No Sugar Apple Pie

Here’s an old family recipe for pie without sugar. It also contains NO toxic sugar substitutes. What’s the secret? The apples!  Most apple pies are made with green apples, such as Granny Smith. However, if you want to add no sugar, you need a sweeter apple and you need to add some concentrated apple juice. (That’s how the fruit-sweetened jams are made.)  Here’s the recipe:

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (alternate: white flour)
• 1/4 teas. baking powder
• 2/3 c very cold unsalted butter
• ice water
• 1/2 teas. vinegar
• 6 cups peeled, sliced Golden Delicious apples
• 1 can frozen, unsweetened apple juice
• 3 T. cornstarch or arrowroot mixed with 1/4 cup water
• 1 teas. cinnamon
• 1/8 teas. nutmeg

1. Mix flour and baking powder.
2. Cut in the butter with two knives or a pastry blender. When the mixture resembles oatmeal, add 1 T. at a time ice water then add the vinegar.
3. Form the dough and divide it in half. Roll one half out to make the bottom crust and have it ready in the pan. Roll out the other half and cut in strips to make the top lattice.
4. Heat the apple juice. Add the apples for just 3-4 minutes, then remove the apple slices from the juice.
5. Add the spices to the juice and thicken with the cornstarch or arrowroot mixture.
6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
7. Place the apples in the bottom crust and pour the thickened juice on top.
8. Add the lattice as the top crust.
9. Once the oven is preheated, place the pie in the oven, as centered as possible. On a lower rack, place a cookie sheet to catch drippings.
10. Bake for about an hour.

Tip:  If you have edge protectors for the crust, add these about 15 minutes before the pie is done. These are aluminum shields, several of which are placed around the crust edge to protect it from over-browning.