Recipe: Dutch Apple Pie (with cooked apple filling with raisins and cream)

DUTCH APPLE PIE

Purchased or homemade pastry for single-crust pie
FOR THE APPLE FILLING:
2 1/2 lbs. (about 5 medium) Granny Smith or Jonathan apples
2 lbs. (about 4 medium) McIntosh or Golden Delicious apples
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
3/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup heavy cream
FOR THE STREUSEL TOPPING:
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp. cornmeal
7 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Prepare pie shell, baking the crust until deep golden brown. Remove the baked crust from the oven.

TO MAKE THE APPLE FILLING:
Meanwhile, peel, quarter and core the apples; slice each quarter crosswise into pieces 1/4 inch thick. Toss the apples, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.

Heat the butter in a large Dutch oven over high heat until foaming subsides; add the apples, tossing to coat. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until the apples are softened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in raisins; cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until the Granny Smith apple slices are tender and the McIntosh apple slices are beginning to break down, about 5 minutes longer.

Set a large colander over a large bowl; transfer the cooked apples to the colander. Shake the colander and toss the apples to drain off as much juice as possible.

Return the drained juice to the Dutch oven; add cream. Bring to a boil over high heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and a wooden spoon leaves a trail in the mixture, about 5 minutes.

Transfer the apples to the baked pie shell; pour the reduced juice mixture over. Smooth with a spatula.

TO MAKE THE STREUSEL TOPPING:
Combine flour, sugars and cornmeal in a medium bowl; drizzle with melted butter and toss with a fork until evenly moistened and the mixture forms many large chunks with pea-size pieces mixed throughout. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; spread the streusel in an even layer on the paper.

Bake the streusel at 425 degrees F until golden brown, about 5 minutes; set the baking sheet with the streusel on a wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the pie filling. Set the pie plate on the baking sheet.

Bake until the streusel topping is deep golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack to room temperature and serve.

Makes 8 servings
Adapted from source: American Classics, by the editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine