When you want a really unique and extraordinary pie to serve, give this a try. My mom would make this many Thanksgivings along with pumpkin and banana cream pies. I love it because it's a mix of apple pie and cheesecake, two of my favorites! You can make your favorite pie crust, or use a premade one, which makes it super easy!
French Apple Cream Pie
Serves 8
1 (9-inch) baked pie shell
4 medium apples, peeled
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
2/3 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
4 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
4 1/2 teaspoons water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons butter
Topping:
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 egg
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup shredded coconut
Bake pie shell according to directions. Let cool. Chop apples into bite-size pieces to measure 4 cups of apples. In a large saucepan, combine 1 teaspoon orange peel, 2/3 cup water, 2/3 cup sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add apples and boil gently for 10 minutes, turning fruit carefully with a spoon. Whisk together cornstarch and 4 1/2 teaspoons water; add to apple mixture. Cook until it thickens. Remove from the heat and add lemon juice and butter. Stir until butter is melted. Set aside and cool.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add 1/3 cup sugar and orange peel. Beat until smooth. Beat in egg. Pour cooled pie filling into pie crust. Spoon topping mixture evenly over and smooth to edges. Sprinkle with almonds and coconut. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, or until coconut and almonds are toasty. Cool completely, then chill overnight. Serve cold or take out of refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.
Step-by-step tutorial:
Gather your pie ingredients (not including the topping). You will need a 9-inch baked pie shell. You can make your favorite recipe, make my favorite pie crust recipe, or buy a frozen gluten free pie crust. You will also need about 4 medium apples (I like granny smith for pies), an orange, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cornstarch, lemon juice, and butter.
We really like this pie crust from Wholly Gluten Free. They work great and taste amazing. Nobody knew it was gluten free. It comes in a 2-pack and can be found in the freezer section of Sprouts or Whole Foods.
You need to prebake your crust, so follow the instructions on the package. After it's baked, let it cool while you make the filling.
To make the filling, peel and core the apples, then chop into bite-sized pieces. I like this better than slices because it's easier to eat without pulling out too much in one bite. As I chop the apples, I place them in a bowl of cold water mixed with some Fruit-Fresh Produce Protector to keep them from turning brown. After they are all chopped, I pour the bowl into a colander and drain.
You want to have about 4 cups of chopped apples. In a large saucepan, combine 1 teaspoon orange peel, 2/3 cup water, 2/3 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon nutmeg. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then carefully add the apples. Continue cooking, stirring carefully, for about 10 minutes or until softened. Whisk together 4 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch and 4 1/2 teaspoons water and add to apple mixture, stirring until it thickens.
Remove from the heat and add 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 4 tablespoons butter. Stir until butter is melted. Set aside to cool.
Next, we make the topping. You will need a package of cream cheese, sugar, an egg, an orange, sliced almonds and shredded coconut. I had toasted almonds, so I used those, and they worked great!
In a mixing bowl, beat 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese until fluffy. Add 1/3 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon orange peel. Beat until smooth. Beat in 1 egg.
Pour the apple mixture into the crust. Top with the cream cheese topping, carefully spreading with a spatula to cover the whole top. Sprinkle with the sliced almonds and coconut.
Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, or until crust and coconut is toasty brown.
It's such an elegant pie to serve. Be sure to cool completely, then refrigerate overnight before serving.
You can serve it cold from the refrigerator or pull it out 30 minutes before serving if you want it more room temperature. Both ways are delicious.
The combination of the salty crust, sweet apple pie filling, baked cheesecake top with a hint of orange, and the toasted almonds and coconut is just DIVINE.
One bite and you will be in love. A unique and elegant pie you will enjoy sharing with friends and family!
Recipe Source: Recipe from my sweet mama