I have tried many different gluten free flours and techniques for apple pies. What I have discovered, is that cooking the apple filling really makes all the difference. Because gluten free flours and starches absorb moisture at a slower rate to their wheat counterparts, you really need to cook them to soften the taste.
The bourbon adds a deep flavour to this pie and any alcohol is cooked out, so safe for children, but is completely optional and can be removed.
Servings: 8
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
9" Pie plate
2-disks "Best Gluten Free Pie Crust" see recipes, or store bought gluten free pie dough
sweet rice flour for rolling out dough
3-Tbsp full fat milk or 1-egg for brushing
1 Tbsp organic sugar for sprinkling on top
Filling
8 cups baking apples, peeled cored and diced in similar size chunks (Gala, Fuji, Braeburn, Paula Red, Golden Delicious) A mix makes for an even nicer pie.
2/3 cups organic sugar
1/2 cup muscovado brown sugar
2 Tbsp organic corn starch or arrowroot starch
1 1/2 tsp good quality cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
1/8 tsp pink himalayan salt
2 1/2 Tbsp (45g) unsalted butter
1-2 Tbsp good quality bourbon (double distilled to remove gluten or go for a 100% corn based bourbon)
1/2-2/3 cups water
Instructions
Peel, core and cube or slice apples and place in a large glass bowl. Toss with the sugars, starch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 400F
In a large 12" high sided sauté' pan or dutch oven, on medium heat, melt the butter to bubbling and foaming. Add to the pan the apples, sugars, corn starch, salt and spices toss to coat them well. Add 1/2 cup of the water and the boubon and stir well. Keep stiring frequently for about 15 minutes. It if starts to stick to the bottom, turn heat down and add a little more water. You want the sauce to be like a warm thin caramel sauce when it is finished. Remove from heat when apples are fork tender but not soft, set aside.
While your apples are cooking, remove pie dough out of fridge and follow instructions on Best Gluten Free Pie Crust on how to knead and roll the dough. Using the parchment as a lifter, transfer one of the crusts to your pie plan. Place rolled pie crust in the pie-pan into the refrigerate or freezer (which ever one has more space :) while you roll out the top crust.
Remove chilled pie plate and crust and pour the warm filling into the pie crust lined pie pan, now place the rolled top crust on top of the filling. Trim the edges to within a 1/4" of the pan (you can patch where needed). Roll the 1/4" dough under to form a nice edge around your pie. Crimp and set in fridge or freezer for another 10 minutes before you brush with milk or egg wash.
Remove pie from fridge/freezer, brush the top of the dough using a pastry brush with full fat whole milk or an egg wash (1 egg beaten with a fork with 1 tsp of water).
Sprinkle with organic sugar.
Bake in 400 degree oven for 35-40 minutes. If edges become too brown, use a pie ring or take a piece of foil and cut a circle out and place over the pie to keep the edges from burning.
Let pie rest for 20 minutes before slicing.
Serve with Chantilly cream or gluten free vanilla ice cream...Delish!!!