Bouchon Apple Pie 

from Saveur

Cream butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until fluffy, 1–2 minutes. Add 1½ tbsp. egg and the vanilla; mix until combined. With the motor running, slowly add flours; mix until dough forms. Flatten dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap; chill 1 hour.

On a lightly floured surface, roll pâte sucrée into a 15" circle, about ⅙" thick. Fit into a 9" tart pan with a removable bottom; trim edges. Using a fork, prick the dough all over. Line dough with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans; bake until golden, 25–30 minutes. Remove paper and weights and let cool.

Notes: The texture of this pate sucre was very light, but the flavor was overwhelmingly eggy some reason. Even after a thorough chilling (in plastic wrap, and after shaping) and docking and weighting, it puffed up and shrank in the oven, then proceeded to bubble butter on to everything. The bottom and sides never really became golden after 30 min in a glass pie pan (even with blind baking, the pie needed some extra time in the oven at the end.) Overall, this crust felt fatty.  Perhaps I will try a different pan? Recipe? Technique?

Almond Cream
5 tbsp. confectioners' sugar
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
½ tsp. vanilla extract
¼ tsp. almond extract
¼ tsp. dark rum
1 egg
5 tbsp. almond flour
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

Using a stand mixer, cream sugar and butter until fluffy, 1–2 minutes. Add extracts, rum, and egg; mix until combined. With the motor running, slowly add flours until cream is smooth. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; chill until ready to use.

Note: The Bosch is finicky about the temperature of the butter when creaming. Fairly pliable butter is the easiest way to start.

Heat sugar in a 12" nonstick skillet over medium-high; cook, without stirring, until sugar is melted and light amber in color, 8–10 minutes. Carefully stir in cider and ½ cup water (mixture will bubble up); pour caramel into a bowl and set aside. Wipe skillet clean and melt butter over high heat. Cook apples until golden, 8–10 minutes. Add reserved caramel; cook until apples are just softened, 10–12 minutes. Let apples cool, then drain; discard caramel.

Note: This medium-high business didn't work for me, creating layers of sugar on top that solidified and slowly burning caramel underneath. Perhaps adding the cider and water earlier and letting the sugars cook down would take a little longer, but be less scary. Apple timing was spot on.

Pulse flours, sugar, butter, and salt in a food processor until mixture resembles fine sand; set aside.

Assemble and bake the pie
Heat oven to 325°. Spread reserved almond cream over dough; arrange apples over top. Spoon 1 cup of apple butter over apples. Sprinkle all of the reserved topping on top of the pie. Bake until topping is golden, about 45 minutes. Let pie cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar and cinnamon before serving.

Note: The edges of my pie began to brown much more quickly than the sides and bottom. Cover!