Apple Walnut Sour Cream Pie

This pie is simply out of this world. A co-worker provided me the recipe, promising that it was unique, delicious, and most importantly, worth the effort! Rather than baking a traditional apple pie or crumble, I decided to tackle this one. It's like a pie and a crumble, a sweet, savory and a sour all in one: a real tin full of sin.

The topping is a crunchy layer of walnuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon that does everything it can to hide what lies beneath... hoards of thinly sliced, tender and sweet apples in a perfectly balanced filling of lemon, sour cream, and natural juices. The sour cream plays the role of the best supporting actor, never taking center stage over the simple delight of this special nutty apple crumble, yet gently prompting every flavor forward to shine on its own. And underneath it all, the perfect buttery pie crust, just for good measure.

In the oven as it baked, the filling oozed out from underneath the topping, pouring onto the pan and creating a hot brittle that was the grand prize for this baker to eat when it finally came out! This pie is a winner on all accounts.

Sour Cream Apple Pie: courtesy of Evelyn Coleman, Laverock, PA via Evelyn Olivieri
Makes two pies
Filling: 
8 oz. carton sour cream
8 oz. package cream cheese
1 egg
1.5 cups sugar
1/4 cup flour
2 T vanilla extract
1/2 t. salt
6-9 large cooking apples, sliced
2 (9-inch) pastry shells

Topping: 
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 T. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
2 cups chopped walnuts

Filling: Combine sour cream, cream cheese, egg, sugar, flour, vanilla and salt in a large bowl. Beat until mixture is well blended. Add sliced apples to mixture (paring and slicing apples into cream mixture helps to delay browning), stirring to coat. Pour filling mixture into pastry shell(s) and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes until cream mixture is firm.

Topping: Blend together butter, flour, sugars, cinnamon, salt and walnuts. After pie is baked, remove from oven and stir top of filling gently. Place topping mixture evenly over top of pie. Return to oven for 15 minutes more.