Grandma Nissleys Crumb Pie Recipes

CLASSIC APPLE CRUMB PIE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Whisk the flour, granulated sugar and salt in a large bowl. Rub the butter pieces into the flour using your fingers until pea-size pieces form. Drizzle in the vinegar and ice water; stir gently with a fork to combine. If the dough doesn't hold together when you squeeze it, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Turn out the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and form into a disk; wrap tightly. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 13-inch round. Ease into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim the edges, leaving a 1-inch overhang, then tuck the overhanging dough under itself; crimp the edges with a fork. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Meanwhile, make the crumb topping: Mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Rub the butter into the mixture with your fingers until no longer floury and crumbs form. Freeze until ready to use.
• Make the filling: Place a foil-lined baking sheet on the lowest oven rack; preheat to 400˚. Mix the apples, melted butter, both sugars, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Spoon the filling into the chilled pie crust. Pat the crumb mixture on top.
• Bake the pie on the hot baking sheet until lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350˚ and bake until the apples are completely soft when pierced with a paring knife, 60 to 80 more minutes. (If the topping is getting too dark, cover loosely with foil.) Transfer the pie to a rack to cool completely.

QUAKERTOWN MOLASSES CRUMB PIE

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine the ingredients for the molasses layer. Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture has thickened. This will take about 5-10 minutes, depending on your stove. Allow it to come to a low boil, but not a full boil. Allow the mixture to cool while you prepare the topping.
• For the topping, combine the flour, brown sugar, melted butter and baking soda. Mix well.
• Pour the molasses mixture into the unbaked pie shell.
• Sprinkle the crumbs on top of the molasses mixture.
• Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes until the top is golden brown and the center starts to puff up.
• Allow the pie to cool before slicing. This is considered a "wet-bottom" pie, so when you slice it, the bottom may be slightly "wet" and that's OK.

CRUMB TOPPING FOR PIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar and flour. Mix in butter with a fork or stand mixer just until the topping is crumbly. Top your pie before baking.

VANILLA CUSTARD PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and butter; press onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9-in. pie plate. Bake until lightly browned, 8-10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack., In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, flour and salt. Stir in milk until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot filling into egg yolks; return all to the pan. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in vanilla. Pour into crust., In a small bowl, beat the egg whites, vanilla and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff peaks form. Spread over hot filling, sealing edges to crust. Sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs. , Bake until golden brown, 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

GRANDMA'S APPLE CRUMB PIE

Steps:

• Slice apples into pie shell, pour the half cup sugar over the apples, sprinkle with cinnamon.
• For the topping, mix flour and sugar. Cut in margarine until crumbly. Spread over the top of the pie. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes, until topping starts to brown just slightly. Cover the edge of the crust with foil when baking. Remove after 45 minutes in the oven so it can brown slightly before finished baking.

GRANDMA'S SECRET PIE CRUST

Steps:

• In large bowl mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening with two butter knifes.
• In separate bowl, mix together egg, vinegar, and water. Drizzle wet mixture into dry mixture, cutting it in.
• Roll out dough, and fit into two 9 inch pie pans.
• Bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 12 minutes.

GRANDMA NISSLEY'S SHOO-FLY PIE

Steps:

• First line pie plates with pastry as you would for a custard. (Recipe makes four medium-size pies.) Mix baking soda and molasses, and let work while you make the crumbs of the flour, sugar and lard. When the molasses/soda is ready, add 1-3/4 cups boiling water to the molasses, mixing well and pouring into pie plates. Sprinkle crumb mixture on top of the liquid and bake. This makes the pies nice and moist on the bottom -- not so dry.

GRANDMA NISSLEY'S CRUMB PIE

Steps:

• Crumb flour, sugar and butter. Reserve 1/2 cup of crumbs for top of pie. Mix milk, egg and soda together, and stir into crumbs. Beat thoroughly. Put in pie pan and sprinkle reserved crumbs on top. Bake in moderate oven (325-degrees for 1/2 hour). Makes two small pies.