What says fall better than harvesting fall fruit into decadent desserts to share around a table of family and friends? We often believe when living healthy lives, there is no space for dessert- that it’s all or nothing- and if we ‘slip up’ by having a sugar laden treat it’s all over. Well that isn’t true with this apple pie.
Really, we need to shift our belief system to one that says: “Desserts can be enjoyed occasionally, if they are made from Living WILDFIT foods.” Resolving our guilt and avoiding any downward spiral. The healthy fat and fiber in this dish will keep us satiated, and stop any unwanted sugar rush. WILDFITApple Pie meets all requirements! A nutty, grain free crust, local apples, organic spices and sweetened with a touch of maple syrup, it’s sure to be your new family favorite.
Prep Time: 40 minutes.
Cook Time: 30 minutes.
Makes: One 9 inch pie (serves 8-12).
Ingredients
For the Pastry:
2 cups almond flour
1 cup of coconut flour
¼ cup of tapioca or arrowroot flour
3 Tablespoons ground flaxseed
½ cup of cold water
2 eggs
½ cup coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
Equipment
Food Processor (not necessary but helpful!)
9-inch pie pan
parchment paper or silicone baking sheets
rolling pin
For the Filling:
6 medium-sized apples, peeled and diced (cortland or macintosh)
Juice of ½ a lemon
⅓ cup maple syrup (honey if preferred)
1 Tablespoon tapioca or arrowroot flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
¼ tsp of ginger (optional)
⅛ teaspoon cloves
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Pastry:
The most important thing to remember is that gluten is the glue that holds conventional pastries and baked goods together (and causes us so many digestive issues). When we endeavour to start ‘alternative’ baking, we can’t aim to create a confection that is equivalent in taste and texture to what we had with wheat flour baking. Many gluten free baking mixes attempt to replicate gluten containing flour- but they do so with gums, binders and cheap alternative flours like potato and rice- which are foods that are often in our rarely or never food categories. What can we do? I usually use nut and seed flours to make crusts, cakes, and breads but I am gentle with myself. My expectation is for a new kind of pie, rather than an exact replica of ‘what Grandma used to make’ and gentle with the dough, knowing it’s not gonna act like gluten!
First, mix your flaxseed meal with water and stir together. Set in the fridge to further cool a few minutes. This will act as your glue in this pastry.
Next, add the dry ingredients to your food processor and pulse to combine (or stir well). Then, add the coconut oil and pulse until the oil is cut into the dry stuff and a crumbly dough has formed. (You can also use 2 forks to do this). Make sure the oil is evenly distributed.
Finally, add the eggs and flax mixture to the dough and pulse (or stir) until the dough is a ball, this won’t take long.
Collect the dough and separate into two balls. Take one ball and place between two pieces of parchment paper (or silicone sheets). Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a large circle so that it’ll fill a 9-inch pie pan. Peel off top parchment paper and carefully flip the rolled dough into the pie pan.
Gently peel off the other piece of parchment paper and push the dough down into the pie pan from the top edges to form the pie crust. Fill up any holes or cracks with small pieces of dough.
Trim the excess pastry, and use cookie cutters or a knife to form leaf decorations.
Take the remaining half of the dough and roll into circle as the other. Place the dough into the refrigerator to chill. This step is important, as it will keep the dough from burning and ensure it is moist- not crunchy. It should chill for at least 20 minutes.
For the Filling:
Peel the apples and slice them thinly. You can dice them if you prefer a mushier pie.
Toss in a large bowl with spices, maple syrup, vanilla and lemon juice, leave to rest 5-10 minutes so the apples can soak up the flavours..
Add in the tapioca flour and mix well. This ensures the apples stay moist, without the juices running out into a puddle on the bottom of the pie.
Making the Pie:
Preheat the oven to 375 F.
Spoon in the apple pieces into the pie crust, pressing down evenly. Pour any juice evenly over the apples.
Cover the pie with the top piece of pastry, remembering to be extra gentle, as this dough doesn’t stretch. Press a fork along the edge to push the pastry down, or use your thumb and index finger of one hand to pinch an edge and the index of the other hand to press the top pie edge into the pinch- repeating around the pie.
Decorate with leaf decorations from excess pastry and cut vent arrows in the top. (You can also carefully create a lattice if you prefer).
Bake for 15 minutes until pie is bubbling hot, then reduce heat to 350F and allow the pie to come to a golden color for another 10-15 minutes until the center cooked well.
Serve hot or cold, and if there are leftovers remember to keep them in the fridge! A WILDFIT pie has no preservatives and so cannot be left on the counter like lifeless, sugary confections.
Enjoy lovingly, savoring the sweet, spicy, nutty goodness of this dessert- thinking of the new tradition you are forging for a healthier family.
0/5 (0 Reviews)
