HOMEMADE APPLE-PEAR PIE WITH STREUSEL TOPPING

Homemade Apple-Pear Pie with Streusel Topping image

I have made many pies over the years and I feel confident in saying this is my best pie yet! From the homemade flaky, buttery crust to the flavors of apples and pears with notes of cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and nutmeg, this is sure to be one of your favorites as well! This pie is perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas and the...

Provided by Hope Vaillancourt

Time 1h45m

Number Of Ingredients 19

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Ingredients

CRUST
1 1/3 c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 stick butter flavored crisco baking stick shortening, well-chilled
6 Tbsp ice cold water
PIE FILLING
1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 dash(es) pumpkin pie spice
1 dash(es) nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp lemon juice
3 medium granny smith apples, peeled, cored and cut lengthwise into 1/2" thick wedges
4 medium bartlett pears, firm, peeled, cored and cut lengthwise into 1/2" thick wedges
STREUSEL TOPPING
1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c brown sugar, packed
6 Tbsp chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Steps:

1. PREHEAT OVEN TO 375°
2. FOR THE CRUST: BLEND flour and salt in medium mixing bowl. CUT chilled shortening into 1/2-inch cubes. Cut in chilled shortening cubes into flour mixture, using a pastry blender, in an up and down chopping motion, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some small pea-sized pieces remaining. SPRINKLE half the maximum recommended amount of ice cold water over the flour mixture. Using a fork, stir and draw flour from bottom of bowl to the top, distributing moisture evenly into flour. Press chunks down to bottom of bowl with fork. Add more water by the tablespoon, until dough is moist enough to hold together when pressed together. ROLL dough from center outward with steady pressure on a lightly floured work surface (or between two sheets of wax or parchment paper) into a circle 2-inches wider than pie plate for the bottom crust. Transfer dough to a pie plate coated with cooking spray by loosely rolling around rolling pin. Center the rolling pin over the pie plate, and then unroll, easing dough into pie plate. Trim edges of dough leaving a 3/4-inch overhang. Fold edge under. Flute dough as desired. Set aside in the refrigerator while making pie filling.
3. FOR THE PIE FILLING: combine flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Add lemon juice, apples and pears to the flour mixture. Toss gently to coat. Arrange pear-apple mixture in an even layer in prepared crust.
4. FOR THE STREUSEL TOPPING: combine flour and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Add cold butter and cut in with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle evenly over pear-apple mixture. Bake for 1 hour or until lightly brown. Topping will be crunchy. Let cool for an hour before serving.