Crisp, juicy apples and sweet dried apricots are fast friends when they’re bound together in a flaky pie crust. The concentrated sweetness of the dried apricots gives real depth of flavor, and also means that you don’t need to add as much refined sugar to the filling. This pie is perfect served warm and topped with a drizzle of crème Anglaise or served at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
If you’re wondering what type of apples to use, sweet-tart Granny Smiths are always a reliable choice, but there are many other great options. Choose apples that are crisp and firm, as they’ll retain their shape after baking. A bit of tartness is also desirable to balance out the sweetness of the other ingredients in the pie. In addition to Granny Smiths, we like Gravenstein, Braeburn, Fuji, Pippins or Pink Ladies.
Double Crust Apple Apricot Pie
8
10 minutes
1 hour
1 hour and 10 minutes
2 unbaked pie crusts for a 9-inch pie
4 large crisp apples (Granny Smith, Fuji, etc), peeled, cored and sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ cup chopped dried apricots
½ cup sugar, plus additional for sprinkling on top
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water
Preheat the oven to 375F.
Fit one of the pie crusts into a 9-inch pie dish. Place the pie dish on a baking sheet to catch any juices that bubble out during baking.
In a medium bowl, toss together the apples, lemon juice, ½ cup of the sugar, the apricots, and the flour.
Spoon the apple mixture into the pie crust. Scatter the butter pieces over the top. Brush the edge of the bottom crust with a bit of the egg wash, and then place the second crust on top, crimping the edges together and trimming any excess.
Brush the top crust with the egg wash, and sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of sugar over the top. Cut several slashes in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
Bake for about 1 hour, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. If the crust begins to get too brown, tent the pie with foil for the last 15 minutes or so of baking. Transfer the pie to a wire rack, and let it cool completely before serving.
