1 9-inch pie crust recipe

Topping:

1 c (120 g) all-purpose flour

¼ c (50 g) brown sugar

1 ½ T black sesame seeds

¾ t ground cardamom

¼ t salt

6 T (85 g) unsalted butter cut into cubes

1 T tahini

2 T whole milk

Filling:

3 lb (1.4 kg) mixed apples, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) slices

4 T unsalted butter, melted

1 T lemon juice

½ c (100 g) granulated sugar

½ c (100 g) brown sugar

2 T all-purpose flour

2 T cornstarch

1 t ground cinnamon

½ t cardmom

1/8 t salt

1 egg, lightly beaten and mixed with 1 T water

Make the pie crust. Roll into a disk 2-inches thick. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Roll out the dough on a floured work surface into an 11-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie pan, letting the excess hang over the edges. Crimp the edges, being generous, because the crust will shrink as it bakes. Transfer to the freezer and chill for at least 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

To make the topping, whisk together flour, brown sugar, sesame seeds, cardamom, and salt. Add the butter. Using your hands or a pastry blender work the butter into the dough until all the butter pieces are pea-sized or smaller. Drizzle in the tahini and mix until combined. You’ll begin to see large crumb pieces coming together. Add the milk slowly, a bit at a time, and mix until the dough forms large crumbs (not big clumps). Cover and refrigerate while making the filling.

In a large mixing bowl, toss together the apple slices, butter, and lemon juice. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugars, flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt. Add the flour-sugar mixture to the apples and toss to combine.

Remove the pie crust from the freezer and transfer the filling to the pie shell. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the top. Brush the edges of the crust with the egg wash.

Loosely cover the pie with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 40-50 minutes or until the crumb topping is browned. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before serving.

Source: S.W. Worcel and W. Worcel, “Tables & Spreads”