Grandma’s French Apple Crumble Pie
This Grandma’s French Apple Crumble Pie combines tender cinnamon-spiced apples, a flaky homemade lard pastry and a rich brown sugar crumble topping. The apples are macerated before baking, which helps prevent a watery filling and gives the pie a beautifully concentrated apple flavour. It is an old-fashioned apple dessert that is especially delicious served with vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream.
Ingredients
Apple Pie Filling
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 6 cups peeled cored and sliced tart apples, approximately 6 medium apples
Brown Sugar Crumble Topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup butter unsalted and softened
Homemade Tenderflake-Style Pie Crust - This pastry recipe makes enough dough for approximately six 9-inch single pie crusts. Only one portion is needed for this apple crumble pie.
- 5½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 lb lard Tenderflake® - rendered lard, or half lard and half butter, cold and cubed
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 1 egg large and lightly beaten
- Ice water as needed
Instructions
Prepare the Homemade Pie Crust
- In a large bowl, combine the 5½ cups flour and 2 teaspoons salt. Cut in the cold lard, or lard and butter, using a pastry blender until the mixture contains coarse crumbs and small pieces of fat.
- In a measuring cup, combine the beaten egg and vinegar. Add enough ice water to make **1 cup of liquid in total**. Stir well.
- Sprinkle the liquid over the flour mixture a little at a time, tossing gently with a fork. Add only enough for the dough to hold together when pressed. You may not need all the liquid.
- Gather the dough gently and divide it into six equal portions. This pastry recipe makes approximately six single pie crusts. Wrap and refrigerate one portion for at least 30 minutes. Freeze the remaining portions for another day.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a circle large enough to fit a 9-inch pie plate. Transfer it to the plate without stretching. Trim and crimp the edges, then refrigerate while preparing the filling.
Make the Cinnamon Apple Filling
- In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt listed under the apple filling.
- Add the sliced apples and lemon juice. Toss gently until evenly coated. Cover and let stand for 1 hour so the apples release some of their juices.
- Transfer the apples to a sieve set over a bowl and drain the excess liquid. Spoon the drained apples into the chilled pastry shell, mounding them slightly in the centre.
Add the Brown Sugar Crumble
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour and brown sugar listed under the crumble topping.
- Add the softened butter. Mix with a fork or your fingertips until coarse, buttery crumbs form.
- Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the apples. Leave it loose rather than pressing it down.
Bake the Apple Crumble Pie
- Preheat the oven to **425°F (220°C)**. Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any bubbling juices.
- Bake for 10–15 minutes. Loosely tent the pie with foil to protect the topping and pastry edges from becoming too dark.
- Continue baking for another 30–35 minutes, until the apples are tender, the pastry is golden and the filling bubbles near the centre. If necessary, bake a little longer with the foil in place.
Cool Before Slicing
- Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let it cool for at least 3½–4 hours. The filling thickens as it cools, making the slices easier to serve.
- Serve at room temperature or gently warmed, with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if desired.
Notes
- Choose tart baking apples: Granny Smith apples work especially well in this French apple crumble pie because they stay fairly firm and balance the sweet brown sugar topping. Honeycrisp, Braeburn or Pink Lady apples can also be mixed in for a slightly sweeter flavour.
- Slice the apples evenly: Aim for slices that are about the same thickness so the apples soften at the same rate. Very thin slices may become mushy, while thick pieces can stay a little firm in the centre.
- Do not skip the macerating step: Letting the apples sit with the sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice draws out excess moisture. This helps create a thicker homemade apple pie filling and reduces the chance of a watery pie.
- Drain the apples well: After the apples have rested, strain away the released juices before filling the pastry shell. This small step makes a noticeable difference and helps protect the bottom crust from becoming soggy.
- Keep the homemade pie dough cold: Cold lard, or a cold lard-and-butter mixture, helps create a flaky homemade pie crust. If the dough becomes sticky while rolling, chill it for 20–30 minutes before trying again.
- The pastry recipe makes extra crusts: The Tenderflake-style pie dough makes approximately six 9-inch single pie crusts. Use one portion for this recipe and wrap the remaining portions individually for the freezer.
- Do not overwork the pastry: Mix the dough only until it holds together. A slightly uneven texture is fine. Overmixing can make the finished crust tougher instead of light and flaky.
- Leave the crumble topping loose: Sprinkle the brown sugar crumble over the apples without pressing it firmly into place. Loose crumbs bake more evenly and create a crisp, buttery topping.
- Bake the pie on a rimmed tray: Apple filling can bubble over during baking, so placing the pie on a baking sheet saves cleanup and makes it easier to move the hot pie in and out of the oven.
- Cover the topping if needed: Loosely tent the pie with foil after the first 10–15 minutes if the crumble topping or crust edges begin browning too quickly.
- Look for bubbling filling: The apple crumble pie is ready when the crust is golden, the topping is crisp and the apple juices are visibly bubbling near the centre.
- Cool before slicing: Let the pie cool for at least 3½–4 hours. The filling continues to thicken as it rests, and the slices hold together much better once fully cooled.
- Serve it simply: This old-fashioned French apple pie is delicious at room temperature, slightly warmed or served with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or a light drizzle of caramel sauce.
- Recipe inspiration: This family apple pie recipe is derived from the classic Betty Crocker French Apple Pie, with a few modifications to the filling, preparation method and homemade pastry crust.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 668kcalCarbohydrates: 123gProtein: 15gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 990mgPotassium: 605mgFiber: 7gSugar: 37gVitamin A: 3441IUVitamin C: 37mgCalcium: 223mgIron: 7mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!