1/2 to 9-inch deep dish pie plate and unwrap. Fit to plate, flute edges if desired.
Refrigerate until well chilled about 1 hour (or freeze for 15 minutes). Meanwhile preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Line crust with a sheet of foil or parchment paper (cover to edges), add dry beans, rice, sugar or pie weights to fill just level to the top. Bake pie in preheated oven 15 minutes.
Hold all four corners of foil and remove beans. Prick bottom of pie crust about 10 times. Return to oven and continue to bake until it's starting to dry, about 8 - 12 minutes longer. Remove crust and let cool on a wire rack while you prepare the topping and filling.
Move oven rack down one level from center. Reduce oven temperature to 350.
For the crumb topping: Add brown sugar to a medium mixing bowl and break up with fingertips. Add 3/4 cup flour, nutmeg and salt and whisk.
Stir vanilla into 6 Tbsp melted butter. Pour into flour mixture and toss until evenly moistened. Transfer to refrigerator while you prepare filling.
For the apple pie filling: In a large mixing bowl toss sliced apples with remaining 2 Tbsp melted butter and lemon juice. Add sugar, 3 Tbsp flour, and cinnamon. Toss mixture to evenly coat.
To assemble pie: Layer a handful or two of apple mixture into the pie dish at a time, spreading and pressing into an even layer and turning slices flat (this will help ensure you'll fit all of them in).
Remove crumble from refrigerator, break into small clumps and sprinkle evenly over the top of the pie.
Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in preheated oven until apples are almost fully tender when poked with a toothpick (they should have a just little give as they will continue carryover cooking as the pie cools), about 45 - 55 minutes. Check pie a few times throughout baking to ensure the topping or crust isn't overly browning, if needed tent with foil. If it's not browning enough you can move oven rack up one level.
Remove pie from oven and let cool on a wire rack (it will take about 2 hours of cooling). Serve just warm with vanilla ice cream if desired.
