Bouchon's Apple Pie

By dyannucci

SERVES 8-10

Pastry chef Scott Wheatfill of
Las Vegas' Bouchon Bakery
enhances apple pie with apple butter (see
"Bouchon Apple Butter, and almond cream.

Ingredients

• For the pate sucree:
• 8 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
• 3 1/2 tbsp. confectioners' sugar
• 1 egg, beaten, 1 1/2 tbsp. measured out for use
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• For the almond cream:
• 5 tbsp. confectioners' sugar
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract
• 1/4 tsp. dark rum
• 1 egg
• 5 tbsp. almond flour
• 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• For the apples:
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple cider
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 4 large semisweet apples, such as Fuji, peeled, cored,
• and cut into 8 wedges each
• For the topping and for baking:
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup almond flour
• 5 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 cup homemade or store bought apple butter
• Confectioners' sugar and ground cinnamon, for
• dusting
• Apple Butter:
• Bouchon Apple
• Butter
• MAKES 4 CUPS
• Scott Wheatfill, the pastry chef at Las Vegas' Bouchon restaurant, uses a pure apple butter made with only the fruit and a splash of cider.
• Slow-roasting the apples concentrates their sweetness and cooks off excess
• moisture, creating a sauce that is thick enough to stick to a spoon when it's held upside down.
• To make it:
• Heat the oven to 375°.
• Spread 18 semisweet apples, such as Fuji, which have been peeled,quartered,
• and seeded, in a single layer on greased baking sheets; bake,
• stirring and rotat- ing baking sheets occasionally, until apples are dark and caramelized, about 3 hours. Let apples cool slightly, then
• transfer to a blender.
• Add 6 tbsp. unsweetened apple cider, and puree, scrap- ing down sides as
• needed, until mixture is completely smooth. Store in an
• airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 month.
• Makes about 3 cups

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

1 Make the pate sucree:
Cream butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until Huffy, 1-2 minutes.
Add 1 1/2 tbsp. egg and the vanilla; mix until combined.
With the motor running, slowly add flours; mix until dough forms.
Flatten dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap; chill 1 hour.

2 Make the almond cream:

Using the stand mixer with a clean bowl and paddle, cream sugar and butter until fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
Add extracts, rum, and egg; mix until combined.
With the motor running, slowly add flours until cream is smooth. Cover bowl
with plastic wrap; chill until ready to use.

3 Make the apples:
Heat sugar in a 12" nonstick skillet over medium-high; cook, without
stirring, until sugar is melted and light amber in color, 8-10
minutes.
Carefully stir in cider and 1/2 cup water (mixture will
bubble up); pour caramel into a
bowl and set aside.
Wipe skillet clean and melt butter over high heat. Cook apples until golden, 8-10 minutes.
Add reserved caramel; cook until apples are just softened, 10-12 minutes.
Let apples cool, then drain; discard caramel.

4 Make the topping:

Pulse flours, sugar, butter, and salt in a food processor until mixture
resembles fine sand; set aside.

5 Assemble and bake the pie:

Heat oven to 325°.
On a lightly floured surface, roll pate sucree into a 15" circle, about 1/6" thick. Fit into a 9" tart pan with a removable bottom; trim
edges. Using a fork, prick the dough all over. Line dough
with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans'
bake until golden, 25-30 minutes. Remove paper and weights and let cool

6 Spread reserved almond cream over dough; arrange apples over top. Spoon apple butter over apples. Sprinkle the reserved topping over
entire surface of pie; bake until topping is golden, about
45 minutes.
Let pie cool completely.
Dust with confectioners' sugar and cinnamon before serving.