Nick Malgieri
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Nick Malgieri

Sour Cream Apple Pie

This is a classic: sweet pastry with apples, a creamy sour cream custard, and a crunchy crumb topping. Cooking the apples before combining them with the custard part of the filling prevents them from seeping water into the custard while the pie is baking.

Makes one 9-inch pie, about 8 servings

Crust

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 8 pieces
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon water

Apple Filling

2 1/2 pounds Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar

Sour Cream Custard

2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream

Crumb Topping

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour(spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

One 9-inch pie pan

  1. For the crust, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse several times to mix. Add the butter and pulse repeatedly until the butter is finely mixed into the dry ingredients – you don’t want any visible pieces of butter.
  2. Add the egg, egg yolk, and water. Pulse repeatedly until the dough forms a ball. Invert the food processor bowl over a floured work surface to turn out the dough. Carefully remove the blade and transfer any dough on it to the surface. Form the dough into a disk about 1/2 inch thick. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate it for up to 3 days before using it.
  3. When you are ready to make the pie, set a rack in the lowest level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Roll out the dough and arrange it in a 9-inch pie pan or press the dough into a 9-inch pie pan and set aside, unbaked.
  4. For the filling, place the apples in a sauté pan with the butter and sugar. Cook over high heat, stirring and tossing, until about half the apples have dissolved, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the apples to a bowl to cool.
  5. For the sour cream custard, whisk together the flour and sugar in a bowl, then whisk in the eggs, vanilla, and sour cream in order.
  6. To make the crumb topping, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Pour in the melted butter and stir until the mixture forms a crumbly mass.
  7. Stir the cooled apples into the sour-cream custard filling and pour into the dough-lined pan. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the filling.
  8. Bake the pie until the dough is baked through, the filling is set, and the crumbs are a deep golden color, 50 to 55 minutes. Cool the pie on a rack.

Serving: This rich pie needs no accompaniment. Make sure the pie is completely cooled or the flavors will be obscured by the heat.

Storage: Keep the pie loosely covered with plastic wrap at a cool room temperature on the day it is baked. Wrap and refrigerate leftovers and bring them to room temperature before serving again.