Recipe Review: Apple And Concord Grape Crumble Pie

Introduction

This is a great fall pie when you can get fresh Concord grapes and apples. It’s not particularly difficult, however there are a lot of steps. So it can be time consuming. The flavor of the pie is great and probably the best apple pie in the book (there are a couple of other apple recipes such as the Apple Tart and Double-Apple Crumble Cake). Definitely worth giving a try in the fall when all of the ingredients are fresh. The apple and Concord grapes go together particularly well. Note that in the footnotes of the book an alternative is proposed that is essentially a double-crumble instead of a pie. In hindsight, that’s probably the ideal way to make this and we’d recommend doing that instead. The pie is nice, but isn’t worth the extra effort and doesn’t add a ton of flavor. The structure of the pie makes it hard to get the right ratio of crumble-to0-apple in each bite anyways. Plus skipping the pie crust simplifies the recipe significantly.

Recipe Outline

Recipe: Apple And Concord Grape Crumble Pie	Special Equipment: 9-Inch Pie Plate
Source: Dessert Person	Time: 8 Hours
Author: Claire Saffitz	Difficulty: 3/5
Type: Dessert (Baking)	Score: ★★★★☆

Making The Flaky Pie Crust

Tip 1: Consider freezing the bowl, the rolling pin, and the working surface (such as a cutting board) to keep the butter from melting. Likewise, freeze the bowl and the flour/butter mixture for at least 5 minutes between each step.

Tip 2: Consider chilling in refrigerator for longer than suggested for both steps.

Making The Buckwheat Crumble

Tip: It can take a while to achieve the right texture, but work the mixture vigorously and it will come together.

Making The Filling

Making And Baking The Pie

Final Product

Key Takeaways

• While the pie is great, considering trying the crumble-only modification proposed in footnote 2.
• Get quality apples and grapes as they’re what makes the recipe really work.
• Final Score: 4/5 – Apples and Concord grapes are an incredible combination and this dessert is a great way to try it.