Stories from a Texas mom and wife, enjoying a blessed peachy life...

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Apple Pie in a Bag

My step mother-in-law and sister-in-law visited us a while back. They are from Mexico. They wanted to tour parts of the east coast before school started back. They were here for 4 days so we wanted to get in as much sight seeing as possible. On the first day we went to the Georgia Aquarium. It's the world's largest aqaurium so of course we had to take them there.

 
Jellyfish are so cool!
 
 
They look like they're dancing!
 
 
We chatted about what all they wanted to see in the small time they had here. We decided on a history museum and one quiet night at the house. The museum would have been really neat, had we went on a day they were open. Doh! So, we were able to have TWO quiet nights at home.
 
One night we sat on the back patio and roasted smores, listened to music, the kids played frisbee and the grown-ups chatted. Very nice & relaxing evening. 

 
 
The next night I wanted to cook a really good meal and dessert. I asked my MIL about apple pie. And that was it. I mean, you come to the USA in summer you need to have apple pie, right? So, that's what I made for dessert.  Immediately I got on my laptop to find the best apple pie recipe. I asked my cooking group and after about an hour of looking and talking to some people, I came across Beau's Dutch Apple Pie on Pinterest.
 
This isn't just some apple pie though. This is baked in a brown paper sack. In the oven. Uh-huh, the pie is baked in the sack in the oven. Yes, I'm serious. Nope, the house didn't catch fire-- not even a hint of smoke. And you know what? It's the BEST apple pie I have ever eaten in my life. I will NEVER deter from this recipe or try a different one. Don't fix what's not broken, right?
 
 
photo credit: Beau's Dutch Apple Pie


I am a bit sad that I didn't take pictures of the process. I was entertaining guests and I didn't even think of it, but when I make this again I will make sure I take pictures. The process is cool. It's easy. It's fun and the clean-up is a cinch!
 
So, on to the pie....
 
Ingredients
 
For the Crust:
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp. milk
  • Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and pat into the bottom and sides of a pie pan. (Don't roll the dough out.)
For the Apple Filling:
  • 5-6 apples, peeled and sliced
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. flour
  • 2 tsp. almond extract
  • Combine all ingredients except the apples in a bowl. Mix well, then toss the apples in the mixture. Put the apple filling into the unbaked pie crust.
For the Crumb Topping:
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup sugar
Instructions
  • Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the four and sugar, mix until crumbly. Cover the apple filling with the crumb topping.
  • Yes, you really do put the pie inside a brown paper bag. Once the pie is inside, roll up the the top of the bag and close it together with either staples or large paper clips. Place the bag on the lowest shelf in the oven. Bake at 350 for 90 minutes. Don't open the bag until the time is up and you have let it cool outside the oven for about 5 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream. So good!
 
 
This is what mine looked like after I took it out of the bag.
 


 
 And then when I plated it with a scoop of Blue Bell Vanilla.
 
 
 
Seriously, it's amazingly AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!! My mouth is watering.
 
You should stop what you're doing now and make this. You will thank yourself. Your family will thank you. America will thank you.
 
Until next time,
Reb

3 comments:

  1. Baking it in the bag has got to be the best apple pie idea ever!

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  2. What did Willie think? I know you said you made this for him b/c he loves dutch apple pie.

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  3. I was on pinterest and found this recipe. I had actually seen this a couple of years ago for the first time on Food Network. It was a throw down with Bobby Flay and The Elegant Farmer. The pie baked in the paper bag is one of their signature items and has won them all kinds of awards. I just thought I would send you this just in case you ever wanted to check out their products. There is one difference in your pie you did crumbs and they put on a top layer of crust. But both look good to me nothing better than apple pie and ice cream as shown in the picture above.

    ReplyDelete