Sour Cream Apple Pie

Each year, we pack up the kids and head to a local apple orchard. I love picking my own. I can mix up bags of apples for pies, crisps, tarts and of course, my kids eat them like candy. We usually go in the morning, pick a bushel, buy some fresh cider and anything else that strikes our fancy. Then we pile in the car with our loot, all of us sampling a freshly picked apple. That afternoon something takes over my house. You guessed it, the smell of apples, maybe some cinnamon, a bit of sugar, and we are all drooling by supper. Which leads me to a pie that is so delicious, it is the grande dame of pies. The Sour Cream Apple Pie! It's custardy, it's cinnamon and nutmegy, it's creamy, it's appley, it's just plain yummy! I've made this pie for several years now, always in the fall, always after a trip to the orchard. The first time I made this, I looked up a few recipes, and didn't find one that was quite what I was imagining. So, I did the only sensible thing, and took the best parts of each recipe, added enough apples for two pies, and of course threw in some Penzey's Apple Pie Spice. What I ended up with is delectable. I hope you enjoy it too.

Sour Cream Apple Pie

Makes 2-9 inch pies

Filling

1 1/2 c. sour cream

2/3 c. granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

2 large eggs

4 Tb. flour

10 mixed baking apples, peeled, cored and sliced

Topping

6 Tb. salted butter, softened

2/3 c. granulated sugar

3 tsp. cinnamon

4 Tb. flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place your favorite pie crust (either homemade or pre-made) into a 9 inch pie plate, and place in the refrigerator until you are ready to fill.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, sugar, salt, eggs, flour, pie spice and vanilla until the mixture is smooth. Add the apples, and fold with a spatula until the apples are coated.

In a small bowl, mix together the topping ingredients until well blended.

Spoon the filling into your chilled pie crusts, and pour the excess liquid over the top, dividing everything evenly between the two pies. Crumble the topping over the pies. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Cover with foil for the last half hour to prevent the topping and crust from burning. Transfer to a rack, and allow to cool completely before serving.