Creamy Apple Medley Crunch Pie

Pie Shell (9”) Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup lard
1 1/2 tsp. beaten egg
1/2 tsp. vinegar
2 Tbsp. cold water

Filling Ingredients:

2-3 Michigan McIntosh apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced
2-3 Michigan Golden Delicious apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced
2-3 Michigan Northern Spy apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup golden light brown sugar
1 Tbsp. Saigon cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
2/3 cup sour cream (optional*)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
*If sour cream is omitted, reduce sugar to 2/3 cup.

Crumb Topping Ingredients:

1/2 cup salted butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. Saigon cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Directions for Pie Shell:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Measure lard, flour and salt into mixing bowl. Using a pastry blender or fork, cut lard into flour until crumbly. In a separate bowl, combine egg, water, vinegar; add to flour mixture. Using a fork, work into a ball. Roll out and trim to fit a 9” pie plate leaving a ½ to 1” overhang. Line pie plate with pastry. Fold under edge of crust and press into an upright rim. Flute edge. Line with foil and add weights to keep crust from shrinking during baking. Bake shell for 10 minutes. Cool before filling.

Filling Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Mix well. In a separate bowl, blend together sour cream, maple syrup and vanilla. Combine approximately 6 cups of sliced apples with sugar mixture, toss until apples are coated. Stir in sour cream mixture. Pour apple mixture into baked pie shell, distributing evenly. Top with crumb topping.

Crumb Topping Directions:

Mix all ingredients together until crumbly. Distribute evenly over top of apple mixture, making sure to cover completely. Press to adhere to apples.

Place pie in center of oven, bake for 1-1/2 hours or until apples are tender.