cheddar apple pie + MIGHTYFIX OFFER

 

it is finally time for that apple pie i have been promising you guys all month long! this time i mixed things up a bit by adding some freshly grated old cheddar cheese into the pie dough & on top because the two flavours go hand in hand (& cheese literally makes everything better). BUT before i get into the details of this pie i wanted to let you know about a special promotion that mightyfix is offering for my modest marce readers! this month only, mightyfix is offering the bee's wax wraps for only $3 for the first month after signing up for the mightyfix! it includes both a medium & large sheet of bee's wrap & retails for over $18 after shipping. the promo code for the bee's wrap is MODESTBEESWRAPFIX & if you click here the promo code will be placed directly into your cart. shipping is free & you can add any other items they carry to ship free too!

now i am obsessed with all sorts of aged cheeses. maybe it is the italian in me, but the stinkier the better! the natural bees wrap is favourite way to store cheese so it doesn't dry out & you aren't wasting plastic wrap every time you cut a slice. the natural bee's wrap from mightyfix is made in vermont from organic cotton muslin, beeswax, jojoba oil & tree resin. the combination of ingredients & the infused fabric create a malleable food wrap that can be used again & again. the simple warmth of your hands naturally creates a seal & as the beeswax cools the material stiffens to hold the seal intact. it also has antibacterial qualities that help to keep food fresh! while my favourite thing to use it for is cheese, it is also perfect for baked goods, vegetables & fruit.

over the years i have become all about searching for reusable materials for healthy kitchens because i hate spending extra money on things that end up in the garbage.. plastic wrap, foil, parchment paper, etc. i honestly find this bee's wrap the most genius way to store food & replace those expensive rolls of plastic wrap. it is the same idea as silicon baking mats & never having to buy parchment paper again! to care for it you just wash it in cool water with a touch of soap, let it air dry & store it folded up like a kitchen towel.

now back to that pie! the base of this pie dough would be so good for savoury pies as well, i will definitely be making myself a chicken pot pie very soon. ultimate comfort food. growing up i used to see classmates eat apples & sliced cheddar cheese together. while a completely normal thing to do, i thought it was the weirdest thing ever! now here i am, adding cheese to my pies & wishing i wasn't such a stubborn little kid who missed out.

happy baking! xo

ingredients

for the dough

  • 3 cups all purpose flour, sifted
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 1/3 cup shortening, cold
  • 1 cup old cheddar cheese, finely grated plus more for topping
  • ½ cup ice water
  • 1 egg, whisked with 1 tablespoon of water for egg wash

for the filling

  • 5 cups sliced apples
  • 3/4 cup raw sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

directions

for the dough

  • in a large mixing bowl stir together the flour & salt.
  • add the butter & shortening. using your hands or a pastry cutter, work in the solids until a pea-sized crumb mixture is formed.
  • sprinkle in the one cup of cheese & toss to combined.
  • add the ice water 1-2 tablespoons at a time until the mixture begins to come together. shape into disk, wrap in cling wrap & refrigerate for two hours.

for the filling

  • in a large mixing bowl toss together the apples, sugar, nutmeg, vanilla, lemon juice and cornstarch. set aside while you begin to roll out the dough. drain excess liquids.

for assembly

  • divide the dough into two equal potions; place half back in the fridge until ready to use for the top portion of the pie.
  • roll out the remaining dough to 1/4 inch thick and transfer to pie dish, pressing down & cleaning up the edges.
  • add the filling and evenly distribute throughout the baking dish.
  • using the remaining dough, roll out to 1/4 inch thick and create desired design. i used little pastry cutter leaves & piled them on top.
  • brush with egg wash & top with a little extra grated cheddar cheese. bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour. if the crust begins to brown too soon, simply cover the top with foil.
  • let cool & set completely before serving.

this post was created in partnership with mightyfix. to get your own set of the mightyfix bees wrap for only $3 use the promo code MODESTBEESWRAPFIX or click the link here for it to be automatically added to your cart. thank you for supporting the brands that keep me doing what i love!

CRACK PIE

 

say crack again.. CRACK! ok i couldn't not quote mean girls! anyways, this weekend i decided to tackle momofuku's crack pie. i actually have yet to go to momofuku and have the famous crack pie [it is on my spring to do list], but this recipe turned out so good, i can only imagine the real thing! it looks a little lengthy but the actual process is so easy. you basically just make one giant oatmeal cookie, and then crush it up into a pie crust. the filling is a cross between a sugar pie and a butter tart filling. it is definitely on the sweet side, but than again it is called "crack pie". AND if you are wondering why my pie has a fox design in the middle, it is my favourite animal and nothing more! here we go...this recipe has been adapted from the momofuku cook book:

INGREDIENTS (makes two ten inch pies)

oat cookie:

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups quick oats
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
  1. in the bowl of a stand mixer cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  2. add egg and vanilla, and continue to mix until even lighter and fluffier.
  3. add flour, oats, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
  4. spread out on one big cookie sheet (to make one giant cookie) and bake at 350 degrees until the edges begin to brown.
  5. remove from oven and let completely cool before continuing on

crust:

  • 1 giant oat cookie, cooled
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  1. crumble up oat cookie with your hands, until it becomes a sandy, coarse, texture.
  2. add sugar, salt, and butter, and mix until the crumbled cooking begins to stick together.
  3. separate between two pie dishes, and old into a cruse shape.

filling:

  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 3/4 cup cold heavy cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 8 egg yolks [egg white omelette in the morning anyone?]
  1. in the bowl of a stand mixer, add the sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch and salt.
  2. add the melted butter and blend until ingredients are evenly mixed.
  3. add the vanilla and heavy cream, mixing until the cream is even dispersed.
  4. add all the egg yolks at once and mix until the batter becomes glossy, but be careful not to over mix!
  5. divide mixture evenly into the two prepared pie plates.
  6. bake at 350 degrees for exactly fifteen minutes, once the time is up, reduce oven to 325 degrees and open the oven door until this temperature is reached.
  7. once the oven reaches 325 degrees, close oven door and bake for 10-15 minutes longer (pie will still be very jiggly, but the edges should be browned)
  8. let cool and room temperature, then freeze over night.
  9. dust with powdered sugar and add whatever fun design you desire!