Cheddar-Apple Pie
 
Makes 1 (9-Inch) Pie
Ingredients
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 8 cups peeled ¼-inch-sliced Honeycrisp apples
  • 3½ tablespoons cornstarch
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons apple pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon whiskey
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • Cheddar All-Butter Pie Dough (recipe follows)
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
Cheddar All-Butter Pie Dough
  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • ⅔ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 1 cup finely shredded sharp white Cheddar cheese
  • ¼ cup chilled whiskey
  • 3 tablespoons ice water, plus more as needed
Instructions
  1. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add apples; cook, stirring frequently, until almost tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and ¼ cup water.. Add sugar, pie spice, and salt; pour cornstarch mixture over apples. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in whiskey and lemon juice. Let cool completely (see Kitchen Tip).
  3. On a lightly floured surface, roll one portion of Cheddar All-Butter Pie Dough to a 13-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate, pressing into bottom and up sides. Trim to ½-inch past edge of dish, if necessary. Pour cooled apple filling into crust. Place in refrigerator.
  4. Preheat oven to 400°. Place oven rack in bottom third of oven.
  5. On a lightly floured surface, roll remaining portion Cheddar All-Butter Pie Dough to a 12-inch circle. Cut vents in dough using a small leaf cookie cutter; set cutouts aside.
  6. Using a pastry brush, brush edges of bottom piecrust with egg. Place remaining piecrust on top of filling. Pinch top and bottom edges of crusts together to seal. Trim crusts to ½ inch past edge of dish, if necessary. Fold edges under, and crimp as desired. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. (Place leaf cutouts in the freezer as well).
  7. Brush top crust with egg and attach cutouts as desired; brush with egg, if desired.
  8. Bake until top and bottom crusts are deep golden brown, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool for at least 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Cheddar All-Butter Pie Dough
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add cold butter, tossing to coat. Using your fingers, cut in butter, flattening cubes into big shards and tossing butter pieces in flour mixture to thoroughly coat, just until butter is in nickel-size pieces. Stir in cheese. Make a well in center. Add chilled whiskey and 3 tablespoons ice water. Working in a small section at a time, stir together with a fork until mixture begins to become hydrated. Gently knead dough together. Add additional ice water, about 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed until dough comes together but is not sticky.
  2. Divide dough in half and shape into 2 disks. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
Notes
KITCHEN TIP
The apple filling can be prepared ahead of time, if needed. Or if you want to quickly cool the cooked apples, spread them onto a foiled-lined baking sheet and let cool.
Recipe by Taste of the South at https://www.tasteofthesouthmagazine.com/cheddar-apple-pie/