Apple Pie Filling Recipe

I had been missing my favorite pie filling recipe that my mom found in taste of home, or the country women or some similar magazine. I modified it to my personal liking and made it anytime we had a good stock of apples. For the life of me I could not find any comparable pie filling recipes and I certainly could not track down the one I originally based mine off of.

So yesterday, I decided to trust my memory. Mind you, I have not made this recipe for about 15 years! But I made it so much as a teenager, that I had it memorized, so I figured maybe I should trust my memory? So I went for it... And it turned out rather impressively if I do say so myself! Yum! 

This recipe is chock full of fruit, lightly wrapped in sauce and not too sweet so the best of the apples still shine through! It is delightfully moist but not sopping with juice when you cut it. If you like a more gelatinous pie filling surrounding the fruit, you can add another 1/2 - 3/4 cup of juice.

JJ's Apple Pie Filling Recipe

(Makes enough for 1 large pie)

6 TB - cornstarch

1/2 CUP - brown sugar

1 CUP - apple or cranberry juice 

2 TB - butter

1 TSP - vanilla extract

1 TSP - cinnamon

1/4 TSP - nutmeg

7 cups of diced apple and/or pear (try placing the diced apples in your desired pie pan, if it is not full enough, add some more)

•Mix together the cornstarch and sugar in the bottom of a saucepan, then add the juice.

•Turn the pan to medium high heat and stir constantly with a whisk until it becomes translucent and thick. 

•Once it has thickened, turn the heat to low and mix in the butter.

•Add your spices and apples then mix to coat evenly. If you wish you may cook it on low until the apples are softened or put directly into your crust.

I love this pie filling in a good sourdough crust. The light, tender and flaky crust blows me away everytime! It is better for your gut with the sourdough, plus the butter makes it more delicious and easier for digestion then the traditional lard varieties. And it is a great way to use up sourdough discard. I use this fabulous crust recipe from The Bojon Gourmet! 

Sourdough Yorkshire Puddings

Sourdough Yorkshire Pudding Recipe

(Makes 12 puddings)

4 - large eggs

1 cup - whole milk

1/2 cup - fed sourdough starter

1 cup - unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp - salt

+ Grapeseed oil for the muffin tins

1. Beat all the ingredients together well with a whisk. 

2. If it's too thin add a bit more flour to create a "pancake batter" consistency.

3. You can either chill in the fridge for 30 minutes and then proceed to cooking. Or leave to ferment for 6 hours or overnight in the fridge for better health benefits.

4. When you're ready to cook them, preheat oven to 425°F. Put 1 tsp of grapeseed oil in the bottom of each muffin tin. Once the oven has heated, place the oiled muffin tins onto a lipped baking tray and place on the middle rack. 

5. When the oil is bubbling, take the trays out of the oven and fill each 3/4 full with batter. 

It should sizzle a bit as you fill them, this extreme heat is what jumpstarts the puffing action! 

6. Bake them for 15 to 20 minutes at 425°F until puffed and almost entirely golden brown! They must have a slightly crisp surface or they will collapse, so make sure it's not just slightly golden in dots, but more uniformly browned all over.

And that's it! Serve with a roast dinner and fill with gravy or munch on them straight out of the pan!