Dutch Apple Pie

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Make the Filling: Place brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, salt, ginger and nutmeg in a large bowl. Peel the apples then stand them up vertically. Cut the sides off the core and discard the core. Slice the apple pieces crosswise ¼-inch thick, then add them to the bowl. (There will be about 2¾ pounds after slicing). Toss the apple mixture until juices start to release, dissolving the sugar and coating the slices evenly. Let sit at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours (or overnight, covered, in the refrigerator) to let apples soften and release juices.

2. Step 2

   Prepare the crust: Roll dough into a 12-inch wide disk. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Center, then gently pat into bottom, corners and edges. Trim overhang to ½ inch (kitchen shears are good for this) and fold under so that the edge of the dough just touches the inner edge of the plate lip. Crimp the edge to your preference. Gently brush the top edge with a thin layer of cream. Chill for at least 1 hour in refrigerator or 30 minutes in freezer.

3. Step 3

   Make the streusel topping: Combine flour, walnuts (if using), brown sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Pour in butter and stir until combined. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until firm.

4. Step 4

   Place a sheet pan on the lowest oven rack and heat oven to 425 degrees. Set a colander over a large pot and strain the apples. There should be about 1 cup of juice (if there is significantly more, simmer the juice in the pot over medium-low heat until reduced to about 1 cup). Add the apple slices to the prepared crust one handful at a time, pressing down firmly after each addition to avoid gaps in the filling. Transfer to the refrigerator to keep cool while making the sauce.

5. Step 5

   Add the heavy cream to the apple juice in the pot. Simmer over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. There should now be about 1 cup of this mixture. Pour over the apples.

6. Step 6

   Break the streusel into pieces no larger than 1-inch and arrange over the apples, pressing gently to adhere. It will feel like a lot, but do your best to pile it on.

7. Step 7

   Bake on the hot sheet pan on the lowest rack for 20 minutes then turn the temperature down to 375 degrees. Continue to bake until evenly browned and a sharp knife meets little resistance when inserted into the center, 60 to 75 minutes. If the streusel begins to darken too quickly, loosely cover the top with a piece of aluminum foil until the pie is finished baking. Let rest at room temperature at least 4 hours, but ideally overnight, before cutting.