Apple, Raisin and Walnut Pie

This recipe for homemade Apple, Raisin and Walnut pie is ideal for beginners. It’s a great way to start your career in pie crust making and I have plenty of evidence from hungry, health-conscious athletes to substantiate any claims regarding its wholesome flavor and delicious natural taste.

The coconut oil adds a rich, but light crust taste and texture. This pie crust is definitely not conventional or run-of-the-mill. The human genome evolved from non-refined, wholesome natural food, not from bleached chlorinated white pastry flour or chemically sterilized lard.

Homemade snacks and sweet treats need not be detrimental to our health. They never were originally. The key is to utilize wholesome clean ingredients and not break any nutrition rules, like “Eat nothing that causes harm”.

If you prefer to exclude the raisins or walnuts, this pie recipe is just fine with fresh apples alone. I also plan to experiment with gluten-free whole grains and flours, as well as various combinations of sugar and “gunk” free fillings and thickeners.

To make the filling:

• 8 medium organic sweet apples, peeled and cored
• 1 Tablespoon organic coconut oil
• 3 Tablespoons unpasteurized honey
• ½ cup golden raisins
• ½ cup crushed walnuts
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Cut each apple into uniform small chunks. Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add the apple chunks to the skillet and stir to coat with oil. Cover the pot tightly and cook, stirring gently and frequently for approximately 5 minutes or until apples have softened slightly but are somewhat firm. Add raisins, walnuts, cinnamon and honey, increase heat to medium-high and continue to cooking the apples for 3 minutes. Remove from the stove uncovered and let cool until room temperature.

To make the crust:

Preheat the oven to 205 degrees C (400 degrees F)
Grease a 9 inch pie plate with coconut oil

Crust Ingredients

• 2 cups organic whole wheat flour
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 2/3 cup organic coconut oil, cold
• 5 tablespoons cold filtered water
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Place the flour and cinnamon in a large bowl and whisk to blend. Work the chilled coconut oil with a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture resembles small crumbs, and then add cold water gradually. Knead the dough for 1 minute, then divide in half and form each half into a ball.

Roll out each ball between 2 sheets of parchment or wax paper with a rolling pin. Roll one ball into a 10 inch circle for the bottom crust and the other ball into a 9 inch circle for the top crust. Make sure to roll each ball out nice and thin. If the dough sticks to the paper, sprinkle lightly with flour.

Place the 10 inch circle into the bottom of the greased pie plate. Spoon the apple filling into the pie shell and cover with the 9 inch circle of dough. Fold the edges of the dough under and seal by pressing with your thumbs or a fork. Cut air vents in the top crust. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Let cool slightly before serving.

Serving suggestion:

Top pie with fresh made whipped cream or vanilla frozen yogurt.

Photo by Sarah Pflug from Burst

Bon Appetite!...TKH