No Sugar Added Apple pie (Substitute with Stevia!)

No Sugar Added Apple Pie (Substitute with Stevia!)

By: M.E.Welch, AS, Novelist, Author

No Sugar Added Apple Pie (Substitute with Stevia!)

Flakey Pie Crust

2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted, very cold butter, cut into cubes (Put into the freezer until ready to use.)
8 tbsp water (Very cold)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1 egg and a bit of water to make an egg wash

Directions:

1. Combine the flour and salt in a bowl. I am using a stand mixer, but by hand works just as well.
2. Add the butter and water, then mix until the butter is evenly distributed throughout the mixture and forms “crumbs”.
3. Add the cold water all at once and mix until the dough comes together. DO NOT overmix.
4. Form into a ball and cut in half. One is the bottom crust, and the other is the top.
5. Flatten the two into individual disks and wrap with wax paper.
6. Place in the refrigerator and let rest for at least an hour. I let mine rest for the duration of the apples.

Pie Filling
7 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into 1″ cubes
1 cup Stevia for baking (sugar substitute)
2 tbsp unbleached flour
1/8 tsp of nutmeg
1 tbsp cinnamon

Prep the filling. This will soften and keep the dreaded air pocket from forming under the crust:

1. Combine the apples, stevia, lemon juice, cinnamon, and lemon zest in a bowl.
2. Cover and let the mixture rest for 1 1/2 hours. The juice will be drawn from the apples, softening them and making them full of flavor.
3. Drain juice from the bowl into a small saucepan.
4. Simmer until reduced to a syrup.
5. Add the syrup back in with the apples, also with a tablespoon of corn starch.
6. Prepare the dough while the apples soak.

Putting it together:

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Take the dough out of the fridge and let it sit for 5 minutes to warm up. Makes rolling it out easier.
3. Work one of the disks by hand to start flattening it.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough (turning it 1/4 turn after each roll will keep the dough from sticking to your work surface.
5. Roll out until it is 1/8″ thick and is larger than the baking pan.
6. Gently fold the dough (Do not crease!) and place it into the pan. Form it to the bottom and sides.
7. Leave about 1″ overlap.
8. Fold the overlap under the dough in the lip of the dish.
9. Prepare the second dough in the same manner.
10. Put the filling into the bottom crust and pat it down to remove any air.
11. Place the top crust on and trim, leaving a 1 1/2″ overlap.
12. Tuck the upper lip under the bottom crust, sealing the pie crust.
13. Mix the egg with water and brush the egg wash over the top of the crust.
14. Make 4 slits in the top center of the upper crust.
15. Decorate the edges to make the pie look pretty
16. Cover the edge of the pie crust with aluminum foil or a pie crust cover to prevent the edges from burning.
17. Bake on the center rack for 35 minutes.
18. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 20 to 25 minutes.
19. Remove from oven and let cool for 4 hours.

Ovens cook differently, so you may need to adjust baking times and temperature to your needs.

If all goes well, you should have a perfectly baked pie with full-flavored apples and a flaky, delicious pie crust. I like to put a dash more cinnamon on the top, as well as a pinch of nutmeg.

No sugar-added vanilla ice cream is a great accompaniment, as everyone knows!

Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories190–250
Total Fat 12 gm
Saturated Fat. 3.5g
Trans Fat. 0g
Cholesterol. 5mg
Sodium. 200mg
Total Carbohydrate. 32g