Apple Pie with Sprouted Spelt Crust

Name: Apple Pie with Sprouted Spelt Crust
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 55 min
Ingredients: 2¼ cups Second Spring Sprouted Spelt Flour; ¾ cup COLD butter; 5-6 tbsp ice cold water ((add several ice cubes and stir or place water in the freezer for at least 20 minutes)); 1 tsp salt; 6 medium/large apples*; ½ cup panela rapadura sugar**; 3 tbsp cornstarch; 1 tsp cinnamon; ¼ tsp nutmeg; 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted; 1 egg; coarse sugar for sprinkling ((optional))

This sprouted whole grain spelt double crusted pie is ready for any sweet or savoury filling, including this traditional apple version.

80 minutes (+30 minute rest)

1 Pie

Enjoy warm with good people.

Pie crust is one of those classic baked goods that many people find intimidating, let alone an 100% whole grain version. Well we’re here to tell you that flakey, wholesome, buttery sprouted goodness is not only attainable, it’s actually pretty simple! Sprouted spelt has a wonderful rich, nutty flavour that works so well in this all butter crust. Don’t worry if you’ve never made homemade pie crust, we’re here for any questions you may have!

HOW TO MAKE SPROUTED SPELT PIE CRUST

This pie crust recipe is made with only sprouted spelt flour, salt, butter and water. If you prefer a sweeter crust, feel free to dissolve 1 tbsp of brown sugar in the cold water before adding to the dough.

For a single (bottom only) crust:

Divide the dough in half and roll to 1-2″ larger than your pie plate. Carefully transfer the dough to the pie plate and gently shape it to the bottom with your hands. Repeat with the second half for two pies, or you can freeze the second half for later use

For a double crust:

Divide the dough in half and roll one to 1-2″ larger than your pie plate, then transfer to the pie plate as usual. Once the dough is chilled and the pie is filled, roll out the second half of the dough and place it overtop. Fold the edge of the top piece over the edge of the bottom and press together until the dough is sealed. Fill and decorate as desired, brush with egg wash and cut slits/holes to allow the steam to escape.
For lattice crust, follow the directions above, but cut your top crust into strips and weave together before sealing the edges.

The key here is to follow the directions closely. You want the butter and water to be COLD and add the water 1 tbsp at a time (or even slower) until the dough just comes together. I often read recipes and think to myself, is that chilling step necessary? Well in this case it’s a resounding “yes”. You’ll want the crust itself to be cold as it goes into the oven so the butter melts at the right rate, giving it all those beautiful flakey layers. Not to worry, the rest time just means you have time to preheat the oven and prepare the filling.

filling

This recipe will work for any sweet or savoury pie. Fill with your favourite fruit, meat, custard, quiche, pot pie – you name it!

For the apple pie filling, we used rapadura sugar (also called panela sugar), which is whole cane sugar (unrefined) that gives a rich molasses taste and a dark brown colour. We highly recommend it (in all your baking!), you can find it in some health food stores or online, this is the kind we used. You can also substitute coconut or brown sugar. We added just a couple pinches of coarse brown sugar on top, resulting in a toffee-like crunch, an extra hint of sweetness and some sparkle, but it is optional. We also chose Cortland apples for the filling as they are juicy, fairly firm and slightly tart, but you can choose based on your preference and what’s available seasonally in your area (more apple recommendations in the recipe notes).

CAN I SUBSTITUTE SHORTENING OR LARD?

Yes, you can substitute shortening or lard 1:1 in this recipe.

Why Shortening? It melts at a slower rate and is easier to work with, and it’s also suitable for vegans. However, shortening has no flavour. We recommend if you’re using shortening to add some shortening and some butter for flavour (equal to 3/4 cup total).
Why lard? It’s easy to work with and has a wonderful flavour, but this is not an option for vegetarians.

We chose all butter because of the wonderful flavour it imparts, but feel free to use the fat of your preference.

CAN I MAKE MY PIE CRUST AHEAD OF TIME?

Absolutely! Mix your dough then flatten into a rough disk and wrap in plastic, or roll out the pie crust and put the whole pie tin in the fridge or freezer. The dough can keep in the fridge for a few days. Simply add 1 tsp of vinegar or 1 tbsp of brown sugar to the recipe to prevent the crust from oxidizing. If kept in the freezer, thaw in the fridge the day before you’ll be using it.

CAN I BLIND BAKE THIS PIE CRUST?

Some pie recipes require you to bake the crust but not the filling, in this case you bake the pie shell empty. We don’t recommend blind baking if you’re using all butter because the crust will shrink. If you need to blind bake, substitute shortening or lard.

HOW DO I DECORATE MY PIE CRUST?

Not sure how to flute the edges? It’s pretty easy, I just used my fingers (YouTube is very helpful). But if you don’t want to spend time learning, simply indent with a fork to seal the edges. It’s all about your preference, no special skills required. If you’d like tutorial videos for fluting the edges, let me know in the comments below. You can also use this dough for a lattice top or to cut out shapes.

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