Disclaimer: I was compensated by Pazazz Apples for this post, but all opinions are mine, as always.
When you go to the grocery store, there is a seemingly never ending variety of apples. It’s hard to know which to choose for which purpose. Today, I am here to introduce you to a new variety of apple called Pazazz.
It is descended from the Honeycrisp, but it has its own unique flavor and some serious crunch, and it is grown sustainably by US farmers. It has taken ten years of careful cross pollination to create this apple.
It is still rolling out in markets across the US, but in my area is happens to be available at both Kroger and Meijer. I’m glad the stores are close because I want to keep Pazazz apples stocked in my kitchen since they have the perfect blend of sweet and tart and are the perfect way to celebrate simple pleasures of everyday life. Eating an apple is a great way to take a few quiet moments of me time in even the busiest of days.
But by now we all know I can’t leave well enough alone even with apples that are just right for eating as is. I needed to make pie with these apples. I just had to. And you should be glad I did, because this pie is pretty epic.
The really cool thing about this pie is that the sweetness of the apple, plus some sugar in the filling, pairs so well with the almost savory, cheese cracker like crust. I have never had a pie like this, but now I don’t think I can go back. The not too sweet, sweet and salty combination is everything I want in a dessert.
Let’s talk about the crust. It rolls out and browns up like a dream, no egg wash necessary. Even when I cut slices, this crust did not crumble. It is sturdy enough to create a whole Instagram worthy slice but then flake and crumble under the gentle pressure of a fork.
It pairs wonderfully with the filling packed with apples with a hint of maple syrup, some cinnamon, and even a little black pepper to keep the savory vibes going throughout.
This pie would be so magical on your holiday table or even into the New Year. Pick up plenty of Pazazz apples to bake some pie and eat as is!
Pazazz Apple Cheddar Pie
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 servings 1x
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ cup shortening
- 1 stick unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 ½ cups grated white cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup ice cold water
Filling
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup bourbon (optional – may substitute orange juice)
- 8 cups Pazazz apples, sliced ¼ to 1/2 inch thick
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup tapioca starch
- ½ cup grated white cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Make the crust. In a large bowl, stir together flour and sugar. Add shortening, butter, and cheese. Work in using hands, a pastry cutter, or a fork until pea sized pieces remain. Slowly add the butter and knead until the crust comes together when squeezed. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least two hours and up to 24 hours.
- When ready to bake the pie, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. remove the crust from the refrigerator and divide into two roughly equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface roll half the crust until it is big enough to cover your pie pan and about ¼ inch thick. Fit into the pie pan and roll the other half. Fold neatly, place in the pie pan, and refrigerate while you make the filling.
- Make the filling. In a very large bowl, stir together maple syrup, bourbon, apples, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, lemon juice, pepper, tapioca, and cheese until well combined.
- Remove the crust from the refrigerator and set the top crust aside. Fill the bottom crust with the apples, making sure they are all horizontal. Spoon most of the remaining juice onto the apples and place top crust carefully on top. Crimp the edges as desired and place on a rimmed foil lined baking sheet as the pie will bubble up.
- Bake 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F. bake an additional 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool pie completely in pan. Serve with ice cream if desired. pie may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or frozen wrapped in parchment and foil and placed in a zipper bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in a 350 degrees F oven for about 30 minutes.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
How ’bout them apples? Sorry, couldn’t resist. 🙂 Great looking recipe — thanks. And Happy Holidays!
Fantastic looking pie.