1st Place 2010 Apple Pie Contest

CREAM CHEESE APPLE PIE WITH OATMEAL PECAN STREUSEL TOPPING

From the kitchen of Kim Landhuis of DeWitt, Michigan

1^st Place in 2010 Michigan’s Best Apple Pie Contest

Pie crust:

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unbleached flour

2 tablespoons water

¼ heaping teaspoon sea salt

1/3 cup Crisco Pure Canola oil

Filling:

4 large Michigan Northern Spy or 5 Michigan Ida Red apples, peeled and sliced

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Pioneer Sugar (reserve 6 tablespoons)

4 tablespoons butter, melted

3 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1 large egg

½ teaspoon vanilla

Topping:

½ cup unbleached flour

1 cup Pioneer brown sugar

½ cup oatmeal

¾ cup chopped pecans

½ cup (1 stick) hard butter

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  In large bowl, combine all pie crust ingredients.  Mix well and form into a ball.  Place between two sheets of wax paper and roll into 12-inch diameter for one crust.  Place crust onto a 9-inch pie pan.  Flute the edge.  Use a fork to prick crust before baking for 12 minutes.  Remove and place on rack.  Reduce oven to 375 degrees.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, over medium heat, stir and cook apple, sugar, melted butter, flour and cinnamon for 15 minutes with lid on.  Spoon mixture over pie crust.

Beat cream cheese, the remaining sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth and pour on top of apples.  Fold the cream cheese into apple mixture.  Bake for 25 minutes or until filling is set.  Cover the edge with aluminum foil.

Meanwhile, mix flour, brown sugar, oatmeal and pecans together.  Cut butter in dry mixture into pea-size morsels.  Sprinkle this mixture on cream cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes more or until golden brown.  Remove the foil the last 5 minutes of baking.  Cool completely on wire rack and then refrigerate until ready to serve.  Garnish with a slice of apple in the center (optional).